correction: yes as of march 2022.

they do not accept SNAP and i don't shop there because of it. it feels elitist.

What? They absolutely do take snap, just used it there a few days ago. Dang dude, go shop at trader joes! It's the best option in the area by far. Sad you have missed out due to misinformation!

as of march 2022 they began accepting EBT. i looked into this about a year ago. still feels elitist. still not going.

Yes they do. I believe all grocery stores do, or at least I've never heard of one not accepting it. (Some don't accept WIC). Murray Ave Kosher in Squirrel Hill can even charge ready made food from their deli onto EBT/SNAP, and it's worth a try if you like Jewish deli foods, salads, chicken etc

Edit for those saying it's fraud. I don't know the law, but how is it different than buying baked goods at GE bakery eg bagels, pies, cookies etc or from other departments that prepackage prepared foods? Those items are also ready made/to eat.

Anyhow, for those who are truly most disadvantaged (homeless/transient), how are they supposed to realistically keep and prepare ingredients? I understand the drain on the welfare budget allowing all restaurant foods would cause, but let's be realistic about some situations people face. A hot and wholesome meal may only be available through a sitdown restaurant for some, and there's no reason why for them EBT shouldn't be allowed in such establishments.

Lmao oh brother. Sure, hipster or even pretentious could describe TJs but the fact that they cut out out the middle man and have affordable prices for very high quality items…. Idk man. Elitist is wild. Whole Foods is elitist. If you choose giant eagle over Trader Joe’s that’s elitist to me. TJs is way less corporate-overlord like.

yes trader joe's accepts EBT

They did in Arizona, they probably do here as well.

Yea they do, all grocery stores do take snaps it’s just that snap doesn’t cover all items like speciality items

Most grocery stores take snap just be careful at local stores or some down at the strip district

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.

> 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

"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.

If they are charging ready made food to EBT/SNAP that’s fraud and I’m reporting accordingly. There’s plenty of people who really need help with this and to see grifting like that makes my blood boil.

EBT and food stamps can be used on non-hot foods. You can buy cold prepared things but nothing hot. Pretty much any chain grocery store will take them. Same goes for sheetz, anything prepackaged and cool is fair game, but MTO wouldn’t be an option.

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Look out it's captain buzzkillington over here

Stop being a cop, asshole. “Plenty of people who really need help with this” work two jobs and don’t have fucking time to cook dinner.

actually the walmart in bethel park doesnt accept EBT i was shocked i had to leave my items i just went to giant eagle next door. the last time i had 40 hours on paper was july 2020 this is learning everything all over . im thankful

Not only is this completely wrong you also just sound like a really shitty person

You can use SNAP for ready made food as long as it’s COLD food. I have purchased ready made food at Sheetz many times at various locations.

They’ve always accepted EBT when I’ve shopped there over at least the last 5 years.

American Natural (gas station/food) does NOT take EBT. This is the only chain store I have encountered that doesn’t.

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Cold Sheetz hoagies are definitely covered on the MTO menu. Not sure about anything else.

But with EBT at GE with an advantage account you essentially get free gas

The only store I have ever known not to accept food stamps is Delallo Italian Market in Jeanette,PA.

This is incorrect information. They’ve accepted SNAP for as long as I can remember.

Yes

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Fraud is bad, actually

Straight up, fraud against the government isn't bad.

Brain dead take

Oh thanks for reporting them. I’m so happy that my tax dollars will be better funneled to private military contracts and tax cuts for large corporations instead of assisting people with their basic fucking needs you cretin.

You should probably educate yourself on the SNAP laws before you hurt yourself.

It’s perfectly legal if the food is cold.

Stop being a jerk.

Except it’s not fraud. You just don’t know the actual law.

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

East End Food Co Op takes it, as well as the farmer's markets in the spring to summer.

Agreed. Honestly, man food is fucking food. Hot, cold, warm, etc. Humans need to eat. The obvious argument most folks have is how the money is spent, which makes zero sense because again food is food. As long as the money is being used towards food, it shouldn't matter how it's prepared.The money is also being put back into the local economy.

You’re right, which is why I didn’t have anything to say about the law

So, you just randomly walk into conversations and say “Fraud is bad, actually” without knowing anything about the context of the conversation.

Weird hobby.

Scrooge mcduck little bitch 🦆💰

I think any normal person could understand what I’m saying in the context I’m saying it

The only place I have ever known that doesn’t take SNAP is the Walmart in bethel park.

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Any normal person would think youre an overbearing judgemental asshole. And i do. And you are.

Poor people aren't allowed food. If you can't afford gas or electricity too bad.

Should've decided to get a third job or be born sooner.

Bet you try to get out of taxes you dense git. Poor/struggling folks deserve a hot meals in between there 2 or 3 minimum wage jobs and unaffordable childcare.

It will pay for everything there except paper products like tp or paper towels, soap, flowers. If it’s food even junk food snap will cover it.

they take SNAP for everything is food.

>you can buy cold prepared things but nothing hot.

You can get like, rotisserie chicken and stuff from the hot bar at like, whole foods.

Eat shit, Dan.

Sheetz does. Pretty certain you can get just about anything on snap outside of your typical limitations. You can even get a cold mto sub on snap

I do too....cuz he is

I feel the same way when I hear(normally a boomer) bitch and moan about food stamps being used on steaks.....like they think poor people should only get block cheese and 80/20 burger 24/7 as punishment for being poor.

"Can you belive they let these people get shrimp with our tax dollars...."

Food is food, it shouldn't be anyone's business how the snap is used so long as it's used on food

Proof that money is fungible - we buy you food, And you can afford a smart phone to argue with people on reddit.

I hope you fall into less fortunate times financially. Maybe you would get perspective and quit being a waste of oxygen you cruel, pious toolbag.

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We do. You got mad about fraud that doesn’t actually exist, and then when you got called on it you said “I’m just talking about fraud in general” instead of owning up to the fact that you didn’t know the law, as if that comment made any sense in the context of the conversation.

Oh don't worry, "you" paid for the smart phone too!

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You’re misreading things or perhaps meant to respond to someone else. I’m not mad about anything.

Are you really going to complain about the pennies you give to the program?

Dollar Tree takes SNAP for their food items. Janoski's market in Clinton does also, to my surprise

I've definitely eaten some things marketed as food that were not, in retrospect, actually food.

(Just making fun of my poor life choices and some of the stuff out there, not about how it can be purchased)

life hack get go also takes them (at most locations, but not at some like the one in squirrel hill i think) except for prepared foods like anywhere else, so that’s nice because most gas stations don’t take it

yes it also makes my blood boil to see low income people have meals. who do they think they are, acting like they deserve MEALS?! horrible, just horrible.

adding on to this, if you use EBT at the bloomfield saturday market, you actually get more to spend. it's a program called food bucks where you get an extra $2 to spend on food for every $5 you spend. this may be true at citiparks markets as well but i can o ly say bloomfield does it for sure.

Seconding this! It’s called the Fresh Access program, which is run through Just Harvest. They partner with Citiparks markets as well. You can find more info about the program and locations here.

They do! The USDA has a SNAP Retailer Locator that allows you to locate SNAP-authorized retailers by entering a street address, city and state, or zip code. Has definitely saved me in a pinch when I first got on SNAP and wasn’t sure which stores accepted it.

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.

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