What is a Carte Resto?
If you are looking for a job in France, chances are you’ve seen job announcements that list a Carte or Ticket Restaurant listed among the benefits. Or maybe you’ve seen someone pay for their sandwich with a ticket instead of cash. So what is a Carte Resto?
A Carte Resto is a prepaid debit card that can be used to buy food. It is supposed to make it more affordable for employees to buy their lunches while away from home.
I love this workplace perk!
It’s the easiest workplace benefit to appreciate daily. I can use mine for up to 19€ per day in a supermarket (increased to 25€/day in October of 2022.)
So is it a ticket or a card?
Originally they were tickets, though now many employers have opted for the card option. Just as checkbooks have been superseded by credit cards Tickets Resto have been replaced by Cartes Resto, though both versions are still in use.
In this article the terms: ticket, card, carte, and titre may be used interchangeably.
To note
Not all restaurants or supermarkets accept the Carte Resto. Nevertheless, it’s a problem. If you’re not sure if it’ll be accepted you can always look up the vendors in your area with the map feature on the provider’s website. Or you can simply ask before purchasing.
Vendors that accept these cards will usually also have a poster at their point of entry indicating whether or not it is accepted.
And not all food items can be bought with the Card. Generally speaking, fruits, vegetables, milk products, prepared and frozen foods, and prepared meals/sandwiches are covered.
Who pays for it?
It is partially paid for by your employer, the other part comes from your salary. The part that is deducted from your salary will decrease your taxable income so it is highly recommendable to opt in if given the option. Everyone has to eat right? Why not let your employer pay for part of your meal?
According to my Bulletin de Paie 3.60€ (40%) is deducted from my salary for each day worked to be put into the Carte Resto, while my employer pays 5.40€ (60%.) This ratio may change depending on the employer so don’t take these numbers as certain.
That makes 9€ that are added to my card balance every day that I work during the month. That works out to:
- 9€ x 20 working days / month = 180€/ month
- 180€ x 12 months = 2,160€ / year
So that’s ~864€ removed from my tax imposable income. Not a ton, but every little bit helps. Especially if you’re on the cusp of a higher tax tier.
I rarely use my Carte Resto during the workday since I bring my own lunch. But I do use it every time I buy groceries. And it makes treating my partner to regular romantic restaurant dinners more financially feasible.
Who are the major providers?
This is a question that doesn’t much affect the employee. No matter what card you have, they all do more or less the same thing. Cartes Resto are provided by the third-party groups listed below. Your workplace just needs to reach out to them to set up an account.
If there are any entrepreneurs out there reading this, you can follow the links below to the web pages to find more information.
History
For those of you interested in reading about the history of Tickets Resto see this article. It describes the journey of how they came to be. Surprisingly it starts in the 1960s and has taken a very international scope. Here is another shorter article from the Commission Nationale des Titres Restaurant.
Donations
For those who aren’t so much into the idea of buying your lunch with a Carte Resto, you can opt to donate your meals instead. You can send your unused meals to either the Croix Rouge or to Les Restaurants du Coeur. The meals will be given to those who have a real need and the donation will further diminish your taxable income as well.
What do you think about your Carte Resto? How do you think they reinforce the food culture of France?