Restaurants That Accept EBT in Virginia
Yes — Virginia is one of nine states where SNAP can buy a hot restaurant meal, at 87 approved locations. It’s open to SNAP households where everyone is 60 or older, disabled, or homeless. A growing list of approved restaurants — not yet every city.
Run by: Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) · Official list: see approved restaurants
Where It Works in Virginia
The Virginia Department of Social Services says it is partnering with “a growing number of restaurants.” KFC accounts for well over half the approved locations today.
As of August 14, 2026 · Source: Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS), Virginia Restaurant Meals Program
Do You Qualify?
Every person in your SNAP household has to meet one of these:
- Age 60 or older
- Disabled — receiving disability or blindness payments, or government disability retirement benefits for a permanent disability
- Homeless
- The spouse of a SNAP client who qualifies under one of the rules above
You also have to be certified for SNAP in Virginia itself. There’s no separate application — if you qualify, the state codes your EBT card for the program and it just works at the register.
As of August 14, 2026 · Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service, SNAP Restaurant Meals Program (page updated August 7, 2026)
Chains on Virginia’s Approved List
These restaurant chains appear on Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS)’s own list of approved locations. The number is how many locations in the state are approved — not how many restaurants the chain has here.
| Chain | Approved locations |
|---|---|
| KFC | 50 |
| Subway | 16 |
| McDonald's | 3 |
| Taco Bell | 1 |
| Bojangles | 1 |
| Little Caesars | 1 |
As of August 14, 2026 · Source: Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS), official approved-restaurant list
Approval is per restaurant, not per chain. One KFC being approved tells you nothing about the next one down the road. Check the state list for the exact address before you go.
About this data: One approved site is a combined KFC/Taco Bell, so it appears under both chain names but counts once in the total.
Using Your Card at the Restaurant
Swipe your EBT card, pick EBT, enter your PIN. If your card isn’t coded for the program the machine declines it — the restaurant doesn’t decide and can’t check your case. Staff see an EBT card, nothing more.
Your regular SNAP balance pays for the meal, so a $12 lunch is $12 off your monthly benefit. Nothing about the program adds money to your card.
What Else Your EBT Card Buys in Virginia
The Restaurant Meals Program is a narrow add-on. Your everyday grocery shopping is unchanged:
- Stores that accept EBT in Virginia
- Find EBT stores near you
- Gas stations that accept EBT
- What you can buy with EBT
Questions About Virginia’s Program
Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) handles the Restaurant Meals Program here. Email [email protected]. Phone 804-726-7400. We’re not a government agency and can’t look up your case — the state can.
Other States With a Restaurant Meals Program
Sources: USDA Food and Nutrition Service, SNAP Restaurant Meals Program (state list and eligibility, page updated August 7, 2026), and Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS), Virginia Restaurant Meals Program. Approved restaurant data from the state’s own published list. Last reviewed: August 14, 2026.