Meal vouchers are no longer just an employee benefit limited to bakeries and brasseries in the business district: they have become a payment method in their own right, used several times a week by millions of employees, with an average face value of around €9.80 in 2025. For a retailer, not being able to accept them on their payment terminal means turning away a significant portion of their customers’ spending during mealtimes.
But between the two generations of digital meal vouchers, the CONECS network, CNTR certification, and usage rules that change every year, the subject remains unclear to many merchants. This guide covers everything, step by step: the regulations current as of 2026, which merchants can accept meal vouchers from, how to actually process them on a point-of-sale terminal, why a card might be declined, and how to choose a terminal that supports them all without any unpleasant surprises.
Meal Vouchers: What You Need to Know Before Setting Up Your POS System
A meal voucher can take two forms: a paper checkbook, which is still in use, and a digital card, which works like a standard bank card (contactless payment or PIN entry). The digital cards themselves fall into two generations: those known as “CONECS,” identifiable by the logo of the same name, which operate through a dedicated technical network; and an older, first generation that operates directly through standard banking networks (Visa, Mastercard, CB).
Here are the rules in effect for 2026:
- Usage limit: €25 per day, across all merchants and all types of cards, unchanged since the October 2022 decree.
- Days of use: Monday through Saturday, excluding Sundays and holidays. An exception applies only to employees who are actually working on that day, with the explicit authorization of their employer. A reform aimed at making 7-day-a-week use the norm was announced by the government in mid-2025, but it has yet to be passed by Parliament; it is not expected to take effect before January 1, 2027. In 2026, therefore, the Sunday rule remains unchanged.
- Eligible products have been expanded through December 31, 2026: in addition to meals and prepared foods, employees may use meal vouchers to purchase non-ready-to-eat food products (pasta, rice, meat for cooking, frozen foods, etc.), an exemption extended by the law of January 21, 2025.
- Scheduled end of paper tickets: March 1, 2027, not the end of 2026 as is sometimes reported. Paper tickets issued in 2026 remain valid until the end of February 2027.
For merchants, the most important thing to remember is this: the terminal must automatically reject any attempt to pay with meal vouchers for amounts over €25, and the customer must then pay the remaining balance using another payment method.
Who can accept meal vouchers?
The acceptance of meal vouchers is intended for businesses in the food service industry: restaurants, bars, cafés, bakeries, butcher shops, caterers, produce stores (since a relaxation of the law in 2010), supermarkets, and similar food retailers. Accepting meal vouchers is never a legal requirement for these businesses.
However, this approval is required in order to accept digital meal vouchers: merchants must submit an application to the CNTR (National Commission for Meal Vouchers), which varies depending on the business activity declared. Once approval is granted, the merchant receives a direct debit card (standard or CONECS, as applicable), which is essential for configuring their point-of-sale terminal.
CONECS, co-branded vs. non-co-branded: the distinction that makes all the difference
This is the point that most guides gloss over, yet it explains why some meal voucher cards are accepted instantly by a payment terminal, while others require specific configuration—or may not work at all, depending on the service provider.
The two generations of digital meal cards. The so-called “first-generation” meal cards are processed through traditional banking networks: your point-of-sale terminal handles them almost like a regular credit card, with no additional setup required. “CONECS” cards, which can be identified by their logo, are processed through a separate technical network and require that your service provider has enabled CONECS compatibility and registered your user ID.
Co-branded or not: two different payment channels. A meal voucher card may or may not be "co-branded" with Visa or Mastercard:
- Visa/Mastercard co-branded: The transaction follows the same process as any other card payment. It is deposited along with your regular daily receipts, at the same commission rate as your POS terminal contract.
- Non-co-branded: The transaction is paid directly by the card issuer (Edenred, Pluxee, Up, Swile, Bimpli, etc.), according to its own schedule, independently of your merchant account—and without your payment service provider charging a commission on it, since it is not a party to the payment.
In practical terms, this means that when the same customer pays using two different meal vouchers, the funds may be credited to your account at two separate times and according to two distinct billing methods. A good POS provider should be able to give you a clear overview of these two payment streams in your transaction history, rather than mixing them in with your standard credit card receipts.
How to Enable Acceptance of Meal Vouchers on Your POS Terminal
- Obtain CNTR certification. The documents you need to submit depend on your declared business activity. Once approved, you will receive a business registration card and, if applicable, a CONECS ID.
- Enter into a contract with each issuer. The contract you enter into with meal voucher issuers (Edenred, Pluxee, Up, Swile, Bimpli, etc.) is separate from your contract with your payment service provider: the two operate independently and are never managed by the same point of contact.
- Provide your CONECS ID and SIRET number to your POS provider so they can enable compatibility on your terminal.
- Verify actual compatibility: Not all payment terminals accept all cards or all generations of cards. Ask your provider specific questions before signing the contract, checking with each card issuer individually if necessary.
- Track your transactions in your customer portal: a meal voucher stream that is clearly separated from your credit card receipts helps prevent accounting reconciliation errors, especially at the end of the month.
Why does my point-of-sale terminal sometimes reject a meal voucher card?
An error isn't always a bug. The most common causes are:
- The €25-per-day limit has been exceeded —the terminal automatically blocks the excess amount, regardless of the service provider.
- The card is used on a Sunday or a holiday, without a registered employer exemption.
- The merchant does not have an active contract with the issuer of this specific card —having CNTR approval is not enough; the merchant must have signed an agreement with each issuer whose cards it wishes to accept.
- The POS terminal has not been configured to recognize CONECS cards, or the CONECS ID has not been transmitted to the service provider.
- The card is still being activated by the issuer, particularly for cards that have recently been put into service.
How to Choose a Payment Terminal That Actually Accepts All Meal Vouchers
Three criteria distinguish a small business that "accepts meal vouchers" on paper from one that accepts them seamlessly on a day-to-day basis:
- Issuer coverage. Some providers support only 2 or 3 of the 5–6 issuers on the market (Edenred, Pluxee, Up, Swile, Bimpli, Natixis/Apetiz); others cover the entire digital network via CONECS.
- Consolidation with the CB contract. Having a single contract and a single dashboard for CB payments and co-branded meal vouchers eliminates the need to deal with two different providers, two separate billing processes, and two customer support teams.
- Transparency in payments. Knowing exactly when and by whom each meal voucher transaction is paid to you helps avoid surprises in your accounting.
Here's where Easytransac compared to the leading solutions on the market:
The Easytransac Offer for Meal Vouchers
At Easytransac, accepting meal vouchers isn’t an afterthought: it’s handled through the Conecs network and covers all digital meal voucher providers on the market—Edenred, Swile, Pluxee, Up—on the same terminal, with the same contract and the same dashboard as your standard credit card transactions.
In practical terms, this means for you:
- A free payment terminal, with no upfront cash outlay for the equipment.
- A flat fee of 0.55% + €0.07 per transaction; no separate fee schedule for meal vouchers.
- A subscription starting at €29/month, with or without a contract: you can cancel anytime.
- Payment on D+1, so you don't have to wait for your funds.
- Support is available by phone, chat, and email from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with 24-hour assistance for merchants operating at events (festivals, markets, fairs).
Instead of juggling your TPE service provider, your CNTR certification, and your separate contracts with each issuer, you can maintain a unified view of your incoming payments—including meal vouchers—all in one place.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I accept meal vouchers on my point-of-sale terminal?First, you must obtain approval from the CNTR, sign a contract with each voucher issuer you wish to accept, and then provide your CONECS ID and SIRET number to your payment service provider so they can enable compatibility on your terminal.
What is the limit on meal vouchers in 2026? The limit remains set at €25 per day, across all types of vouchers and all merchants, an amount that has remained unchanged since 2022.
Can I use my meal vouchers on Sundays in 2026?No, unless the employer explicitly grants an exception for employees who are actually working on that day. A reform aimed at allowing their use 7 days a week has been announced, but it is not expected to take effect until 2027.
Will paper meal vouchers disappear in 2026?Not in 2026: paper vouchers issued in 2026 can still be used until the end of February 2027. The deadline for full digitization is March 1, 2027.
Which businesses can accept meal vouchers?Businesses in the food service industry—restaurants, bars, bakeries, butcher shops, caterers, produce stores, and supermarkets—provided they obtain approval from the CNTR. This is never a legal requirement.
How much does it cost to accept meal vouchers on a point-of-sale terminal?It depends on the service provider: some charge the same commission rate as for a standard credit card when the meal voucher card is co-branded with Visa or Mastercard; others charge a separate subscription fee. At EasyTransac, the same flat rate of 0.55% + €0.07 applies, with no additional fees.
Want to accept all meal vouchers without having to juggle multiple contracts? Discover the EasyTransac offer : free terminal, single commission rate, no commitment.
Easytransac, your trusted partner
As specialists in electronic payment solutions, we support restaurant owners by offering:
▸ High-performance VSEs(fixed or mobileAndroid terminals )
▸ An integrated checkout system for unified management
▸ Cashless to digitize cash on site
▸ An access control, accreditation, and CRM system for events
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