Who is this for?
StoreHub F&B merchants in the Philippines. You need this guide if you offer the "Most Expensive Meal Combo" (MEMC) discount to Senior Citizens (SC) and Persons With Disability (PWD).
Run a retail store (not F&B)? MEMC does not apply to you. Retail stores give the standard Senior Citizen and PWD discount on eligible products instead. See How to Set Up BIR Tax Codes and Product Eligibility and How to Apply BIR Special Discounts on Your POS.
Overview
For F&B businesses, BIR regulations often require calculating SC/PWD discounts based on the 'Most Expensive Meal Combo' rather than the whole bill. This guide shows you how to set the base price of your expensive combo in the BackOffice so the POS can calculate the discount correctly.
Before You Begin
Your StoreHub account must have BIR compliance enabled. See How to Enable BIR Compliance and Configure Receipt Details.
Your StoreHub POS app must be updated to version '1.96.0' or newer for MEMC discounts.
Know the price of your 'Most Expensive Meal Combo' before you start. See 'How the MEMC Discount Works' above if you are not sure which price to use.
How the MEMC Discount Works
The MEMC discount gives each eligible Senior Citizen or PWD a 20% discount, and their share of the meal is also exempt from the 12% VAT. StoreHub uses the MEMC value you set as the price for one eligible customer's meal.
How to choose your MEMC value
Your MEMC value is the price of your most expensive complete meal for one person. For example, a rice meal that includes a main dish, rice, and a drink. It is not the price of your most expensive single item when that item is meant to be shared.
For example, say a whole roast chicken is priced at ₱330 but is meant to be shared by a group, and your most expensive single-person meal set is '2-Piece Chicken with Rice' at ₱118. In this case your MEMC value is ₱118, because that is the most expensive meal for one person.
How the discount is calculated (worked example)
Here is how StoreHub works out the discount for 1 Senior Citizen when your MEMC value is ₱118:
Base amount for 1 eligible customer: ₱118
Remove the 12% VAT (this part becomes VAT-Exempt Sales): ₱118 ÷ 1.12 = ₱105.36
Apply the 20% Senior Citizen discount: ₱105.36 × 20% = ₱21.07
The customer's meal is reduced by ₱21.07.
When more than one eligible customer is in the group, StoreHub multiplies your MEMC value by the number of eligible customers, then follows the same steps.
Step-by-Step Guide
Set Up the MEMC Base Value for All Stores
The 'Most Expensive Meal Combo' (MEMC) base value is used to work out Senior Citizen and PWD discounts in F&B stores. This is a one-time setup in your BackOffice.
1. In your BackOffice, go to 'Settings', then tap 'Stores'.
2. On the 'Edit Store' page, scroll down to the 'BIR Settings' section.
3. Scroll down to find the 'Default MEMC Base Value' field. Enter the amount for your most expensive meal combo here. This value will apply to all your stores.
4. Tap 'Save' to apply this setting.
Set a Custom MEMC Value for a Specific Store
If one of your stores has different pricing, you can set a different MEMC value for that store. This value replaces the default value for that store only.
1. Go to 'Settings', then tap 'Stores'.
2. Select the store you want to modify, then scroll down to the 'BIR Settings' section.
3. In the 'MEMC Base Value' dropdown menu, select 'Custom'.
4. Enter the new base value for that specific store and tap 'Save'.
Apply the MEMC Discount on Your POS Register
Once the setup is complete, you can start applying the discount on your POS register.
1. Add items to the transaction cart as usual.
2. Tap 'Special Discount', then choose 'Senior Citizens/Persons with Disability'.
3. Tap on 'MEMC' to select it. The default option is 'Standard'.
Note: The 'MEMC' option will be grayed out and cannot be selected if the total bill is lower than the required base value.
4. Enter the number of Senior Citizens, Persons with Disability, and Regular Customers. For example, for a table of 3 people where 1 person presents a PWD ID and 2 are regular customers, enter '1' Person with Disability and '2' Regular Customers.
5. Enter the details for each eligible person. 'Name' and 'SC ID / PWD ID' are required. 'Tax Identification Number (TIN)' is optional. If the customer does not have a TIN, leave it blank and continue.
Note: You do not need a TIN to give the discount. Only 'Name' and 'SC ID / PWD ID' must be filled in. Do not type placeholder text such as 'NA' or '000' in the 'TIN' field. Leave it empty instead.
6. Tap 'Confirm' to apply the discount. The discount will now show in the cart as 'SC MEMC', 'PWD MEMC', or 'SC/PWD MEMC'.
Notes:
If you remove items and the bill becomes too low, the MEMC discount will be removed automatically. A pop-up message titled 'Special Discount Removed' will appear to notify you.
If you try to add more eligible customers than the bill allows, a pop-up titled 'Maximum SC/PWD Reached' will appear. You will need to use the 'Standard' discount instead or add more items to the bill.
View the MEMC Discount on Receipts and in Reports
The MEMC discount is automatically recorded on your receipts and in your BackOffice reports for compliance.
1. On your printed receipts, the discount will be clearly itemized with fields like 'LESS 12 % VAT', 'DISCOUNTABLE', 'SC MEMC', 'VATable sales', and 'VAT-Exempt Sales'.
The top of the receipt also shows the running counters that BIR requires: the Beginning and Ending numbers for Voids, Refunds, and Sales Invoices. These keep a complete record of every transaction.
2. In your BackOffice, the discount is recorded in your financial reports, including the 'Z-Reading Report' and 'E-Journal Report'.
When you apply an SC/PWD discount, that customer's share of the sale becomes VAT-exempt. The POS moves that amount out of 'VATable Sales' and into 'VAT-Exempt Sales', and records the discount amount separately. This is where the SC/PWD VAT figures on your Z-Reading and E-Journal come from. To read each line on the report, see How to Understand Your Z-Reading Report.
The MEMC discount is applied to the whole meal combo, not to each menu item. On the printed sales invoice it shows as one discount line (such as 'SC MEMC'), not as a separate discount beside each product.
Troubleshooting
Issue | Solution |
The 'MEMC' option does not appear, or has disappeared, on the POS.
| 1. Make sure the 'Default MEMC Base Value' is set in your BackOffice (go to 'Settings', tap 'Stores', open the store, then find the 'BIR Settings' section).
2. Make sure your POS app is updated to version '1.96.0' or newer.
3. On the POS, tap 'Settings', then tap 'Sync' so the latest settings apply.
4. Check that the total bill is equal to or greater than the base value. If it is lower, the 'MEMC' option stays grayed out. |
MEMC discount not calculating the way you expect on the POS. | 1. Check that the 'Default MEMC Base Value' is correct in your BackOffice (go to 'Settings', tap 'Stores', open the store, then find the 'BIR Settings' section). If a store uses a 'Custom' value, check that value too.
2. Remember the discount removes the 12% VAT first, then applies 20%. See the worked example in 'How the MEMC Discount Works' above.
3. Confirm the total bill is equal to or greater than the base value multiplied by the number of eligible customers. |
Cashiers are applying discounts without manager approval, even when 'Require Manager Access' is set. | 1. Check the 'Discount' setting under 'Cashier Access Control' for that store (go to 'Settings', tap 'Stores', open the store, then find 'Cashier Access Control').
2. Make sure the cashier's role is set up correctly and that they are not mistakenly given manager privileges.
3. On the POS, tap 'Settings', then tap 'Sync' so the latest settings apply. |
FAQs
1. Which merchants can use the MEMC discount feature?
The MEMC discount is for BIR-accredited F&B businesses in the Philippines, to help apply Senior Citizen and PWD discounts on meals. Retail (non-F&B) stores use the standard SC/PWD discount on eligible products instead. See the Related Articles below.
2. Should I use my most expensive single item or my most expensive meal combo?
Use your most expensive complete meal for one person (for example, a rice meal set), not a shareable single item. If your priciest single-person combo is '2-Piece Chicken with Rice' at ₱118, that is your MEMC value, even if a shareable whole chicken costs more. See 'How the MEMC Discount Works' above.
3. What happens if my total bill is too low for the MEMC discount?
The MEMC discount can only be applied if the total bill is equal to or greater than your 'MEMC Base Value' multiplied by the number of eligible customers. If the bill is too low, the system will not allow the MEMC discount to be applied.
4. What are "special discounts" in the context of manager approval?
Here, "special discounts" means BIR-mandated discounts like Senior Citizen (SC), Persons With Disability (PWD), Solo Parent, National Athlete/Coach, Medal of Valor, and Diplomat discounts. The 'Discount' access control setting applies to all of these. To set up who can approve them, see How to Set Up Manager Approval for Special Discounts (BIR).
5. How do I know who approved a special discount if a PIN was required?
When a manager PIN is entered to approve a discount, the action is recorded in the 'Employees Activity Log' in your BackOffice. You can view this log to see which manager approved the discount and when.
Need Help?
Contact StoreHub Support via live chat in your StoreHub app or email [email protected].
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