Does Pizza Hut Accept SNAP Payments Using EBT/Food Stamps?
Written by
Vance Cariaga
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Pizza Hut got its start in 1958 when two brothers borrowed $600 from their mom to open a pizza joint in Wichita, Kansas. Today it’s one of the most recognizable brands in the world, with more than 16,000 locations in 100-plus countries. But only a limited number of those locations let you use your Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program EBT card to make a purchase.
Pizza Hut, owned by Yum Brands, accepts Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card payments at select locations in California through the state’s CalFresh Restaurant Meals program, according to the First Quarter Finance (FQF) website. FQF says the program is available in the following California counties: Alameda, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz.
Under the SNAP Restaurant Meals Program (RMP), qualified SNAP recipients can purchase food at SNAP authorized restaurants using their EBT cards, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture website. Participating restaurants must offer meals at discount prices. In some cases, the program lets recipients buy food in the deli sections of participating grocery stores. The idea is to help SNAP recipients get hot prepared foods at restaurants — something many are unable to do at grocery stores.
Consumers used to pay with food stamps but now use reloadable EBT debit cards. Although SNAP is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the program itself is administered at the state level.
To participate in the RMP, a restaurant must be located in a state that offers the program; get approval from the state and provide a signed agreement to the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS); and be authorized by FNS to accept SNAP benefits.
As GOBankingRates previously reported, seven states have opted into the RMP. It is widely available in Arizona and California, while five other states — Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Rhode Island and Virginia — offer the program in select cities or counties.
South Dakota recently passed a bill to allow residents to use their food-assistance benefits to buy prepared meals, while New York passed a law that lets state social services agencies apply to the federal program.
No states other than California have been listed as accepting EBT payments at Pizza Hut, but you can always contact your local Pizza Hut or SNAP benefits agency to make sure.
