U.S. taxpayers are shelling out nearly $250 million a year so SNAP recipients can buy fast-food meals — and it’s happening almost entirely in blue states, according to Republican Sen. Joni Ernst. Her office found that nine states, including California, New York, Illinois, and Michigan, are allowing SNAP dollars to be used at fast-food chains under a little-known loophole. Only one of the nine states isn’t Democrat-run: Virginia.
SNAP was originally created to help low-income Americans buy basic groceries — meat, produce, staple foods to cook at home. Hot meals were never supposed to qualify. But a 1977 carve-out created the Restaurant Meals Program, allowing homeless individuals without a kitchen to buy prepared food.
Over the years, eligibility quietly expanded to include the elderly, disabled, and their spouses. And what was supposed to be a tiny program suddenly exploded — especially in California, where Democrats expanded it statewide in 2021. That move opened the door to massive chains like McDonald’s, Domino’s, and Jack in the Box accepting taxpayer-funded SNAP dollars.
Ernst’s office found more than $475 million in taxpayer money was spent on fast-food meals through RMP between June 2023 and May 2025. California alone made up over 90% of the spending. Nationwide, the program totaled $524 million — meaning the vast majority went to quick-serve restaurants, not grocery stores.
“The ‘N’ in SNAP stands for nutrition, not nuggets with a side of fries,” Ernst told Fox News Digital. She added, “I wish I was McRibbing you but $250 million per year at the drive-through is no joke… taxpayers are not lovin’ it.” Her office released new state-by-state numbers showing millions flowing through fast-food counters across the country.
Arizona saw $41.4 million spent through the program. New York took in $3.6 million. The rest ranged from a few hundred thousand to over a million, depending on the state. Even tiny Rhode Island saw almost a million dollars spent on hot meals using SNAP benefits.
On Thursday, Ernst introduced the McSCUSE ME Act, aimed at reining in the out-of-control program. Her bill would keep the benefit for homeless, elderly, and disabled individuals — but eliminate spousal eligibility. It would also block most fast-food restaurants from participating and shift the program toward grocery store hot bars for healthier prepared options.
The bill would force states to publicly report how many restaurants participate, how many beneficiaries use the program, and how much it costs taxpayers each year. Ernst argues the transparency is overdue — especially after the government just ended a 43-day shutdown that put SNAP under scrutiny for fraud and mismanagement.
With the government reopened, the Trump administration has ordered all SNAP recipients to reapply to verify eligibility. Officials say it’s part of a broader crackdown to stop waste, abuse, and fraud within the massive food-assistance system.