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Are there exceptions for homeless or elderly SNAP users at restaurants?
Executive Summary
The federal SNAP program generally prohibits using benefits to buy prepared meals, but a state-option Restaurant Meals Program (RMP) creates a clear exception that allows certain SNAP recipients — typically people who are elderly, disabled, or homeless — to use EBT at approved restaurants in participating jurisdictions. Implementation, eligibility rules, and participating restaurants vary by state and sometimes by county; a number of states (including California, Arizona, Maryland, and legislatively New York) have implemented or expanded RMPs with important differences in scope and federal approval status [1] [2] [3] [4].
1. Why the Restaurant Meals Program changes the basic SNAP rule and who it targets
SNAP’s baseline rule is that benefits buy groceries for at-home preparation, not prepared meals, but the federal Food and Nutrition Service authorizes a state-option known as the Restaurant Meals Program (RMP) that specifically carves out an exception for limited populations. The RMP is explicitly designed to help SNAP participants who face barriers to shopping and cooking — most commonly people age 60 or older, persons with disabilities, and individuals experiencing homelessness — by allowing them to purchase hot, prepared food at approved restaurants with their EBT cards [1] [2]. The federal program sets the framework, but states must opt in and administer the program; that creates significant variation in who qualifies and how the program operates in practice [1].
2. Which states run restaurant programs and how implementation differs locally
A handful of states run RMPs or similar initiatives; California, Arizona, Maryland, and others operate active programs, while New York’s recent statewide legislative action directs an RMP expansion pending USDA approval. In California the program is implemented at the county level, eligibility is verified locally, and point-of-sale equipment is used at participating restaurants to accept EBT for hot prepared foods; counties determine which recipients qualify as elderly, disabled, or homeless [5] [2]. Maryland lists participating restaurants via its Department of Human Services and limits purchases to approved vendors and meal types, reflecting how states tailor vendor enrollment, transaction rules, and eligible items to local circumstances [3].
3. What the federal rules say about elderly/disabled members in institutional settings
Separate from RMPs, federal SNAP rules include special eligibility rules for elderly and disabled individuals who live in certain institutional or subsidized housing arrangements. Normally, residents who receive most meals from an institution are not eligible for SNAP, but residents of federally subsidized elderly housing or nonprofit group living arrangements can remain eligible even when the facility provides meals, and disabled persons in some group homes may qualify despite institutional meal provision [6] [7]. Those protections are distinct from the RMP: one concerns eligibility when meals are provided by institutions, while the RMP concerns the method of purchasing prepared meals through SNAP benefits in retail restaurants [6] [7].
4. Recent policy moves and the status of expansion efforts
States continue to expand or refine RMPs. New York’s governor signed legislation to create a statewide Restaurant Meals Program to permit homeless, disabled, and elderly SNAP recipients to purchase prepared meals from participating restaurants; the law awaits USDA approval to take effect, illustrating the two-step state-federal process required for expansion [4]. California’s county-based program has been operating for years and serves as a model for local implementation, whereas other states evaluate pilot projects or remain without an RMP option at all. The pace and reach of expansion depend on state budgets, vendor readiness, stigma concerns, and federal approvals [2] [5].
5. Big-picture tradeoffs, program limits, and operational realities
RMPs address a real gap for people who cannot store or prepare food, but they are limited in scope and availability: only opt-in states or counties permit the exception, participating restaurants must enroll and meet technical requirements, and eligibility verification varies, which can limit access for eligible people. Advocates stress RMPs reduce hunger among vulnerable populations and provide dignity; opponents raise concerns about higher per-meal costs, vendor oversight, and potential fraud. Because the program’s structure relies on state discretion and vendor participation, many eligible SNAP recipients still cannot buy prepared meals with benefits in much of the country [1] [8].