Digital tips are becoming more visible in French restaurants

Paris – 17.07.2026: People who pay by card in a restaurant in France are increasingly being confronted with an additional question on the terminal: would they like to add a voluntary tip? Franceinfo reported on this practice on Friday, which is particularly visible during the holiday period. For customers, it changes the payment process, as the decision is made directly on the terminal and no longer depends on the availability of cash.

In France, a tip generally remains a voluntary token of appreciation. It should not be confused with service included in the bill. According to the Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Prevention, any mandatory service charge must be clearly indicated on the menu or invoice. In the absence of such a notice, employees are generally paid through their fixed salary. The prompt displayed on the terminal must therefore not give the impression that it is a mandatory surcharge.

For restaurants, the digital solution may address the decline in cash payments. Establishments collect amounts paid by card and then redistribute them to staff. Urssaf states that employers must keep a distribution register when tips are centralized. This register must make it possible to trace the amounts allocated to each employee. This rule is intended to ensure that the funds actually reach the staff concerned.

Tax and social security treatment is also regulated. Voluntary tips given by customers to employees in direct contact with customers are exempt from social security contributions under certain conditions until 31 December 2028. This exemption expressly also applies to tips paid by card, collected by the employer and passed on to employees. One of the conditions is that employees’ monthly remuneration does not exceed the limit set by law.

For 2026, the public information service states that the applicable threshold is 2,308.99 euros net per month, with tips and certain overtime pay excluded from the calculation. Voluntary payments may also benefit from a tax advantage under these conditions. However, employees must declare tips received in their income tax return. Self-employed workers, such as restaurateurs without an employment contract, do not fall under this special scheme.

The growing visibility of this feature is prompting diverse reactions. Some customers appreciate a simple way to reward good service without cash. Others see preconfigured amounts or percentage suggestions as social pressure, especially when the question already appears at the counter. Presentation therefore remains crucial: declining must be just as clear and simple as making a voluntary payment. Food service establishments can build trust by openly explaining whether and how digital tips are redistributed to their staff.