Fast food collective agreement: key 2026 points

Updated March 2026 - The French fast food collective agreement, IDCC 1501, governs all employment relationships in the takeaway food, fast food and related activities sector. It sets out the rules applicable to professional classification, minimum wages, part-time work, evening and weekend work, bonuses, leave and working time organisation.

Quick answer: The national fast food collective agreement, identified under number IDCC 1501 (KALI nomenclature: KALICONT000005635596), applies to companies whose main activity is the preparation and sale of food products for immediate consumption, on-site or takeaway. It provides specific classification grids, regularly revised minimum wages, particular provisions on part-time work and split-shift work, as well as precise rules on weekly rest and Sunday work.

The fast food collective agreement covers a specific scope of businesses. It does not automatically apply to all food establishments.

Covered activities#

The following are typically covered:

• fast food outlets (burgers, takeaway pizzas, sandwiches, kebabs, etc.)
• takeaway establishments with or without seating
• prepared meal delivery services
• food trucks and mobile fast food units

How to verify your applicable agreement?#

Several éléments help confirm that IDCC 1501 is indeed the applicable agreement for your establishment:

1. The actual main activity - This is the determining criterion. If your turnover comes mainly from the sale of fast food, this agreement takes precedence.
2. The collective agreement code on your payslips - It must mention IDCC 1501.
3. The presence of up-to-date amendments - The agreement is subject to regular revaluations published in the Official Journal.

An error in the applicable agreement can lead to salary arrears, penalties and employment tribunal disputes. For a fast food outlet, the correct approach is therefore to systematically verify these three éléments.

You can also consult Entreprendre.Service-Public.fr - Finding your collective agreement to confirm your situation.

The fast food collective agreement organises the profession into distinct professional catégories, each associated with a qualification level and a conventional minimum wage.

Agreement catégories#

The agreement generally distinguishes between:

• Employees - Operational staff: multi-skilled team members, counter staff, preparation workers
• Supervisors - Intermediate positions: team leaders, assistant kitchen managers, shift supervisors
• Managers - Management and leadership rôles: unit managers, restaurant directors

2026 minimum wages#

Conventional minimum wages are periodically revised by salary amendment. In 2026, the IDCC 1501 minimums must be compared to the current hourly minimum wage (SMIC), set at €12.31 gross since 1 June 2026 (i.e. €1,867.02 gross per month for 35 hours).

Point of vigilance: The conventional minimum for each level can never be lower than the SMIC. If the SMIC exceeds the conventional minimum, the SMIC applies. Conversely, if the conventional minimum is higher than the SMIC, this minimum takes precedence.

For exact updated amounts, consult the latest amendments published on Légifrance or revaluation announcements on Service-Public.fr.

The IDCC 1501 pay scale in force comes from amendment no. 72 of 5 June 2025. Read these gross hourly rates alongside the SMIC: since 1 June 2026, no wage may fall below €12.31 per hour (€1,867.02 gross per month for 35 hours).

Level V (managers) is set as gross annual pay: step A €44,645.78, step B €46,032.71, step C €72,408.11. These minimums are revised by amendment: always check the latest extended amendment before finalising payroll, and compare each level to the current SMIC. To secure payroll for an outlet, see our dedicated fast food chartered accountant support.

Part-time work is ubiquitous in the fast food sector. The fast food collective agreement strictly regulates this type of contract to protect employees.

Additional hours and exceeding limits#

• Additional hours are limited to one-tenth of the weekly or monthly duration specified in the contract
• They can be increased to one-third by a collective agreement (company or branch), not by a simple individual amendment to the contract
• These additional hours are not reclassified as overtime: beyond one-tenth, the premium is 25% (article L3123-29), and if the hours reach the legal 35-hour week the contract is reclassified as full-time (article L3123-9)

Modification of working time distribution#

The employer may modify the distribution of working time between the days of the week, subject to respecting a notice period (generally 7 clear days). This period may be adapted by company agreement.

Breaks and working hour ranges#

Split shifts are common in fast food (lunch service then dinner service). The agreement regulates maximum ranges and provides for compensation in terms of rest or rémunération.

Fast food largely operates in the evening and at weekends. The fast food collective agreement includes specific provisions for these situations.

Evening work#

The legal night window runs from 9pm to 6am (article L3122-2), but under IDCC 1501 the collective premiums only start at midnight. Evening work may also give rise to compensation defined by agreement:

• salary increases for night hours
• compensatory rest
• time or money compensation defined by agreement

Sunday work#

Sunday work is possible in tourist and commercial zones designated by prefectoral order. Employees then benefit from:

• under a prefectoral exemption or a PUCE, pay at least doubled and equivalent compensatory rest (article L3132-25-4); in tourist zones, the compensation is set by agreement
• one day of rest per week, which may be allocated on a rotating basis

Beyond the basic salary, the fast food collective agreement may provide for différent bonuses and rémunération accessories.

Common conventional bonuses#

• Seniority bonus - Generally due after a certain number of years of service with the company
• Meal allowance - Meal compensation when the employee cannot leave the establishment
• Transport bonus - Reimbursement of transport costs (mandatory, minimum 50% of transport pass)
• Night work allowance - The legal night window runs from 9pm to 6am, but the IDCC 1501 collective premiums only start at midnight: +10% from midnight to 2am and +30% from 2am to 6am

Exceptional purchasing power bonus#

The Macron bonus 2026, officially the value-sharing bonus, remains a relevant tool for sector employers who wish to remunerate their teams in a way that is advantageous from a tax and social perspective.

The fast food collective agreement supplements the Labour Code on several points relating to leave and rest.

Paid leave#

The general rules of the Labour Code apply (5 weeks of paid leave per year). The agreement may provide for additional provisions, particularly on:

• periods for taking leave (often off-season for catering)
• additional leave for seniority
• conditions for splitting leave

Weekly rest#

Weekly rest is 24 consecutive hours, plus the 11 hours of daily rest. In fast food, this rest may be organised on a rotating basis, particularly for Sunday work.

In our daily practice of supporting restaurateurs, we regularly identify recurring points of vigilance:

• Part-time contracts poorly drafted, without mention of the precise distribution of hours between the days of the week
• Breaks and ranges not declared or poorly compensated
• Conventional minimums not updated after the publication of a new salary amendment
• Bonuses and rémunération accessories forgotten or incorrectly calculated
• Additional hours that exceed conventional ceilings without being reclassified

You can extend your reading with our articles on fast food training, the Macron bonus 2026 and payroll tax 2026.

Hayot Expertise advice: in fast food, payroll errors rarely come from a single issue. They often arise from the combination of scheduling, part-time work, modulation, minimums and old payroll parameters that have not been updated. A periodic audit of your payslips and contracts is the best way to prevent risks.

Here are answers to the most common field questions under IDCC 1501, on points genuinely framed by the Labour Code and by the agreement.

We recommend that business owners and payroll managers systematically review the following points:

1. Assignment to the correct agreement - Verify that IDCC 1501 is indeed the agreement applicable to your activity
2. Conventional minimums actually applied - Compare your pay scales to the latest published amendments
3. Part-time contracts and amendments - Ensure that the distribution of hours is precise and that additional hours are compliant
4. Pay rules linked to time organisation - Night hours, Sunday work, breaks: each situation has its own increase rules

Reading and correctly applying the fast food collective agreement requires constant vigilance. Salary revaluations, amendments and legislative changes require rigorous monitoring.

We can help you check the applied agreement, minimums and payroll parameters. Our support covers compliance auditing, updating your salary scales and securing your payroll processes.

Discover our payroll and HR support

In 2026, the fast food collective agreement remains a very operational subject for managers and operators in the sector. Knowing it well and applying it correctly helps avoid costly payroll errors, social tensions and retrospective régularisations.

The key points to monitor continuously are minimum wages, part-time contracts, additional hours, evening and Sunday work, and conventional bonuses. A periodic audit is the best insurance against legal and financial risks.