Does Subway Take EBT Card Payments?. Subway is known for offering fresh sandwiches at a reasonable rate, which makes it an excellent place for customers to have a quick breakfast, lunch or dinner. However, a lot of people are unable to afford meals at the Subway regularly, either due to underemployment or unemployment.
In order to make sure low-income households in America get adequate nutrients, the government provides an EBT card with sufficient funds every month that is particularly designated for groceries and healthy food items. Subway is an amazing place for low-income citizens to have healthy food at a discounted rate. A lot of SNAP recipients wonder whether they can use their EBT card at the Subway. Subway accepts EBT cards at selective stores. This guide will provide a detailed overview of how you can use your EBT card at the Subway and other pertinent details.
Highlights of this Post
Key Takeaways:
- Limited acceptance: Subway only accepts EBT in 6 states through the Restaurant Meals Program (RMP).
- Eligibility required: You must be elderly, disabled, or homeless to qualify for RMP at Subway.
- In-store only: EBT cannot be used online or through the Subway app.
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What Is An EBT Card?
A physical card that helps recipients access government SNAP benefits and pay for their groceries and food items is known as an EBT, or Electronic Benefits Transfer Card. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program helps low-income American households supplement the cost of their healthy groceries using their EBT card.
The United States government provides money, while the state distributes and regulates the funds that go towards groceries and food items at participating grocery stores, supermarkets, and convenience stores. SNAP recipients can use their EBT card to purchase things like herbs, seeds, fruits, vegetables, etc. EBT cards require a PIN to make authorized expenditures at grocery stores.
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What is Subway?
Subway is an American restaurant franchise that sells sandwiches and salads. It is one of the fastest growing franchises all over the word and is located in more than 100 countries having 41,512 restaurants. However, 57% of Subway store locations are in the United States.
Who Is Eligible To Purchase Food At Subway Using EBT Cards?
If you want to purchase Subway meals using your EBT card then the first thing you need to do is be eligible for the Restaurant Meals Program. There are three basic criteria you need to fulfill to qualify for the RMP.
- You need to purchase your food items from a restaurant that is participating in the Restaurant Meals Program and is approved for processing EBT or SNAP payments.
- You must reside in a state that participates in the Restaurant Meals Program.
- You must be homeless, disabled or elderly, and be unable to cook meals at home.
Does Subway Take EBT?
Yes, Subway accepts EBT payments from SNAP recipients in states that are participating in the Restaurant Meals Program. You can use your EBT card at Subway stores in certain locations that are participating in the RMP. SNAP recipients who are elderly, live with disabilities, or are homeless can purchase food with the help of their EBT card at authorized restaurants through the Restaurant Meals Program.
You can pay for your sandwiches or meals at the Subway inside the store using your EBT card, however, you cannot pay for the meal with the EBT cards through a third-party delivery service or the Subway app. Following is the list of states that are participating in the Restaurant Meals Program in America.
- Arizona
- California
- Illinois
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Rhode Island
You can find various Subway store locations in all states in America, including the states that are participating in RMP. RMP-approved states enable SNAP recipients to pay for their Subway meal with EBT funds in the same way as they use their credit card or debit card. In order to accept EBT payments from customers, Subway has credit card terminals that support EBT cards as a method of payment. Subway works with the government in an RMP-approved state to activate the technology on credit card terminals.
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How To Pay At Subway With EBT?
You can start by ordering your meal. Normally, in order to pay for your food at the Subway with the help of your food stamp benefits or EBT card, you can pay for any food items on the menu if you are participating in the Restaurant Meals Program.
- Once you make the order, slide your EBT card through the credit card terminal at the Subway store.
- Once you slide in your card, you will get the option to select the type of card and the feature. You need to select the Electronic Benefits Transfer Card option instead of your credit or debit card to pay for the ordered meals with your SNAP benefits card.
- The credit card terminal at the Subway will process the information on your card and take the total of your subway meal out of the remaining SNAP balance.
You must check the balance prior to using the EBT card to make sure you have adequate funds to cover the meal. If you go over the account balance in your transaction, it will be declined. EBT card holders may encounter problems if the card is reported to be lost, damaged, or hasn’t been used in 12 months.
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What Can You Buy With Your EBT Card At Subway?
If you are enrolled in the SNAP EBT program, then you must know that the card is intended to purchase healthy food and groceries so that you can prepare them at home. So you cannot purchase deli food, fast food, or hot food with your EBT card.
However, the United States Department of Agriculture, or USDA, has made certain exemptions to the SNAP program by designing the Restaurant Meals Program. With your EBT card in an RMP-approved state, you can purchase salads, sandwiches, cold items, or any other dish on the menu.
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What General Food Items Can You Buy With Your EBT?
Groceries and healthy food items are the common goods that are usually purchased with EBT cards since the primary goal with SNAP or EBT is to help low-income households obtain nutritional food. The permissible goods include the following:
- Fruits and vegetables (fresh, canned, or frozen)
- Meat and poultry, like beef, pork, chicken, and other meats
- Gains and breads including pasta, cereals, and tortillas
- Snack items that can fulfill the nutritional standards
- Seeds and plants to produce food
- Canned and packaged goods like soups, meals, and veggies
- Non-alcoholic beverages like soft drinks, bottled water, and fruit juices
Following is the list of food items that you cannot purchase with EBT.
- Cigarettes or tobacco products
- Alcoholic beverages like beer, liquor, wine etc.
- Hot food
- Vitamins, supplements and medicines
- Cleaning supplies
- Pet foods
- Hygiene items
- Diapers
- Paper products
- Live animals except (fish, shellfish)
- Cosmetics
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States With Subway Locations That Take EBT Cards
Following is a list of states that accept EBT cards from SNAP recipients and locations from where you can use your EBT card to purchase food at the Subway.
Arizona
SNAP recipients can use their EBT card in Arizona at various Subway restaurants that are registered for the state Restaurant Meals Program and operate throughout the state. Moreover, you need to be homeless, disabled, or an elderly person in order to register for the program.
Presently, there are 61 Subway locations in Arizona that accept EBT cards from SNAP beneficiaries. You can also refer to the list of restaurant meal program-approved restaurants by visiting the official USDA website.
California
One more state that is RMP-approved with Subway store locations that accept EBT cards is California. You need to be homeless, disabled, or elderly to register for the California Restaurant Meals Program, and once qualified, you can use your EBT card at the Subway.
The participating cities in California include Los Angeles, Alameda, San Luis Obispo, Sacramento, Santa Clara, and San Francisco. There are hundreds of subway locations in California that accept EBT cards from customers. You can visit ebt.ca.gov to search for Subway locations that accept EBT cards.
Rhode Island
Homeless, elderly, and disabled residents of Rhode Island can qualify for the Restaurant Meals Program and use their EBT card at participating Subway store locations. The program operates throughout the state, and the following are the 10 subway store locations that accept EBT cards in Rhode Island.
- 310 Broad Street, Central Falls
- 258 Post Road, Westerly
- 255 Weybosset Street, Providence
- 2 Kennedy Plaza, Providence
- 719 Westminster Street, Providence
- 583 Elmwood Avenue, Providence
- 962 Cranston Street, Cranston
- 483 Clinton Street, Woonsocket
- 104 Broadway, Unit 1A, Newport
- 614 Pawtucket Avenue, Pawtucket.
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Does Subway Accept EBT Online?
SNAP recipients cannot order meals online using their EBT card or through the Subway app. Subway, which participates in the Restaurant Meals Program in a few states, only accepts EBT payments from SNAP recipients for in-store purchases and does not accept EBT payments for making online orders. In other words, you cannot use your EBT card to pay for your ordered salad or sandwich online or through the company’s application.
In this case, you have to use your unexpired credit or debit card to make online orders and use it as an alternative payment method. It is critical to note that you can use your cash, credit, or debit card, but Subway does not accept Google Pay, Venmo, PayPal, or Google Pay as a method of payment. If you want to use your EBT card for in-store purchases at the Subway, then you can do it easily, just like you would with a credit or debit card.
Once you become eligible to receive SNAP benefits, the state SNAP agency will create an account under your name where government funds will be loaded every month, and an EBT card will be issued to you with a locked 4-digit PIN that makes it easy to access SNAP benefits and spend your money on food.
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What Is the Restaurant Meals Program?
Even though the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program was designed to help beneficiaries purchase food items and groceries from participating stores only and not for the purpose of purchasing or preparing food from restaurants, few states have adopted the Restaurant Meals Program that enables SNAP recipients to use government funds towards specific participating restaurants to purchase hot, prepared meals as well as groceries.
This is because senior citizens, people with disabilities, or homeless individuals who lack a stable kitchen or housing struggle to buy groceries and cook their own meals, so they prefer eating meals at restaurants. While opposition claims that restaurant food costs more than purchasing healthy groceries and restaurant foods are not healthy, a lot of states are adopting the program to help the elderly, disabled, and homeless individuals.
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Different Ways to Save Money at Subway
Sub of the Day
There are Subway stores that provide Sub of the Day options at a reduced price depending on the day of the week. If you want to save money with your EBT card at the Subway, then you can participate in a Sub of the day meal in the following days.
- Sweet onion chicken teriyaki on Monday
- Oven-roasted chicken on Tuesday
- Turkey breast on Wednesday
- Italian BMT on Thursday
- Tuna on Friday
- Black Forest Ham on Saturday
- Meatball Marinara on Sunday
Customers can check with their local Subway restaurant to learn about the current promotion so that they can participate and save money on their meals.
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Rewards Program
Subway provides a reward program that enables regular customers to get rewards while purchasing food that they can redeem for free items or discounted items at their Subway store. Reward members get a coupon worth $2 for each 200 points earned.
Customers who want to earn reward points must check for bonuses to earn triple or double the rewards. The points will not only help you save but also help you receive exclusive deals and rewards as a Subway member.
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Do All Subway Locations Accept EBT From SNAP Recipients?
It is critical to note that Subway stores that participate in the Restaurant Meals Program do not accept EBT as a form of payment from SNAP beneficiaries at all locations due to following reasons:
State-by-State Variation
As a part of the Restaurant Meals Program in a few selected states, the disabled, elderly, and homeless SNAP recipients can use their EBT cards to buy food at an EBT-approved restaurant. Currently, only six states are enrolled in the Restaurant Meals Program: Arizona, Michigan, California, Rhode Island, Illinois, and Maryland.
If you’re a resident of any one of these states, then only you can use your EBT card to purchase meals at the Subway. However, if you are purchasing cold food items at any Subway location that is not participating in the RMP program, then you may be able to use the EBT card.
Profit Margin
Restaurant businesses and Subway franchises operate on profit margins, so they do not participate in the Restaurant Meals Program as it is not a financially viable route for them. The decision to participate in RMP is influenced by the fees and costs associated with EBT processing.
Administrative Burden
Subway and other fast food chains that participate in the RMP have to entail administrative tasks like complying with eligibility criteria and processing and reporting every transaction, and this makes it infeasible or difficult for many.
Participation in the Program
A few Subway store locations participate in the Restaurant Meals Program and accept orders from customers; however, it is a voluntary program, and not all Subway franchises or owners are required to join. Franchises and restaurants decide to join the program at their own discretion.
Limited Qualifying Location
Even in places where the Restaurant Meals Program is available, not all Subway stores can match the qualifying criteria or decide to participate in the program. No matter whether you are searching for a Subway store location in one of the 50 states or a particular state that is enrolled with the RMP, you can find them anywhere.
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What Are the Other Restaurants That Are Participating in RMP?
Every state in America regulates the Restaurant Meals Program on its own terms. Therefore, the list of restaurants participating in this program and accepting EBT cards from customers may vary from one state to another.
Even though the RMP program is designed to provide nutritional and healthy food to recipients, many restaurants are actually fast food chains and restaurants that also sell healthy food and dishes apart from traditional fast food and are known for being expensive.
Following is the list of restaurants that are participating in the Restaurant Meals Program and accepting EBT cards from SNAP recipients.
- Papa Murphy’s
- McDonald’s
- Burger King
- Carl’s Jr
- Dairy Queen
- El Pollo Loco
- Firehouse Subs
- Dominos
- KFC
- Taco Bell
SNAP recipients should be responsible, use the EBT benefits wisely, and choose foods that support a healthy diet and lifestyle. Among all the aforementioned options, the Subway provides the most healthy and inexpensive options.
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Do I Qualify For SNAP Benefits?
Every state establishes the eligibility criteria for the SNAP program based on the state average income. If you want to qualify for the SNAP EBT benefits, then you need to make sure your household assets and income do not exceed a certain threshold. You must know the monthly income thresholds for non-disabled persons belonging to the state that are participating in the RMP program.
It is important to learn that boarding residents, undocumented immigrants, full-time students, and employees on strike cannot receive an EBT or SNAP benefits card. If you have a job that increases your household income dramatically or causes a major change in your household income, you must report the change to the authorities.
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Additional Nutritional Resources
-
Food Banks or Food Pantries
Food banks provide meals free of charge to needy individuals and even help them with basic produce and groceries. Food pantries operate on a small scale through private organizations like religious institutions and small charities.
-
Government Programs
No one deserves to go hungry. If you or anyone in your household needs assistance, then there are many resources from the government that you can explore.
For instance, the Woman, Infants and Children Program, the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, the Emergency Food Assistance Program, Food Distribution Programs on Indian Reservations, etc.
-
School Meals
Low-income parents who are worried about nurturing the cognitive and physical development of their children can receive assistance from school meals through the School Nutrition Program, which also offers lunch and breakfast.
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Conclusion
Subway is a renowned fast food chain that is well known for selling sandwiches and salads, and accepts Electronic Benefit Transfers card as a form of payment in states that are participating in the Restaurant Meals Program. It is important to note that the EBT program has specific rules, limitations, and guidelines about where you can use it and the type of food that you can purchase, so if you’re relying on SNAP EBT benefits for your food purchase, then follow the guidelines accordingly. In case you do not qualify for an EBT card, you can seek assistance from local food banks, government programs, community organizations, and food pantries.
Learn more about government assistance programs and grants at the Get Government Grants’ section today. Our resources will help you to find the right type of support based on your needs and requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use my EBT card at Subway?
Yes, but only in Arizona, California, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, and Rhode Island for SNAP recipients who are elderly, disabled, or homeless and participate in the Restaurant Meals Program. You cannot use EBT online or through the Subway app.
Can I get healthy food at Subway using EBT?
There has already been a lot of debate on the topic of whether the foods available at Subway are healthy or not. Irrespective of the fact you can purchase food at few Subway locations using your EBT card.
Are EBT payments processed at Subway?
Yes, EBT payments can be processed at specific Subway locations that are participating in the Restaurant Meals Program.
What is an EBT card?
EBT stands for Electronic Benefits Transfer that helps the SNAP users to purchase nutritional foods using government funds.
