Why and how to switch to a meal voucher card

The disappearance of traditional paper luncheon vouchers has been announced for 2022. The organisations concerned will then have to switch to the meal voucher card.

But what exactly is a meal voucher and how does it work? What are the benefits for both employers and employees, in terms of better management of company spending?

Read our article to find out all you need to know about dematerialising your meal vouchers.

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What is a meal voucher card?

Restaurant voucher card: definition

A meal voucher card is a prepaid payment card, valid for 3 years, which employees use to pay for meals purchased from a restaurant.meals purchased from affiliated establishments (establishments supplying food that is directly consumable or used to prepare lunch):

• restaurants
• snack bars
• bakeries
• supermarkets, etc.

How does it work?

On the company side

From an administrative point of view, it works in the same way as the paper version.

The company defines the percentage of the value to be covered, which is between 50 and 60% (so employees have to pay between 40 and 50% of the price of the meal out of their own pocket).

It also allocates a number of meal vouchers each month, with the number of days worked being the maximum.

Finally, the employer sets the amount of the meal voucher, which is limited by law to €19 per day.

☝️ As a result of the Covid-19 crisis, and with a view to revitalising the restaurant sector, the ceiling on daily use is now €38 until 1 September 2021.

On the employee side

For the employee, it's very simple. They have a card in their own name, which they can use freely every day (except Sundays and public holidays, unless they work for the company).

In practical terms, the card is similar to a bank card, and can be used to make purchases:

• by entering their secret code,
• or by using contactless payment.

If employees are limited by the daily limit (€19 in normal circumstances), they can top it up with another means of payment.

The differences between cards and paper luncheon vouchers

There are no differences between cards and paper luncheon vouchers in terms of operating rules (use from Monday to Saturday, daily ceiling, etc.).

However, there is a real contrast in terms of practicality. A shopkeeper is not obliged to give change on a paper ticket. As a result, employees often have to make up the difference with their own money, or lose money on the value of their meal vouchers. With the card, employees can pay to the nearest cent.

The different types of meal voucher

First generation (1G) meal voucher cards

First generation cards are linked to the Visa or Mastercard banking network. As a result, their use is subject to a Visa Mastercard e-commerce acceptance contract associated with the establishment. They therefore incur bank charges in addition to issuer charges.

Lastly, these cards can be identified by the logo of the banking network (Mastercard, for example).

Second generation (2G) restaurant voucher cards

Second-generation cards are issued by the Conecs network, whose logo appears on the card. Acceptance requires a Conecs contract with the establishment.

In this case, no bank charges are billed to the professional.

Mixed or hybrid restaurant voucher cards

These latest-generation cards combine the two technologies. In other words, they connect first to the Conecs network, then to the bank network in the event of a malfunction. The cost to the merchant then depends on the connection mode used.

Here, the card displays both the logo of the banking network and that of the Conecs network.

How much does a meal voucher card cost?

For the company, there is obviously the percentage of the meal voucher covered, as well as the costs of the card supplier.

The latter may vary from one issuer to another, but as a general rule, there is a cost :

• manufacturing costs
• and monthly management fees or fees associated with reloading the cards.

What are the advantages of a meal voucher?

As well as being more environmentally friendly (no booklet to print out and deliver each month), it is also much more practical for employers and their employees.

Less money lost for the employee

We've already mentioned it, but on the employee side, the card allows you to pay an exact amount. No more need to manage assets that are often lost (around €100/year lost), or having to pay the balance in cash.

Enhanced security

The card also makes employees' meal vouchers more secure.

If they lose their card, the balance remains secure in their account until they receive a new one. Employees can even block their card in the event of theft.

Easier management for employers

For employers, the tedious logistics of distributing cards at the beginning of the month are a thing of the past.

Thanks to an online interface, the company can load cards and order new ones in just a few clicks.

What's more, employees can check their balance in real time and interact with support, without having to call on the employer all the time.

Which supplier should you choose?

Here are a few key points that we recommend you check when choosing your supplier:

• Product quality, ease of use and intuitiveness. In short, make sure you can do everything independently, because the aim is really to save time. Ask for a demo so you can test the solution and see if you're comfortable with it.
  
  
• Efficient customer service for employers and employees. Make sure that you and your employees can get a quality response quickly.
  
  

• Acceptance network. As we have seen, there are two types of network, banking and Conecs. The second requires the terminal on the merchant's side to be updated. There are therefore fewer establishments that accept this type of card.
  
  

• Benefits for employees. In addition to simple payment, some providers offer features to enhance employee interaction, as well as discounts to boost their purchasing power.

Examples of meal voucher providers:

• Swile,
• Apetiz,
• Edenred,
• Sodexo.

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How do you successfully switch to a meal voucher card?

Be aware that some employees may be reluctant to switch to the card. The reasons why they prefer to keep their cheques often have to do with circumventing the rules of use. It's easier to commit fraud with a ticket:

• use it on Sundays or public holidays
• not respecting the daily limit
• offering it to a relative, etc.

That's why you need to focus on communication, as part of a genuine change policy, and clearly explain all the advantages associated with using the card.

The choice of service provider will obviously play a major role in getting employees on board. It is important to opt for a service that fully exploits the potential of paperless meal vouchers and their advantages: payment via online delivery platforms (Uber Eats, Deliveroo, etc.), mobile payment (Apple Pay, Google Pay, etc.).

In this way, the company is better able to adapt to new consumer habits, and is therefore encouraging the switch from paper to paperless meal vouchers.