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Food

Imagine a truly energized workforce.

The right fuel can transform a team's performance. Elevate your people with a flexible Lifestyle Spending Account (LSA) that lets them access the quality, nourishing food they need to feel and work their best.

Fuel Your Team for Success

Fuel performance

Lunch isn't just a break—it's a business strategy. See why feeding your team is the highest-ROI investment you can make today.

25%

more productive at work

Employees who eat healthy meals have more energy and focus. Food is fuel for daily output.
60%

skip lunch regularly

Back-to-back calls and time poverty mean most teams eat at their desks—or not at all.
Top 5

most valued workplace perk

Food benefits are daily and visible. Unlike insurance, employees feel this appreciation immediately.

An Investment in Daily Performance

A well-fed team is a productive team. A flexible food stipend is a simple, direct investment in
the daily happiness, focus, and engagement of your people.

Grocery Freedom

Grocery Freedom

Supermarkets, Farmers Markets, Specialty Stores

Effortless Meal Delivery

Effortless Meal Delivery

Meal Kits, Prepared Meal Services

Team & Client Lunches

Team & Client Lunches

Local Restaurants, Coffee Shops, Food Delivery

Custom Bundle

Mix & match what your team needs.

Build Bundle

See How SideUp Works in 4 Easy Steps

FSA 936x936 (21)
FSA 936x936 (22)
FSA 936x936 (23)
FSA 936x936 (24)
01.

Choose your benefits

Decide which benefits you want to offer and who they apply to.
02.

Implement your policy

Set your budget, eligibility rules, and spending limits. Our platform handles the compliance and guardrails automatically.

03.

Connect to payroll

Seamlessly integrate with your existing payroll provider. We handle the tax implications and reporting for you.

04.

Join the SideUp platform

Invite your team. They get their cards, you get the credit for being an amazing employer. Everyone wins.
REAL IMPACT, MEASURED IN RESULTS

The numbers don't lie

Based on SideUp’s internal research comparing clients with vs. without flexible stipends. When you give employees choice, the numbers speak for themselves.

eNPS Points
+35
eNPS Points
Clients using SideUp consistently score +35 points higher than those relying on standard perks.
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Profit
+ 23%
Profit
Employees who are happy with their benefits are more productive and can increase a company’s revenue by up to 23%.
ROI
10x
ROI
For every $1 spent on SideUp stipends, companies save $10 in retention costs and productivity gains.
The SideUp Marketplace

Every dollar goes further. And stays local.

Our marketplace brings your team closer to the independent cafés, gyms, shops and services in their own neighborhood. When they spend their SideUp budget there, they unlock exclusive discounts and freebies, so the same benefit buys more.

✓

Exclusive discounts for SideUp members

✓

Freebies and extras from local partners

✓

Your benefits budget, backing local businesses

A Saturday on Main Street

The Corner Café

$10.95

Marketplace discount

−$1.65

Northside Yoga Studio

$15.00

Free mat rental

Freebie

Saved this month

$11.60

Illustrative example

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about food and meal benefits.

What can a food benefit be used for?

Common uses include lunch stipends, grocery delivery, meal kits, and coffee, giving employees flexibility in how they cover food-related costs.

Is a meal or food stipend taxable?

In most cases yes, unless it qualifies for a specific de minimis fringe benefit exception, which is generally limited to occasional, small-value meals.

How much do companies typically offer for food benefits?

It varies, but many employers offer $50 to $150 per month, especially for remote or hybrid teams without an office cafeteria.

Can employees choose where to spend their food benefit?

Yes, employees can typically use their allowance across a range of eligible restaurants, grocery, and meal delivery vendors.

Do food benefits help with employee satisfaction?

Yes, food-related perks are consistently among the most-used and most-appreciated benefits, particularly for remote and hybrid employees.

How does SideUp handle food benefit spending?

Employees spend through their SideUp card at eligible vendors, with budgets and categories set by the employer and tracked automatically.

Boost Daily Engagement

Ready to modernize your benefits?

 

Join hundreds of forward-thinking companies using SideUp to attract and retain top talent.