Salary Packaging – Meal Entertainment
Help employees make more of what they earn with salary packaging for meals and entertainment. The SalaryMax MATE Card (Meals, Accommodation, Treats and Entertainment) is a compliant, prepaid Mastercard designed to give eligible employees the ability to pay for approved dining and lifestyle expenses using pre-tax income, boosting their take-home pay while enjoying more everyday moments.
Purpose-built for healthcare, not-for-profits, and education sectors, this meal and entertainment card ensures funds are used as intended, with ATO-aligned spend controls built in. Delivered as a physical or digital card, the MATE Card makes meal and entertainment salary packaging simple, secure and stress-free.
What is meal entertainment salary packaging?
Meal and entertainment salary packaging allows eligible employees to use a portion of their pre-tax salary for approved expenses like dining out, venue hire, and accommodation with meals. Instead of reimbursing expenses, funds are loaded upfront onto a dedicated meal entertainment card, making it easier to stay compliant with ATO guidelines and maximise the benefit.
The SalaryMax MATE Card is designed specifically for salary packaging meal entertainment, using strict merchant rules to ensure funds are only spent on eligible purchases. That includes restaurants, holiday stays, catered events, and more, while excluding merchants such as bottleshops.
This benefit is only available to eligible sectors under current ATO rules. We recommend reviewing the latest meal entertainment card rules or speaking with a financial advisor to confirm eligibility.
How the MATE Card works
Offering meals and entertainment salary packaging with the SalaryMax MATE Card is simple, compliant and easy to manage.
Here’s how it works:
Employees receive their card digitally via SMS or as a physical prepaid Mastercard, depending on your chosen format.
Pre-tax funds are loaded each pay cycle, up to the ATO-approved cap.
Employees spend their balance at approved merchants, both in-store and online, including restaurants, cafés, and holiday accommodation.
Transactions are tracked in real time through your secure Client Portal, giving full visibility and easy reporting.
Whether you’re starting fresh or replacing an existing provider, our Australian-based team is here to support a smooth rollout. You can also add custom branding to cards to align with your organisation’s look and feel.
Eligible meal & entertainment expenses
Under meal entertainment card rules, approved spending categories typically include:
Dining at restaurants, cafés or bistros
Holiday accommodation (e.g. resorts, hotels, B&Bs)
Social functions, parties and celebrations
Catered events and venue hire
Benefits of Salary Packaging Meal Entertainment
For Employers
- Attract and retain top talent with more appealing salary packages.
- Enhance financial wellbeing for staff without increasing base pay.
- Streamline admin through a secure portal and real-time reporting.
- ATO compliance built in with strict merchant blocking and audit-ready reporting.
For Employees
- Boosted take-home pay by reducing taxable income.
- Convenient access to funds upfront, no need to claim later.
- Prepaid card formats to suit all preferences (plastic, digital, or email).
- Spend confidently on meals, accommodation, or entertainment - online or instore.
Notes:
We don’t provide tax or financial advice. Always refer to the ATO for the latest rules and eligibility criteria.
Why choose the SalaryMax MATE Card?
Our meal entertainment card solution is built for compliance, simplicity, and flexibility:
Strict spend controls: Card only works at eligible merchants.
Australia-wide acceptance instore or online.
Same-day SMS delivery. Alternatively, opt for physical cards for post delivery.
Simple management: Load, track, and manage cards via our secure client portal: Load, track, and manage cards via our secure client portal.
Custom branding: Our design team will create branded cards featuring your organisation’s logo and message.
Powered by Mastercard, the MATE Card is the secure, scalable solution for meal and entertainment salary packaging for small businesses.
Ready to offer more to your team?
Whether you’re setting up salary packaging for meal entertainment for the first time or upgrading your current process, our expert Australia-based team is here to help.
Let’s talk about how the MATE Card can enhance your employee benefits while keeping your business compliant and efficient.