How Can I Accept EBT And Food Stamps In My Store?

To accept EBT payments and food stamps, you have to sell food that is for home cooking and consumption.

A restaurant doesn’t qualify under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program because the food sold is not eaten or prepared at home but the restaurant or dining establishment.

In addition to selling food and groceries for home cooking and meal preparation, a store must also meet one of two criteria:

1.  Have at least three different qualifying foods of each of the staple food groups (meat/poultry/fish, bread/grains, vegetables/fruits, dairy) regularly available for purchase

2.  50% of all retail sales are from the sale of eligible staple foods.

In other words, you have to have an extensive selection of grocery-type food items spanning various food groups OR make most of your money in food-related sales. The latter distinction is important for specialty food stores and grocers.

For example, a seafood market likely doesn’t qualify for the first criteria because they sell predominantly fish, thereby barring them from having three food products from each group.

But, the majority of their retail sales are for the purchase of fish, a staple food item, which means they qualify for accepting EBT payments and food stamps under the second criteria.

Applying for a Permit to Receive EBT Cards and Food Stamps

If you are eligible as a retailer that could accept food assistance vouchers, like food stamps or EBT transactions, then you have to apply for a permit through the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS).

You can receive an application for a permit by mail, after calling the FNS hotline and requesting one.

Alternatively, you can go online and use the online store application form for accepting EBT payments.

The application process requires a store to submit a number of documents with their application. Including:

·          Social Security information for you and any other business owners, partners or primary shareholders

·          A copy of your driver’s license or another form of photo identification

·          A copy of your business’ current license, such as a sales tax permit or other documentation

The approval process can take up to 45 days before a retail business is approved or denied for a permit.

There is no charge for applying for a food stamp permit. However, if your application is declined, you have to wait half a calendar year before applying again.

What Products Do EBT Benefits Buy?

EBT payments can be made on items that fall into the essential staple food groups: breads and cereals; fruits and vegetables; meats, fish and poultry; dairy products; and seeds and plants which produce food for a household to eat.

Conversely, this federal aid cannot be used for paper goods and hygiene/grooming items, pet food, beer/wine/liquor, vitamins or food that will be eaten on premise.

There are also a number of articles that are currently eligible for SNAP benefits, but whose eligibility status has been questioned before.

For example, food items like soft drinks, candy, ice cream, energy drinks and other “junk food” items are eligible, but many people question their nutritional value and thus their inclusion in an aid program centered around bringing proper nutrition to less financially stable individuals.

Other special occasion items, such as pumpkins on Halloween and birthday cakes, are also eligible, as long as the item is edible.

Decorative items, like a Christmas tree, on the other hand, aren’t eligible for SNAP assistance.

How to Configure an Item in the System to qualify on EBT

Under Product/Items module>Product/items>go to the specific item that qualifies to be eligible and there is a section for EBT MenuItem as an option, Turn this switch to ON and this Item will now fall as eligible to be paid with an EBT Card. See Example below:

Note: Only eligible food items should be given the EBT option.

EBT can only be done on a pax device.

Below is an example of what is needed to create a payment method for EBT as a separate payment Method setup like the example below

Payment on the Pos

EBT tender payment will only charge for ebt items

so lets say 1 check has 3 items, each item is $10.

and there are 2 ebt items in it and 1 non ebt

when we press ebt tender, it will only charge $20 and will show $10 as remaining balance

and the 20 dollar will come up automatically as soon as we choose ebt.

Then complete the payment for the rest of the check with what tender you are paying the remaining amount of the check with.