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Let me clarify the P-EBT vs. EBT Restaurant Meals Program confusion since there's some misinformation here: 1. P-EBT (Pandemic EBT) was created to help families with children who would normally receive free/reduced school meals. These benefits can ONLY be used at retailers that sell groceries. 2. Regular CalFresh EBT has the Restaurant Meals Program (RMP) in certain counties, but ONLY for people who are: - 60 years or older - Disabled - Homeless - AND have an active CalFresh case 3. Even if you qualify for RMP with your regular EBT, your P-EBT card follows different rules and cannot be used at restaurants. 4. You can check your P-EBT balance and transaction history at www.ebt.ca.gov or by calling the number on the back of your card. The 2025 P-EBT benefits are specifically designed to supplement grocery purchases, not restaurant meals. Hope this helps!
Thank you for the detailed explanation! This makes it very clear. I'll stick to using the P-EBT for groceries only and not try to use it at restaurants.
my kid got p-ebt 2 and its confusing cuz the card looks almost the same as my calfresh card!! but ya cant use it at mcdonalds or anywhere like that even tho they might have the ebt sign. i tried once at jack in box and it didnt work. wish they would make it more clear on the instuctions they send!!
You're right - they should make the instructions clearer! The cards do look very similar which creates a lot of confusion. The P-EBT information they mail out doesn't always explain the restaurant limitations very well.
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THE SYSTEM IS SO CONFUSING!!!! I've had THREE different Costco employees tell me THREE different things about using EBT for bakery items! One said yes for cakes but no for cookies, another said yes for everything except birthday cakes with messages, and the third said it depends on the cashier's mood that day!!!! The whole CalFresh system is designed to be complicated on purpose so people get frustrated and give up on benefits they DESERVE!!! Good luck with your cake but don't be surprised if they make it difficult for no reason!!!!
omg yes!!! i had a cashier at walmart tell me i couldnt buy a birthday cake with ebt but then i went to another lane and that cashier let me?? makes no sense!!
While there can certainly be inconsistency among cashiers, the actual rules are clear in SNAP regulations. Cold bakery items including decorated cakes are eligible for EBT purchase. If you encounter resistance, it's usually due to cashier misunderstanding rather than official policy. Always ask for a manager if there's confusion, as they typically have better training on EBT regulations.
Thanks everyone for all the helpful information! I'm going to go ahead and place the order for my daughter's cake. I'll make sure to specify any non-food decorations separately and be prepared to pay for those with cash. Seems like I should be able to use my EBT for the cake itself since it's cold and for home consumption. I'll update here after I pick it up in case anyone else has this question in the future!
hope it goes well!! happy birthday to ur daughter!!
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I work for a school district (not sharing which one for privacy) and can confirm that P-EBT cards are still being mailed out. The distribution schedule varies by county and is happening in waves. The state doesn't notify schools exactly when cards will arrive for their students. If your children qualify for free/reduced meals through direct certification (CalFresh, CalWORKs, etc.) or income applications, they should receive P-EBT. If they attend a CEP school where all students get free meals regardless of household income, they'll also qualify. One important note: P-EBT eligibility is based on your information from October 2024. If you moved or had other changes after that, it could affect delivery. Contact the P-EBT hotline to update your info if needed.
thx for the insider info!! my friend said they didnt get it cuz they moved in december. makes sense now
That's my worry - we moved in January but I updated our address with the school right away. Should I have contacted someone else about P-EBT specifically?
Update: I JUST got the cards today! Three separate envelopes with my kids' names on them. They came in white envelopes that honestly looked like junk mail, so check your mail carefully! Each card has $765 for my elementary schoolers and $832 for my middle schooler. So relieved! Thanks everyone for the help.
That's awesome! Perfect timing with summer coming up. Those benefit amounts are higher than last year too.
lucky!!! glad u got it tho. def helps with these crazy food prices!
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Just want to clarify something important: When your EBT card has duplicate charges, this is handled by the EBT card processor (Fidelity Information Services - FIS), not your county CalFresh office. The correct number to call is definitely 1-877-328-9677. When you call, immediately say "dispute transaction" when prompted for why you're calling. This will route you to the right department. You'll need: 1. Your EBT card number 2. The date of the transactions 3. The amounts of each transaction 4. Your receipt showing the legitimate purchase They should be able to issue provisional credits while they investigate. By law, they have to investigate and determine if the claim is valid within 10 business days. If they find in your favor (which they should with duplicate charges like this), the provisional credit becomes permanent. One more thing - CalFresh benefits are protected by Federal Regulation 7 CFR 273.16(h)(1), which ensures you have the right to dispute unauthorized or erroneous transactions.
This is incredibly helpful! I didn't know about the provisional credits - that would be a huge relief while waiting for the investigation. I just got off the phone with the EBT customer service and they took all my information. They said I should see the provisional credit in 2-3 business days! Thank you so much for your help.
my sister works at target n she said this happens alot. u should go to customer service at target n ask for the store manager not just regular customer service. bring ur receipt n the ebt transaction history from the app. they can fix it faster than waiting for ebt office
That's great insider info, thank you! I'll definitely try that tomorrow. Did your sister say if they can refund it right away at the store?
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UPDATE: Finally got through after 3+ hours on hold! The rep said there was an error in their system that caused some PIN changes to not process correctly, but my benefits were never at risk. They unlocked my card and helped me set a new PIN. Just wanted to update in case anyone else runs into this issue. She also mentioned they've been getting tons of calls about this same problem this week, so it seems like a bigger system issue.
thanks for updating!! glad u got it fixed!!
THE WORST PART is how they lock you out after only 3 tries!!! my old bank gave you like 5 chances before locking a card. 3 is way too few especially when their system is glitching. and then u have to waste half ur day on hold to fix THEIR MISTAKE. its like they WANT to make it hard for us to actually use our benefits!!
While I understand your frustration, the 3-attempt limit is actually a federal security requirement for all benefit cards, not just California's choice. It's meant to protect your benefits from theft since EBT fraud is unfortunately common. But I agree they should have better customer service to quickly resolve lockouts when they happen.
Anyone received the new California EBT replacement cards? FB video claims they're coming but I'm skeptical
I just saw this weird Facebook video claiming California is sending out new EBT replacement cards? (link: https://www.facebook.com/100004245755526/videos/1612459896170484/) I've been on CalFresh for almost 2 years and haven't heard ANYTHING about this from my county worker. No notices in the mail, nothing on my SAR7, zero info on BenefitsCal website. The video seems sketchy but my cousin in Sacramento swears her friend got some kind of notice about card replacements happening in 2025. Has anyone in California actually received info about this from their county office? Or is this just another scam trying to get people's EBT info?
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Some important facts about EBT card replacements in California: 1. Cards are only replaced when damaged, lost/stolen, or expired 2. Replacement is handled case-by-case, not mass statewide 3. You'll NEVER be asked to provide your card number or PIN via email, phone, or text 4. Official communications come through mail with state/county letterhead 5. BenefitsCal.com will post any legitimate system-wide changes These scams target vulnerable benefit recipients and often try to steal your information. Report any suspicious requests to the California EBT Customer Service (877-328-9677) and the CDSS Fraud Hotline (800-344-8477).
This is really helpful, thanks! I'll save this info for future reference. Do you know if there's a way to check when my current EBT card expires? Mine doesn't have a visible expiration date printed on it.
Look for a 4-digit number printed on the front of your card (MM/YY format) - that's your expiration date. If you can't find it, you can call the number on the back of your card and the automated system can tell you. Most cards are valid for about 4 years from when they're issued.
this is definatly some kind of scam!!! my cousin got hacked after clicking on something like this and they stole all her benefits!!! don't click ANY links about EBT stuff from facebook or anywhere!!!!
That's horrible! Did she report it to the fraud department? I've heard they sometimes replace benefits if they were stolen.
ya she had to file a police report and everything and still hasnt gotten the money back its been like 3 months! they said theyre "investigating" but she had $897 stolen all at once!!
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Does ANYONE know why they make this SO COMPLICATED??? I've had CalFresh for 3 years and the system is a nightmare. The phone system hangs up on you half the time, the app crashes, and then they expect you to report every tiny change in income but won't answer when YOU need something. The whole system is designed to make people give up. Sorry for the rant, but I'm on hold with them right now for the THIRD time today because my balance disappeared even though it's my deposit day!
If your balance disappeared on your deposit day, you might want to check if there's a system outage. Sometimes on high-volume days (like the 1st-10th of the month) the EBT system can be slow to update. Give it a few hours and check again. If it's still not showing up by the end of the day, then definitely call. Also, make sure your Semi-Annual Report (SAR7) and recertification are up to date. Benefits can stop if those weren't submitted on time.
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my sister has a D last name (Dawson) and she got hers on tuesday but i have a G last name and i got mine LAST week?? makes no sense. the whole system is just random i think
It's not entirely alphabetical - it also depends on which school district your children attend and when that district submitted their eligibility data to the state. Some districts are more prompt than others, which can cause these seemingly random distribution patterns.
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Is it possible u missed a recertification deadline? That happened to me & my benefits stopped suddenly even tho I thought everything was ok. Or maybe u went over the Income Reporting Threshold (IRT) without realizing it? They don't always tell u right away if that happens.
I don't think so - I just did my recertification in December and got approved through Dec 2025. And my income has been stable. But you're right that sometimes they don't communicate clearly if something's wrong.
UPDATE: Just got my deposit at 6:45pm! For anyone else waiting, check again. Seems like there was definitely a system delay today for the 12th-day people. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions. Grocery shopping is back on for tonight! 🙌
yay!!! glad it finally came through!!
Great news! Thanks for updating the thread. This information about delayed deposits on February 12, 2025 might help others who search for similar issues in the future.
GalacticGladiator
my kid goes to regular school not virtual and we still haven't got our pebt card either lol... whole system is a mess this year
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Luca Greco
UPDATE: I called the actual P-EBT hotline (not CalFresh) and after waiting for almost an hour, I finally got through! The representative confirmed that LAUSD Virtual Academy IS participating in P-EBT, but there was some kind of system error with how virtual students were being coded. She said they're aware of the issue and working on fixing it for all affected students. Apparently, benefits should be issued by the end of next month for everyone affected by this coding problem. She added a note to our case to make sure we don't get missed. Thank you everyone for your help and suggestions!
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Mateo Rodriguez
•Great news! This is exactly what I suspected - a coding issue in their system. Make sure to keep that confirmation number or case note ID they gave you, just in case you need to reference it later. Glad you got it sorted out!
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Aisha Hussain
•Omg thank you for posting this update!!! Going to call tomorrow and reference this coding error!!
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