The SNAP Restaurant Meals Program (RMP) lets certain people use their EBT card to buy a hot meal at approved restaurants. It only runs in nine states: Arizona, California, Illinois (Cook and Franklin counties only), Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Rhode Island and Virginia. To use it, everyone in your SNAP household must be 60 or older, disabled, homeless, or the spouse of someone who is.
If you don’t live in one of those states, SNAP can’t be used at restaurants. That includes fast food chains that display an EBT sign in other states; the sign only applies where the state runs the program.
Who can use the Restaurant Meals Program
| You qualify if everyone in your SNAP household is | Examples |
|---|---|
| 60 or older | A retired couple, both over 60 |
| Disabled and receiving disability or retirement benefits for a permanent disability | Someone on SSI or Social Security disability |
| Homeless | Someone living in a shelter, car or outdoors (see SNAP without a home) |
| The spouse of someone in the groups above | A 55-year-old married to a 70-year-old |
The rule is about the whole household. A 70-year-old who shares SNAP with a 30-year-old grandchild would not qualify, unless the grandchild also fits a group.
You don’t have to apply separately in most states. The state codes your EBT card so it works at participating restaurants, and the restaurant’s card reader declines anyone who isn’t eligible. The cashier doesn’t decide.
The nine states
| State | Coverage | Where to find restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | State program | Arizona DES restaurant list (updated April 24, 2026), covering cities from Phoenix and Tucson to Flagstaff and Kingman |
| California | All 58 counties (since 2021) | CalFresh RMP online map and county lists; look for the “CalFresh RMP” window sign |
| Illinois | Cook and Franklin counties only | Illinois Department of Human Services |
| Maryland | Pilot in 11 counties: Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Calvert, Charles, Frederick, Harford, Montgomery, Prince George’s, St. Mary’s | Maryland DHS website, your eligibility worker, or 1-800-332-6347 |
| Massachusetts | State program (restaurants and food trucks) | Massachusetts DTA list of approved vendors on Mass.gov |
| Michigan | State program | Michigan MDHHS Restaurant Meals program page |
| New York | State program | OTDA participating restaurants list by county; decal on the door or window |
| Rhode Island | State program | Rhode Island DHS participant list (Subway locations as of its latest list) |
| Virginia | Statewide | Virginia DSS restaurant list; VRMP sign at the entrance |
USDA doesn’t keep a national list of restaurants. Each state picks its restaurants and signs agreements with them, so the list changes. Call the restaurant before you go, or look for the state’s sign in the window.
State details worth knowing
- California: CalFresh’s online map works well on phones. You can use your card at any participating restaurant in the state, not just in your county. Questions go to the CalFresh line at 1-877-847-3663.
- New York: You don’t apply. If you qualify, your SNAP case is updated automatically. OTDA says you won’t pay tax or tips on RMP meals and you get a 10% discount when you pay with SNAP at a participating restaurant.
- Virginia: No separate application and no ID needed, just your card and PIN. Restaurants can’t charge sales tax or a service charge on SNAP meals. If your balance is short, you can pay the rest with cash or a card. Virginia also says your card works at RMP restaurants in other participating states.
- Maryland: Chains like KFC, Wendy’s and Burger King take part, plus local places. You confirm your eligibility at each SNAP renewal. Maryland’s balance line is 1-800-997-2220.
- Rhode Island: The state’s list has been short, made up of Subway locations. Look for the “Fork & Knife” sign. Call 1-855-697-4347 with questions.
- Arizona: The state list runs to about 40 pages and includes Burger King, McDonald’s, Subway, Jack in the Box, Del Taco and Denny’s, plus local restaurants.
How a visit works
- Find a participating restaurant from your state’s list or the sign in the window.
- Order as usual. Ask at the counter if you’re not sure the location takes EBT; franchise locations in the same chain may differ.
- Pay with your EBT card and PIN at the card reader.
- If the card is declined, you may not be coded for RMP yet. Call your SNAP office and ask them to check your household’s RMP status, especially if you recently turned 60 or started disability benefits.
- Keep your receipt. It shows your remaining SNAP balance, like a grocery receipt.
What you can buy
Hot, prepared meals from the participating restaurant, paid with your SNAP balance. The restaurant sets the menu; it can be a chain or a local diner. Alcohol and non-food items aren’t covered.
Tax works in your favor. Federal rule 7 CFR 272.1(b) bars states from collecting sales tax on anything bought with SNAP, so the SNAP part of your bill isn’t taxed. Virginia and New York say their RMP restaurants can’t add tips or service charges to SNAP meals either. If you choose to leave a tip, it comes from your own money.
Using RMP spends the same monthly SNAP balance you use for groceries. A $12 meal leaves $12 less for the store, so it works best as an option for days you can’t cook, not every meal.
Who it helps most
RMP was built for people who can’t store or cook food:
- People without a home or a kitchen.
- Older adults who can’t stand at a stove for long.
- People with disabilities that make shopping and cooking hard.
If shopping is the problem more than cooking, online grocery delivery with SNAP may stretch your benefits further; see using SNAP online.
A bill that could end it
On September 3, 2026, Rep. Brandon Gill of Texas introduced a bill in the U.S. House (H.R. 10268, the “Ending Restaurant Purchases with SNAP Act of 2026”) that would end the Restaurant Meals Program. It was sent to the House Agriculture Committee, and six other members signed on as cosponsors. It had not passed committee as of late September 2026. The program continues unless Congress changes the law.
A bill being introduced doesn’t change anything for you today. If the program ever ends, your state would send notice, and your SNAP would still work at grocery stores.
For restaurant owners
Restaurants can’t just start taking EBT. USDA says a restaurant must be in an RMP state, get approved by the state and sign an agreement with it, then get authorized by USDA to accept SNAP. That means sending form FNS 252-2 to USDA’s Retailer Service Center. The restaurant also needs a card reader set up for EBT; most credit card processors can add it. The state, not USDA, decides how many restaurants join. USDA’s retailer line is 1-877-823-4369.
If you’re not in an RMP state
- Ask about senior meal programs. Many communities run group meals at senior centers and home-delivered meals for older adults.
- Shelters and soup kitchens serve hot meals free.
- Stores in every state sell cold prepared foods, like sandwiches and salads, that SNAP can buy.
- After a disaster, USDA can let SNAP buy hot foods at stores for a short time; see Disaster SNAP.
Is there a free phone EBT program?
Not through the Restaurant Meals Program or your EBT card. But if you get SNAP, you qualify for Lifeline, the federal “free cellphone program” some people still call the Obama phone program. Lifeline cuts up to $9.25 a month off phone or internet service, and many companies use it to offer plans with no monthly bill. SSI and Medicaid also qualify. See the Lifeline eligibility requirements to check, then compare free phones from Lifeline providers.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use EBT at McDonald’s or other fast food? Only at locations approved in an RMP state, and only if your household qualifies. The same chain may take EBT in one location and not another.
Do I have to sign up for the Restaurant Meals Program? In most states, no. The state codes your card if everyone in your household qualifies. If you just turned 60 or started disability benefits, call your SNAP office so your case is updated.
Can I use RMP in a state I’m visiting? Virginia says its cardholders can use participating restaurants in other RMP states. Ask your own state before you count on it.
Does RMP give me more SNAP? No. Maryland puts it plainly: the program changes where you can spend your benefits, not how much you get.
Related SNAP rules for these groups
Older adults and people with disabilities get extra deductions that can raise benefits. See SNAP for seniors and SNAP for people with disabilities. To check what you have left before eating out, see how to check your EBT balance. Not on SNAP yet? See how to apply for SNAP.
More SNAP help by topic: SNAP and EBT guides.