Federal Daily Meal Allowance: Rates and Rules

The federal daily meal allowance is a per diem amount used to cover meals and incidental expenses during eligible government travel; it is a reimbursement rule, not a dish or a cooking recipe. Rates and payment rules depend on the destination, travel dates, and agency policy, so the practical approach is to check the official rate and calculate only the portion your trip qualifies for.

Ingredients

1 current official destination-specific meals and incidental expenses (M&IE) rate, in U.S. dollars, per traveler per travel day
1 set of confirmed travel dates and times, including departure and return times
1 list of meals provided at no cost during the trip, such as conference breakfasts or hosted lunches
1 copy of the applicable agency travel policy or authorization, including any approved exceptions

Instructions

Confirm which rules apply. If you are a federal employee, use your agency’s travel policy and the travel authorization as the controlling instructions. Federal civilian travel commonly follows the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR); members of the armed forces may be subject to the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR). Contractors and other travelers should follow their contract or employer’s rules rather than assuming they receive a federal employee allowance.
Look up the correct destination and dates. Find the M&IE rate for the location where you will be staying or traveling, using the official General Services Administration (GSA) per diem rate tool for most U.S. locations. Use the Department of Defense’s official rate information where JTR rules apply. For foreign travel, check the U.S. Department of State’s published rates. Rates can vary by location and may change over time, so use the rate applicable to the travel dates—not a search result, an old receipt, or a rate remembered from a previous trip.
Identify the eligible travel days. Read your agency’s rules for the first and last day of travel, overnight travel, and any partial-day situations. Under common federal per diem procedures, the M&IE allowance for the first and last day is generally 75% of the applicable daily rate. Do not automatically claim a full day for a short trip or apply the 75% calculation without checking whether your agency’s rules and circumstances call for it.
Adjust for meals furnished at no cost. If a meal is provided as part of a conference, event, lodging arrangement, or other source, follow the applicable policy’s deduction procedure. Federal schedules commonly divide M&IE into breakfast, lunch, dinner, and incidental portions; reduce the meal portion for meals furnished, not the incidental amount, when the governing rules direct that treatment. A meal is not necessarily considered furnished just because food was available: check the applicable policy for how to handle meals included in registration fees or lodging, dietary needs, and other exceptions.
Calculate the amount for each day. Start with the official daily rate, apply any permitted first- or last-day percentage, then make required meal deductions. Repeat for each travel date if the destination rate changes. Keep the calculation with your travel records and submit it through the required travel system. The daily M&IE limit is generally a maximum allowance, not a promise that every traveler will receive that amount regardless of eligibility, authorization, or agency procedure.
Reconcile and follow agency instructions. Some authorized travel uses a per diem allowance without itemized meal receipts, while other situations require documentation or a different reimbursement method. Follow your agency’s rules for claims, receipts, advances, and returning unused funds. Do not add tips, taxes, or other expenses a second time if they are already covered by the applicable M&IE rate.

Tips

Use an official source. Check GSA, State Department, or DoD rates as appropriate, and save a copy or note the rate and effective dates used in your calculation.
Separate lodging from meals. A standard federal per diem may include a lodging allowance and an M&IE allowance. This guide covers meals and incidental expenses only; lodging has separate limits and rules.
Do not treat the rate as a flat universal amount. The destination, travel date, travel status, funding, and agency policy can affect what applies. Get approval for unusual circumstances before spending when possible.
Ask about ambiguous provided meals. If a meal was listed on an agenda but was not actually available to you, or if a special circumstance applies, ask your agency travel office how to document it instead of guessing at a deduction.

Serving Suggestions

Use the allowance as a budgeting guide for meals while traveling, not as a required menu or a recommendation to spend the entire amount. Plan food around your itinerary and the availability of meals at your destination. If you are preparing an expense claim, keep the daily calculation clear and separate from lodging, transportation, and other authorized travel expenses.

Variations

Federal civilian travel: Check the FTR and your agency’s supplements and travel authorization; GSA rates are commonly used for domestic locations.

Military travel: Check the current JTR and the official rate source applicable to the assignment. Military rules and circumstances may differ from civilian employee procedures.

Foreign travel: Use the applicable State Department rate and confirm how the agency handles currency, locations, and travel days. Do not substitute a domestic GSA rate for a foreign destination.

Contractor or grant-funded travel: Follow the contract, award terms, or employer policy. A federal per diem table may be referenced, but that alone does not establish eligibility or reimbursement rights.

Storage and Reheating

This allowance is a travel calculation, not prepared food, so it does not have food-storage or reheating times. Keep rate references, approvals, receipts when required, and expense documentation in the agency-approved records system, and meet the deadlines set by your travel policy. If you buy perishable food while traveling, refrigerate it within 2 hours (within 1 hour when the temperature is above 90°F / 32°C); general cooked leftovers keep 3–4 days refrigerated and should be reheated to 165°F (74°C).

Frequently Asked Questions

What does M&IE stand for?
M&IE means meals and incidental expenses. Federal per diem schedules generally show it separately from lodging. The exact expenses included and the claim procedure depend on the governing travel rules.

Is the federal daily meal allowance the same everywhere?
No. Rates can vary by destination and travel date, and foreign travel uses a different official rate source from most domestic travel. Check the relevant published schedule for the dates of your trip.

Do I get the full rate on the first and last day?
Common federal procedures generally use 75% of the applicable M&IE rate for the first and last travel days. Confirm the rule with your agency, especially for unusual itineraries or travel that does not include an overnight stay.

What if breakfast or lunch is included with my event?
Follow the applicable meal-deduction rules and your agency’s instructions. The treatment can depend on whether the meal was actually furnished and on the circumstances; do not deduct an amount simply because an agenda mentioned food.

Do I need meal receipts?
Receipt requirements depend on the reimbursement method and agency policy. A per diem arrangement may not require itemized meal receipts, but travelers may still need to document dates, location, authorization, or other expenses. Check before submitting a claim.

Can I claim the allowance if I am a contractor?
Not automatically. Contractors should consult the contract and employer’s travel policy. Federal rate tables may be used as a reference when the agreement says so, but they do not by themselves create eligibility.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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