Travel Meal Expenses: 2026 Limits and Rules for Businesses in France

When an employee travels for work, the question of meal expenses quickly arises: should you reimburse real costs, apply a flat rate, request an invoice, accept a receipt, or set internal limits? In France, this falls under the framework of professional expenses. For 2026, the exemption limits for meal allowances have been updated and form a very useful basis for building a clear expense report policy.

When can a meal be reimbursed?

A meal can be covered when it constitutes a professional expense incurred for business needs. Urssaf reminds us that professional expenses correspond to expenses borne by the employee in the interest of the company.

In practice, there are three main situations:

• the employee is forced to take their meal at a restaurant during a business trip;
• the employee incurs catering costs in the workplace due to special working hours or organization conditions;
• the employee has a snack or meal outside the premises without being obliged to go to a restaurant (e.g., on a construction site).

The 2026 limits to apply

As of January 1, 2026, the social contribution exemption limits for meal allowances are as follows:

• €21.40 for the meal allowance of an employee forced to eat at a restaurant;
• €7.50 for catering in the workplace;
• €10.40 for snacks/meals outside company premises.

Conclusion

In 2026, French companies can rely on three simple official thresholds to regulate meal expenses:

• €21.40 for restaurant meals while traveling,
• €7.50 for meals on the workplace under constraints,
• €10.40 for snacks outside company premises.

The most important thing is to tie each expense to a precise professional situation, demand the correct receipts through a robust receipt scanner multi currency or free receipt scanner app, and formalize clear internal rules.