Restaurant titles in the public service: what are the rules?

If your employer authority cannot provide you with a group catering facility near your workplace, it can award you restaurant vouchers to enable you to pay all or part of your meal expenses.

If your administration grants you restaurant titles, you are entitled to one restaurant ticket per meal included in your daily work schedule.

Restaurant titles are granted that you work at full or part-time and whether you are a public servant (incumbent or trainee) or a contract employee.

The restaurant is partly funded by your employer's administration, which pays for it between 50% and 60% of its value.

Restaurant vouchers can be given to you in several formats:

• Checkbook paper tickets
• Prepaid and rechargeable smart card (usable in the same terminals as bank cards)
• Access to an application on your mobile phone.

When you receive a card or an application on your mobile phone, you can access your personal restaurant voucher account free of charge (by SMS for example).

The restaurant titles are personal. You're the only person who can use them.

The restaurant titles are not available on Sundays and public holidays. However, there may be a decision to the contrary by your employer's administration if you work on those days.

You can pay for all or part of your meal with your restaurant vouchers at the following establishments:

• Restaurants
• Certain similar traders (delicatessens, caterers, bakeries, food distribution businesses, etc.).
• Retailers of fruit and vegetables.

The titles are valid to buy directly consumable food preparations, possibly to be reheated or thawed (cooked dishes, prepared salads, sandwiches) and dairy products.

They can also be used to purchase fruit and vegetables, whether or not they are directly consumable.

Restaurants and shopkeepers are not obliged to accept restaurant titles.

Each store chain establishes its own list of products payable by restaurant title.

So there may be differences from one brand to another.

You can use your restaurant vouchers up to €25 per day.

When you use a card or application on your smartphone, you are charged the exact amount to pay.

If you use paper titles, the merchant has no right to give you change.

Restaurant vouchers are only available in the department where you work and in neighboring departments.

Your employer's authority may grant you valid titles outside these territorial limits if you are traveling on business.

Restaurant titles are usable during thecalendar year of their issue and in January and February of the following year.

Restaurant vouchers not used during this period can be exchanged for free for an equal number of restaurant vouchers valid for a new period. To do this, you must return them to your employer administration at the latest during the first^re March fortnight.