Republicans Introduce New Bill To Ban SNAP Recipients From Using Benefits To Purchase Meals At Restaurants!

Noir Nation, a new bill in Congress could take restaurant meals off the table for certain SNAP recipients across the country.

Rep. Brandon Gill of Texas has introduced the “Ending Restaurant Purchases with SNAP Act of 2026,” a bill that would abolish the federal Restaurant Meals Program (RMP), which allows certain SNAP recipients to use their benefits to purchase prepared meals at participating restaurants. The bill was introduced September 3 and has been referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

The Restaurant Meals Program is designed for SNAP recipients who may have difficulty preparing or storing food, including some elderly, disabled and unhoused individuals. Under the program, participating states can authorize eligible recipients to use SNAP benefits at approved restaurants, Pix 11 News.

Gill is calling the program a “loophole” and argues that SNAP dollars should be focused on groceries rather than restaurant meals. In a statement reported by Newsweek, Gill said more than half a billion dollars in SNAP benefits went to restaurants over a two-year period and argued that the program should instead focus on helping Americans afford nutritious groceries.

What Would The Bill Do?

H.R. 10268 would amend federal SNAP law to eliminate the Restaurant Meals Program altogether, ending the authority that allows participating states to contract with restaurants to provide meals to eligible SNAP recipients.

That would be a major change for people who currently depend on the program to purchase prepared food.

The program currently operates in nine states, meaning recipients in those states who qualify for restaurant meals could lose that option if the bill becomes law.

Who Could Be Affected?

The change would be particularly significant for SNAP recipients who are elderly, disabled or experiencing homelessness and may not have reliable access to a kitchen, cooking equipment or food storage.

For those individuals, being able to purchase a hot meal at an approved restaurant can provide an option that traditional grocery-only SNAP benefits may not.

If the bill becomes law, those recipients would still be able to receive SNAP benefits under the program’s regular rules, but they would no longer be able to use those benefits through the Restaurant Meals Program.