Does Mcdonald’s Accept EBT Cards, Snap Or Food Stamps – McDonald’s is one of the most affordable and popular fast-food chains worldwide. The restaurant feeds millions of individuals every day and you can easily find a McDonald’s store near you. Those who are enrolled in the SNAP EBT initiative often wonder whether they can use their food stamp benefits at McDonald’s or not.
Even though you cannot purchase food using your EBT card from McDonald’s there are certain exceptions for instance if you’re getting TANF benefits or qualify for RMP then you can use SNAP benefits for purchasing food at McDonald’s in authorized states that are enrolled in RMP. This guide will provide an overview of how you can use your EBT card at McDonald’s and provide you with a list of alternate fast food restaurants where you can use your food stamp benefits.
Highlights of this Post
Key Takeaways
- Most SNAP recipients cannot use EBT cards at McDonald’s.
- Only a few states participate in the Restaurant Meals Program (RMP) allowing EBT purchases at authorized restaurants.
- Even in RMP states, not all McDonald’s locations accept EBT.
- Elderly, disabled, and homeless individuals on SNAP benefits may qualify for RMP in authorized states.
Overview Of The Restaurant Meals Program
The USDA has extended the SNAP benefits in the form of the Restaurant Meals Program to benefit the elderly, disabled or homeless population since they are unable to prepare food at home. The program allows a specific group of people to eat whole meals at restaurants since they are unable to shop for ingredients with their EBT card from the market due to their old age, disability or lack of permanent housing in the kitchen.
Not everyone who receives food stamp benefits can use their EBT card at fast food restaurants. For the homeless, seniors or disabled on SNAP benefits picking up a burger from McDonald’s can keep them well-fed and safe.
Eligibility For The Restaurant Meals Program
To be eligible for the Restaurant Meals Program you need to qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in a state that has been authorized by the state and follow any one of the following conditions.
- Be an elderly with 60 years old or above age
- Be a disabled individual
- Be homeless with no permanent nighttime address
- Be a spouse of a SNAP recipient who is eligible for the Restaurant Meals Program.
Read also: Does Piggly Wiggly Accept Food Stamps, SNAP, or EBT?
Can You Use Your EBT Card At McDonald’s?
Yes, you can use your EBT card at fast food restaurants like McDonald’s if you are living in a state that is enrolled in the USDA’s Restaurant Meals Program (RMP). The purpose of RMP is to provide warm food to people who are unable to cook food themselves. The state that is currently participating in RMP are as follows:
- California
- Arizona
- Michigan
- Maryland
- Rhode Island
- Illinois
The availability of the Restaurant Meals Program may differ from one state to another. It allows specific SNAP beneficiaries to purchase hot prepared meals at authorized restaurants along with their SNAP or EBT card. USDA says that the qualified individuals are those who are unable to prepare meals for themselves either due to their old age disability or lack of permanent housing to prepare food. Even in states participating in RMP, you will only find a few fast food restaurants that accept EBT cards.
Why Doesn’t Every McDonald’s Accept EBT or Food Stamp Benefits?
SNAP recipients can use their EBT card to enjoy McDonald’s food only in Arizona and California due to the strict rules and guidelines of SNAP and RMP. Let’s take the following reasons why not all McDonald’s store locations are accepting EBT.
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Voluntary RMP program
RMP is a voluntary program that enables people to enjoy hot restaurant food and leaves it to individual states to decide if they want to enroll in the program or not. This makes McDonald’s food items unapproved for EBT purchase in non-participating RMP states.
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State SNAP Regulations
Even in states that are participating in the Restaurant Meals Program, you will not be able to use your EBT card at McDonald’s unless the fast food restaurant gets RMP authorization.
It is at the discretion of state SNAP agencies to decide if the retailer or restaurant can be approved for RMP. Only six states: California, Arizona, Illinois, Maryland Michigan, and Rhode Island are participating in this initiative
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Administrative Burden
Only a few McDonald’s locations participate in RMP and accept orders since enrolling in RMP requires huge administrative tasks and compliance with SNAP rules that make it difficult or infeasible for many stores. Franchises like McDonald’s decide to join the program at their discretion.
Recommended: Does Buc-ee’s Accept SNAP, EBT, or Food Stamps?
Can I Use EBT Cash Benefits At McDonald’s?
Individuals who are receiving cash benefits through TANF (Temporary Assistance for the Needy Families Program) can use the cash benefits at their local McDonald’s restaurant. The federally funded TANF program provides funds to different states and territories so that families can get the right financial assistance and other supportive services.
To qualify for the benefits you must be a citizen of the United States, qualified alien or legal alien. This also requires you to reside in a state you applied to and to be underemployed/ unemployed with low or very low-income status.
You can withdraw money at any ATM that you can use for purchasing food from restaurants like McDonald’s or Burger King; however, be careful while using the benefits since these cannot be returned once used. However, there are restrictions on the cash side of EBT and it is harder to qualify for the cash benefits compared to food benefits. This is the reason why only 1,000,000 American households are receiving cash benefits and 138,000,000 are receiving SNAP food benefits.
Read also: Does Burger King Take EBT?
Can I Use My Food Stamps or EBT Card To Purchase Food Online?
Getting to the store to shop for groceries, snacks, beverages and frozen items can be a big hurdle for a lot of families and individuals.
Thankfully the USDA has expanded SNAP benefits in the form of the Online Pilot Purchasing Program that enables EBT cardholders to order food items online using their EBT card. Many stores and locations are participating in this program and you can get your grocery groceries to your home within a few minutes.
Following are the major retailers that accept EBT cards online.
Instacart
Instacart is a popular online platform that enables EBT card holders to go for online grocery shopping and delivery. You can purchase eligible food items with Instacart and purchase only SNAP-eligible items.
You have to link your EBT card to your Instacart account first to avail of their services and also make sure you are living in a state that is participating in the SNAP Online Purchasing Pilot.
DoorDash
DoorDash is an app-based delivery service similar to Instacart that accepts EBT cards from SNAP recipients and provides them with the convenience of online grocery delivery and pickup.
You need to create a DoorDash account and add your EBT details to the account. DoorDash offers SNAP recipients a free month of Dash Pass that usually comes with a cost of $99.99 per month.
Amazon
Another platform that is accepting EBT online from SNAP recipients for getting groceries delivered to their doorstep is Amazon. Depending on the type of food and whether you want to purchase groceries in bulk or not Amazon offers three options: Amazon for Groceries, Amazon Pantry and Amazon Fresh. SNAP recipients can get free delivery on orders above $35.
Walmart
Walmart is a big online service platform that assists EBT card holders in ordering online and picking groceries up at the store. A few Walmart locations also offer delivery options.
The Walmart + membership cost comes at $98 and offers free online delivery for orders more than $35. Even though you are not required to opt for membership for making online EBT purchases, you have to pay a small delivery fee that can’t be covered with the card.
A few more grocery stores that are accepting EBT online are as follows:
- Meijer
- Aldi
- Metropolis Big John Grocer
- Local Market
- Dave’s Supermarket
- Schnuck
- Whole Foods
- Woodman’s Market et
You can learn more about grocery stores and changes that are accepting EBT by reading our next guide What can you Shop Online With EBT?
What Else Can I Purchase With My EBT Card or Food Stamp Benefits?
Following is the list of eligible items that you can purchase with your EBT card at any grocery store or convenience market.
- Fruits and vegetables (fresh, frozen or canned)
- Cooking oil such as vegetable or olive oil
- Poultry products like eggs and chicken
- Dairy products like almond milk, cheese, milk, butter
- Seafood like fish, lobster, shellfish
- Red meat like ribs, steak, ground beef,
- Bread and cereals such as tortillas, rice, bagels, pasta, oatmeal, pita bread, rye bread
- Desert such as cookies, brownies, ice cream
- Snack items including cold sandwiches, candy, chips, snack crackers
- Non-alcoholic beverages and energy drinks
- Pork products like tenderloin, bacon, sausages, chops
- Seeds and plants to produce food
Also read: Does Baskin-Robbins Take EBT, SNAP, or Food Stamps?
What Are The Items That I Can’t Purchase With My EBT Card?
Following is the list of items that you cannot purchase with your EBT card at any store.
- Vitamins, medicines and supplements
- Alcoholic products like wine, beer, liquor
- Cigarettes or tobacco products
- Live animals (except fish and shellfish)
- Foods that are served hot at the time of sale such as restaurant food
- Non-food items like cleaning supplies, paper products, cosmetics, hygiene items, pet food etc.
Also read: Does H Mart Accept Food Stamp or EBT
Where Can I Use My Food Stamps or EBT Card At Mcdonald’s?
SNAP recipients who are living in an area with RMP authorization are eligible to use food stamp benefits at McDonald’s locations however not every McDonald’s store location is accepting EBT so you need to contact the local restaurant near you before heading to it. Till now only 140 McDonald’s locations are accepting EBT or SNAP benefits and most of them are located in Arizona and California.
Arizona
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Which Other Restaurants Are Participating In RMP?
Besides McDonald’s, many restaurants are participating in RMP. Let’s take a look at the following fast-food restaurants where you can use your EBT card.
- KFC
- Church Chicken
- Carl’s Jr.
- Domino’s Pizza
- Rally’s Hamburgers
- Little Caesars
- Tammy’s Burger
- Starbucks
- EL Pollo Loco
- Subway
- Taco Bell
- Dairy Queen
- Wendy’s
- Del Taco
- The Habit Burger Grill
- Waba Grill
- Papa John’s
- Jack-In-The-Box
- Louisiana Famous Fried Chicken
- Papa Murphy’s
- Pizza Hut etc.
Conclusion
Everyone craves fast food like McDonald’s hamburgers once in a while. Satisfying your fast food craving while being on a tight budget can be a big hurdle. A lot of SNAP recipients cannot use their EBT card to purchase fast food unless their state is enrolled in the Restaurant Meals Program. You can use your EBT card at McDonald’s in select locations in Arizona and California. Fast food restaurants like McDonald’s can accept EBT benefits only if the state is enrolled in RMP. While only six states are participating in this initiative, the majority of restaurants even in RMP-approved states do not accept food stamps due to RMP rules compliance. This guide has thrown light on how you can use your EBT card at McDonald’s and other stores and also alternate 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 McDonald’s and EBT. You can learn more about the government grants and financial assistance program at the Get Government Grants’ blog section today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does McDonald’s Accept EBT Cards?
Yes, McDonald’s accepts EBT cards in RMP-approved states like Arizona and California. Currently, only a handful of locations are enabling disabled, elderly and homeless people to purchase fast food like McDonald’s burgers with their food stamp benefits. To use your EBT card at McDonald’s you must live in an RMP-approved state and be an elderly, disabled or homeless SNAP recipient.
Do I Qualify To Purchase Fast Food With My EBT Card?
A lot of people with an EBT card cannot purchase fast food including McDonald due to the RMP rules and regulations. Under this program, EBT cardholders experiencing disability, old age or houselessness can only purchase fast food in select states like Arizona, California, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan and Rhode Island. You can use the SNAP Retailer Locator to see the available options in your state.
Who Can Use EBT at McDonald’s?
- Only SNAP recipients in RMP-approved states can use EBT at McDonald’s.
- These states are Arizona, California, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, and Rhode Island.
- Within these states, only specific McDonald’s locations accept EBT.
Why Can’t Everyone Use EBT at McDonald’s?
- RMP is voluntary for states and restaurants.
- Strict SNAP and RMP guidelines limit participating stores.
- Many McDonald’s locations find it difficult to comply with the program.
What are The Alternatives for EBT Users?
- Other fast-food chains accept EBT in RMP states, like KFC, Subway, and Taco Bell.
- Use the USDA’s SNAP Retailer Locator to find EBT-authorized stores near you.
- Explore online grocery shopping with EBT through retailers like Amazon and