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Is food taxable in Kansas?

by Sarah Craig August 13, 2020

Most US states consider grocery items to be fully or partially sales tax exempt, while also considering prepared foods like hot restaurant meals to be taxable. However, Kansas is an exception. Kansas does not exempt any types of purchase from the state sales tax. This post will go over when retailers should and should not charge sales tax on food sales in Kansas. 

Are groceries taxable in Kansas?

Grocery items are fully taxable at 6.5% in Kansas. In addition, Kansas treats both candy and soda as groceries for sales tax purposes.

Are meals taxable in Kansas?

Meals or drinks furnished by any restaurant, drinking establishment, or other place that regularly sells meals or drinks to the public are subject to a sales tax rate of 6.5%.

Are beverages taxable in Kansas?

Kansas considers coffee, coffee substitute, tea, soft drinks and sodas to be fully taxable at the grocery item rate of 6.5%. 

How to Always Collect the Correct Amount of Sales Tax in Kansas

Do you sell groceries, meals or beverages? Are you required to collect sales tax in Kansas? Then this may sound like a huge headache. 

That’s where TaxJar can help. 

With the TaxJar API, you can be sure you’re collecting the right amount of sales tax on every transaction. Our product tax codes ensure you do collect sales tax on that soft drink but don’t collect sales tax on that plain coffee drink. 

Not to mention, most eCommerce businesses have nexus in multiple states. For example, groceries are taxable in some states, but non-taxable in others. With TaxJar, you’ll collect the right amount of sales tax from every customer, in every state, every time.

Further food and meal taxability resources:

• Sales Tax by State: Are grocery items taxable? 
• Sales Tax by State: To-Go Restaurant Orders
• Is the food I sell on my food truck taxable? 
• Kansas Sales Tax Guide for Businesses

Ready to automate sales tax collection, reporting and filing? Click here for more on how TaxJar can take the headache out of sales tax in your food & beverage business.

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