Which Fast Food Restaurants Take EBT? McDonald’s, Subway and Starbucks

When we checked on November 1, 2026, we did not find an EBT statement from McDonald’s, Subway or Starbucks in the help pages we could read, so whether a given restaurant takes EBT depends on whether your state runs a Restaurant Meals Program (RMP) and whether that individual restaurant is authorized. This page uses USDA’s rules and does not say that any chain takes part. Each chain’s section says which page we read and when.

Maintained by Archie Chang · Reviewed November 1, 2026 · Methodology & sources

McDonald’s

The only McDonald’s help page we could read, the Mobile Order & Pay FAQ (an Internet Archive copy from July 10, 2026), did not mention EBT. We could not confirm a McDonald’s statement about EBT, so we cannot say that any McDonald’s takes it. An individual restaurant may be authorized under a state program; ask the restaurant.

Subway

The only Subway help page we could read, an Internet Archive copy from September 1, 2021 (the app FAQ), did not mention EBT. That page is old, so it says little about today. We did not find a Subway statement about EBT or the Restaurant Meals Program, and an individual restaurant may be authorized under a state program; ask the restaurant.

Starbucks

The Starbucks Card terms page we read on November 1, 2026 did not mention EBT. It is a gift-card page, not an EBT policy, so it settles little. We did not find a Starbucks statement about EBT, and an individual location may be authorized under a state program; ask the location.

How SNAP works at restaurants

SNAP benefits generally cannot buy hot prepared food. USDA lists this among the things households cannot buy with SNAP:

“Households CANNOT use SNAP benefits to buy:”
“Foods that are hot at the point of sale.”
USDA FNS, What can SNAP buy? (source, read from the Internet Archive capture of June 10, 2026; the page shows “Page updated: June 04, 2025”)

The exception is the Restaurant Meals Program, which USDA FNS describes this way:

“The Restaurant Meals Program (RMP) is a state option to allow certain SNAP clients, who might not be able to prepare meals for themselves or who do not have permanent housing for storing and preparing food, to be able to buy prepared meals at restaurants with their SNAP benefits.”
“To be eligible for the RMP, SNAP clients must be certified for SNAP in a state that has an RMP and all members of the household must be either:”
“Elderly (60 years of age or older);”
“disabled (receives disability or blindness payments or receives disability retirement benefits from a governmental agency because of a disability considered permanent);”
“homeless; or”
“a spouse of a SNAP client who is eligible for the RMP.”
USDA FNS, SNAP Restaurant Meals Program (source, read from the Internet Archive capture of April 17, 2026; the page shows “Page updated: May 29, 2025”)

A restaurant also has to take part. USDA FNS says:

“To participate in the RMP, the restaurant must:”
“Be in a state that has an RMP.”
“Get approval from the state and provide a signed agreement to FNS.”
“Be authorized by FNS to accept SNAP benefits.”
“Each state can set their own requirements for choosing how many and which restaurants they want to allow to participate in their state's RMP.”
USDA FNS, SNAP Restaurant Meals Program (source, read from the Internet Archive capture of April 17, 2026; the page shows “Page updated: May 29, 2025”)

Because each state chooses which restaurants join, and each restaurant must be authorized, the answer for an individual restaurant can differ from the next one down the street.

States with a Restaurant Meals Program

The FNS page “States that Operate a Restaurant Meals Program” (Internet Archive capture of April 17, 2026; the page shows “Page updated: May 29, 2025”) lists: Arizona, Maryland, New York, California, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Illinois (Cook and Franklin Counties Only), Michigan, Virginia. Check the FNS page for changes.

What SNAP can and cannot buy

At any store, EBT pays only for what USDA allows. This is USDA FNS’s own list.

  • Any food for the household, such as:
  • Fruits and vegetables;
  • Meat, poultry, and fish;
  • Dairy products;
  • Breads and cereals;
  • Other foods such as snack foods and non-alcoholic beverages; and
  • Seeds and plants, which produce food for the household to eat.
  • Households CANNOT use SNAP benefits to buy:
  • Beer, wine, and liquor.
  • Cigarettes and tobacco.
  • Food and drinks containing controlled substances such as cannabis/marijuana and CBD.
  • Vitamins, medicines, and supplements. If an item has a Supplement Facts label, it is considered a supplement and is not eligible for SNAP purchase.
  • Live animals (except shellfish, fish removed from water, and animals slaughtered prior to pick-up from the store).
  • Foods that are hot at the point of sale.
  • Any nonfood items such as:
  • Pet foods
  • Cleaning supplies, paper products, and other household supplies.
  • Hygiene items and cosmetics
USDA FNS, What can SNAP buy? (source, read from the Internet Archive capture of June 10, 2026; the page shows “Page updated: June 04, 2025”)

Check a specific store

A chain’s statement does not replace a check of the store you plan to use. USDA FNS says:

“The SNAP Retailer Locator allows anyone to locate nearby SNAP-authorized retailers by entering a street address, city and state or zip code.”
USDA FNS, SNAP Retailer Locator (source, read from the Internet Archive capture of May 28, 2026; the page shows “Page updated: February 17, 2026”)

Open the USDA SNAP Retailer Locator and enter your address or zip code.

Frequently asked questions

Does McDonald’s take EBT?

The only McDonald’s help page we could read, the Mobile Order & Pay FAQ (an Internet Archive copy from July 10, 2026), did not mention EBT. Under USDA’s rules an individual McDonald’s could take EBT only in a state with a Restaurant Meals Program and only if that restaurant is authorized.

Does Subway take EBT?

The only Subway help page we could read, an Internet Archive copy from September 1, 2021, did not mention EBT. Under USDA’s rules an individual Subway could take EBT only in a state with a Restaurant Meals Program and only if that restaurant is authorized.

Does Starbucks take EBT?

The Starbucks Card terms page we read on November 1, 2026 did not mention EBT. Under USDA’s rules an individual Starbucks could take EBT only in a state with a Restaurant Meals Program and only if that location is authorized.

Who can use EBT at a restaurant?

USDA FNS says SNAP clients must be certified in a state that has a Restaurant Meals Program and all members of the household must be elderly (60 years of age or older), disabled, homeless, or the spouse of a SNAP client who is eligible for the program. USDA also says an EBT card “will automatically be declined if the SNAP client is not eligible.”

Which states run a Restaurant Meals Program?

The FNS page we read (Internet Archive capture of April 17, 2026) lists Arizona, Maryland, New York, California, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Illinois (Cook and Franklin Counties Only), Michigan, Virginia. FNS says each state sets its own requirements for choosing how many and which restaurants take part.

Can I use SNAP for hot food at a fast food restaurant outside an RMP?

USDA lists “Foods that are hot at the point of sale” among the items households cannot use SNAP benefits to buy. The Restaurant Meals Program is the state option that allows certain SNAP clients to buy prepared meals at participating restaurants.

Related pages

Sources

Reviewed November 1, 2026. Each answer comes from the retailer’s own statement or from USDA, quoted word for word; a page we could only read as an Internet Archive capture says so, with the capture date. Store policies change, so the date of each copy matters.

USDA Food and Nutrition Service

Pages searched for an EBT statement