[Vigilanteman]

If a company has a machine necessary to run the production line, the oil, gas and/or electricity necessary to keep that machine running an producing is deductible as a normal business expense.

How is an employee meal any different?

[Quality_Not_Quantity]

Employee meals are considered a taxable benefit. If you paid the employee more to cover the cost of the formerly free meal, the employee would be liable for taxes on it.

Where I start to get a little exercised is when the IRS starts threatening to tax my portion of business lunch paid for by my company. That’s only the beginning.

After that, they’ll want us to report the names and tax ID/SSN of each individual at the table, how much the cost of the meal was, and who ate and drank what.

Actually, this fits right in to the government keeping track of what you eat and drink.

It WILL be a nightmare.

[TexasGator]

“How is an employee meal any different? “

It is a ‘benefit’ to the employee.