What Fast-Food Places Take EBT/Food Stamps/SNAP? Here’s the List

What Fast Food Can You Buy With Your EBT Card?

In most states, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) only allows you to use your EBT card to purchase food that is meant to be prepared at home. The most standard example of a fast-food restaurant where you can use your EBT card is Papa Murphy’s because you “take n’ bake” the pizzas at home.

However, federal law permits states to extend the SNAP to allow people who are elderly, disabled, or homeless to use their EBT cards to buy hot meals at approved restaurants. These approved restaurants must sell foods at “concessionary prices,” but the term isn’t defined by law. Usually, fast-food restaurants participate.

This exception takes into consideration that many people who qualify for EBT don’t have the means to take food home and cook it, so being able to buy only unprepared foods isn’t that helpful. Only a few states have extended their programs to allow people to buy food at restaurants with EBT cards. In those that have, the extension is often called a Restaurant Meal Program (RMP).

How Do Restaurant Meals Programs Work?

A few states have extended SNAP to allow certain recipients to buy meals in participating restaurants. In areas with active Restaurant Meals Programs (RMPs), several fast-food restaurants accept EBT. RMPs are meant to accommodate EBT recipients who don’t have the means to go home and cook their food. Restaurant meals are typically available only for the homeless, disabled, and/or elderly.

The USDA’s list of retailers that accept EBT cards usually doesn’t include the restaurants that accept EBT cards as part of an RMP; you’ll have to use the state’s website to search for restaurants. Some states don’t post participating restaurants, and you may need to contact your local state benefits office.

Restaurant Meal Programs are well-developed in California and Arizona. Hawaii, Illinois, and Rhode Island all have the program but provide limited information publicly. Michigan used to have a Restaurant Meals Program but canceled it in 2013.

Note that if you do not live in and receive benefits from the state offering the Restaurant Meals Program, you cannot use your EBT card at restaurants (as previously reported). While federal requirements allow you to use your EBT card at grocery stores in different states, RMP programs are state-managed due to their additional eligibility requirements. For example, California’s Restaurant Meals Program is only available to recipients of CalFresh who live in RMP-participating counties.

Here are the basics of each state’s program:

Arizona

• Program name: Restaurant Meals Program
• Eligibility: Must be an EBT recipient and also be either over age 60, disabled, or homeless
• Where available: Entire state
• How to apply: Use the Health-e-Arizona Plus application for benefits
• See the list of participating restaurants
• Visit Arizona’s Restaurant Meals Program website

California

• Program name: CalFresh Restaurant Meals Program
• Eligibility: Must be an EBT recipient and also be either over age 60, disabled, or homeless; you must also register with the county to access the program.
• Where available: Alameda, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz counties
• How to apply: For EBT, online via California’s e-Benefits website, for the Restaurant Meals Program, visit the county-specific program website
• Search for participating restaurants by zip code
• Visit the CalFresh RMP website

Hawaii

• Program name: Restaurant Meal Program
• Eligibility: Those who receive EBT and are over age 60 or disabled
• Where available: Entire state
• How to apply: Apply for EBT by filling out and submit the standard benefits application
• Hawaii does not provide a list of participating restaurants, and it’s unclear whether the state has implemented the restaurant meals program. You can find the list of participating retailers in the state on the USDA website
• Visit the Hawaii Department of Human Services website, or see the administrative rule authorizing restaurant meals.

Illinois

• Program name: Restaurant Meals Program
• Eligibility: Those who receive EBT and are 60 years old or older, disabled, or homeless, as well as their spouses
• Where available: Entire state
• How to apply: Apply for EBT by filling out the Application for Benefits Eligibility
• Illinois began its Restaurant Meals Program in January of 2020 does not yet provide a list of participating restaurants.
• Visit the Illinois Department of Human Services website or see the bill authorizing restaurant meals.

Rhode Island

• Program name: SNAP Restaurant Meals
• Eligibility: Must be an EBT recipient who is also over age 60, disabled, or homeless
• Where available: Entire state
• How to apply: You can apply online or print and mail in the application. See the Eat Better Today application page.
• See the SNAP RMP brochure for a list of participating restaurants.
• Visit the Rhode Island Department of Human Services website or see the state rule authorizing restaurant meals (sections 1000.10.30 and 1000.10.35).

Fast-Food Restaurants That Accept EBT

It’s worth noting that franchised locations can set their own policies on what payment types they’ll accept. That means that if the corporate office sets a policy to accept or not accept EBT in the corporate-owned stores, the franchise won’t necessarily follow that policy.

If you visit one of these restaurants in a state with an RMP and receive RMP benefits to your EBT card, you’ll probably be able to buy hot food off the menu. If you are visiting a restaurant in a state without an RMP, or the location happens not to participate in the state’s RMP program, you either won’t be able to use your EBT card at all or will be limited to cold items that count as for home preparation only. We’ve noted which items might count as cold, home prep items for each state, for those looking for restaurant food in non-RMP states.

Burger King

• Possible cold food for home prep: Salads, milkshakes, applesauce, milk, desserts, and soft drinks
• States with locations accepting EBT: California
• Find a Burger King

Carl’s Jr.

• Possible cold food for home prep: None
• States with locations accepting EBT: Arizona, California
• Find a Carl’s Jr.

Church’s Chicken

• Possible cold food for home prep: Coleslaw, desserts, and soft drinks; many people also report purchasing their chicken using EBT cards. Check with each franchise before purchasing.
• States with locations accepting EBT: California
• Find a Church’s Chicken

Cicis Pizza

• Possible cold food for home prep: None
• States with locations accepting EBT: Arizona
• Find a Cici’s Pizza

Suggested Article: These Are the Pizza Places That Take EBT

Dairy Queen

• Possible cold food for home prep: Ice cream, cakes, and drinks
• States with locations accepting EBT: Arizona
• Find a Dairy Queen

Del Taco

• Possible cold food for home prep: Chips, desserts, salads, drinks
• States with locations accepting EBT: California
• Find a Del Taco

Denny’s

• Possible cold food for home prep: None
• States with locations accepting EBT: Arizona, California
• Find a Denny’s

Suggested Article: Does Denny’s Accept EBT? Restaurant Payment Policy Explained

Domino’s

Note: For better prices, take advantage of the Domino’s daily deals.

• Possible cold food for home prep: Salads, subs, desserts, and soft drinks
• Additional information:
• States with locations accepting EBT: Arizona, California
• Find a Domino’s

El Pollo Loco

Note: You can join the e-club for exclusive discounts.

• Possible cold food for home prep: Salads, side dishes, and drinks
• States with locations accepting EBT: Arizona, California
• Find an El Pollo Loco

Jack In The Box

• Possible cold food for home prep: None
• States with locations accepting EBT: Arizona, California
• Find a Jack in the Box

KFC

• Possible cold food for home prep: Coleslaw, desserts, and soft drinks; some KFC restaurants reportedly allow for chicken and sandwiches to be purchased using EBT cards, but check with your local franchise.
• States with locations accepting EBT: Arizona, California
• Find a KFC

McDonald’s

• Possible cold food for home prep: None
• States with locations accepting EBT: California
• Find a McDonald’s

Papa John’s

• Possible cold food for home prep: None
• States with locations accepting EBT: Arizona
• Find a Papa John’s Pizza

Papa Murphy’s

• Possible cold food for home prep: Take and bake pizzas, salads, sides, and drinks; since all Papa Murphy’s pizza is “take and bake,” it doesn’t fall under the restriction of “hot foods.”
• States with locations accepting EBT: 36 states; most Papa Murphy’s locations accept EBT
• Find a Papa Murphy’s

Pizza Hut

• Possible cold food for home prep: None
• States with locations accepting EBT: California
• Find a Pizza Hut

For more information specific to Pizza Hut, see our research on using EBT at Pizza Hut.

Popeyes

• Possible cold food for home prep: None
• States with locations accepting EBT: California
• Find a Popeye’s

Quiznos

• Possible cold food for home prep: None
• States with locations accepting EBT: California
• Find a Quiznos

Rally’s

• Possible cold food for home prep: Desserts, milkshakes, and soft drinks
• States with locations accepting EBT: Arizona, California
• Find a Rally’s Hamburgers

Subway

Note: You cannot use an EBT card to order ahead on Subway’s app. See more about using EBT at Subway.

• Possible cold food for home prep: Cold subs, chips, and soft drinks may count as cold food
• States with locations accepting EBT: Arizona, California, Rhode Island
• Find a Subway

Taco Bell

• Possible cold food for home prep: Chips, desserts, specialty cold drinks, and soft drinks
• States with locations accepting EBT: Arizona, California
• Find a Taco Bell

For more information specific to Taco Bell, see our research on using EBT at Taco Bell.

Wendy’s

• Possible cold food for home prep: Salads, desserts, specialty drinks, and soft drinks
• States with locations accepting EBT: California
• Find a Wendy’s

Wingstop

• Possible cold food for home prep: None
• States with locations accepting EBT: California
• Find a Wing Stop

Fast-Food Restaurants That Don’t Accept EBT

In the course of our research, we found that the following fast-food restaurants don’t accept EBT at any locations:

• Arby’s
• Biscuitville
• Chick-fil-A
• Chipotle Mexican Grill (See more about Chipotle’s stance on EBT)
• Cinnabon
• Culver’s
• Dunkin’
• Einstein Bros. Bagels
• Firehouse Subs
• Five Guys Burgers & Fries (See other payment methods at Five Guys)
• Hardee’s
• In-N-Out Burger
• Jimmy John’s
• Little Caesars
• McDonald’s (See our research on EBT at McDonald’s)
• Panda Express
• Panera Bread
• Popeyes
• Qdoba Mexican Grill (See other payment methods at Qdoba)
• Shake Shack
• Sonic Drive-In
• Starbucks
• Whataburger
• White Castle
• Zaxby’s

In Summary

EBT at fast-food places is only available in states with Restaurant Meal Programs, and only for people who are SNAP recipients and disabled, elderly, or homeless. If you aren’t in an RMP or don’t qualify for the program, you can’t use EBT at local fast-food restaurants. You may be able to find a local fast-food restaurant that is approved to accept EBT for food items intended for home preparation — but this is rare. Most traditional fast-food restaurants don’t sell food that qualifies for EBT.