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Does Taco Bell Take EBT?

With over 7,200 locations in the United States, Taco Bell is one of the most-popular fast food restaurants for Mexican-style food. One of the questions we often get from food stamps recipients is – Does Taco Bell Take EBT? SNAP recipients want to know if they can use their EBT Card and food stamp benefits to buy tacos, Crunchwrap Supreme, Cinnamon Twists, 5-Layer Burrito, and more.

In this article, we will provide an answer to this question, including a list of what you can and cannot purchase with food stamps at Taco Bell. Additionally, we will talk about how is eligible to use their EBT Card at Taco Bell, as not all EBT Cardholders will be eligible.

Lastly, we will provide a list of Taco Bell locations that take EBT/food stamps near you.

This article will cover:

  • About Taco Bell
  • Popular Food Items at Taco Bell
  • Does Taco Bell take EBT?
  • What you can buy with EBT/Food Stamps at Taco Bell
  • EBT Eligible Taco Bell Locations Near You
  • Other Fast Food Restaurants that take SNAP EBT

"Does Taco Bell Take EBT"

About Taco Bell

Taco Bell is an American chain of fast food restaurants founded in 1962 by Glen Bell in Downey, California.

Taco Bell restaurants serve a variety of Mexican-inspired foods, including tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, speciality items, and a variety of “value menu” items.

As of 2023, Taco Bell serves over two billion customers each year, at 7,204 restaurant locations.

More than 93 percent of all Taco Bell locations are owned and operated by independent franchisees and licensees.

10 Most Popular Food Items at Taco Bell

The 10 most-popular food items available at Taco Bell include:

  1. Crunchwrap Supreme
  2. Soft Taco
  3. Quesarito
  4. Chicken Quesadilla
  5. Crunchy Taco
  6. Cheesy Gordita Crunch
  7. 5-Layer Burrito
  8. Chalupa
  9. Cinnamon Twists
  10. Bean Burrito

Does Taco Bell Take EBT?

Yes, Taco Bell does accept SNAP EBT Cards at locations in Arizona and California through the Restaurant Meal Program (RMP).

This means that elderly, disabled and homeless SNAP recipients in Arizona or California, can use their EBT Card to purchase food at Taco Bell.

Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Rhode Island, Virginia participate in the Restaurant Meals Program, however, Taco Bell is not an approved restaurant location at this time.

Additionally, you cannot use your SNAP/Food Stamps EBT benefits to purchase any non-food items sold at Taco Bell.

Taco Bell Locations that take EBT in Arizona

Arizona offers the Restaurant Meal Program statewide and Taco Bell locations in the following cities accept EBT under the program.

Be sure to call the store to confirm before attempting to make a purchase.

  • Coolidge
  • Glendale
  • Phoenix

See our list below for other restaurants that accept EBT in Arizona. For a complete list with address locations and phone numbers, click here.

Taco Bell Locations that take EBT in California

California offers the Restaurant Meal Program in the counties listed below. You can use your food stamps card at Taco Bell location in the counties listed.

To locate a Taco Bell near you, click here.

Counties in CA Where You Can Use EBT at Taco Bell

Other Fast Food Restaurants that take EBT

There are other fast food restaurants participating in the Restaurant Meal Program in California and Arizona.

We have listed a few below:

Arizona

  • 24th st Pizza & Gyros
  • Blimpie
  • Burger Shoppe
  • Eegees
  • Golden Corral
  • Harris and Smith Coffee Company
  • Helpings Cafe and Market
  • Jimmy and Joe’s Pizzeria
  • Moon Light Family Restaurant
  • Smoke Dem Bones BBQ
  • Speedy Street Tacos Corp
  • Tasty Box
  • Uncle Sams
  • WaBa Grill

For a complete list with address locations and phone numbers, click here.

California

  • McDonalds
  • Burger King
  • Subway
  • Del Taco
  • El Pollo Loco
  • Taco Bell
  • Great Steaks
  • KFC
  • Papa Murphy’s
  • Popeye’s
  • In N Out
  • Carls Jr
  • Rally’s Hamburgers
  • Jack in the Box
  • Pizza Hut
  • Domino’s Pizza
  • Wendy’s
  • Waba Grill
  • Yoshinoya
  • Wienerschnitzel

For a complete list, see our article here.

Restaurant Meal Program

The Restaurant Meals Program (RMP) is a special program by the United States Department of Agriculture which allows the elderly, disabled and homeless to use food stamps at approved restaurant locations.

The program is run entirely at the state level and not all states participate in the program. California, Arizona, Michigan, Rhode Island, Illinois, Virginia and Maryland currently participate in the program in some form.

What You Can Buy with EBT

One of the biggest sources of confusion for EBT cardholders is what they are allowed to buy with their food stamps card. We get lots of questions on this topic and we want to clear the air.

The easiest way to understand the food list for EBT is to look at the reason behind the policy.

The United States Department of Agriculture, the federal government agency in charge of the food stamps program sets the guidelines for what can and cannot be purchased with EBT.

The main goal is to make sure that you buy food intended to be prepared at home and for home consumption. This eliminates hot food, deli food, and restaurant foods from the list of approved items.

However, there are exceptions to this rule, under the Restaurant Meal Program, which we will explain below.

For those that are not part of the Restaurant Meal Program, here is what you are allowed to buy with your EBT Card:

  • Fruits, vegetables and produce
  • Meats and Poultry
  • Fish and Seafood
  • Ice Cream
  • Breakfast cereal
  • Soda and Juice
  • Energy Drinks with Nutrition Labels
  • Milk and Cheese
  • Yogurt
  • Candy and Chips
  • Bread and Baked Goods
  • Pasta, rice, and tortillas
  • Canned legumes and fish
  • Pre-packaged snacks
  • Peanut butter and Jelly
  • Seeds and plants that produce food 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 food or treats
  • Soaps or Paper products
  • Household or Hygiene supplies
  • Cleaning Supplies
  • Vitamins, medicine or supplements
  • Food that can be eaten in the store
  • Hot, prepared food

Does Taco Bell Take EBT Summary

We hope this article on “Does Taco Bell Take EBT” was helpful to you.

If you have any questions or comments about using SNAP EBT at Taco Bell or other fast food restaurants, please tell us in the comments section below.

If you would like to share your experience about using your EBT card at Taco Bell or other fast food restaurants, we would love to hear from you in the comments section below.

In the meantime, be sure to check out our other articles on SNAP EBT including:

Kwame Kuadey

Kwame Kuadey writes about personal finance and the social safety net. His career started in banking but he caught the entrepreneurial bug and has spent the last decade building successful businesses, including an Inc. 500 Company. Kwame believes everyone has the power to improve their quality of life by seeking knowledge and taking action. In 2012, Kwame founded Empower Media to help low-income households improve their financial situation. His expertise is in topics relevant to low-income households, including government benefits and assistance, banking products, access to credit, plus tools & resources to help reduce income volatility and build wealth. Kwame has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Inc. Magazine, Washington Post, ABC, and NPR.

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