Sodexho to Accept MasterCard PayPass Contactless Payment System

Sodexho to Accept MasterCard PayPass Contactless Payment System

New System to be Available to 1,000 Sodexho Locations Nationwide to Provide Customers with Speed and Convenience at the Register

Gaithersburg, MD, February 20, 2007–With more working Americans looking for quick, convenient ways to eat on the go, Sodexho (NYSE:SDX), the nation’s leading provider of food and facilities management, will now begin accepting MasterCard® PayPass™ at its on-site restaurants across the country. Sodexho has begun phase one of the implementation that includes 225 locations and will expand PayPass to 1,000 Sodexho-managed corporate sites by the end of 2007.

“Sodexho proactively looks for ways to improve our customers’ dining experiences in the workplace through innovation, customized offerings and the use of the latest technology,” said Michael Norris, market president and COO for Sodexho. “By accepting MasterCard PayPass for breakfast, lunch or even an afternoon snack, we are giving our customers convenience and flexibility in payment options.”

With MasterCard PayPass, consumers no longer need to fumble for cash and coins or swipe a card for purchases. Users simply tap their PayPass-enabled card or device on the PayPass reader, and for purchases under $25, no signature is required, which speeds the retail checkout process. PayPass also provides additional security benefits as the card is not required to leave the hands of the customer throughout the transaction process. In addition to this new payment option, Sodexho will continue to accept traditional magnetic-stripe payment cards.

“It’s clear that as a leader in the industry Sodexho understands the importance of a hassle-free lunch break,” said T.J. Sharkey, Group Head, National Accounts, U.S. Commerce Development, MasterCard Worldwide. “We applaud Sodexho’s innovative commitment to improve the lunch experience by accepting MasterCard PayPass, so that customers have more time to read the newspaper, socialize, get back to their jobs, or just relax as opposed to standing in line.”

About MasterCard PayPass

MasterCard PayPass is ideal for traditional cash-heavy environments where speed is essential, and has led the way in bringing contactless technology to merchant categories such as quick serve restaurants, drug stores, gas stations, vending machines, convenience stores, sports arenas, movie theaters, transit systems and parking garages. There are currently nearly 13 million PayPass cards and devices in the marketplace, and PayPass is currently accepted globally at 46,000 merchant locations, including participating 7-Eleven, CVS, McDonald’s, Regal Entertainment Group theaters and many others. PayPass is also accepted at numerous football and baseball stadiums in the US. For more information about MasterCard PayPass and a full list of participating merchants, visit http://www.mastercard.com/paypass.

About Sodexho, Inc.

Sodexho, Inc. (http://www.SodexhoUSA.com) is the leading provider of integrated food and facilities management in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, with $6.7 billion in annual revenue and 125,000 employees. Sodexho offers innovative outsourcing solutions in food service, housekeeping, grounds keeping, plant operations and maintenance, asset management, and laundry services to more than 6,000 corporations, health care, long term care and retirement centers, schools, college campuses, government and remote sites throughout North America. Headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., Sodexho proudly serves as the official food service provider for the U.S. Marine Corps.

About MasterCard Worldwide

MasterCard Worldwide advances global commerce by providing a critical economic link among financial institutions, businesses, cardholders and merchants worldwide. As a franchisor, processor and advisor, MasterCard develops and markets payment solutions, processes approximately 14 billion payments each year, and provides industry-leading analysis and consulting services to financial institution customers and merchants. Through its family of brands, including MasterCard®, Maestro® and Cirrus®, MasterCard Worldwide serves consumers and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. For more information go to http://www.mastercardworldwide.com.