Does McDonald's Take EBT? (Some Important Things You Need to Know)

Can customers use TANF and EBT cards to purchase products from McDonald's stores or restaurants? Read our comprehensive article and learn more tips and facts on whether or not McDonald's takes EBT cards as payment.

You are aware that most states in the USA have EBT cards to cater to low-income families' basic needs. Assuming you have an EBT card, the next step is understanding which store accepts these cards as the mode of payment.

Therefore, from the research, you might ask yourself if McDonald's stores or restaurants take EBT cards as a fast food choice on the internet as well as the market; we aim to deliver into detail, explore the payment method that McDonald accepts and share a few tips to maximize your shopping experience.

Thus, we have uncovered everything you need to know. Read the article, and grasp a few facts for your own benefits and daily struggles locating participating stores.

Table Of Contents

Does McDonald's Take EBT?

McDonald's does accept EBT, but only under specific conditions and in certain states through the Restaurant Meals Program (RMP). The RMP is designed to allow individuals who may not have the means to prepare their meals, such as the elderly, disabled, or homeless, to purchase prepared foods at participating restaurants.

Sure, if you want to explore more details on the tips and way around to go with it, keep reading our article to the end.

Do All McDonald's Stores Reject EBT Cards?

No, not all McDonald's stores reject EBT cards. The acceptance of EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer) cards at McDonald's is contingent upon the state's participation in the Restaurant Meals Program (RMP) and the specific policies of individual McDonald's locations within those states. The RMP is designed to allow certain SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) beneficiaries, such as the elderly, disabled, or homeless, to purchase prepared foods at participating restaurants, including McDonald's, in states that offer this program.

As of the information available, the states that participate in the RMP and where you might find McDonald's locations that accept EBT include:

California
Arizona
Michigan
Maryland
Rhode Island
Illinois

However, even within these states, not all McDonald's locations may accept EBT. For example, McDonald's doesn't take EBT cards in Rhode Island, Illinois, Michigan, and Maryland. The participation in the RMP and the acceptance of EBT at McDonald's or any other fast-food restaurant is at the discretion of the state's SNAP agencies, which decide which restaurants or retailers should be approved for the RMP.

Using RMP Benefits at McDonald's Stores/Restaurants

RMP is a state option that targets particular SNAP beneficiaries to grab specific food from restaurants like Mcdonalds which is covered under the SNAP benefits. Also, the US Department of Agriculture adds that this program targets those individuals who are not in the position of making or preparing a meal.

Therefore, to be eligible for the Restaurant Meals Program, you also must be a qualified member of the SNAP benefits. Additionally, on top of Michigan, Arizona, California, and Rhodes Island, the additional state that participates in the RMP is Virginia. Thus, to be counted as one of these beneficiaries, you must be 60 and above, disabled, homeless, or a spouse of the SNAP client who is also approved for the RMP.

Alternative form of Payment at McDonald

Besides the EBT card, McDonald's still accepts many other forms of payment. There are various payment options that customers can opt to use on the shopping spree. Some of these methods are as listed, and the option depends on your preferences and benefits:-

Discover card
MasterCard
Cash
Visa
American Express
Arch Gift card

Still, at the moment, McDonald's accepts electronic or mobile payment methods. Some of the countless forms are Google Pay, Samsung Pay, and Apple Pay. They are available for in-store, online delivery, and drive-thru.

Products Eligible for the SNAP EBT Benefits

We all understand that customers cannot swipe the SNAP EBT at McDonald's restaurants and stores. Many stores still accept this SNAP EBT and offer multiple grocery options for eligible people. Therefore, some of the listed basic groceries under the SNAP benefits are as outlined below:-

Poultry
Fish
Meat
Grains
Cereals
Fruits
Dairy
Vegetables
Plants that produce seeds and food.

The list is long, but additional groceries also depend on the particular stores as well as policies that limit the options.

As well as some products the federal government prohibits using the SNAP EBT card to purchase. The regulations are specific, and some of the products that are not eligible for this program are products like:

Tobacco
Alcohol
Non-food products
Vitamins,
Household items
Medicine
Fast food or immediate consumable goods.

Alternative Stores that Accept EBT Cards

If McDonald's doesn't accept the EBT card, you are likely asking yourself where else you can utilize the card and grab a few basic groceries. Some grocery stores participating in this SNAP EBT benefit give customers access to the food stamp benefits. These are not limited to the likes of:

Kroger
Ralphs
Publix
Save-A-Lot
Albertsons
Walmart
Target
Whole Food
Jubilee Food
Food 4 less
Piggly Wiggly
Trader Joe's
Costco
BJ Wholesale.

Besides the above grocery stores and many others accepting the SNAP EBT card, there are also specific stores that go beyond offering the TANF and RMP benefits.

Customers can't just use the EBT card at any fast food restaurant or store. Besides the SNAP benefits, you can also get access to the meals if you are eligible and your state also participates in the Restaurant Meals program. Thus, when you qualify for the RMP, it does imply that you can use the SNAP benefits at any participating restaurant to purchase the eligible products.

Therefore, we recommend reviewing the EBT rules, regulations, and limitations. This is because every state comes with its eligibility guidelines.

Users Who Qualify for EBT Benefits

First, when guidelines are used to gauge the users who qualify for the SNAP EBT benefits, they vary from location or state to state. However, there are those situations that qualify individuals. For instance, those people who are legal immigrants, American citizens, refugees, asylum seekers, and anyone who lives within 100%-130% of the poverty level qualify for SNAP benefits.

Therefore, the federal government uses the monthly incomes compared to the household size to determine if individuals qualify for SNAP benefits. After that, they will access the type of benefits that fall within your basic needs by the state.

Ideally, the state examines the eligibility each year to understand your eligibility for the program. They also clarify that when things change, you should notify the respective personnel immediately as long as the issue can interfere with your eligibility.

Therefore, it is highly advised that before an individual signs up, read through the requirements and the qualifications for your state because these policies change with time. Some states currently give citizens more benefits than the old-age EBT food stamps. Hence, doing research first is important.

Conclusion

If you use SNAP EBT benefits alone, understand that McDonald's and many other fast food restaurants don't accept it as a payment method. However, we went to TANF benefits. You can withdraw cash at an ATM and order at the McDonald's store or restaurant. A few states also participate in the Restaurant Meals Program to give a particular eligible group access to fast food meals. In the above article, we have shared alternative stores that accept the EBT card you can count on.