Going out to eat? Expect to pay more for your meal in Fairfax County
WTOP••business
Key Points:
- Fairfax County, Virginia, has implemented a new 4% meals tax on prepared food and beverages sold at restaurants, cafes, bars, food trucks, and similar establishments starting January 1.
- This tax is in addition to Virginia’s existing 6% sales tax and excludes grocery items, snack foods, beverages, and to-go alcoholic drinks in factory-sealed containers.
- County leaders justified the tax as necessary for balancing the budget and aligning Fairfax with neighboring counties that already have a meals tax, viewing it as preferable to a real estate tax increase.
- The meals tax is expected to generate about $65 million in revenue for fiscal year 2026, with roughly one-third coming from visitors, and businesses are responsible for collecting and
