Actual Meal Expense Method

• Employees should seek out moderately priced restaurants and dining.
• As a best practice, multiple receipts should generally not be added together and submitted as one expense line. However, aggregating multiple meal expenses supported by receipts and incurred on the same day may be acceptable, at the discretion of the approving cost center manager.
• Alcoholic beverages are not allowed as Federal direct or indirect costs. If incurred, expenses must be separately identified and reported as Alcoholic Beverages (Travel).
• If meals are included in the conference registration fee or hotel rates, an additional meal charge will not be reimbursed. Exceptions for dietary, religious reason, or other business purpose should be clearly documented. Senior Management relies heavily upon individual judgment at all levels of the organization in determining when expenses are necessary and reasonable. If meal reimbursement is requested, the Cost Center Manager may request a conference agenda be attached to verify such meals were not included in the registration fee.
• Meals that include the entertainment of an individual other than another employee are considered to be social in nature and should be treated as a social/entertainment business expense. Social expenses are not allowed as Federal direct or indirect costs. If incurred, they must be charged to a departmental account.