If you have an Ohio EBT Card (Ohio Direction Card) and have questions about your card, including what fast food places or restaurants take EBT in Ohio, 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 Restaurants that take EBT in Ohio.
Before we get into how to the Restaurant Meals Program, we will first explain how the Ohio EBT program works.
Additionally, we will walk you through what the Restaurant meals program is about.
Next, we will explain whether Ohio Participates in the Restaurant Meals Program.
Finally, we will answer the most frequently asked Ohio EBT questions, including the 12.5% SNAP benefits increase approved for 2023.
Table of Contents:
- What is Ohio EBT?
- What is the Restaurant Meals Program?
- Who is Eligible for the Restaurant Meals Program
- Does Ohio Participate in the Restaurant Meals Program?
- SNAP Restaurant Exceptions during Natural Disasters
- Ohio EBT FAQs
What is Ohio EBT?
An EBT (electronic benefits transfer) card is a plastic card that acts like a debit card that is used to distribute public assistance benefits.
The Ohio EBT Card (Ohio Direction Card) is used for the delivery of benefits such as Food Stamps, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Additionally, the Ohio EBT card is also used to distribute the Cash Assistance Benefits.
Once you are approved for food stamps or cash assistance, you will receive your benefits each month on a Ohio EBT Card.
How Does Ohio EBT Work?
The Ohio EBT benefits are issued to those who meet the Ohio SNAP eligibility 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, many farmers’ markets, and online at stores like Amazon and more.
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
SNAP participant’s household must have only members who are designated as disabled
by a government entity, or a disabled individual and his or her spouse.
Elderly
SNAP recipients who are 60 years of age or older, and his or her spouse.
Homeless
To be considered homeless, the household must lack a fixed and regular nighttime residence or be living in a shelter, halfway house, or a place not designed for sleeping.
This includes those who are temporarily staying in the home of another person for 90 days or less.
Does Ohio Participate in the Restaurant Meals Program?
Unfortunately, the state of Ohio does not currently participate in the Restaurant Meals Program.
Unlike California, Maryland, Michigan, Arizona, Illinois, Virginia, and Rhode Island which have robust RMP programs, Ohio is different.
Ohio politicians have resisted the idea of introducing the Restaurant Meals Program despite the benefits it could bring to SNAP holders.
Other ways to use your EBT Card to Purchase “Hot Food”
While you cannot purchase hot food with your SNAP EBT Card in Ohio, here are some workarounds:
You can buy a frozen meal from the freezer section of the grocery store and go home and heat it up in the microwave, including Frozen Pizza.
Additionally, packaged sandwiches and deli foods that are cold, and that will be eaten at home, can be purchased with food stamps at a deli, grocery, or convenience store.
However, you cannot buy salad bar food with SNAP EBT.
When will Ohioans be able to use EBT at Restaurants?
According to this report from Vice, a nationwide RMP will likely require action from Congress.
In December 2021, Democratic U.S. Reps. Grace Meng and Bobby Rush joined with Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick to introduce a bill allowing SNAP benefits to be used for hot foods and certain prepared foods.
We will continue to monitor this bill and report any updates as we get more information.
The fact that you can use SNAP to purchase a frozen, breaded chicken, but not a hot rotisserie chicken, frankly, makes no sense.
I’m proud to introduce the SNAP PLUS Act today with @RepGraceMeng & @RepBrianFitz to fix this disparity and allow #SNAP to cover hot & prepared foods.
— Bobby L. Rush (@RepBobbyRush) December 21, 2021
SNAP Restaurant Exceptions during Natural Disasters
While SNAP recipients can only use their EBT card to buy staples, such as bread, cereal, fruit and vegetables, meat, fish, and dairy, there are some exceptions.
For example, in the case of a natural disaster or other emergencies, like a Hurricane or Tornado, the USDA can make exceptions.
In the past, the USDA has allowed victims of hurricanes and severe flooding to temporarily use their EBT cards to purchase food at restaurants.
Ohio EBT FAQs
Here are the most frequently asked questions about EBT benefits in Ohio:
Will I get extra Ohio SNAP benefits in 2023?
The Biden Administrationrecently announcedthat the Public Health Emergency (PHE) will go until mid-January 2023, and has promised to give states 60 days notice before ending the emergency declaration.
The emergency allotment, grants households $95 or more in additional SNAP funds each month to reach the maximum benefit amount.
Unless the US Department of Health approves another extension past the January 15, 2023 deadline, states will no longer be able to provide the extra Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
As of writing this article, there is no indication the emergency declaration will likely be renewed one last time.
What Grocery Stores Accept Ohio EBT for Delivery?
Thefollowing grocery storesacceptOhio SNAP EBT onlinefor pickup and delivery:
ALDI
Amazon
BJs Wholesale Club
Buehler’s Fresh Foods
Dave’s Supermarket, Inc. DBA Dave’s Supermarket
Earth Fare
Giant Eagle
Lucky’s
Meijer
Sam’s Club Scan and Go
Target
Walmart
Whole Foods
What is the Ohio EBT Phone Number?
Here’s thenumber to callif you are trying to reach Ohio EBT Customer Service:
1-866-386-3071
You can call 24 hours a day/ 7 days a week
When you call, youwill needthe following information:
- The 16-digit number from the front of your Ohio EBT card
- Your Social Security number
- Date of birth
You can call the EBT Customer Service Phone Number if:
- Your card is lost or stolen.
- Your card does not work.
- You want to change your PIN because you forgot it
- Your card is being used by someone else without your
approval. - You want to find out how much you have left in your account.
- You have been charged for a purchase but you didn’t get the food or
if you were charged too much for what you bought. - You have other questions or problems.
Is there an Ohio EBT App?
Unfortunately, there is no mobile app created by the state of Ohio for EBT cardholders.
We will make an announcement on this website as soon as one becomes available.
How Many People are on SNAP EBT in Ohio?
As of July 2022, there are currently 1.5 million people in Ohio receiving SNAP benefits or Food Stamps, with about 750,000 households receiving benefits.
Here’s a summary of the latest data on food stamps participation in Ohio:
- Total Number of Ohio Households Receiving Food Stamps: 755,736
- Total Number of People in Ohio Receiving Food Stamps: 1,492,044
- Amount of Money Spent on Food Stamps in Ohio for the Month: $351,436,962
That is according to the latest data published by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Restaurants that take EBT in Ohio Summary?
We hope this post on the topic “Restaurants that take EBT in Ohio” was helpful.
If you have further questions about Ohio SNAP or EBT Card, please let us know in the comments section below.
Be sure to check out our other articles about Ohio SNAP and Ohio EBT, including:
- Ohio SNAP Office Locations
- Ohio Food Stamps Balance and Login
- SNAP Benefits increase for Ohio Recipients
- How to file an Appeal for Food Stamps in Ohio
- Ohio Food Stamps Phone Number
