imadv8r2 t1_j260p1m wrote on December 29, 2022 at 10:28 PM

They do take EBT/SNAP and no, not all grocery stores do.

Hot foods, prepared foods that can be eaten on premises, alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, pet food, paper products, household supplies, toiletries and medicines are generally not eligible for EBT/SNAP, so I’m not sure what Murray Avenue Kosher is doing, if they are actually selling deli foods for immediate consumption.

The Squirrel Hill Market on Murray Avenue takes EBT/SNAP, but they only have packaged foods, nothing ready to eat. That said, they have everything from local and regional favorites to imported and gourmet specialties, so you can explore some new and different foods there, too.

colawars t1_j264bv5 wrote on December 29, 2022 at 10:52 PM

"Ready to eat" is different from prepared hot foods. You can order cold sandwiches at Speedway made to order and put it on your EBT card, and I -think- you can do the same at GetGo and Sheetz. It's just like grabbing a premade hoagie out of the cooler at Giant Eagle.

When I worked at a convenience store 20 years ago, fountain drinks couldn't be put on EBT unless you kept the straw out of it. I don't know if that's an -official- rule or if the store owner just made shit up, but as soon as a straw was inserted in a fountain drink in the store, it was considered "prepared food." 🤷 "Gotta go outside and do it, not my rules."

A lot of delis and bakeries take EBT because it's just the same type of thing as visiting the bakery or deli at a supermarket.

1MagnificentMagnolia t1_j262xe5 wrote on December 29, 2022 at 10:43 PM

> I’m not sure what Murray Avenue Kosher is doing, if they are actually selling deli foods for immediate consumption.

There's no place to eat on the premises, perhaps that's why... no different than Giant Eagle Bakery

OllieFromCairo t1_j279jr5 wrote on December 30, 2022 at 3:48 AM

Deli foods prepared for immediate consumption are SNAP eligible. Calm down.

PaulyPlaya24 t1_j2c33hy wrote on December 31, 2022 at 3:32 AM

The reason why EBT only takes cold prepared foods instead of hot is because they are then getting into the restaurant category for EBT. The Circle K near me has hot breakfast sandwiches and cold breakfast sandwiches. If I wanted to use my EBT card I had to get the cold ones, pay for it, then I could microwave it in their microwave. I could not nuke it before I paid for it. If I did I would have to pay cash just like I bought one under the heat lamp as opposed to the cooler. If they would let me use my EBT for a hot one, then we’re getting into the category would go through the drive-through of McDonald’s and get a McMuffin with my EBT. That’s not going to happen so I understand why things have to be cold.