H.R. 10268: Ending Restaurant Purchases with SNAP Act of 2026

This bill would eliminate the

restaurant meals program

within SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). That program currently lets certain states allow eligible SNAP recipients to buy prepared meals at participating restaurants instead of only grocery items.

What changes it would make

• It removes language in federal law that allows private restaurants to contract with states to provide discounted meals under SNAP.
• It deletes references to the state restaurant option that serves elderly, disabled, and homeless SNAP recipients.
• It repeals the specific section of law that authorizes this restaurant-meals option.
• It also removes a related requirement in SNAP’s retailer rules that currently references restaurants in that program.

Practical effect

If enacted, states would no longer be able to run restaurant meal programs under SNAP. In practice, this would mean SNAP benefits could generally not be used to buy prepared food from participating restaurants under that option. People who currently rely on the program in participating states would lose that ability after the bill takes effect.

Timing

The bill would take effect 180 days after enactment, giving agencies and states about six months to adjust.

Relevant Companies

• None found