If you have a Texas Lone Star EBT Card and have questions about what fast food places or restaurants take EBT in Texas, you’ve come to the right place. In this detailed guide, we will tell you everything you need to know about the Restaurant Meals Program and answer the question about whether restaurants can take EBT in Texas.
Before we get into the Restaurant Meals Program, we will first explain how the Texas EBT program works.
Additionally, we will walk you through what the Restaurant meals program is about.
Next, we will explain whether Texas participates in the Federal Restaurant Meals Program.
Finally, we will answer the most frequently asked Lone Star EBT questions, grocery stores that accept Texas EBT cards online for Delivery.
Table of Contents:
- What is Texas EBT?
- What is the Restaurant Meals Program?
- Who is Eligible for the Restaurant Meals Program
- Does Texas Participate in the Restaurant Meals Program?
- Other Texas EBT Perks
- Texas EBT FAQs
What is Texas EBT?
Once you are approved for SNAP or TANF (Cash Assistance) by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), you will receive your benefits each month on a Texas EBT Card.
An EBT card is a plastic card that acts like a debit card.
You can use the EBT card to buy groceries and other items with your cash benefits at participating stores and other locations.
In Texas, the EBT card is also known as a Lone Star Card.
How Does Texas Lone Star EBT Work?
EBT card benefits are issued to those who meet the Texas food stamps or cash benefits requirement and are approved for benefits.
The EBT card works like a debit card and can be used to buy eligible food at most grocery stores and many farmers’ markets.
Additionally, the EBT card can even be used to buy seeds or plants to grow food.
However, you cannot use the EBT card to purchase alcohol, hot foods, and foods prepared for immediate consumption, like toasted sandwiches at the deli.
What is the Restaurant Meals Program?
The Food Stamps program or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) only allows you to use your EBT card to purchase food for preparation at home.
However, federal law permits states to allow certain SNAP beneficiaries to use their EBT cards to purchase food at approved restaurants.
The program is called the Restaurant Meals Program (RMP)
RMP allows individuals who are homeless, elderly (age 60 or over), disabled, and their spouse, to use their SNAP benefits to purchase prepared meals at authorized restaurants.
Who is Eligible for the Restaurant Meals Program
As mentioned above, the following groups of SNAP recipients are eligible for the RMP.
Disabled
A disabled person receiving Social Security benefits; Railroad Retirement benefits Annuities; or other disability payments.
Elderly
A person 60 years of age or older.
Homeless
A person who does not have a fixed or regular nighttime residence.
Does Texas Participate in the Restaurant Meals Program?
Texas does not currently participate in the Restaurant Meals Program.
The program is currently available in the following seven (7) states:
- California
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Arizona
- New York
- Illinois
- Rhode Island
When will Texans be able to use EBT at Restaurants?
Texas has previously approved EBT cards to be used to purchase hot foods and ready-to-eat meals due to severe storms and other natural disasters.
For example, in February 2021, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced that the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) received federal approval to allow SNAP) recipients to use their food benefits to purchase hot foods and ready-to-eat meals due to the impact of the severe winter storm.
This exception allowed SNAP recipients to use their benefits for hot foods and ready-to-eat foods, such as rotisserie chicken or grocery store deli foods, at retailers that accept SNAP anywhere in the state.
Governor Greg Abbott’s Proposal to Allows SNAP at Restaurants
In March 2020, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sent a letter to the United States Department of Agriculture to open up another food option for Texans during the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the time, the novel coronavirus pandemic was affecting many restaurants in the state.
To help address the problem, Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission were asking the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to temporarily allow residents in Texas to use their SNAP benefits on takeout and drive-thru food services during this crisis.
The temporary statewide Restaurant Meal Program would have allowed for the purchase of hot and prepared foods under SNAP.
As a result, restaurants in the state would be able to accept SNAP payments through the Lone Star Card for takeout and drive-thru food orders.
In the request, the governor added “This waiver will go a long way in doing just that. I urge the federal government to quickly approve this waiver, giving Texans another food option during this public health emergency.”
As of writing this story, the USDA has yet to approve the request. We will update this post once we get new information.
FAQs about Texas EBT at Restaurants
Here are the most frequently asked questions about using Texas EBT at Restaurants:
Other Texas EBT Perks
One of the best-kept secrets about Texas EBT is the many discounts, perks, and free stuff that are available to cardholders.
If you are on food stamps in Texas or have an EBT card, you have access to many discounts and perks you may not even know about.
Amazon Prime EBT Discount
If you have a Texas EBT Card, you can now sign up for Amazon Prime EBT Discount and get all the great benefits that come with Prime membership, at a fraction of the cost.
The regular Amazon Prime membership is $14.99 a month. However, if you have an EBT Card, you can get Prime Membership for $6.99. That’s over 50% off the regular price.
You can also get a FREE 30 day trial of Amazon Prime before signing up for the SNAP EBT discount.
Click here to sign up for a FREE 30-day trial of Amazon Prime.
For just $6.99 per month you get all these EBT Amazon Prime benefits:
- One-Day FREE Shipping on millions of eligible Amazon items
- Two-Day FREE Shipping on millions of eligible Amazon items
- Access to instantly stream thousands of Free Movies & TV Shows
- Access to Unlimited FREE Prime Music streaming
- FREE 2-Hour Delivery on Prime Now items
Lifeline Program
If you are currently on Food Stamps/EBT Cardholder, and your income is below a certain level, you may qualify for FREE or low-cost home or cell phone service.
This may be for you or a member of your family through the Federal Lifeline Program, which serves nearly 13 million Americans.
The Lifeline program helps to lower the monthly cost of phone and internet service.
Eligible customers will get at least $9.25 toward their monthly bill. You can only use Lifeline for either phone or internet service, but not both.
Discounted Museums Admission
As an EBT cardholder in Texas, you also get discounted or FREE access to museums and other great family-friendly places.
We have compiled the list of museums you can visit for free or at a discount in our article – Free Admission with Texas EBT.
The Texas Museums listed in the article all offer individual admission fees ranging from FREE to $3.00 to individuals and families.
To take advantage of this perk, all you need is an EBT card and a valid form of photo ID.
Texas EBT FAQs
Here are the most frequently asked questions about EBT benefits in Texas:
What Grocery Stores Accept Texas EBT Online for Delivery?
You can use your Texas EBT card to make purchases online at the following grocery stores:
- ALDI
- Amazon
- Brookshire’s Food and Pharmacy
- FRESH by Brookshire’s
- H-E-B
- Joe V’s Smart Shop
- Sam’s Club Scan and Go
- Spring Market
- Super 1 Foods
- Walmart
As you can see above, you can purchase groceries online for home delivery using your Texas EBT card at Amazon and Walmart.
What is the Texas EBT Phone Number?
Here’s the number to call if you are trying to reach Texas EBT Customer Service:
1-800-777-7328
You can call 24 hours a day/ 7 days a week.
You can call the Texas EBT Phone Number to:
- Check your SNAP or TANF account balance information.
- Hear your last ten transactions.
- Request a printed 2-month statement of your account history.
- File a claim if you suspect that a transaction error occurred.
- Change your PIN.
- Report damaged, lost, or stolen cards, and request a replacement card be mailed to you.
Is there a Texas EBT App?
Yes, the HHSC has created a mobile app to help make navigating your Texas public assistance benefits easier.
The app is called YourTexasBenefits mobile app.
The YourTexasBenefits mobile app, which is free to use, is available for download at the App Store for Apple devices or on Google Play for Andriod devices
With the YourTexasBenefits mobile app you can view:
- SNAP (Food Stamps) / Cash Assistance (CA) case status
- EBT balance
- Recent payments
- Upcoming appointments
- Documents on file
- Update the HHSC with changes to your household situation that impacts your benefits.
The video below provides a great summary of the mobile app and its functions, including how to update your status.
Can I check my Texas EBT Card Balance by Phone?
To check the balance on your Texas Lone Star EBT card, you can:
- Call 800-777-7328.
- Check the receipt from your most recent purchase.
- Check your balance at the store before buying anything, if the store allows it.
Additionally, you can check your Lone Star Card balance and view recent card activity through your online account at YourTexasBenefits.com.
If you do not have an account, you can set one up by going to YourTexasBenefits.com, clicking “Log in” and then “Create a new account.”
Restaurants that take EBT in Texas Summary?
We hope this post on the topic “Restaurants that take EBT in Texas” was helpful.
If you have further questions about Texas SNAP or EBT Card, please let us know in the comments section below.
Also, be sure to check out our other articles about Texas SNAP and EBT, including:
What can I buy with the Texas Food Stamps card?
Free Admission with EBT Card in Texas (30+ Locations)
Texas Food Stamps EBT Phone Number
Where You Can Use Texas EBT card
