Tax bill threatens office snacks

If your company provides free office snacks or meals, that perk could be at risk due to President Donald Trump's new tax law. A tax deduction offered to employers for takeout meals and company-provided cafeteria meals will expire at the end of this year thanks to a provision in the so-called "Big Beautiful Bill", which became law earlier in July. Office snacks may be impacted as well. That could mean some employers, who offer food and snacks to attract employees back to the office, could choose to do away with the perk. But will they? Read my USA TODAY story for more details and to find out what percentage of offices provide free food perks, according to the latest Employee Benefit Survey from SHRM with additional insight from AICPA and Stanford University economist Nick Bloom. https://lnkd.in/ebXmwUeU

Starting in 2026, the "One Big Beautiful Bill" rewrites how workplace food and beverage programs are treated under the tax code. Coffee, snacks, and onsite meals? No longer deductible. Cleaning supplies and paper towels? Still deductible. At Crafty, we believe the right response isn’t to cut culture—it’s to manage it smarter. That’s why we wrote this piece: to help companies navigate the new compliance landscape without gutting the workplace experience employees actually want. In this article, Nathan Rosenstock and I unpack: - What the 2026 tax changes really mean for office snacks and catering - How to split workplace expenses between deductible and non-deductible spend - Why smarter reporting and financial visibility are now non-negotiable If your workplace invests in food and beverage, this is a must-read. Read it here → https://lnkd.in/e9zUXJSa

🔴 Why Companies Should Keep Offering Snacks (Tax Deduction Gone or Not) 1. Snack programs aren’t luxuries — they’re productivity drivers. As the article admits, 44% of U.S. employers provide snacks today. That’s not just trivia—it’s proof companies see ROI in employee morale, creativity, and the office community vibe. Snacking areas foster impromptu team interactions that fuel innovation. 2. Snack spend is “inelastic” — businesses don’t actually cut it. ZeroCater’s CEO pointed out that when the deduction vanished in 2017, clients didn’t drop their snack programs anyway: “When you take a tax deduction away, the cost is going to go up, but companies will continue to spend. That means firms are prioritizing this benefit even when it costs more! 3. The real cost of cutting snacks is hidden attrition. That’s right — what seems like a minor savings can cost much more in reduced employee satisfaction, lowered engagement, and eventual turnover. Talent is hard (and expensive) to replace, especially in tight labor markets. 4. Positive office culture isn’t taxable — it’s essential. The article compares snacks to other perks in tech giants like Google and Meta. These perks aren’t just window dressing—they help attract and retain top talent. Removing them wouldn’t generate long-term gains, but would chip away at your employer brand. 5. Strategic snack programs offer flexibility amid hybrid work. Post-COVID hybrid schedules mean office utilization varies. Rather than scrapping snacks entirely, smarter companies (like ours at Go Munch) fine-tune supply to match in-office patterns. That way, you maintain the benefit without overinvesting. Final takeaway 💡 Yes, the Trump “Big Beautiful Bill” eliminated the deduction, but that doesn’t mean you should scrap snack programs. Instead: View snacks as essential to workplace culture — not tax-advantaged freebies. Manage usage strategically to reflect hybrid attendance patterns. Solve for engagement and retention — not line-item cost apportionment. Cutting snacks may save a few dollars — but at the expense of employee happiness, collaboration, and retention. And that’s a price you really can’t afford. https://lnkd.in/gwM9aBvr

Free snacks are part of the modern workplace, with 44% of US employers now providing them, double the rate of a decade ago. But Donald Trump's signature tax law allows a long-standing business deduction for the cost of food provided to employees to expire, Cam Kettles reports. The move got scant attention as the sprawling legislation moved through Congress and it isn’t yet clear how companies will respond. Companies known for providing copious snacks, like Goldman Sachs and Meta, declined to say what they might do when the tax deduction ends. What might your organization do?

Free snacks are part of the modern workplace, with 44% of US employers now providing them, double the rate of a decade ago. But Donald Trump's signature tax law allows a long-standing business deduction for the cost of food provided to employees to expire, Cam Kettles reports. The move got scant attention as the sprawling legislation moved through Congress and it isn’t yet clear how companies will respond. Companies known for providing copious snacks, like Goldman Sachs and Meta, declined to say what they might do when the tax deduction ends. What might your organization do?

Free snacks are part of the modern workplace, with 44% of US employers now providing them, double the rate of a decade ago. But Donald Trump's signature tax law allows a long-standing business deduction for the cost of food provided to employees to expire, Cam Kettles reports. The move got scant attention as the sprawling legislation moved through Congress and it isn’t yet clear how companies will respond. Companies known for providing copious snacks, like Goldman Sachs and Meta, declined to say what they might do when the tax deduction ends. What might your organization do?

Free snacks are part of the modern workplace, with 44% of US employers now providing them, double the rate of a decade ago. But Donald Trump's signature tax law allows a long-standing business deduction for the cost of food provided to employees to expire, Cam Kettles reports. The move got scant attention as the sprawling legislation moved through Congress and it isn’t yet clear how companies will respond. Companies known for providing copious snacks, like Goldman Sachs and Meta, declined to say what they might do when the tax deduction ends. What might your organization do?

Free snacks are part of the modern workplace, with 44% of US employers now providing them, double the rate of a decade ago. But Donald Trump's signature tax law allows a long-standing business deduction for the cost of food provided to employees to expire, Cam Kettles reports. The move got scant attention as the sprawling legislation moved through Congress and it isn’t yet clear how companies will respond. Companies known for providing copious snacks, like Goldman Sachs and Meta, declined to say what they might do when the tax deduction ends. What might your organization do?

Most companies will have to pay taxes on office snacks and beverages if they want to continue offering the perk to employees starting in 2026. The tax deduction for this popular employee benefit was eliminated as part of the current administration’s "Big Beautiful Bill." Be sure to start stockpiling snacks while your company still offers them! https://lnkd.in/e_vzspTD