France Introduces One‑euro Canteen Meals for All Students
- French university canteens began offering one-euro meals to all students regardless of income on Monday, replacing a system previously limited to those receiving financial aid.
- Student union advocacy drove the expansion to address food insecurity; a January survey found 48 percent of students have gone without food for financial reasons, with 23 percent struggling several times monthly.
- University restaurant operator Crous served around 46.7 million meals to around 667,000 students in 2024, while the new one-euro rate cuts a three-course meal from the standard 3.30 euros.
- For Alexandre Ioannides, an 18-year-old student in Paris, the measure slashes monthly canteen expenses; he noted, "Whereas now, I'll pay 20 euros," adding savings would go toward "going out or eating at a restaurant."
- Higher Education Minister Philippe Batiste pledged 120 million euros in 2027 to support the scheme and promised oversight to maintain food quality without excessive workload for canteen staff.
52 Articles
52 Articles
“It’s crazy how cheap it is! Plus, I love lobster, it’s a real treat!” exclaims Charles-Henri, a student at HEC, euphoric after the launch of the €100 menus by the renowned business school, in response to the €1 menus now available to all public school students. On the website [...]
Usually reserved for the most precarious students, the 1 euro meal in university restaurants (RU) is now accessible to all, fueling fears about an increase in student attendance and a deterioration in the quality of the dishes.
Since Monday, May 4, all students can enjoy a 1-euro meal in university restaurants. In Perpignan, on the campus of Via Domitia University, the measure is well received. Even if...
The generalization, since Monday, May 4, 2026, of one-euro meals in the academic restaurants of the Crous is experienced as a relief for the beneficiary students met in Brest.
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