Brazil meal vouchers now work on any card machine

Updated on November 9, 2026.

Since November 7, 2026, meal and food vouchers under Brazil’s Worker Food Program (PAT) must be accepted by any card machine enabled for this type of payment, regardless of which company issued the card. This is the last stage of the changes created by Decree 12.712/2025, which also capped the fees charged to restaurants and supermarkets and shortened the time they wait to be paid.

For those who receive the benefit, the amount does not change and the card can still only be used for food. For companies that provide the voucher, the rules are stricter, with fines and loss of the tax incentive for non-compliance. Here is what applies today to each side.

What changed on November 7

Until now, each voucher operator had its own network of merchants. A card from one brand was only accepted at the restaurants and supermarkets accredited by it. With interoperability, networks become shared: the same enabled terminal must accept cards from different operators, without a separate contract or machine for each one.

The decree gave 360 days from its publication on November 12, 2025 for this adjustment. The deadline ended on November 7, 2026.

One point often causes confusion: the rule does not require every merchant to accept vouchers. It applies to those already enabled to receive this type of payment. A restaurant that has never accepted meal vouchers remains free not to accept them.

What has applied since February

Maximum fee of 3.6% charged to restaurants and supermarkets on each sale paid with the benefit.
Interchange fee capped at 2% between the companies in the system, with no other fees or additional charges.
Payment within 15 calendar days after the sale. Before, the money could take more than 30 days to arrive.
Operators serving more than 500,000 workers had to open their network (open arrangement), with a 180-day deadline.

The decree itself allows the PAT Management Committee to change these caps and the payment deadline in the future.

What stays the same for workers

The benefit amount does not go up or down because of the decree. The meal voucher is for ready meals, and the food voucher is for buying groceries. The law requires these amounts to be used only for food.

The food allowance also cannot be paid in cash. Brazil’s Labor Code (CLT) only excludes it from salary, free of labor and social security charges, when it is paid by card, voucher or provision of meals.

Portability, which would let workers choose their card operator, has been provided for by law since 2022, but still depends on regulation to work. For now, the employer chooses the operator.

What companies that provide the voucher must observe

Law 14.442/2022 and the decree prohibit companies from receiving advantages from the operator when contracting the benefit. The following are prohibited:

discounts on the contracted amount (the practice known as rebate);
payment terms that undermine the prepaid nature of the benefit;
other payments or benefits unrelated to the worker’s food and health.

Contracts outside these rules cannot be renewed. The company must also instruct employees on the correct use of the card and is liable for irregularities it causes.

The penalties are heavy. Law 6.321/1976, as amended in 2022, provides for a fine of BRL 5,000 to BRL 50,000, doubled for repeat offenses or obstruction of inspection, in addition to cancellation of PAT registration and loss of the tax incentive, which allows part of the program’s expenses to be deducted from income tax.

PAT and food allowances outside the PAT

The fee caps and the 15-day deadline apply to benefits linked to the PAT. A food allowance paid outside the program, based only on the CLT, does not follow these fee limits. According to Abrasel, the Brazilian bar and restaurant association, some companies switched to this model after the regulation. The ban on discounts and indirect advantages, however, also applies to food allowances contracted outside the PAT.

Choosing between the two models has tax and labor effects, so it is worth analyzing case by case with the company’s accountant and lawyer.

For restaurants, bars and supermarkets

Merchants that accept vouchers now receive payment within 15 days and cannot pay more than 3.6% in fees on these sales. With interoperability, the same enabled card machine must process cards from different brands. Charges above the cap or late payments can be reported to the Ministry of Labor and Employment, which oversees the PAT.

The court battle

The large operators are challenging the decree in court. They argue that the fee caps and the changes to the market structure could not have been imposed by decree. In February, some obtained injunctions against penalties related to fees and deadlines. According to an Agência Brasil report of November 1, 2026, those injunctions were later overturned. The Ministry of Labor says the decree is fully in force.

As the dispute continues in the courts, the rules may change. Companies should follow developments before making decisions that depend on the outcome.

Frequently asked questions

Can a restaurant refuse my voucher?

Yes, if it is not enabled to receive this type of payment. The November change requires machines already enabled to accept cards from different operators, but does not require every merchant to accept vouchers.

Can I receive my meal voucher in cash?

No. The food allowance cannot be paid in cash. If it is, it loses its indemnity nature and may become part of the salary for all purposes.

Can my employer reduce the voucher amount because of the decree?

The decree does not change the benefit amount. The amount depends on the employment contract, the company’s policy and, in many sectors, the collective agreement.

Is my employer required to provide a meal or food voucher?

No law requires every company to provide the benefit. The obligation usually comes from the collective agreement of the sector or from the contract itself.

When will I be able to switch my card operator?

Portability is provided for in Law 14.442/2022 but has not yet been regulated. Until then, the employer still chooses the operator.

If your company needs to review its contract with the operator or you are a worker with questions about the benefit, tell us about your case through our labor law page or talk to the team on WhatsApp (62) 98184-3257 or (61) 99833-1103. Companies can find more information on labor defense for companies.

Official sources

By Sidnei Pedro Dias, lawyer, OAB/GO 48.603, OAB/DF 68.207 and OAB/SP 501.693.

Brazil meal vouchers can now be used on any card machine: what changed