Does Panda Express Accept EBT Cards, Snap or Food Stamps? – Around 42 million low-income Americans are depending on food stamp benefits to alleviate their hunger. The federal initiative Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program enables low-income families and individuals to cover the cost of necessary food and groceries. The extended SNAP benefits in the form of the Restaurant Meals Program also help a few SNAP recipients to access hot prepared meals from participating restaurants. A lot of SNAP recipients wonder whether they can use their food stamp benefits at Panda Express which is one of the largest family-owned and operated American Chinese dining franchises in America.
The restaurant chain is popular among customers for its Original Orange Chicken, the signature dish featuring crispy chicken that is immersed in tangy and sweet special orange sauce. It is one of the most sought-after fast food locations that serves American-Chinese cuisine for individuals on tight budgets. But does this restaurant accept CalFresh benefits or EBT cards? Unfortunately, Panda Express is not enrolled in RMP so you cannot use your EBT benefits at this fast-food chain. This guide will help you explore more information about Panda Express and the alternate fast food restaurants that accept EBT payments.
Highlights of this Post
Key Takeaways
- Panda Express doesn’t accept EBT in any state.
- Only Arizona, California, and Rhode Island have an RMP for EBT hot meals.
- Check if your local restaurant accepts EBT before heading out.
- Many California restaurants accept EBT for prepared meals.
What Is The Restaurant Meals Program?
The Restaurant Meals Program is a federal initiative and part of the SNAP program that aims to help vulnerable populations get out of chronic hunger. The disadvantaged populations include the elderly, homeless and disabled people who are unable to cook food themselves. The initiative enables them to access ready-to-eat hot prepared meals from participating restaurants using their food stamp benefits.
Eligibility Criteria For The Restaurant Needs Program
SNAP recipients are required to meet the RMP eligibility criteria to use both their food and cash benefits to access prepared meals. The criteria are as follows.
- Your state must be participating in the Restaurant Meals Program
- You must be an elderly person (60 years or above in age)
- You must be a disabled person or receiving permanent disability benefits
- You must be a homeless individual with no permanent nighttime address
- You are a spouse of a SNAP recipient enrolled in RMP.
Once you fulfill any one of the aforementioned eligibility criteria you can automatically use your SNAP benefits in participating locations.
Read also: Does Target Take EBT OR Food Stamps?
What Is Panda Express?
A popular American fast-food restaurant chain that specializes in serving American-Chinese cuisine is Panda Express. It is one of the largest Asian restaurant chains in America with approximately 2200 locations. Most of the store locations are situated in Asia and North America in addition to other countries.
Even though the Panda Express restaurants are located in food courts the chain also operates in other formats and environments like standalone restaurants, casinos, universities, amusement parks, military bases, airports and other avenues. Following is the list of areas served by the restaurant chain:
- United States of America including Puerto Rico and Guam
- Mexico
- Canada
- Saudi Arabia
- United Arab Emirates
- South Korea
- Japan
- El Salvador
- Guatemala
- Germany
- Philippines
- Aruba
Also read: Does Sheetz Accept EBT?
In Which U.S States Can I Find a Panda Express Restaurant?
Panda Express restaurants are found throughout the United States of America. In this section, we have covered the list of states along with their number of Panda Express restaurants:
- Alabama (29)
- Alaska (6)
- Arizona (115)
- Arkansas (11)
- California (609)
- Colorado (57)
- Connecticut (2)
- Delaware (6)
- District of Columbia (5)
- Florida (121)
- Georgia (73)
- Guam (3)
- Hawaii (35)
- Idaho (24)
- Illinois (112)
- Indiana (42)
- Iowa (16)
- Kansas (23)
- Kentucky (16)
- Louisiana (15)
- Maine (1)
- Maryland (42)
- Massachusetts (5)
- Michigan (47)
- Minnesota (24)
- Mississippi (7)
- Missouri (46)
- Montana (7)
- Nebraska (12)
- Nevada (67)
- New Hampshire (1)
- New Jersey (22)
- New Mexico (23)
- New York (18)
- North Carolina (27)
- North Dakota (5)
- Ohio (56)
- Oklahoma (29)
- Oregon (48)
- Pennsylvania (17)
- Puerto Rico (18)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina (16)
- South Dakota (2)
- Tennessee (47)
- Texas (315)
- Utah (48)
- Virginia (54)
- Washington (70)
- West Virginia (3)
- Wisconsin (24)
- Wyoming (2)
Read also: Does Piggly Wiggly Accept Food Stamps, SNAP, or EBT?
Does Panda Express Accept EBT or Food Stamps?
Unfortunately, EBT or food stamp benefits are not accepted by Panda Express as a method of payment in any RMP-approved state for both in-store and online purchase. The United States Department of Agriculture or USDA prevents SNAP recipients from using their food stamp benefits at restaurants to purchase prepared meals that are intended for immediate consumption.
However, restaurants that are participating in Calfresh RMP are exempted from this restriction. In this condition, CalFresh RMP recipients can access hot prepared meals from participating restaurants. However Panda Express is not an authorized RMP vendor so CalFresh recipients cannot purchase hot meals using food stamp funds from here.
If you qualify for RMP then you can satisfy your fast food cravings from other restaurants in California that are authorized. There are a variety of delicious alternative fast food chains in California where EBT payment options are available. It is also important to note that RMP participation of every restaurant may differ from one area to another so you must contact the store before heading.
SNAP recipients also wonder: Does Wawa Accept SNAP, EBT, or Food Stamps?
Why Is Panda Express Not Accepting EBT Payments?
As per USDA if your state is enrolled in the SNAP RMP program you can use your food stamp or EBT card to purchase ready-to-eat food or hot meals at restaurants. California has the most robust and largest Restaurant Meals Program across the country but the California Department of Social Services leaves the decision to individual counties and cities to decide which fast food chain will receive RMP authorization.
Unfortunately, only 16 out of 58 California counties have joined the RMP initiative and a lot of fast food places in these participating counties including Panda Express are not RMP-approved. Restaurants need to follow strict guidelines and standards set by USDA to receive RMP authorization.
For instance, vendors need to go through a complex approval process and paperwork to receive RMP authorization. The USDA Food and Nutrition service approves individual restaurants that take up to 120 days.
Another factor that comes into the picture is the disadvantaged population or CalFresh recipients who are qualified for the RMP, particularly the disabled, elderly, homeless or spouses or SNAP recipients. Other individuals are not allowed to enroll in the RMP program. This is the reason why many restaurant vendors including Panda Express avoid the administrative burden to deal with the complicated SNAP RMP approval process.
Read also: What can you Shop Online With EBT?
How To Find Restaurants or Fast Food Chains That Accept EBT Near Me?
Even though many states in the United States of America have future plans or announced their intention to enroll in RMP, only three states have implemented the Restaurant Meals Program. These states are Arizona, California and Rhode Island.
There are a wide array of fast food chains that accept as a method of payment in these respective states so you can access prepared meals with your food stamp benefits at participating locations in these states.
You just need to look for signage at the respective restaurant that states Participating Restaurant: SNAP Restaurant Meals Program along with the Fork and Knife logo displayed on the window or the door. A lot of stores also display signs saying “We Welcome Ebt Card Holders” or “EBT Cards Are Accepted Here”.
Let’s take a following look at the different states and locations that accept EBT.
Arizona
Arizona is one of the states with an elaborate RMP program and many restaurants here are taking EBT as a method of payment. You can use your food stamps to get delicious food like fried chicken, burgers, tacos, pizza and so on. Following is the list of cities in Arizona that are enrolled in the RMP program.
- Apache Junction
- Avondale
- Belmont
- Benson
- Buckeye
- Bullhead City
- Camp Verde
- Casa Grande
- Cave Creek
- Chandler
- Chinle
- Chino Valley
- Coolidge
- Coolidge
- Cottonwood
- Douglas
- El Mirage
- Eloy
- Flagstaff
- Florence
- Fort Mohave
- Fountain Hills
- Gila Bend
- Gilbert
- Glendale
- Globe
- Gold Canyon
- Golden Valley
- Goodyear
- Green Valley
- Guadalupe
- Holbrook
- Kingman
- Kayenta
- Kingman
- Lake Havasu City
- Litchfield Park
- Marana
- Maricopa
- Mesa
- Miami
- New River
- Nogales
- Parker
- Phoenix
- Peach Springs
- Peoria
- Prescott Valley
- Queen Creek
- Rio Rico
- Sahuarita
- Somerton
- Snowflake
- Scottsdale
- Sun City
- Taylor
- Tempe
- Tucson
- Window Rock
- Williams
- Youngtown
- Yuma
California
The state of California has the most elaborate and large Restaurant Meals Program that enables EBT recipients to use their CalFresh benefits for purchasing hot-prepared meals from participating restaurants in select counties. These counties are as follows:
- Alameda County
- Fresno County
- Los Angeles County
- Mariposa County
- Monterey County
- Orange County
- Riverside County
- Sacramento County
- San Diego County
- San Francisco County
- San Luis Obispo County
- Santa Clara County
- Santa Cruz County
- Siskiyou County
- Tehama County
Rhode Island
Rhode Island also participates in the Restaurant Meals Program however it is not as extensive as California and Arizona. Sadly only two fast food restaurants– Federal Hill Pizza Restaurant and Subway accept EBT in this state.
Nearly nine Subway restaurants and one Federal Hill pizza restaurant are accepting EBT in the state of Rhode Island. The RMP enrolled participating locations are as follows:
Federal Hill Pizza
- 1039 Chalkstone Avenue Providence
Subway
- 962 Cranston Street, Cranston
- 719 Westminster Street, Providence
- 583 Elmwood Avenue, Providence
- 579 Atwells Avenue, Providence
- 2 Kennedy Plaza, Providence
- 614 Pawtucket Avenue, Pawtucket
- 483 Clinton Street, Woonsocket
- 310 Broad Street, Central Falls
- 258 Post Road (Walmart), Westerly.
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What Can You Generally Purchase With Your EBT Card?
The generally accepted items that you can cover using your EBT card read as follows:
- Dairy products like milk, cheese and almond milk
- Fruits and vegetables (fresh, frozen or canned)
- Poultry products like eggs and chicken
- Cooking oil like vegetable and olive oil
- Red meat like ribs, steak and ground beef
- Pork products like sausages, chops, tenderloin and bacon
- Bread and cereals like rye bread, pita bread, bagels, rice, pasta and tortillas
- Snack foods like chips, crackers, cold sandwiches, candy, salads
- Desserts like cookies, ice cream or brownies
- Seafood like shrimp, fish, shrimp and lobsters
- Non-alcoholic beverages like soft drinks or energy drinks that come with Nutrition Facts labels instead of Supplement Facts label
- Seed, seedlings and plants that help to produce food at household.
SNAP recipients also look for: Which Restaurants Accept EBT In Kentucky?
What Can’t You Purchase With Your EBT Card?
Not all items that you see in a grocery store or convenience store are SNAP-eligible. Following is the list of items for which EBT is ineligible:
- Cleaning supplies
- Paper products
- Pet food
- Hygiene items
- Cosmetics
- Food that is hot at the time of sale
- Live animals except fish removed from the water, and animals slaughtered before pick up from the store
- Medicines, vitamins and supplements
- Alcoholic beverages like beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes or tobacco.
Interested in knowing: Does H Mart Accept Food Stamp or EBT? Find the answer in our next guide.
List Of Restaurants That Do Not Accept Food Stamps or EBT
There are a lot of restaurants that are not enrolled in the USDA Restaurant Meals Program and as a result, they cannot accept EBT as a method of payment even in RMP-authorized restaurant stores. The following is a list of fast food restaurants where you cannot use your EBT card even if you’re living in an RMP enrolled state.
- A&W Restaurants
- Arby’s
- Chick-fil-A
- Chipotle
- Cinnabon
- Dunkin’ Donuts
- Einstein Bros. Bagels
- Five Guys
- Hardee’s
- In-N-Out Burger
- Krispy Kreme
- Long John Silver’s
- Panda Express
- Panera Bread
- Qdoba Mexican Grill
- Shake Shack
- Starbucks (except for licensed stores)
- TCBY
- Tim Hortons
- Whataburger
- WingStreet
- Zaxby’s
Read also: Does Shipt Accept Food Stamps, SNAP, or EBT?
Does Panda Express Accept Cash Benefits In California?
Even though SNAP recipients cannot use their EBT food benefits card at any Panda Express outlets in California for their meals, they can use the cash benefits that come through another assistance program like CalWorks. CalWorks recipients can withdraw cash benefits from a nearby ATM or POS machine at any retail store and use the cash for paying hot-prepared meals at Panda Express.
Follow the below-mentioned steps to withdraw cash from your local ATM or retail store to use Panda Express:
- Swipe your EBT card into the email and enter the four-digit PIN on the keypad.
- Press the enter key select the ‘Withdraw Cash’ button and choose the ‘Checking’ option
- Input the amount of money that you want to withdraw for instance $100
- A lot of ATMs impose surcharges so the ATM screen will display the surcharge amount. If you decide to proceed choose to ‘Continue’ or else ‘Cancel’ if you do not want to pay the additional amount.
What Other Payment Methods Are Accepted At Panda Express?
Panda Express accepts a wide array of payment methods to provide convenience and flexibility to their customers. Let’s take a look at the accepted payment methods of Panda Express’
- Cash
- Major credit and debit cards such as MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover.
- Contactless payment options like Samsung Pay, Google Pay, Apple Pay and PayPal
- Customers can also buy gift cards from the fast food restaurant on their official website and use them on all their orders. Panda Express gift card refers to a digital plastic gift card that is pre-loaded with money.
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List Of Restaurants That Accept EBT
KFC
KFC is a popular choice when it comes to looking for flavorful and crispy fried chicken including sandwiches, buckets of mashed potato, biscuits, cold beverages etc. Around 130 KFC restaurants are accepting EBT in California and the number is expected to rise with each passing day. You can enjoy satisfying meals using your EBT card here.
Dairy Queen
Dairy Queen is a fast food restaurant that serves soft-serve ice cream treats like dilly bars and blizzards. With 4000 locations throughout the country Dairy Queen is accepting EBT as a method of payment in RMP-approved states.
Carl’s Jr.
Carl’s Jr. is a fast food restaurant in America that offers mouth-watering charbroiled burgers, sandwiches, chicken options, crispy onion rings, salads and other hearty meals. Nearly 150 restaurants of Carl’s Jr. are accepting EBT in select California counties.
Tam’s Burger
Tam’s Burger accepts EBT in Southern California and is known for serving American and Mexican delights including lunch, breakfast and dinner options. This is one of the go-to places for enjoying fresh high-quality quality and fast food service.
Burger King
Nearly 145 Burger King restaurants are accepting EBT payments in California. The popular hamburger restaurant Burger King accepts EBT as a method of payment in certain Arizona and California counties. If you’re not living anywhere near these two states that are RMP-approved then there are other ways to save money on your Burger King menu.
Rally’s Hamburger
The fast food restaurant Rally’s Hamburger serves bold and flavorful hamburgers along with sides like soft drinks, hot wings, milkshakes, chicken, hot dogs with seasoned fries etc. With 313 locations throughout the country Rally’s Hamburger accepts EBT in certain Arizona and California counties.
Church’s Chicken
The fast food restaurant Church’s Chicken specializes in serving delectable fried chicken and many other sides. The restaurant chain is accepting EBT as a method of payment in select Arizona quantities.
McDonald’s
One of the most popular and affordable fast food chains across the globe is McDonald’s which accepts food stamp benefits in Arizona and California counties. You can satisfy your fast food cravings like burgers, and fries on a tight budget from McDonald’s.
Del Taco
Del Taco is popular among Americans for its tacos, quesadillas, burritos, and even burgers, shakes, fries etc. Over 140 Del Taco store locations in California accept EBT payments. If you are fond of Mexican and American flavors then you can enjoy Del Taco food with your EBT card.
Domino’s Pizza
You can enjoy speciality pizza options along with sides like pasta and chicken options from Domino’s Pizza. This popular pizza delivery chain accepts SNAP benefits in 60 California store locations.
EL Pollo Loco
Renowned for its famous grilled chicken El Pollo Loco offers a wide range of Mexican-inspired dishes like tacos, burritos, and quesadillas along with grilled chicken and flavorful sides. Nearly 228 El Pollo Loco restaurants are accepting EBT benefits in California. The restaurant provides delicious and healthy options to SNAP recipients.
Denny’s
Denny’s serves a wide range of classic American dishes such as sandwiches, burgers, homestyle dinners and breakfast offerings that include hearty omelets, fluffy pancakes, crispy bacon etc. Around 50 Denny’s restaurants are accepting EBT in California.
Jack-In-The-Box
Jack-In-The-Box participates in the Restaurant Meals Program and accepts EBT payments in select locations. They offer a wide range of menus and are known for tasty and convenient dining options. Nearly 475 Jack-In-The-Box restaurants are accepting EBT in California State.
Papa John’s
Papa John’s is popular among Americans for their delicious pizza that comes with signature garlic butter sauce and fresh ingredients. From specialty pizza to classic pepperoni you can find a wide array of pizza options at Papa John’s. Around 8 locations in California accept food stamp benefits as a method of payment.
Subway
A popular sandwich chain known as Subway participates in the Restaurant Meals Program and you can purchase salads, and sandwiches with fresh shopping and ingredients using your EBT card. More than 700 Subway stores are accepting EBT in California and Arizona.
Wendy’s
The fast food chain Wendy’s is enrolled in the restaurant meals program and accepts EBT as the method of payment from SNAP beneficiaries. Wendy’s provides delicious chicken sandwiches, salads, sides, and square-shaped burgers and helps SNAP recipients enjoy a convenient and satisfying meal. Around 85 Wendy’s restaurants are accepting EBT in California.
Taco Bell
Taco Bell is popular among Americans for serving tacos, nachos, burritos and many other Mexican-inspired menus. The fast food chain provides a taste and convenient option for SNAP recipients to enjoy meals using their EBT benefits. Nearly 20 Taco Bell locations in California accept EBT benefits.
Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut restaurants are popular for their stuffed crusts, pan pizza and variety of toppings. They even serve pasta, delicious desserts, and wings. Nearly 225 Pizza Hut stores are accepting food stamp benefits in California. SNAP recipients can fulfill their pizza cravings with the help of their EBT cards.
Do you know there are Bakeries That Accept EBT or SNAP? Read our next guide to know about the list of EBT-friendly bakeries.
Conclusion
Panda Express does not accept food stamps or EBT cards as a method of payment. However, EBT recipients use cash benefits by withdrawing from local ATMs or any retail store and using the cash for paying or preparing meals served at Panda Express. Customers have to use alternate sources of payment like cash, credit or debit cards including contactless payment options like Google and Apple Pay for in-store or online Panda Express orders. You can also pay for your food with the help of the Panda Express gift card. Do not lose hope if a local Panda Express restaurant near you does not accept EBT as California offers tons of restaurants that can fulfill fast food cravings. In this guide, we have covered a list of fast-food restaurants where you can use your EBT card.
We hope this article has been informative enough to give you all the details you need regarding Panda Express’ policies on EBT. You can learn more about the government grants and financial assistance program at the Get Government Grants’ blog section today.