Key Takeaways:

  • The Restaurant Meals Program (RMP) allows eligible older adults who receive SSI or SSDI to use their benefits at participating restaurants to purchase meals.
  • To qualify for the RMP, an older adult must be a current SNAP beneficiary and meet certain eligibility criteria, with each state setting its own rules and regulations.
  • There are rules to be aware of when using the RMP, such as only being able to purchase meals at participating restaurants and a limit on how frequently the benefit can be used.
I

f you're an older adult, it can be difficult to get the food you need.

The Restaurant Meals Program makes it easier for older adults to get the food they need.

This program allows older adults who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) to use their monthly benefits at participating restaurants in their area.

How the RMP works

The program works by providing food vouchers to older adults so they can purchase meals at participating restaurants.

The RMP is a great way to save money on meals when you're out. You can use it at participating restaurants in the United States and Puerto Rico, where the RMP is offered.

SNAP Restaurant Meals Program eligibility

The program is available in every state, but each state is responsible for setting its own rules about who's eligible and what kind of restaurants can participate in their area.

To qualify for the program, an older adult must be a current SNAP beneficiary and live in a state that offers an RMP. Additionally, all members of their household must meet at least one of the following criteria:

  • They are age 60 or older.
  • They have a disability (and receive disability payments or disability retirement benefits from a government agency).
  • They are homeless, meaning they lack a fixed nighttime residence and may be living in a shelter or halfway house.
  • They are the spouse of a SNAP beneficiary who qualifies for the Restaurant Meals Program.

How to find a participating restaurant in your area

There are many ways to find a participating restaurant in your area.

The easiest is to visit the USDA website and search for restaurants in your state. This will allow you to see all of the participating restaurants within a certain radius from where you live or work. You can also search for restaurants near your location by using other popular sites, like Google or Yelp.

RMP rules you should know

When you use the program, there are some rules to be aware of:

  • You can only purchase meals at participating restaurants.
  • Each time you use the program, it can only be used once a day.
  • The program is good for one week after it's been approved—so if you spend $50 on your first purchase and then go back four days later with another request for $50 worth of food, that second purchase will not be considered part of the same week and therefore will not count against your weekly limit.
  • You may use this benefit only once every 30 days (or at least once every 30 days).

We hope this guide has been helpful for you to understand the Restaurant Meals Program and its benefits for older adults.

To learn more about SNAP, check out: https://nutrition.getsetup.com/

or read our other articles: www.getsetup.com/posts/what-is-snap-ed

Jul 26, 2022
 in 
Cooking & Nutrition
 category
Posted