Does McDonald’s Take EBT? [Check Eligibility]

If you are a SNAP beneficiary, you must wonder if America’s largest multinational fast-food chain Mcdonald’s takes EBT as a payment method.

This article will provide you with all the details about SNAP benefits at Mcdonald’s and whether it accepts them.

So, without any further ado, let’s get started –

Does McDonald’s Take EBT Or Stamps As A Payment Method?

Unfortunately, Mcdonald’s does not take EBT or Food stamps as a payment method, in-store or online. However, some McDonalds branches operated by private owners accept EBT cards as these branches are part of the Restaurant Meals Program (RPM).

Electronic Benefits Transfer EBT is just like a credit or debit card, which you can use to buy many surprising things at grocery stores that accept it as a payment method, such as Walmart, Hmart, Aldi, and more.

The RPM program allows these Mcdonalds outlets to accept EBT as payment for eligible food items. To use an EBT at a participating McDonalds branch, you need to submit your EBT card, from which the amount gets deducted from your government assistance account.

What Is A Restaurant Meals Program (RPM)?

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program SNAP or Food Stamps is a federal government program to provide food-purchasing capacity to low-income people by issuing an EBT card to purchase EBT-eligible food items at SNAP-authorized retail stores.

The Federal government has expanded the program to enable states to participate in the SNAP Restaurant Meals Program (RMP).

The SNAP Restaurant Meals Program is a special state-run program that allows eligible people to purchase prepared food at SNAP-authorized restaurants.

As per the U.S. Department of Agriculture, RMP is a state option only available to SNAP beneficiaries who might not be capable of preparing meals or don’t have permanent housing for storing and preparing food.

Therefore, if you are on SNAP and purchase groceries through your EBT card, you may order prepared food online with EBT from restaurants under the Restaurant Meals Program.

Eligibility for Restaurant Meals Program

To be eligible for the RMP, the prerequisite is you must be a SNAP/Food Stamps beneficiary holding an EBT card. As the RMP is a state initiative, the eligibility may vary for different states. Hence, if you are a SNAP beneficiary, you must also meet your state’s RMP requirement to be able to buy meals in your state through EBT.

However, you can be eligible for RMP if you belong to these categories.

• Disabled (receives disability or blindness benefits or disability retirement benefits from a government agency because of a permanent disability)
• Homeless
• Senior citizen (60 years or older)
• Spouse of a SNAP customer who is eligible for the RMP

For restaurants such as Mcdonald’s to participate in the RMP program and accept EBT as a payment method, they must be in a state that offers it. Then they must be ratified by the state’s SNAP administration agency and signed an agreement with the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). Finally, the restaurant must be approved by the FNS to accept SNAP benefits.

You can sign up for the RPM by contacting the state agency administering SNAP benefits and must have an active EBT card and a secret PIN to purchase a hot meal at an RMP restaurant.

States That Have Restaurant Meal Program (RPM)

The RMP program is available in a few select states. These include the following.

• Arizona
• California
• Hawaii
• Illinois
• Maryland
• Michigan
• Missouri
• New York
• Rhode Island
• Virginia

Amongst them, the program is widely available only in two states, Arizona and California. The RMP is available in select cities or counties in other states, such as Hawaii, Maryland, Michigan, and Rhode Island. Some of them, like New York or Missouri, recently passed a law to participate in the program.

If you belong to any of these states, you may search whether any branch of McDonald’s participates in the RMP program. If it does, you can easily enjoy the meal with your EBT.

But if you do not belong to any of the states above, you can use your SNAP benefits to pay for food items meant to be prepared at home, as EBT cannot buy hot food even from the grocery shops.

Does McDonald’s Take EBT Online?

Mcdonald’s does not accept EBT online. McDonalds is available on food delivery apps such as DoorDash, Grubhub, and Uber Eats for McDelivery and pickup orders, and these online food delivery applications do not accept EBT payments online for their delivery or pick up.

The other reason McDonalds does not accept EBT payments for online orders is the need to check your physical EBT card. That’s why even if you pay online, you must visit McDonalds to pick up your order and show your EBT card to the cashier.

Can You Use EBT At Any Fast-Food Restaurants?

You cannot use EBT at any fast-food restaurants if only SNAP qualified. To be able to use your EBT at fast food restaurants such as Mcdonald’s, you must qualify for the Restaurant Meals Program (RMP).

Being qualified for the RMP allows you to use SNAP benefits at an RMP-participating fast-food restaurant in those states that offer RMP and accept EBT.

Below we have provided a list of national restaurants participating in the SNAP RMP program and accepting EBT payments in the states where the RMP program is operational.

• Burger King
• Blimpie
• Carl’s Jr.
• Dairy Queen
• Domino’s Pizza
• Denny’s
• Golden Corral
• Jamba Juice
• Jack in the Box
• KFC
• Papa John’s
• Pizza Hut
• Popeye’s
• Quiznos
• Subway
• Taco Bell
• Wendy’s

Is EBT Applicable On Doordash Fast Food Delivery?

EBT is not applicable on Doordash fast food delivery as the app only deals with prepared and hot foods, and such foods are not eligible for EBT payment in many states.

Other Payment Methods To Use At McDonald’s

Only some Mcdonald’s branches accept EBT payments, but other options are available. You can use the following payment methods at McDonald’s.

• American Express
• Arch gift cards
• Apple Pay
• Cash
• Discover cards
• Google Pay
• Master Card
• Visa

Can You Use Cash And EBT At The Same Time In Mcdonald’s?

Yes. You can use cash and EBT simultaneously only in RMP-participating McDonald’s. But it would be best if you ensure the following.

• First, please ensure you are eligible to use both EBT and cash benefits for your purchase.
• Second, you must verify with the McDonald branch you are in whether they accept EBT payments.
• Lastly, you must confirm with the cashier whether they allow a combination of cash and EBT payment if you run short of any of them before placing your order. Since not all McDonald’s branches allow such transactions, it would be helpful to ask in advance.

FAQ

Does McDonald’s take EBT payments?

No. McDonald’s does not take EBT payments.

Can I buy McDonalds with EBT in Texas?

No. Since ready-made and hot foods are not EBT eligible. Moreover, your state, Texas, has not ratified the Restaurants Meals Program (RMP), meaning no restaurants in the state are RMP participants. As such, you can also not purchase hot foods with your EBT from any other restaurant.

Does Mcdonalds take EBT in New York?

New York has recently passed a law to ratify the state’s Restaurants Meals Program ( RMP). The participating restaurants take EBT payments. However, you must check whether the branch of McDonalds you have visited in the state takes EBT.

What payment methods does McDonalds accept?

There are numerous payment methods available at McDonald’s. Here is a list of a few of them.

• Apple Pay
• Google Pay
• McDonald’s App
• Debit Cards
• Credit Cards
• American Express
• Arch gift cards
• Cash
• Discover cards
• Visa

Does Burger King accept EBT?

Yes. Burger King accepts EBT in the states offering the Restaurants Meals Program.

What fast-food restaurants accept EBT payments?

The following fast-food restaurants accept EBT payments.

• Burger King
• Carl’s Jr.
• Church’s Chicken
• Denny’s
• Del Taco
• El Pollo Loco
• Great Steaks
• Jamba Juice
• Jack in the Box
• KFC
• Pizza Hut
• Popeye’s
• Papa Murphy’s
• Quiznos
• Rally’s Hamburgers
• Subway
• Taco Bell
• Wendy’s