GOP Representative proposes ending SNAP restaurant meal purchases
Rep. Brandon Gill introduced legislation to terminate the SNAP Restaurant Meals Program, preventing beneficiaries from using food stamps at restaurants.
Freshman Rep. Brandon Gill announced a measure to eliminate the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program’s Restaurant Meals Program, which currently lets recipients purchase prepared food at certain restaurants. Gill argued that over $500 million was spent on restaurant meals in nine states between June 2023 and May 2025, diverting funds from grocery purchases. The legislation would still allow public and nonprofit organizations to provide meals to eligible disabled and elderly individuals, including home-delivery services.
The RMP, created by the 1977 Food and Agriculture Act, was meant for people without cooking or storage options, but Gill and other Republicans say it has become dominated by large fast-food chains. In June, Gill debated SNAP policy director Gina Plata-Nino over the use of stamps for items like soda, and later joined Senators led by Joni Ernst in urging the Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services to tighten the program’s rules.
Why it matters
The proposal could reshape how federal nutrition aid is used, potentially redirecting billions toward grocery purchases instead of restaurant meals.
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