Should Food Stamps be allowed to be used at Restaurants?

[Peppergirl]

It's not clear whether they're talking about Ohio or Kentucky (I live on a border town), but there's a push by "Yum" Brands, who own Taco Bell, KFC and Pizza Hut to allow food stamp recipients to use their benefits at restaurants.

The video features restaurants that are located in both Ohio and Kentucky, so I'm not sure if it's a push by both states or what.

Apparently this is already allowed in Michigan, Arizona and parts of California.

Interesting.

http://www.wlwt.com/money/29122687/detail.html

[Andara Bledin]

I noticed that the local Jack in the Box to our new house advertises that they accept EBT.

I, honestly, don't like the idea of fast food establishments accepting public assistance funds. It's overly expensive and under-nutritious most of the time.

I'll check the rules in depth later.

^-.-^

[Rageaholic]

I don't see why not.

[Akasa]

No it shouldn't. EBT where I'm from is only for prepared foods if its cold. Like frozen dinners are ok, sandwiches at 7-11 are ok, but a hot dog at 7-11 is out. Why should a burger, pizza, or tacos be allowed? EBT is a Federally funded program. Rules should be the same nation wide.

[blas87]

No.

If someone like me can barely afford to go out to eat, why should someone on assistance? I mean, going to Olive Garden every Friday on taxpayer's dime? Who is to say people won't just go out to have daquiris, margaritas, and other expensive drinks and not family dinners?

Yeah, I know, wha wha wha, everyone deserves a treat, poor people shouldn't be punished.....well I'm freaking poor and it's a treat to be able to go to the movies and to pay for myself at the Olive Garden.

[linguist]

in general, i'd say no. however, there are circumstances where i think is should be allowed. for example, back when katrina hit nola, we had a lot of displaced people move into my city. these people were given temporary assistance in the form of food stamps and hotel vouchers until they could find places to live or were able to return to new orleans. the problem with this is, most hotels don't have kitchens or anything other than a microwave for cooking, and some don't even have that. since prepared foods were not allowed to be purchased with food stamps, this left a lot of refugees unable to get food in any useful form. texas made a temporary allowance to authorize the purchase of hot prepared foods with food stamps, which was absolutely the right thing to do at the time.

[Dreamstalker]

EBT is for basic food/etc. You are on EBT but want to treat yourself, save up the cash. In most states you can't buy hot prepared food at grocery stores, why should a blanket exception be made for the hot prepared food at restaurants? I do agree with linguist that certain exceptions can and should be made.

[mikoyan29]

Must be a new rule in MIchigan.

[Gravekeeper]

No. That seems kind of counter intuitive to the whole idea of food stamps. I agree exceptions during a disaster or crisis. But the government paying for you at Taco Bell? I don't think so. -.-

Plus the push is from a corporation, so its not like this is motivated by the goodness of their hearts or anything.

[Racket_Man]

Plus the push is from a corporation, so its not like this is motivated by the goodness of their hearts or anything.

how right you are GK. this is just greedy corporation trying to make even more profit. and screwing their employees even more

and for all of the delivery drivers out there, this will be a total NIGHTMARE. not only would we have to deal with Welfare Week but now Welfare MONTH. and we (meaning delivery drivers) will get screwed BIG TIME as no tips would be most likely be allowed for that $30 or $40 delivery order paid for with EBT.

now SNAP (supplimential nutrition assistance program) will become "further corporate welfare assistance program"

[blas87]

I hadn't even thought of that till you posted, Racket, but that is just shudder-worthy. Imagine people ordering multiple pizzas, stiffing you on the tip....and doing it repeatedly. That'd be just as bad as them wasting away all their bennies at Applebees on mudslides and martinis.

[Rapscallion]

Quite frankly there would be far better benefit from spending the money on educational programmes aimed at nutritional information and economic cooking for people on welfare. Done right, you can subsist on a low income for quite some time, and with lower fat and salt etc foods than spending a larger amount and putting government funds onto the balance sheets of corporations.

Want a burger? These are the ingredients, these are the ways to cook it - far cheaper than buying from Mickey D's or other. Less fat and less other nasties (stuff that's provably bad in excess). Let's face it, if you need welfare then you're generally not working and therefore have the spare time. Baking bread is easy enough - I do it. Making pizza bases should be easy enough.

That would be far more help to people on welfare, whether they like it or not.

I just realised that I've not spent anything on food since Sunday. I had some bread of my own in the freezer, as well as soup - both of which I made last week. I get a lunch as part of my work contract. Breakfast is often porridge, which lasts a long time in the cupboard. It's quite possible to eat healthily and cheaply, and still be a fat bastard like me.

Of course, I could have gone to a fast-food place and eaten less healthily for more money each day. I'd have had more of an instant gratification, but less money and worse health after.

Rapscallion

[Dreamstalker]

SNAP here in MA has an additional incentive for users to shop at farmers markets (50% discount ie buy $20 worth of food your card is only charged $10) which I think is a great idea. Now if only the local markets and food banks would offer seasonal-ingredient cooking classes like NM does...

[Andara Bledin]

Rice is dirt cheap. You can dress it up with sauces (also quite inexpensive) and various meats and veggies.

For one fast food meal, a family could eat dinners for a week.

^-.-^

[gremcint]

I'm actually going to say yes but at a higher rate than usual. I'm not sure how food stamps work but it should use like 3-4 times as much to get a burger at mcdonalds than buying a box of burgers or something like that. let them have a treat now and then but they need to learn to budget it out.