Nearly a quarter of a billion dollars – that’s how much U.S. taxpayer money is being spent annually on fast food purchased with SNAP benefits in just nine states. The startling figure reveals a significant shift in how a vital program intended to combat hunger is being utilized.
Originally established in 1964, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, born from the Food Stamps Act, was designed to provide financially vulnerable Americans with access to essential groceries: meats, fruits, and vegetables. The core idea was to empower families to prepare nutritious meals at home.
A decades-old loophole, introduced in 1977, opened the door to the Restaurant Meals Program (RMP). Initially, this program aimed to serve a specific, critical need – providing hot meals to individuals experiencing homelessness who lacked cooking facilities. It was a compassionate response to a very real hardship.
Over time, eligibility for the RMP expanded to include disabled individuals and the elderly, broadening its reach. However, the program’s scope has grown dramatically, particularly in recent years, raising serious questions about its intended purpose.
California has spearheaded this expansion, allowing SNAP benefits to be used at a wide range of fast-food chains – from McDonald’s to Domino’s Pizza – since 2021. The state now accounts for over 90% of all funds spent through the nation’s Restaurant Meals Program.
Between June 2023 and May 2025, over $475 million in taxpayer dollars flowed into fast-food establishments through the RMP, with a total of $524 million spent overall. This raises concerns about whether the program is truly serving its most vulnerable populations or simply subsidizing convenient, often unhealthy, meal choices.
Other states participating in the program – Arizona, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Rhode Island, and Virginia – also contribute to the overall spending, though to a lesser extent. The figures reveal a significant allocation of resources towards prepared meals rather than staple groceries.
Legislation has been proposed to address these concerns, aiming to refocus the RMP on its original intent. The proposed changes would maintain access for the homeless, elderly, and disabled, but eliminate spousal eligibility and prioritize grocery stores with hot food bars over fast-food vendors.
The proposed bill also calls for increased transparency, requiring states to publish annual reports detailing program participation, beneficiary numbers, and total costs. This move seeks to provide a clearer picture of how taxpayer money is being spent and ensure accountability.
This debate unfolds against a backdrop of heightened scrutiny of SNAP, following a recent government shutdown that exposed vulnerabilities and concerns about potential fraud within the food assistance system. A renewed effort to verify beneficiary eligibility is currently underway.
Federal spending on SNAP has reached record levels in recent years, peaking at $128 billion in 2021 and $127 billion in 2022. While the program remains a crucial safety net for millions, questions about its efficiency and focus are now at the forefront of the conversation.
