Get All Access for $5/mo

The 5 Restaurants That Corporate Workers Expense the Most Fast-food chains such as Starbucks, McDonald's and Subway make up the highest percentage of meal expenses on corporate cards.

By Kate Taylor

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Rien Meulman Fotografie for Starbucks

Forget business negotiations over elaborate dinners and wine. Today, business people are spending company cash on fast and cheap food.

Starbucks and McDonald's top the list of most-expensed restaurants in a survey released Tuesday by Certify, an expense-management software company.

The average expensed meal was $18.72 in the third quarter, up from $16.72 in the second quarter. Of the top five expensed restaurants, Panera was the restaurant where people spent the most – $35.35 per meal. The cheapest was McDonald's, where expensed meals averaged $7.45.

Of course, spending patterns differed by region. While Starbucks remained on top in most cities, in New York, orders on Seamless reigned supreme, representing 7% of all expenses on average.

Check out the slideshow below to find out which restaurants are making the most off of hungry corporate workers.

Related: From Starbucks to Domino's: 6 Tasty Companies With Awesome Mobile Apps

1. Starbucks

Percent of expenses: 4.9 percent

Average charge: $9.51

2. McDonald's

Percent of expenses: 3 percent

Average charge: $7.45

3. Subway

Percent of expenses: 1.9 percent

Average charge: $14.09

4. Panera Bread

Percent of expenses: 1.6 percent

Average charge: $35.35

5. HMS Host

Percent of expenses: 1.3 percent

Average charge: $16.26

Kate Taylor

Reporter

Kate Taylor is a reporter at Business Insider. She was previously a reporter at Entrepreneur. Get in touch with tips and feedback on Twitter at @Kate_H_Taylor. 

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Business Solutions

Right Now, You Can Get More Than 310 Hours of IT Training for Just $50

Stay ahead in tech with the CompTIA Super Bundle.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Business News

These Companies Offer the Best Work-Life Balance, According to Employees

The ranking is based on Glassdoor ratings and reviews.

Leadership

Why Your AI Strategy Will Fail Without the Right Talent in Place

Using fractional AI experts through specialized platforms allows companies to access top talent cost-effectively, drive innovation and scale agile strategies for growth.