Luncheon vouchers 2025: what rules do you need to know for your restaurant?
May 21, 2025
In France, more than 6 million employees use meal vouchers every working day. On average, this means €13 spent per meal, and up to €25 authorized since 2022. A real lever for establishments with a busy lunchtime clientele.
But you still need to know the rules of the game. Daily limit, authorized days, products accepted, card or paper... It's not complicated, but it can't be improvised either.
In this article, we take a look at what you're allowed to do (and what you're not), how to avoid the most common mistakes, and most importantly : how to turn luncheon vouchers into a sales lever.
Who can accept luncheon vouchers in 2025?
You can accept meal vouchers in your establishment without prior administrative authorization, provided that your main activity is related to catering or the sale of food products. However, for obtain reimbursement of these securities, you must obtain ministerial approval from the Commission Nationale des Titres-Restaurant (CNTR).
Establishments eligible for luncheon vouchers
The types of establishments that can accept meal vouchers include :
➜ Traditional restaurants
➜ Hotels with restaurant
➜ Fast food
➜ Self-services
➜ Retail sale of fruit and vegetables
Other shops, such as butchers and delicatessens, bakeriesThe same applies to restaurants, pastry shops, cheese shops and caterers, which can also accept luncheon vouchers, provided they have obtained ministerial approval from the CNTR.
How to accept meal vouchers
- Check your eligibility: make sure your main activity corresponds to the above-mentioned criteria.
- Get CNTR certification: if necessary, apply to the CNTR for authorization to accept meal vouchers and obtain reimbursement.
- Select a transmitter : select a meal voucher issuer (Edenred, Swile, Up, etc.) and sign an affiliation contract.
- Display acceptance : make it clear to your customers that you accept luncheon vouchers, whether in paper or electronic form.
By following these steps, you will be able to integrate meal vouchers into your establishment and offer your customers an additional means of payment.
What are the rules of use for customers in 2025?
If you accept them in your establishment, you must ensure that your customers use them within the authorized limits. In the event of an inspection, it's also you who can be inspected.
Daily ceiling
Since October 1, 2022, the ceiling is officially set at €25 per day. No more. Even if your customers pay by card, even if the bill goes over. You can add another means of payment, but you cannot combine several tickets to exceed this threshold.
Days of use
Luncheon vouchers are valid only on working days: Monday to Saturday, excluding public holidays.
So not on Sundays, unless you're in a sector where an exemption has been granted (certain restaurants in tourist areas, for example). And it's not your choice: It depends on the agreement between the employer and the issuing organization.
If in doubt, ask for the card, and check what's written on the back (or in the app).
Authorized products
You can accept meal vouchers for :
➜ Dishes for immediate consumption (on site or takeaway)
➜ Sandwiches, salads, fruit, ready meals
➜ Meal baskets
You cannot accept them for :
➜ Alcohol (even a draft beer or glass of wine)
➜ Non-food products (water pack, canned goods, dry cookies, etc.)
➜ Home-cooking products (pasta, rice, etc.)
"The ticket resto is not a means of payment "like any other". It is strictly reserved for food consumed during working hours. Even if some customers insist on using them, it's up to you to refuse them. This way, you'll avoid unpleasant surprises in the event of an inspection."To remember
Paper or card tickets: what are the differences for restaurateurs?
In 2025, the card has largely taken over from the paper format. But you may have to cash both. Here's what that means for you.
Paper meal vouchers
You must :
➜ manually check the validity date,
➜ check the amount,
➜ store the tickets before sending them to the issuer for reimbursement.
Please note: it is forbidden to give change on a meal voucher (even if the customer pays for a €10 dish with a €11 ticket).
On the refund side, the delay can take several weeks, and titles often have to be sent in batches with a packing slip. This is longer, more manual and more risky.
The meal voucher card
Cards are accepted in the same way as bank cards. You must :
➜ be affiliated with each issuer (Swile, Edenred, Up, etc.),
➜ have a compatible TPE or use a multi-transmitter terminal,
The advantage: it's instantaneous, you don't have to store or sort anything, and the refund is made within a few days.
Luncheon vouchers: what you risk if you misuse them
Accepting a meal voucher for a bottle of wine or giving change: at the time, it may seem harmless. But in the event of an inspection, these practices are punishable by law. And it's your establishment that pays the consequences, not the customer.
Risk No. 1: non-reimbursement
If you cash a non-compliant ticket (amount over the limit, prohibited product, expired ticket, etc.), the issuer may refuse to reimburse you. And since you've already provided the meal or product, it's a net loss.
Risk No. 2: an URSSAF or DGCCRF inspection
You may be subject to an URSSAF or DGCCRF inspection. if fraudulent use is suspected :
➜ amounts above ceiling
➜ non-eligible products
➜ no receipts or expired tickets
These checks may result in a fine, or even temporary suspension of your CNTR approval.
Risk no. 3: loss of accreditation
In cases of repeated or proven abuse, you may lose your right to accept meal vouchers. And in certain areas or at certain times (midday on weekdays), this is a real loss of earnings.
How do you get the most out of meal vouchers?
Offer a "special meal ticket" menu
You have two constraints: the €25 limit and the ban on giving change.
Rather than endure them, turn them to your advantage:
➜ Design a formula right on budget, with no overruns.
➜ Highlight high-margin products in this offer (homemade starter, signature dish, simple but profitable dessert).
➜ Make it evolve regularly to keep the discovery effect.
You simplify customer life and secure your margins. It's also an excellent reference point for your kitchen and dining room teams.
Call him back at the time of payment
Many customers choose a restaurant because it accepts meal vouchers. If they have to ask or check, it's already a hindrance. To avoid this:
➜ Display the logo of issuers (Swile, Edenred, Up, etc.) at the entrance, at checkout, on your kiosks and your site.
➜ Include it in your site descriptions, especially on Google Business.
➜ Add a mention in your communications: today's menu, emailingssocial networks.
This simple reminder can make all the difference in a highly competitive midday district.
Segment your "ticket resto" customers in your CRM
This is where digital can make all the difference. If you use a databaseyou can :
➜ Identify customers who pay with meal vouchers,
➜ Analyze the days/times they come,
➜ Create automatic campaigns to provide them with a targeted offer on D+7 or D+14 (e.g. "come back for lunch, free dessert").
You can also create a loyalty dedicated to weekday lunches:
➜ double points on lunch menus,
➜ special sponsorship program for office colleagues,
➜ push or SMS reminder on slower days.
It's an ultra-recurrent audience. You might as well pamper them.
Want to find out more? Discover our resource ➜ Segmenting your database: the cornerstone of customer loyalty
Ready to turn meal vouchers into real leverage for your restaurant?
With the right tools and practices, meal vouchers can be the driving force behind your midday meals: optimized average basket, smooth management, boosted loyalty.
At Obypay, we'll help you to easily integrate them into your customer journey, and turn them into a real development lever for your establishment.
