CHICAGO, Ill (WTVO) — The Illinois Restaurant Meals Program (RMP) has expanded to 50 participating restaurants across 16 counties, allowing eligible SNAP recipients to purchase prepared meals using their link cards, according to the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS).
Officials said the program is continuing its statewide expansion and is designed to help SNAP users who may have difficulty purchasing or preparing meals themselves. IDHS estimates 400,000 households are provided access to prepared meals through the program
RMP serves SNAP households where all members are one or more of the following:
are spouses of eligible elderly or disabled customers
are experiencing homelessness
RMP officials said the program has a long-term goal of establishing participation in every Illinois county and is seeking additional restaurants throughout the state.
“For SNAP households that may have difficulties with purchasing and preparing meals themselves, the RMP provides options to access prepared meals in their communities,” said IDHS Secretary Dulce M. Quintero. “We are proud to expand this program across the state and support access to food resources in Illinois.”
The program launched as a pilot in 2022 and opened additional opportunities for restaurants to apply for the program in June 2025.
Restaurants interested in participating can complete an online intake survey to determine whether they meet program requirements. More information and application details are available on the IDHS website.
Officials said eligible households receive a notice when they qualify for the program. At any time, customers can also check their status by logging into their EBT account and reviewing the wallet screen above their balance.
A full list of participating restaurants and locations is available on the IDHS website.
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