Ticket-restaurant system covers a quarter of French workers

Approximately 27 percent of French employees use the ticket-restaurant system, a program from the 1960s that lets workers and employers split the cost of meals, with the amount exempt from social contributions and income tax.

Program expanded to include supermarkets

Originally designed to support the restaurant industry, the ticket-restaurant program expanded in 2022 to include supermarkets and other food retailers, aimed at helping workers deal with rising prices. This change has sparked debate, especially among restaurant owners.

Restaurateurs criticize high commission fees

Restaurateurs are increasingly refusing ticket-restaurant payments due to the "commission fees" charged by the companies that issue the tickets. Sine, a restaurant owner in Marseille, said her customers call the system a "scam," though her business still sees full lunchtime crowds.

Commission fees vary by issuer

Issuing companies typically charge between 1.5 percent and 5 percent of the transaction amount, plus fixed fees. For instance, Pluxee, a brand under Sodexo, charges 3.9 percent per transaction plus a fixed fee of 0.08 euros. These costs are prompting some businesses to abandon the payment method.

Some businesses still want to use the system

Despite the fees, some businesses prefer to accept ticket-restaurant payments. Audrey and Charlotte, who run a cheese shop in Marseille, noted that many customers want to use the tickets. However, their business is under a dairy industry collective agreement that excludes them from the program.

Shifting to eligible status is a challenge

To accept ticket-restaurant payments, the cheese shop is trying to transition to being classified as a food retail business, which would make them eligible for the program. This process highlights the complexity of adapting to the system's evolving rules.