Defining Reasonable Business Meal Expenses in Today's Economic Environment

SAP Concur blog discusses how to define reasonable business meal expenses amid inflation. With average annual inflation at 4% since 2020, business trip costs have risen: a 3-day, 2-night trip averaged $975 in 2019, now $1,100-$1,330. Average US dinner cost rose from $20 in 2010 to $27 in 2020, now $40, with NYC at $55 and Houston/Dallas at $30. Companies are shifting from fixed limits to guideline-based policies that consider location and business context.