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Anyone have a perspective on accepting EBT

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debbie9025

New member
What are the rules for accepting EBT in Michigan…I see all the time Subway signs saying "Now accepting EBT, cash portion only) …Whats that all about??? I know all I have to do is call the state and get any EBT number, but what can I actually sell out of my pizza shop…And who actually regulates what Im selling to EBT card holders???
 
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2 liters and take and bake pizza, In Indiana we don’t have a cash portion. but anything that is prepared is a no no…
I know of one shop that does something a little sketchy, he sales a take and bake pizza rings it up, then in a separate transaction rings up a service fee for cooking it. the take and bakes are cheaper at his store…I don’t know if I would travel in that water…
 
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Rockstar,

i have heard of this also i think it was in Texas and they said it was legal as long as the pie is paid for before cooking it i am sure that is not what is happening, and as long as the Govt isnt getting charged the cooking fee then it might be alright
 
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Ok… not that I like the idea how some people use government assistance but would it not also be totally legit and legal to charge normal menu or coupon prices for a pizza and then offer “free” cooking if required? We all know what is going on… so why even bother with two transactions. The rules say no prepared items… but does not limit what you pay for the item too start with. It’s like the little shop in the news around here that was selling t-shirts for a whole lot of money… ie: they could use the clothing allowance portion of their money…oh… and the free carton of cigs that were thrown in I am sure helped sales out. Another story that pops into my head is… my wife is a manager at a jewelry store, and after our little town of 130,000 people was flooded and under water for 3 months in 2008 the “victims” of it all got state and federal debit cards pre-loaded with $500 per household member if you lived in the flooded area. It was flat out amazing how many people with all their extended relatives lived in those 100 year old houses by the river. It was like 4 generations of family in a 2 bedroom house. I wish I lived by the river. The funny thing was the number of people that used that emergency assistance to buy JEWELRY!!! The store actually had to inquire with corporate office and then with FEMA if they could accept the cards for payment. Now the best thing of it all… an email from FEMA: YES THEY CAN BUY EMERGENCY JEWELRY!!! WTF!!! Tax dollars at work…and you wonder why the gov is broke. Two years later and the city is still only about 50% rebuilt and still arguing with the gov about paying for real and actual damages. Oh…but do not worry… all emergency jewelry needs have been taken care of. Just to help with the laugh here… the city/feds set up an office in the mall where the jewelry store is to help people get these cards. They would actually get the cards and then spend the emergency funds before they even left the building. WTF!!! :shock:
 
OK…But what about the “RULES”…And what about Subway saying cash portion only…Can anyone answer that???Subways food is all prepared there. So what are the customers using EBT actually purchasing??
 
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I am guessing here but I am thinking some states give the receipients a “cash” portion that can be used for anything with the exception of cigs and alcohol. Allowing for purchase of prepared items. Just a guess. :?:
 
My wife worked at a regional gas station chain when we met in college. She told me people were able to use their EBT to buy anything that wasn’t pre-cooked or pre-heated. They could buy the burrito in the cooler, but they couldn’t use the microwave to warm it up.

I remember reading an article about Papa Murphy’s once that stated a huge percentage of their sales were to people using EBT cards.

I also sold a pizza to a couple the other day who spent $12 on a 10" pizza, then debated where to get their soda.
“Let’s just go to the gas station over there.”
“No, that one doesn’t take food stamps.”
“But, the grocery store is, like, 5 blocks away. I still have some cash.”
“No, we might as well use our food stamps for a couple Cokes.”
:roll:
 
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I researched the web on MI about EBT. And it really does not have any rules and regulations on the use of the card. So I guess I will just have to call someone from the state regarding the rules and regulations…
 
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When you meet with this person, ask them to show you in a manual or guide or handbook or something where the rules are, and specifically, if they tell you something is OK that you have the slightest tingling of doubt about. If a person from a government agency gives you bad advise verbally and you get busted, you are on your own. If they have a publication that says what you did was legal you should be safe.
 
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