Residents to get $100 in free vouchers to spend on dining in Sydney

The NSW Government will give away millions in another round of dining vouchers – but unlike Dine and Discover, this comes with a catch.

The NSW Government will give away $100 in dining vouchers to 500,000 residents in an initiative that follows its popular Dine and Discover scheme.

But not everyone will get the new round of vouchers, which can only be spent on Fridays in the Sydney CBD.

The $50 million investment, which is designed to boost venues in the city hub, will be included in Tuesday’s state budget, Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said on Friday.

Thousands of workers are set to benefit from the new Friday vouchers. Picture: Jeremy Piper

“We have listened to businesses and know that it’s time to make Fridays fun again and ensure the Sydney CBD doesn’t just survive but thrives,” Mr Perrottet said.

“This will be a targeted program designed to get more people back into the heart of the greatest city on earth and on the way through spend a little extra on retail and services businesses.

“It’s about making Fridays fantastic and fun and at the same time helping the Sydney CBD which has been hit hardest by Covid with a reduction in CBD workers and the absence of overseas visitors for more than a year.”

Just 500,000 people who register via Service NSW will receive four vouchers worth $25 each.

They can only be spent on Fridays at businesses within the Sydney 2000 postcode, and can’t be used for alcohol, tobacco or gambling.

But unlike Dine and Discover, multiple vouchers can be spent on a single bill.

The scheme is expected to go live before summer and more details will be released about how people can register, the Treasurer’s office said.

NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet will announce the $50 million investment in next week’s State Budget. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Joel Carrett

Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello said the vouchers would be a “boon for businesses across the Sydney CBD” and delivered on the Service NSW app.

“It will also be seamless for customers to access and use the vouchers, as there will be no need for them to re-prove their identity if they have already downloaded their Dine and Discover vouchers. Furthermore, there will no restriction on customers using multiple $25 vouchers for one meal or discover activity,” Mr Dominello said.

“The program will be inclusive, with a non-digital option available to customers without a smartphone.”

The NSW Government recently announced it would extend the validity of Dine and Discover vouchers, which were originally set to expire at the end of this month, because so many people were yet to redeem them.

The vouchers, which are available to all NSW residents on the Service NSW app, gives $100 to each resident, split across two $25 vouchers to spend on dining, and two $25 vouchers to spend on arts, entertainment and tourism experiences.

The Government extended the scheme after learning thousands of vouchers had gone unclaimed with just weeks to go.

They have now been extended to the end of the July, to cover the NSW school holidays.

So far, more than five million have been redeemed on food and beverage, 1.2 million in cinemas and close to 370,000 on heritage activities, the Treasurer said earlier this month.