Dining cashback scheme pumps millions into SA coastal hospitality scene
A state government dining cashback initiative has delivered a significant economic lifeline to South Australia's coastal hospitality sector, with more than 200,000 vouchers redeemed and $24 million spent at seaside restaurants and takeaway outlets over the five-month program.
The scheme was launched in November amid one of the state's most disruptive algal bloom events in recent memory, which saw stretches of South Australia's coastline engulfed in discoloured waters, churning foam and dead sealife — conditions that threatened to devastate the summer trade for beach-adjacent operators.
Tourism Minister Emily Bourke said the program ran until the end of March across 520 participating venues, with diners entitled to claim back up to $50 on eligible meals. The state government made 300,000 vouchers available in total, of which more than 200,000 were taken up. Bourke noted that the government had so far paid back $9.3 million of the $24 million spent, with the final cost to taxpayers expected to rise as diners retain until April 30 to submit claims for meals purchased by March 31.
The Minister said some venues recorded "thousands of cashbacks used" and that the initiative had encouraged South Australians to spend "when it was needed most over the critical summer months."
For coastal operators, the results were tangible. The three most popular venues under the scheme, the Sailmaster Tavern in North Haven, the West Beach Surf Club Bar and Bistro, and the Birkenhead Tavern, each saw strong foot traffic throughout what could otherwise have been a difficult season.
Sailmaster Tavern venue manager Steve Curran said he had "absolutely" noticed the impact of the scheme, with the venue successfully maintaining both staff numbers and bookings across the summer period.
"We're right on the water, so we were a little bit worried that (the algal bloom) was going to keep some people away," Curran told The Daily Telegraph. "(But) it seemed like every second person was saying they were going to redeem a voucher."
Beyond restaurant and café operators, the scheme also extended to seafood retailers, with Samtass Seafoods, The Fish Factory and Parissos Seafood emerging as the three most popular outlets in that category.
Jonathan Jackson, 13th April 2026
