Understanding theceilinguse ofRestaurant ticketsin cash can quickly become a puzzle, especially when each sign decides on its own conditions of use. However, with some landmarks taken from the ground, it is possible to approach this management calmly and avoid bad surprises at the caisse. The idea here is to give you concrete tips, developed over the course of the experiments, so that everyone can use their tickets with confidence, regardless of regulation or store practices.
It's a recurring question at each payment: can you really use three, four, or even more restaurant tickets on a single purchase? Below, a pragmatic overview of the law and its application, as well as some tips to find an option to deal with every rule in force... And the cashier!
Since 1andOctober 2022, the regulations have changed: no limit is now imposed on the number of restaurant tickets that can be used for each cash pass. The only framework to follow: a maximum expenditure of25 € per person, per day, all media (map, paper, mobile app).Only the total amount recorded is important!This flexibility, welcomed bymore than 8 to 10 million employeesEvery day, facilitates the daily management of professional meals.
Summary of key points
- ✅ Since October 2022, no ceiling on the number of tickets, but a maximum of 25 € per day
- ✅ Traders can apply internal limits, to check on site
- ✅ The ceiling applies equally to all media: paper, card or app
Let us take a few examples: with tickets to8 €, it is possible to present three (24 €total). For tickets from10 €, two are sufficient, either20 €. With a facial value of11 €, two tickets cover22 €. The combination is therefore adjusted according to the value of the securities in the pocket, always ensuring that they remain below the threshold of25 €. Some catering professionals also recommend to anticipate this calculation before going into cash, to avoid any debate with the payment terminal.
Regulatory source Openeat (2025)
But it is impossible to ignore a fact: every merchant can set his "house" rule, sometimes more restrictive than the law. Typically, some display « maximum 3 tickets per pass », provided that this limitation is clearly indicated near the boxes or in the shelves. It is often noted that many supermarkets, for reasons of internal organisation, apply a "blocking" to2, 3 or 5 tickets, even if national regulation leaves the choice.
Keeping your sense of observation helps: your Carrefour or Leclerc, like the small bakery in the neighborhood, can opt for a specific rule. « One day, my Franprix stopped at three tickets, but the nearby Casino accepted the next without worry – there is no universal truth », found a trainer in an intervention with pay managers. Moral of history – it is better to take the time to look at it, because everything depends on the sign.
| Support | Legal ceiling | Trade limit possible |
|---|---|---|
| Paper | 25 €/day | Yes (rule displayed) |
| Card/app | 25 €/day | Yes (rule displayed) |
Every time you go through the cash register, the question is repeated: should we calculate differently in the restaurant, in the supermarket, or according to the medium used? Here's an overview of the real. Each format or sign displays particularities (not always obvious to anticipate).
In supermarkets, the rule varies significantly.Leclercgenerally limit to2 or 3 tickets, Carrefourauthorizes until5 tickets, while other signs (Casino, U) accept everything in accordance with the ceiling25 €. In traditional or fast meals, the constraint is often lower: the average amount of the meal is around12-20 €, management is more flexible. However, it may happen that a restaurant is more rigorous, for reasons of accounting or technical limitation of its terminal. Some employees report, on specialised forums, small local tricks to circumvent a refusal (« A colleague separates the addition in half when the facial value is too high »). Is that really the case everywhere? The answer depends mainly on the type of trade and the time of day.
- In the supermarket, the number of tickets accepted varies between2 and 5, to be checked upon entry.
- In partner restaurants, the legal ceiling prevails, and few refusals on the number of tickets.
- In bakeries or grocery stores, it is impossible to predict without looking at the display, each point of sale adapts its management.
In case of doubt, it is recommended to go to the head of the department or manager: most are used to the questions and will be able to inform without simmering. A HR professional told me that some employees even get used to asking for "the store rule" to avoid any bad surprise.
On the question of support, the law does not distinguish any modality: paper tickets, prepaid card, mobile app, all operate on the basis of theceiling of 25 € per person per day. It is regularly observed that on cards, the management of the ceiling is done automatically: if one tries to pay28 €the transaction is refused25 €, and only the rest can pass on another means of payment (CB or cash). This automation reduces litigation and speeds up cash flow. A restaurant-title manager suggested that the transition to the all-dematerialized, planned from2026, should still simplify life: fewer queues, less friction with the small papers lost in the bag.
Small reminder for nostalgic people: paper tickets will be gradually removed, advantage to the card or app. Some employees say that it is not uncommon to get wrong by day with old paper notebooks – the digital version will help avoid these confusions.
Almost everyone has already experienced this moment (random but current) or the cashier sighs or the client behind síimpatiente. Some simple habits are enough to avoid incomprehension or waste of time, while maximising the use of each euro for lunch.
Before going into cash, it is better to adjust its number of tickets to their value to reach the right ceiling of25 €. Tickets to8 €? Three do business (24 €). If the total exceeds, a mixed payment (CB or cash) closes the gap. This strategy, adopted by many employees, makes it possible to fluidize the line and to avoid heated exchanges (it is not always obvious during the lunch break!).
- Before paying, identify eligible items (meals to be eaten quickly) and those that may be refused (hygiene, alcohol... blocked by the terminal).
- Ask a question about the ticket policy to the trader (especially in supermarkets or bakeries): this avoids the explanation at the time of passage.
- Be aware of the displays near the boxes: the internal rule ("max 5 tickets", "2 tickets") is usually announced here.
A user recently confided that this visual "small scan" allowed her to avoid refusal in98 %of his races. This trick, shared at a team meeting, seems to be a consensus, especially on a large surface.
Always keep an emergency receipt under your hand. In case of refusal (« Sorry, ticket limit is reached here »), it is better to remove some items or complete the payment with another means. To limit disappointment, check your ticket balance on the app before you go shopping: some users report that a simple check the day before avoids problems at the cash register. A customer service manager suggested that by calling a few minutes before, the chosen store rule could be obtained, which greatly facilitates preparation. In practice, the wait for an answer revolves around11 minutesIt's as fast as a cash pass at the end of the day.
Some remember with a bit of fun this time when only two tickets were accepted, even for a big birthday meal. Since then, the reform initiated from the health crisis has completely upset the situation, making ticket management simpler and more flexible for all.
Until2020, the risk of refusal from the third ticket was very real, except for local exceptions. We saw the Covid derogation push the ceiling to38 €, then, from2022, the new regime has offered freedom of use up to25 €. A recent HR trainer noted: « This change gave employees confidence and boosted the company's restoration policy ». The goal: to allow easy access to lunch break, whatever the situation. Finally, here2026, the removal of paper titles will put an end to sometimes approximate duplicates and manual counts. On the management side, the interest is obvious: time savings for parameterization, centralized monitoring for the USSRAF and SMEs, all deployable in less than24hin companies according to some officials.
The generalization of cards and apps will enhance the automatic management of the ceiling, which benefits both employees and cashiers. It can be assumed that simulators will soon appear for the general public, integrated directly into the applications – a story of pre-arbitrating purchases in two clicks. However, a trader will always be able to apply his own internal rule, but the trend shows that this will be rarer outside independent networks. Last point for HR and leadership:exemption USSRAF at 7.26 € by title in 2025, 7.32 € in 2026, a device now accessible in more than 220,000 shops in France.
To better manage your cash payments, find out how theCCS payment between confusion and secure solutionscan also inspire you in your efforts.
To avoid any confusion about the rules for using restaurant tickets, discover our advice in parallel with the secure solutions addressed inCCS payment between confusion and secure solutions.
| Period | Ceiling/day | Limit of tickets/day |
|---|---|---|
| Before 2020 | 19 € | 2 tickets |
| Derogation Covid | 38 € | Flexible |
| 2022-2026 | 25 € | Free number (except commercial rule) |
Find here the major questions gleaned from employees, HR, traders, and synthesized with the return of the ground. If a detail makes you hesitate, know that customer service is available, regularly with an unbeatable response time.
No: since October 2022, only the sum of25 €per person per day is taken into account. Regardless of facial value (7 €, 8 €, 10 €, 12 €), it is possible to present as much as possible, subject to not exceeding the authorized total. Another point to keep in mind: a trader can impose his own internal rule, so check the display near the caisse before filling your basket.
Yes, if it clearly indicates its policy at the entrance, cashier or terminal. This choice must be displayed in advance: no surprise therefore if Leclerc or Carrefour limit to2 to 5 tickets. Independent restaurants and shops often have a wider latitude, but again it is worth looking around.
In this case, you settle the25 €in tickets, and surplus in credit cards or cash. This is the principle of "mixed" payment, used almost everywhere (except for a few signs indicated). A typical simulation:28 €purchases, three tickets8 €cover24 €, the balance is paid in CB.
The ceiling concerns the day – impossible to divide into several payments (25 €maximum, not fractionable in the same day). Digital systems usually block a second attempt automatically. This measure helps to simplify monitoring for employers and traders, nothing excludes the recognition of various experts in the sector.
No, the modalities are the same. Ceiling25 €one payment per day per merchant. The strengths of this format: payment to the euro, automated management and less manipulation. Moreover, most users emphasize the practicality of the digital version, in particular to track their balance or find a transaction.
Here are some practical tools and benchmarks to anticipate your next cash flow, tested by different users and professionals in the sector:
| Face value of the ticket | Max. for 25 € | Amount covered |
|---|---|---|
| 8 € | 3 | 24 € |
| 10 € | 2 | 20 € |
| 11 € | 2 | 22 € |
| 12 € | 2 | 24 € |
Anti-refusal tips
- To check the store ceiling, the "restaurant ticket" app allows a simulation in seconds, useful especially in large areas.
- Remember to keep a note or a few pieces in cash, convenient if an unexpected constraint occurs at the time of payment.
- Taking a photo of the "max number" display panel can be used in case of dispute with customer service, which usually answers in less than15 minutes.
User testimony
"Since I figured out how to optimize my tickets, I've never had a refusal again. Tip: anticipate according to facial value, and take a look at the sign in the box. Zero stress, even in rush hour!" – Damien, 32, Paris XVe.
To be noted:
- Legal daily ceiling: 25 € (all media).
- No legal limit on the number of tickets, but a trade rule displayed may apply.
- Supermarkets and restaurants: diverging practices, hence the interest to check each time.
- Mixed payment (tickets + CB or cash) remains the reflex in case of exceedance.
- The abolition of paper titles is in line with the2026, place à la carte or app.
Specific questions or need personalized support? Customer service (noted around4,7/5) mobilizes in about 11 minutes... often faster than cashing at the end of the day.