Millions of NSW Dine and Discover vouchers remain unused but their expiration date will not be extended beyond June 30, the government says.
Thirty-two million vouchers were issued under the program launched in March 2021 to help local businesses stay afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Out of these, 20 million (62 per cent) have been used, amounting to $820 million being spent on people eating and going out.
With just four days to go before the scheme ends, 12 million vouchers remain outstanding.
NSW Minister for Customer Service Victor Dominello is "super happy" with the results, hailing the scheme an "overwhelming success".
"It's not designed so everybody must spend the vouchers, it's an opt-in scheme," he said.
"But five-and-a-half million people, out of an adult population of about six million, have actually registered to receive the vouchers, which is just extraordinary.
"And the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive with satisfaction scores above 90 per cent."
A system has been set up with charities where people can donate their unused vouchers with Mr Dominello ruling out another extension.
"The scheme won't be extended, it has already been extended ... so this is the last extension. If they're not used by June the 30th, they expire," he said.
"But there's some novel businesses in the charity sector that set up a framework where you can pay it forward, and I encourage people to do that."
The state's Opposition says the government is making a mistake and are calling for it to be extended.
Departmental data shows the take-up rate of vouchers across age groups has been evenly spread, a success Mr Dominello put down to how they were rolled out.
He says that nowhere else in the world had such a targeted financial support for businesses.
"I challenge anyone to find a scheme that is with almost no fraud or waste that's going straight to businesses, they get paid within three days," he said.
"I'll eat my left shoe if I can see a better scheme."
However, the data also showed an uneven use of vouchers across the state with those living in regional Local Government Areas less likely to have redeemed them.
Topping the list was Central Darling in the state's far west where more than 70 per cent of vouchers have not been spent.
Mr Dominello acknowledged the non-compulsory nature of the scheme meant there would be variations but said that in places like Western Sydney it was helping with the cost of living.
For the state's opposition, it's another example of the "city-country divide".
"It is disappointing to see that despite the Premier saying the objective of this program was to reinvigorate local economies that money has failed to reach regional communities," Shadow Minister for Customer Service and Digital Yasmin Catley said.
Shadow Minister for Regional and Western NSW Mick Veitch said that rural areas had again lost out.
"It is staggering to think that rural councils comprise the top 60 areas in the state have not been able to redeem the vouchers," he said.
"This is a disgrace and the National Party has yet again overseen the poor delivery of a program in rural and regional New South Wales."
