Luncheon vouchers are an essential part of everyday life for many employees and restaurateurs. However, with the extension of their use in supermarkets until the end of 2026, many restaurant professionals, particularly fast-food operators, are wondering about the impact of this measure on their business. Many questions are being asked: what's changing, what isn't, and above all, how can they adapt to this temporary extension? We take a look at the situation for you, fast-food managers, so that you can make the most of meal vouchers in your outlet.
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Luncheon vouchers were introduced at the end of the 1960s, in response to a social problem: enabling employees to eat lunch when they didn't have access to a company canteen or restaurant. Since their introduction, their objective has remained clear: to promote a balanced, affordable diet for employees, while benefiting from tax advantages for employers.
Over the decades, luncheon vouchers have evolved from the classic paper format to rechargeable cards and mobile applications, making them easier to use and adapted to new consumer habits. Today, they are one of the most popular employee benefits in France. (Source: History of luncheon vouchers - CNTR)
The ticket-restaurant, whether in paper or digital form, is a payment voucher used by 5.4 million employees in France to pay for their meals (Source: economie.gouv).
A few rules to know:
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Initially, a reform of meal vouchers was due to come into force at the beginning of 2025. The aim was to limit their use for food shopping in supermarkets, and refocus their use on meals consumed in restaurants. This project echoed the demands of restaurant owners, who were hoping for a return of customers to their establishments.
However, the political context upset this trajectory. The government behind the reform, led by Michel Barnier, was overthrown in December 2024. This change of direction froze the process, leaving the reform in abeyance. To put an end to the vagueness and uncertainty, on January 14, 2025, the Senate voted to extend the use of luncheon vouchers in supermarkets. This means that employees can continue to use their luncheon vouchers to buy food products in supermarkets, including items that cannot be consumed immediately (pasta, rice, meat, etc.), until December 31, 2026.
For fast-food operators, this extension is seen as a major challenge, as it will continue to reduce their market share. In two years, the use of luncheon vouchers in restaurants has fallen from 46% to 40%, according to a study by the Commission nationale des titres-restaurant (CNTR) (Source: publicsenat.fr). By maintaining competition with supermarkets, this extension risks slowing down the return of employees to restaurants. Despite this, a reform is expected in the summer of 2025, with the presentation of the broad outlines of a more balanced system.
Restaurateurs therefore need to adapt their strategies to this transitional context, while preparing for possible future changes.
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Despite this difficult context, meal vouchers offer many opportunities for fast-food outlets. Here are just a few of the possibilities:
To boost sales, adapt your pricing strategy. Propose menus or special offers that encourage customers to use their full daily limit (€25). For example:
👉 To find out more: 8 tips to increase your average food service bill
Integrating luncheon vouchers into your loyalty programs can create significant leverage. Here are a few ideas:
In 2025, dematerialized luncheon vouchers are becoming increasingly widespread, gradually replacing paper versions. A modern payment system like IO Pay is therefore essential to optimize the management of dematerialized luncheon vouchers:
Using a high-performance back-office enables you to track meal-ticket transactions. This can help you identify the most profitable periods and adjust your sales strategies accordingly.
The extension of the extended use of luncheon vouchers until 2026 may seem like a hindrance for fast-food outlets, but it also represents an opportunity. Innovorder, the fast-food digitalization expert, can help you adapt your pricing strategies, tools and loyalty programs to develop your business in this context.Â
Keep an eye on developments in 2025 to anticipate future changes and stay one step ahead! Contact an advisor today.Â
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Do you run a fast-food restaurant and are looking for a partner to help you digitalize your business? Innovorder is the only player in France to offer a complete ecosystem: order-taking, checkout, preparation, delivery and management!
