Does Subway Accept EBT? Subway Locations that Accept EBT

Just like many people, you may be asking, “Does Subway accept EBT?” Cut the stories, Subway does accept EBT but only in certain cases and in selected locations. We will provide you with details on how to use your EBT card at Subway, including a list of locations where it is accepted.

Does Subway Accept EBT

Subway is a popular American fast-food restaurant franchise that specializes in subs and salads.

It’s best known for its customized subs, fresh ingredients, and fast service.

Many Subways in states that have restaurant meal programs accept EBT when you order food from their menu.

Does Subway Accept EBT?

Subway can take EBT at specific locations that are authorized to accept food stamps through the Restaurant Meals Program.

There are just a few states that have participating locations. Subway can accept EBT at certain locations like Arizona, California, and Rhode Island.

These states have other restaurants that accept EBT as well. However, Subway can only accept EBT cards for purchases made in-store.

As the Restaurant Meals Program rolls out to more states, there might be new Subway locations that can accept EBT.

Some of our users have also reported that they can purchase Subway sandwiches at locations inside grocery storesgas stations, and travel plazas.

It is not entirely obvious how this works or if it should work.

We have not been able to independently verify that it works, but we have had dozens of users report success.

How Does Subway EBT Work?

If you are eligible to receive benefits, simply order any EBT-approved item from the Subway employee, customize your sub or salad as you wish, and checkout as normal at the cash register.

This can only happen if your account is established in your name and money is loaded onto your EBT card at the beginning of each month.

With that, you will receive a plastic card, like a bank debit card for making qualified purchases with your benefits.

To use the card, you will need to select a secret PIN (Personal Identification Number), which will be explained to you by the local worker.

However, if you qualify for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits at Subway, you can use your card to purchase selected items at any of their available point-of-sale registers at Subway.

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What You Can Buy with EBT at Subway

Does Subway Accept EBT

If you are currently on EBT, you know probably that the EBT Card is intended for you to buy food to make at home.

This means that you may not 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 who are not part of the Restaurant Meal Program, here is what you are allowed to buy with your EBT Card:

  • bread and cereals
  • fruits and vegetables
  • meats, fish, and poultry
  • dairy products
  • Seeds and plants that produce food

However, you may not use your EBT card for purchasing food items like liquor, cigarettes, pet foods, soaps, paper products, vitamins, and medicines.

Who Can Buy Subway with EBT?

In order to buy restaurant meals with EBT, you must be eligible for the Restaurant Meals Program.

This implies that all three of the following criteria must be met:

1. You must reside in a state that has an operational Restaurant Meals Program.

2. You must be unable to prepare your own meals at home because you are elderly, homeless, or disabled.

3. You must buy food from an eligible restaurant that has been approved by the state to process EBT payments.

If all three of those things are correct, then your caseworker should automatically enable your card for use at participating restaurants.

If your payment is rejected, you should talk to your caseworker and figure out why you weren’t authorized to make those purchases.

Why Doesn’t Every Subway Take EBT?

Unfortunately, not every Subway can accept EBT. That is because the Restaurant Meals Program is not available in all locations.

Some franchise owners may not be qualified to participate due to past issues with the food stamps program.

There are actually a lot of details that can prevent a restaurant from accepting EBT benefits through this program.

Sometimes, they just don’t like to deal with the extra paperwork!

On these grounds, the vast majority of Subway’s 21,147 locations in the United States are not able to process SNAP EBT payments.

Only 534 can, which indicates that only 2.5% of all Subways take EBT.

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States with Subway Locations that Accept EBT Cards

Does Subway Accept EBT

These are the locations we could confirm accept EBT cards, by state. All of these states have restaurant meal programs.

1. Arizona

In Arizona, you can use your EBT card at many Subway restaurants if you’ve registered for the state restaurant meals program, which operates throughout the entire state.

Furthermore, you must be elderly, homeless, or disabled to register for the program.

However, 61 Subways in Arizona accept EBT cards, so many that it would be counterproductive to list them here.

Instead, refer to this list of restaurant meal program-approved restaurants.

2. California

You can use your EBT card at Subway if you qualify and register for the restaurant meal program.

To do so, you must be homeless, elderly, or disabled, and register for restaurant meal program benefits in a county that administers the program.

Participating states include Alameda, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Clara.

There are hundreds of Subways in California that accept EBT cards, so many that it would be counterproductive to list them all for you here.

Instead, use ebt.ca.gov to search for a Subway that takes EBT cards.

Additionally, you’ll only find them in the seven counties that administer restaurant meal programs.

Select your county, and type “Subway” into the “retailer or bank name” box.

3. Rhode Island

To qualify for restaurant meals in Rhode Island, you must be homeless, disabled, or elderly. Even more, the program operates throughout the entire state.

Here are the 10 Subways that accept EBT cards for meals in Rhode Island:

  • 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

In conclusion, some Subway locations take EBT cards based on state and local rules, and many do not accept the program.

However, in areas that accommodate the restaurant meal program, it is best to check with the selected store.

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