List of All Restaurants that Accept EBT

Restaurants that Accept EBT: Are you still wondering if you can use your EBT to pay for your meals at a fast-food restaurant?

If yes, then you don’t have to worry about it again, as this article contains everything you need to know, including the list of all restaurants that accept EBT.

However, before you are considered eligible to use the EBT card at restaurants, you must qualify for the Restaurant Meals Program (RMP), and your state has to offer the RMP for you to be able to buy food at designated restaurants.

So, if you have been asking yourself this question over and over again, I bring good news to you today, and that is “yes.”, You can use it to pay for your meals.

Also, since the Restaurant Meal Program is left to the states, we’ve researched each state to find out if you can use your food stamps at local restaurants!

So, here in this post today, you will get to know what the Restaurant Meal Program and how it works, who is qualified for the RMP program, the states that offer the program, and lists of restaurants that are approved in each state for accepting EBT Food Stamps.

But first, let’s take a look at one of the unfamiliar Acronym here (EBT)

What is EBT?

Abbreviated as EBT, the Electronic Benefits Transfer is an electronic system that allows a recipient to authorise a transfer of their government benefits from a federal account to a retailer account to pay for products received.

Since 2004, the EBT has been implemented in all 50 states, and it’s currently used in all 50 states: the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Guam.

Transfer services will be made possible through EBT with the use of the EBT card that looks and works like a debit or credit card but is loaded with food stamps and/or cash benefits. You can use it at stores or fast-food restaurants that accept EBT.

How does the Food Stamp Program work?

Also known as the SNAP benefit, the Food Stamps Program Benefits is a federally funded program run by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) but administered at the state level that offers nutrition assistance to millions of eligible, low-income individuals and families.

However, if you want to sign up for food stamps, you have to apply through the agency in your state that runs the program.

There are strict eligibility criteria and requirements that you have to meet to be approved for SNAP benefits, including income requirements.

But if you are successfully approved as a food stamp recipient, an EBT card will be issued to you, and as we stated earlier, the EBT card is just like a debit card that enables you to purchase foods that are on the approved list at any approved merchant locations.

What is Restaurant Meal Program

Since 1977, the Restaurant Meals Program has been an essential part of the Food Stamps program. It enables qualified elderly, disabled, and homeless SNAP recipients to buy food at authorised restaurants. Any state or county can enrol in the Restaurant Meals Program.

The purpose of the program is to help expand food access to those who do not have a place to store and cook food, who may not be able to prepare food, or who don’t have access to a grocery store.

Who is eligible for this restaurant meal program?

You can recall that we said that the Restaurant Meals Program is created for those who do not have a place to store and cook food OR who may not be able to prepare food or who don’t have access to a grocery store to gain access to food.

So, here are the set of people who are considered eligible for the program and what will qualify him/her for this offer;

1. Homeless

For a homeless person to be eligible, the person/household must lack a fixed and regular nighttime residence or be living in a shelter, halfway house, or a place not designed for sleeping.

This includes those who are temporarily staying in the home of another person (90 days or less).

2. Elderly

To be eligible, the elderly person or household must have only members who are 60 or older or an elderly individual and his or her spouse.

3. Disabled

To be eligible, the person/household must have only members who are designated disabled by a government entity or a disabled individual and his or her spouse.

3. Elderly or Disabled

To be eligible for the Restaurant Meals Program, the individual/household must have only members who are age 60 or older or designated as disabled by a government entity or an elderly or disabled individual and his or her spouse.

Sample Letter To Request The Restaurant Meals Program In Your State

Here’s how to write an elected official a letter indicating your wish to be able to use your food stamp card to buy fast food in your state.

If you want the Restaurant Meals Program in your state, you can use the template below to write a letter to your elected representative.

Dear (elected official’s name here)

As a resident of (your state), I am writing to you to ask that you consider bringing the Restaurant Meals Program (RMP) to our state. The Restaurant Meals Program is a federal program that allows fast food restaurants to accept EBT cards from food stamp recipients. This would be a great help to the people of (your state) because it would give us more access to hot foods that we can purchase with our EBT cards.

Currently, if we want to purchase fast food with our EBT cards, we have to live in one of the states that participate in the RMP. Currently, there are only 6 states that participate in this program. This means that many of us are not able to take advantage of this important benefit.

For more information about this food stamp program, you can visit the link below:

All the best,

(your name here)

(your phone number is here)

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List of Products that You Can and Cannot Currently Purchase with SNAP 

Below are the lists of what you can currently buy with SNAP. So, If you are now receiving food stamps, you are allowed to buy food that you plan to take home and prepare at home to eat.

That excludes hot food or buying food at restaurants. However, there are exceptions, which we will explain below.

However, here is what you can buy with SNAP and what you can’t buy with it:

What You Can Buy: 

You are allowed to buy the following with your EBT card:

• bread and cereals;
• fruits and vegetables;
• meats, fish, and poultry; and
• dairy products.
• Seeds and plants produce food for the household to eat.

What You Can’t Buy With SNAP

You are not allowed to use your EBT card to purchase the following items.

• Beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes, or tobacco
• Any nonfood items, such as:
• pet foods
• soaps, paper products
• household supplies
• Vitamins and medicines
• Food that will be eaten in the store
• Hot foods

Fast Food Restaurants That Accept EBT According to States

California

• Burger King
• Carl’s Jr.
• Church’s Chicken
• Del Taco
• Denny’s
• Domino’s Pizza
• El Pollo Loco
• Great Steaks
• Jack in the Box
• Jamba Juice
• KFC
• Papa Murphy’s
• Popeye’s
• Pizza Hut
• Quiznos
• Rally’s Hamburgers
• Subway
• Taco Bell
• Wendy’s
• Wienerschnitzel

Check out ebtstamps.com for a more detailed list

Participating Counties: Alameda County, Los Angeles County, Orange County, Riverside County, Sacramento County, San Diego County, San Francisco County, San Luis Obispo County, Santa Clara County, and Santa Cruz County

Check this link for a list of participating countries

Rhode Island

• Subway

Check this link for a list of participating countries

Arizona

• 24th st Pizza & Gyros
• Blimpie
• Burger Shoppe
• CiCi’s Pizza
• Dairy Queen
• Denny’s
• Dominos Pizza
• Eegees
• El Pollo Loco
• Fat Sub
• Firestone Subs
• Golden Corral
• Harris and Smith Coffee Company
• Helpings Cafe and Market
• Jack in the Box
• Jimmy and Joe’s Pizzeria
• KFC
• Moon Light Family Restaurant
• Papa Johns Pizza
• Papa Murphy’s
• Rally’s Hamburgers
• Smoke Dem Bones BBQ
• Speedy Street Tacos Corp
• Subway
• Taco Bell
• Tasty Box
• Uncle Sams
• WaBa Grill

Check this link for a list of participating countries

Restaurants that don’t Accept EBT Food Stamps

Are you surprised? Oh, you should not. Because in every disciple, there must be a judas; likewise, in this case, there are fast-food restaurants that do not accept EBT, but they are also participating in the Restaurant Meals Program. These restaurants include:

1. A&W Restaurants
2. Arby’s
3. Chick-fil-A
4. Chipotle
5. Cinnabon
6. Dairy Queen
7. Dunkin’ Donuts
8. Einstein Bros. Bagels
9. Five Guys
10. Hardee’s
11. In-N-Out Burger
12. Krispy Kreme
13. Long John Silver’s
14. McDonald’s
15. Panda Express
16. Panera Bread
17. Qdoba Mexican Grill
18. Shake Shack
19. Starbucks
20. TCBY
21. Tim Hortons
22. Whataburger
23. Wingstop
24. WingStreet
25. Zaxby’s

For more details on restaurants that accept EBT, you can watch this video from the ABC affiliate station in Arizona – ABC15.

How to Locate Restaurants that Accept EBT

Locating a restaurant that accepts EBT is not hard these days. All you need to do is look for the signage that states “Participating Restaurant: SNAP Restaurant Meals Program” with the “Fork & Knife” logo displayed on the door or window.

Nonetheless, some of the fast-food restaurant vendors will keep a signboard with a writeup saying “We Welcome EBT” or something similar to that that, as you can see in the Pizza Hut signboard image below.

How to Use the EBT CARD to Buy Food

To use your EBT card to buy food at a restaurant, they will have to swipe it or run it through the point of sale machine, similar to how it is currently used at a grocery store.

Electronic Benefits Transfer  FAQ

People usually ask questions about EBT. Below are some of the questions and answers

How do I know the eligibility criteria for the restaurant meals program?

The criteria are sky-high. The restaurant meal program mostly prioritises the less privileged, the elderly, and incapacitated people. For more information, kindly reach out to your local Department of Human Services office.

What are the qualifications needed for an EBT card?

There are certain criteria needed; everybody cannot qualify for the card. To qualify, your income will be checked according to the federal poverty level. But people with disabilities and the less privileged are mostly taken into consideration.

What is the purpose of the Restaurant Meals Program?

As stated by the United States Department of Agriculture,

(The) Restaurant Meal Program has been an option for states — state run, state contracted, state administered — since the 1977 Food Stamp Act. The decision to establish a restaurant meal program is made entirely at the state level.

Most importantly, the ONLY people who qualify are the elderly, disabled, and homeless, as this provision is intended to assist people who are unable to prepare meals at home or in a traditional kitchen setting.

Since 1977 the decision to establish a restaurant meal program has been made by only a handful of states and because of this participation is very low.

Is EBT safe?  

Yes, EBT is safe and secure, and your information is kept private.

Can the food stamp program access my bank accounts?

Yes, in situations where you lie about your assets and funds in order to swindle the federal government and state. So it is important that the information you give to the program is accurate.

How can I bring this program to my area?

If you would like to see fast-food restaurants that accept EBT in your area, contact your local lawmakers! You can easily find your elected officials on USA.gov. As we said before, this option has been available to states since 1977 but is very rarely used.

To help you, we’ve drafted a sample message below. You can copy and paste it if you’d like; just be sure to change the names!

Dear [Elected Official],

The federal Food Stamp Act granted states the authority to implement the Restaurant Meals Program in 1977. This initiative provides meals to vulnerable and at-risk groups, such as the homeless and elderly, who are unable to prepare for themselves. These qualified people may use their food benefits to buy inexpensive meals at participating restaurants such as Subway.

Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii, Michigan, and Rhode Island have all successfully implemented this program. It is not, however, yet accessible in our state.

Kindly act to bring the Restaurant Meals Program to our state.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]

What is the Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT)?

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act launched P-EBT as one of the US government’s buffers during the COVID-19 epidemic.

P-EBT offers almost the same benefits as EBT for kids who probably would have enjoyed free or subsidised meals at school if it weren’t for COVID-related school closures. These households are eligible for P-EBT benefits.

P-EBT benefits were transferred into SNAP cards for many households. Thus, businesses will not be able to distinguish between P-EBT and SNAP benefits.

P-EBT benefits were transferred to new cards that don’t look like SNAP cards but perform the same thing for some families. Retailers should treat P-EBT benefiting households equally.

Is EBT the same as a credit card?

An EBT card, also known as an electronic benefits transfer card, is a card containing a magnetic strip that is used to pay for benefits for programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Cash Assistance. EBT cards work similarly to debit cards in that recipients are given a monthly allowance based on their earnings and family size, and their balance drops with each purchase.

What are the EBT cash benefits?

Every month, a fixed amount of money is deposited onto the recipient’s cards, according to their earnings and family size; nevertheless, this cash can only be spent on certain things, based on the program. For example, SNAP payments only pay for foodstuffs for the family. It excludes liquor, cigarettes, pills, and multivitamins.

How do I use my EBT card?

• Swipe the card.
• Input your PIN into the electronic device at the checkout counter.
• You are the only person who ought to type in your PIN.
• Check and save all of your EBT purchase receipts.

Can you withdraw cash from an EBT card?

SNAP benefits are available exclusively for buying food items and can’t be used to withdraw money.

Does Amazon accept EBT?

Amazon accepts SNAP EBT in every US state aside from Alaska.

Will I be able to buy hot or ready-made food?

No, you cannot use your SNAP benefits to buy prepared foods or hot foods.

Conclusion

You can only use EBT at fast food joints in states that have restaurant meal programs. People who will be attending EBT are the elderly, homeless, physically challenged, and recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programme.

There are very few fast-food restaurants that accept EBT for foodstuffs to prepare at home. A lot of fast-food restaurants do not currently have EBT foodstuffs.

The restaurants listed above will sell food items to you as long as you have your EBT card.