Posted on 11/20/2025 2:31:39 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
While the U.S. Department of Agriculture considers reform to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that helps feed 42 million people, one lawmaker is pushing legislation aimed at curbing the program’s use at fast-food restaurants nationwide.
Sen. Joni Ernst, R-IA, cited new data from the USDA that exposes how blue states have abused the SNAP program to spend $250 million per year on fast food through the 1977 exception to the “hot food” restriction through the Restaurant Meals Program.
While SNAP's original intent was to provide food-insecure families basic staples, like meat, fruits, and vegetables, loopholes created by Congress in 1977 for “hot food” have been exploited by nine states to provide a nearly $250 million/year handout to fast food restaurants like McDonald's, Burger King, and Jack In the Box. California accounts for more than 90% of this spending. In recent years, the program has ballooned at an alarming rate, particularly in California, where state officials and the Biden-controlled USDA authorized more than 5,800 restaurants to accept SNAP benefits.
Over time, eligibility was expanded to include disabled and elderly individuals, along with their spouses. The change aimed to serve homeless people who don’t have kitchens or refrigerators, but now it allows recipients to spend the funds at fast food restaurants.
Ernst pointed to nine states —Arizona, California, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Rhode Island, and Virginia—that have opted into RMP. Participating restaurants must be located in an RMP-approved state, sign an agreement with that state, and be authorized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to accept SNAP benefits. Historically, participation was limited to a small number of restaurants within select counties.
New data provided by Ernst's office from the USDA shows that from June 2023 to May 2025, over $475 million in taxpayer dollars were spent and redeemed at fast-food...
(Excerpt) Read more at townhall.com ...
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Mickey D’s gettin’ in on the federal subsidies. How many of their employees are SNAP eligible?
bookmark
Govmint supplied cars for the needy will soon need overload springs if the feedings are not put on a budget with some common sense free food control.
Notice how the abundant medical transportation company vehicles all have air bag load leveling, mini vans, all outfitted the same, out and about, FREeee rides for the zip code checkers.
No SNAP should be used for fast food. It was meant for food for people who were poor. If you can’t afford food at the store, you don’t need to waste it on fast foos.
Exactly.
Good question.
I thought that SNAP wouldn’t pay for anything cooked that was heated?
I suppose they could get drinks and shakes (blizzards?!)...
Or only allow SNAP to be used on a limited number of categories
Rice
canned/dried Beans
Flour
Sugar
Bread
Raw Vegetables
Fresh Fruit, domestically produced
Potatoes
Peanut Butter
Milk
I think that should cover it.
A 30 year old disabled person or a 75 year old having enough problems getting enough food in her everyday due to lack of appetite, might have problems with that diet you listed, as a forever diet until they die.
Corn Meal
Meat, like canned tuna.
Butter
I made a nice, cheap casserole the other night with rice & tuna. Sautéed onions in butter, added flour & milk for a nice sauce. Filling & cheap.
That will make Ronald McDonald all frownie faced.
Better a cheap meal of chicken nuggets and fries from Micky D’s than a NY strip from the grocery store.
I buy fresh salmon (never frozen) fillet for about 10 bucks, bake for 20 min at 375 deg, and it makes 4 to 5 tasty sandwiches with some mayo, chopped onions, bread & butter pickles and a slice of Swiss or Provolone cheese.
I had a rich neighbor in Southern Oregon near Medford who ran a take-and-bake pizza place. The big trick was that welfare (SNAP) could be used for pizza you bake yourself, but not pizza baked for you.
He was rolling in dough. Get it? Dough!
Seriously, though, the welfare cases all bought his pizza and he was pretty fabulously wealthy. And, he never had to buy an oven!
Heaven freaking forfend they learn how to make their own pizza for one quarter the cost.
Mama says I live in a food desert. My SNAP six keeds will only eat at Micky Dees, McNuggets, fries and grape sodas.
Canned fruit/vegetables
pasta
oatmeal
From what I’ve heard of the local McD’s it’s mostly a day gig for strippers
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