CalFresh Restaurant Meals Program

The CalFresh Restaurant Meals Program (RMP) is a statewide program that provides eligible households the option to use their CalFresh food benefits to purchase hot and/or prepared meals at any authorized restaurant throughout California.

Refer to Homeless Households and Elderly or Disabled [63-102(e)(i)] in the CalFresh Handbook for detailed policy information on homeless, disabled and elderly CalFresh households.

RMP Eligiblity 

For a household to be eligible for the RMP, all members of the household must be:

  • 60 years of age or older, or
  • A person with a disability, including but not limited to individuals who receive:
    • Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
    • Social Security disability 
    • Blindness benefits
    • Disability-related Medi-Cal or Medicaid
    • Disability-related General Assistance (GA)
    • Interim assistance pending receipt of SSI
    • Public disability retirement pensions
    • Railroad Retirement disability annuity payments and/or Veterans’ disability compensation, or
  • A person experiencing homelessness, or
  • The spouse of a CalFresh household member who is 60 years of age or older, or
  • The spouse of a CalFresh household member who is a person with a disability.

Households that include at least one member who does not meet RMP eligibility criteria are ineligible for the RMP.

Exception: Spouses do not have to meet the age or disability criteria for RMP.

Authorized Representatives

CalFresh allows authorized representatives (AR) to act on behalf of a household in the CalFresh application process, as well as obtaining and using benefits. ARs have no impact on a household’s RMP eligibility and are not considered when making the RMP eligibility determination.

Restaurant Meals Program Household Composition Examples

Houeshold Composition Eligible for RMP

Household of Two

  • Person 1 – age 62
  • Person 2 – age 58 (spouse of person 1) 
   Yes

Household of Two

  • Person 1 –age 50 
  • Person 2 – age 55 with a disability (spouse of person 1)
   Yes

Household of Two

  • Person 1 – age 67
  • Person 2 – age 70

Authorized Representative – age 35

   Yes

Household of Three

  • Person 1 – age 65 
  • Person 2 – age 55 (spouse of person 1)
  • Person 3 – age 10
   No

Household of Three

  • Person 1 – age 50 with a disability
  • Person 2 – age 50 (spouse of person 1)
  • Person 3 – age 25
   No

Household of Two

  • Person 1 – age 35
  • Person 2 – age 15 with a disability
     
   No
Household of Two
  • Person 1 – homeless
  • Person 2 – homeless
 Yes

CF 889

The county is required to provide the Approval/Termination of the CalFresh Restaurant Meals Program (CF 889) to all households that are approved for or terminated from the CalFresh RMP. This notice must be provided to the household whenever they become eligible for the RMP or become ineligible for the RMP. Follow the instructions below when completing the form.

Approval

Approval for the CalFresh Restaurant Meals Program:

This box must be checked when a household is eligible to participate in the RMP. The NA BACK 9 is required.

 

Note: The termination section must not be generated when this notice is used as an approval for RMP.

Termination

Termination from the CalFresh Restaurant Meals Program:

This box must be checked when a household is being terminated from the RMP due to a change in household circumstances. The NA BACK 9 is required.

Here's why:
This section must be completed to inform households why their access to the RMP is being terminated.

  • Your household is no longer homeless.
    • This box must be checked if the household is no longer experiencing homelessness.
  • One or more members of your household is not age 60 or older or disabled (not including spouse). 
    • This box must be checked if one or more members of the household is not age 60 or older, or a person with a disability. 
  • Other:
    • This box must be checked if there is another reason for termination 
      from the RMP, such as a county error. A written explanation for the 
      client must be provided.

Note: The approval section must not be generated when this notice is used for termination from the RMP.

County Responsibilities

Counties must:

  • Certify eligible households to participate in the RMP;
  • Inform households of their eligibility for the RMP at application, recertification, SAR 7, or any time there is a change in household circumstances;
  • Provide the CF 889 to all households that are approved for or terminated from the CalFresh RMP, whenever they become eligible or ineligible.
  • Inform RMP eligible households of the names and addresses of participating RMP restaurant vendors in their county; and
  • Provide information on the RMP to CalFresh program participants and let them know that they can use their CalFresh benefits at any participating location throughout the state.

Note: For a list of approved vendors refer to CDSS Restaurant Meals Program website. A postcard directing clients to the website is available in lobby areas and may also be handed out by staff. 

Documentation

The case record should specifically address whether the household is eligible or ineligible for the RMP.
 

Restrictions

Per FNS and the CDSS, gift card purchases (even for the cards that are only redeemable for food) are not eligible for RMP. The RMP is only for meals purchased by eligible elderly, homeless or disabled CalFresh households at approved restaurants.