(Last Updated on 3/10/19)
One of the most often asked questions from our readers is – Does Subway take EBT Card? This is a question we get about other fast food restaurants, but even more with Subway. The answer is yes, however, not all EBT Cardholders are eligible. In this post, we will review subway locations that take food stamps and EBT recipients who qualify.
This Post will Cover:
What You Can Buy with EBT
USDA’s Restaurant Meal Program
Where Does Subway Take EBT Card?
Other Fast Food Restaurants that take EBT
States Where Subway Does Not Take EBT
What You Can Buy with EBT
If you are currently on EBT, you are probably aware that the EBT Card is intended for you to buy food to make at home.
This means that you are not allowed to buy food that can be eaten at the location, including hot food, deli food, and fast food.
However, the USDA has made exceptions, in what is called the Restaurant Meal Program, which we will review below:
For those that are not part of the Restaurant Meal Program, here is what you are allowed to buy with your EBT Card:
- breads and cereals;
- fruits and vegetables;
- meats, fish and poultry; and
- dairy products.
- Seeds and plants which produce food for the household to eat.
You are not allowed to use your EBT Card to purchase the following items.
- Beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes or tobacco
- Any nonfood items, such as:
- pet foods
- soaps, paper products
- household supplies
- Vitamins and medicines
- Food that will be eaten in the store
- Hot foods
USDA’s Restaurant Meal Program
The Restaurant Meal Program was introduced in 1978 by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The goal of The Restaurant Meal Program (RMP) is to help prevent hunger among the Elderly, Disabled & Homeless.
To qualify, eligible EBT Cardholders must have gross income below the federal poverty line.
The program allows these three categories of people to use their EBT card to buy food at approved low-cost restaurants.
Where Does Subway Take EBT Card?
The following states currently participate in the Restaurant Meal Program. In each state, we will provide information on subway locations that take EBT.
Subway Locations that take EBT in Arizona
The state of Arizona participates in the RMP and Subway is one of the restaurants approved to accept EBT. Select Subway locations in the following cities are approved to accept EBT:
- Anthem
- Apache Junction
- Avondale
- Benson
- Buckeye
- Bullhead City
- Camp Verde
- Casa Grande
- Chandler
- Chino Valley
- Coolidge
- Douglas
- El Mirage
- Florence
- Fort Mohave
- Fountain Hills
- Gila Bend
- Gilbert
- Glendale
- Globe
- Kayenta
- Kingman
- Lake Havasu City
- Marana
- Maricopa
- Mayer
- Mesa
- New River
- Paga
- Parker
- Payson
- Peoria
- Phoenix
- Queen Creek
- Rio Roco
- Sahuarita
- San Luis
- San Tan Valley
- Scottsdale
- St Johns
- Surprise
- Tempe
- Tonopah
- Tuba City
- Tucson
- Winslow
- Wittmann
- Yuma
For a complete list of all restaurants that take EBT in Arizona, click here.
Subway Locations that take EBT in California
The state of California participates in the RMP and Subway is one of the restaurants approved to accept food stamps. Not all counties in California participate in the RMP.
We have listed below the counties that are part of the program. Select Subway locations in these counties are approved to take EBT.
If you are not sure, call the Subway location to find out. For a Subway location near you, click here.
Counties in CA Where You Can Use EBT at Subway
- Alameda County
- Los Angeles County
- Orange County
- Riverside County
- Sacramento County
- San Diego County
- San Francisco County
- San Luis Obispo County
- Santa Clara County
- Santa Cruz County
Subway Locations that take EBT in Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island participates in the RMP and Subway is one of the restaurants approved to accept food stamps. Here is a list of the Subway restaurants approved to take food stamps:
- 255 Weybossett Street, Providence
- 2 Kennedy Plaza, Providence
- 719 Westminster Street, Providence
- 583 Elmwood Avenue, Providence
- 962 Cranston Street, Cranston
- 483 Clinton Street, Woonsocket
- 104 Broadway Unit 1A, Newport
- 614 Pawtucket Avenue, Pawtucket
- 310 Broad Street, Central Falls
- 258 Post Road, Westerly (Walmart)
Other Fast Food Restaurants that take EBT
There are other fast food restaurants participating in the RMP in the three states mentioned. We have listed a few below by state. For a detailed list of all the restaurants that take food stamps, click here.
Arizona
- Dominos Pizza
- El Pollo Loco
- Firestone Subs
- Golden Corral
- Jack in the Box
- Jimmy and Joe’s Pizzeria
- KFC
California
- Burger King
- Denny’s
- Domino’s Pizza
- Papa Murphy’s
- Popeye’s
- Pizza Hut
- Quiznos
States Where Subway Does Not Take EBT
You are not allowed to use your EBT Card at subway in the following states:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
If you have any questions about this article or any comments about our article – does Subway take EBT? let us know in the comments section below.