Where can I use CalFresh EBT for restaurants? Need places that accept Restaurant Meals Program

Yes! It's called the Restaurant Meals Program (RMP) but it's only available to homeless, elderly (60+), or disabled CalFresh recipients. You need to be in one of those categories AND live in a participating county. LA County definitely has it. If you qualify, your EBT card should already work at participating restaurants - no separate enrollment needed in most cases. Look for the 'CalFresh EBT Accepted Here' sign at places like Subway, Denny's, El Pollo Loco, and some local restaurants too.

Thanks for this info! I'm actually considered disabled (I get SSDI) so I might qualify. How do I check if my card is already set up for it? And is there a website or something that lists all the restaurants near me that participate?

The Restaurant Meals Program is super helpful but kinda confusing lol. I'm homeless and use it all the time. The way to check if you're enrolled is to try using your card at a participating restaurant. If it works, you're in! If not, call your county worker. As for finding places, there's no good central website tbh. Each county maintains their own list. Google 'Los Angeles County Restaurant Meals Program locations' and you should find a PDF list, but it's not always up to date.

LA County RMP list is here: https://dpss.lacounty.gov/en/food/calfresh/rmp.html. I printed it out and keep it in my wallet. McDonald's, Jack in the Box, Domino's, and a bunch of local places take it too. The sign in the window usually says 'EBT Accepted Here' with a fork and knife symbol.

Slight correction to what others have said - in SOME counties you DO need to request special coding on your account to access Restaurant Meals Program! It depends on how their system is set up. I'd definitely call the CalFresh office to make sure your account is properly coded if you're disabled. Sometimes workers forget to mark that in the system and then your card won't work at restaurants even though you qualify.\n\nAlso important to know - you can only use your CalFresh benefits at restaurants in counties that participate in RMP. If you travel to a non-participating county, restaurants there won't accept EBT even if you're eligible.

Good luck getting through to anyone at the CalFresh office these days! I spent HOURS trying to reach someone about my Restaurant Meals Program question last month. Kept getting disconnected or put on infinite hold. Total waste of time.

@DisgruntledApplicant I had the same problem trying to ask about RMP but then I found this service called Claimyr that got me through to a real person in like 20 minutes. You might want to try it - claimyr.com - they have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. Saved me a huge headache when I needed to get my account coded for restaurant access!

Be careful with RMP! Some cashiers at participating restaurants aren't trained properly and will tell you EBT isn't accepted even when their location IS on the program. Always ask for a manager if they say no. Also, the RMP only covers prepared food - you still can't buy hot food with regular CalFresh benefits if you're not in one of the special categories (elderly, disabled, homeless).

That's really good to know about asking for a manager! I'll definitely do that if I run into problems. So just to make sure I understand correctly - since I receive SSDI, I should be able to use my EBT card at restaurants in the program? Do I need to tell my caseworker specifically that I want to be part of RMP?

the whole restaurant meals program is stupid anyway, they only let certain people use it and the food is more expensive than cooking at home anyway. plus half the places on the \

That's frustrating! The county lists definitely don't get updated often enough. One tip - call the restaurant before going to confirm they still participate. I've found chain locations (like Subway) can vary - one location accepts it while another doesn't, even in the same area.

To answer your follow-up question - yes, as an SSDI recipient you should qualify for RMP. In LA County, your eligibility should be automatically coded on your EBT card if you indicated your disability status during application or recertification. However, sometimes there are system issues.\n\nCall your county office and specifically say: \

Thank you so much for the detailed info! I'll call tomorrow and use those exact words. Really appreciate everyone's help!

Hey Aisha! Just wanted to add that if you do get approved for RMP, definitely download the FreshEBT app on your phone. It shows your balance in real-time so you can check before ordering at restaurants. Super helpful when you're trying to budget for meals during those crazy double shift weeks! The app also has a store locator feature that sometimes shows participating restaurants, though it's not 100% complete. Good luck with getting your account set up properly!

Just wanted to chime in as someone who's been using RMP in LA County for about a year now. One thing I learned the hard way - even if you're eligible and your card is properly coded, some restaurants have daily limits on how much you can spend with EBT. For example, some Subways cap it at $20 per transaction. Also, during busy times (like lunch rush), their card readers sometimes glitch and show "declined" even when you have funds. Don't get discouraged if this happens - just try again or ask them to manually enter the card. The program really is a lifesaver when you're working crazy hours and can't make it to the grocery store!