At lunchtime, the line stretches in front of the Thérèse Menot university restaurant in Limoges. Since May 4, 2026, all students can access a meal for $1, a measure financed by the State to the tune of 59 million euros. In a context of high inflation, the system has become a must for many students. But this success has a very concrete cost on the ground.
Officially, the Crous points out that this very social rate is aimed at holders of a student card, a trades student card, doctoral students and civic service volunteers, provided they have an active Izly account. A meal for $1 is possible per service, lunchtime and evening, in all open university restaurants, with a main course and up to two “peripherals”. It remains to absorb the massive influx that this generalization has brought about.
Meals for $1: a flagship measure in university restaurants
According to Service-public.fr, the subsidized meal includes a hot dish supplemented, at most, with two items from starter, cheese, dessert or fruit. Concretely, a student therefore composes a standard menu around:
- A main dish
- Up to two “peripherals” (starter, cheese, dessert, fruit, etc.)
Payment by Izly, by card or via the application, is recommended to speed up checkout, and Crous can offer click and collect or other distribution formats to meet demand. In the field, these adjustments are not always enough to avoid growing lines.
In Limoges, university restaurants saturated with $1 meals
In Limoges, the university restaurant delivered 800,000 meals in 2025 for 25,818 students. Since the generalization of the $1 meal, attendance has increased by 13% between May and July 2026, notes Johnny Alphonse, chef for the university catering of Limoges, with France 3 Regions.
On the student side, help is considered essential. Paloma, nursing student, explains: . It also underlines the perceived quality: . But others, like friends of Tina Laokpessi, treasurer of the National Union of Students of France (Unef), say they are no longer able to eat in the UK because of the wait.
Waiting time, quantities, quality: the 1$ meal under pressure
For non-scholarship holders, the price went from $3.30 to $1, the State having added 50 million euros to compensate. The Cnous, cited in a report by the National Assembly, however estimates the real cost between 90 and 110 million euros, a significant difference. Hence Tina Laokpessi’s alert: . MP Charles Sitzenstuhl, rapporteur on higher education, also points to funding that is considered insufficient.
The Crous de Limoges is trying to keep up. Its general director, Fabrice Pezzardi, recalls: . Students will also be hired: . Hours have been extended from 2024: Despite more than $350,000 invested and 95 full-time equivalents, some students continue to give up their lunch.
Who is entitled to a $1 meal in university restaurants?
The $1 meal is accessible to holders of a student card, a trades student card, doctoral students and civic service volunteers, provided they have an active Izly account.
How does the $1 meal at Crous work?
Each student can benefit from a single meal at $1 per service, lunch or dinner, in open Crous university restaurants, by paying via Izly to speed up checkout.
What does a $1 meal consist of?
The meal includes a main course and at most two “peripherals” such as a starter, cheese, dessert or fruit. Paid supplements can be added depending on the Crous.
Why do waiting times increase with the $1 meal?
The generalization of the price to all students caused attendance to jump, as in Limoges where it increased by 13%, without the means fully keeping up, which made the lines longer.
