Do Fast Food Chains Accept EBT? It Depends. Here's How To Know If You Qualify

Each month, millions of Americans benefit from the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, a program that helps give low-income families, people over the age of 60, and people with disabilities benefits to apply to food and drinks. Through SNAP, beneficiaries are able to pay for food and drinks using electronic benefits transfer cards. It is a life raft for many Americans, who use the funds to purchase groceries. For most states, these benefits are limited to grocery and convenience stores and can only be applied to foods found therein. However, another component of SNAP, called the Restaurant Meals Program, has been made available for states who wish to participate since 1977. RMP lets states extend SNAP benefits to restaurants.

Only nine states currently participate in the program: California, Virginia, Illinois, Arizona, Maryland, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Michigan, and New York. If you live in one of these nine states, you may be able to purchase fast food with your EBT card. However, there are a few caveats, including that not every SNAP recipient is eligible for RMP. It's reserved for people who are 60-plus years old who use EBT, people with disabilities who receive benefits, and people who are unhoused. Even so, not every restaurant in a participating state accepts EBT payments through RMP.

Even if you live in a state that participates in RMP, not every fast food restaurant accepts EBT. Large chains, such as McDonalds, Wendy's, Taco Bell, Domino's, KFC, and Subway, participate in the program. However, the level of participation from these chains varies. For many chains, it's up to individual locations as to whether EBT is accepted. If you're unsure if your local fast food joint accepts EBT, check for a sign that reads "EBT accepted here" at restaurant entry points. You can also ask the location's management about their location's EBT policies. If the location does accept EBT, some items on the menu may still be excluded, such as drinks, alcoholic beverages, or non-food items.

RMP does not cover fast food delivery. However, SNAP beneficiaries may be eligible to receive grocery deliveries through apps such as Instacart and Amazon Fresh. If you don't live in a state participating in RMP, there may be a few ways to order a fresh meal using your benefits. For example, you can purchase some of Publix's famous sub sandwiches using your EBT card as long as it isn't hot since cold subs are not considered a prepared food item. Unfortunately, this means it doesn't cover one of the grocery chain's hot, delicious chicken tender subs. Not to fret; there are still plenty of delicious sandwiches to choose from.