Partners

The CalFresh Restaurant Meals Program Partner Resource

CalFresh Restaurant Meals Program Information for Interested Restaurant Vendors

The CalFresh Restaurant Meals Program (RMP) offers interested restaurant owners an opportunity to increase revenue while supporting the community.

Participation is Easy!

Restaurant owners interested in partnering with the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) in becoming a participating RMP vendor must follow the steps below:

Search for the ZIP code where your restaurant is located using the RMP SERVICE AREA list.
- If your ZIP code is in an eligible service area, you may move onto the next step. If your restaurant is not in an eligible service area, you are not approved to participate in RMP at this time. Should you have any questions, email CDSSRMP@dss.ca.gov.
Fill out the Restaurant Meals Program Online Vendor Intake Form.
- To participate in the RMP, restaurant owners must enter into an agreement with the CDSS. To enter into an agreement, you must first complete the Online Vendor Intake Form at calfresh.dss.ca.gov/rmp/. Information that you submit through this new intake form will be used for your agreement. Please read the form’s instructions carefully before you begin your intake form submission.
Sign the Permanent Single Agreement (PSA) contract. This will be emailed to the restaurant owner via an Adobe eSign request after your Online Vendor Intake Form submission has been approved by the RMP team.
- Please expect this signature request to be sent within 10 business days after you have submitted the online intake form. Once the restaurant owner has signed, they will receive a copy of the completed PSA contract.
Complete the RMP Restaurant Vendor federal application
- After receiving the signed PSA contract, restaurant owners must submit a federal application to the United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Services (USDA-FNS) to become an authorized RMP restaurant vendor. Review and complete the USDA SNAP APPLICATION FOR MEAL SERVICES (FNS 252-2) and gather all required supporting documentation, as noted in the FNS 252-2, which includes the PSA contract as the “contract with the state agency”.
- Please note that you may not submit a federal application package to USDA-FNS until you have been approved by CDSS and received your signed PSA.
Submit your federal RMP application to USDA-FNS via United States Postal Service (USPS) standard mail, to the following address:

Retail Service Center – 1-877-823-4369
ATTN: CA RMP
USDA
Food and Nutrition Services
PO Box 7228
Falls Church, VA 22040
- Your application package will consist of the signed PSA provided by CDSS, the completed FNS 252-2, and required supporting documentation, as noted in the FNS 252-2.
- USDA-FNS will review your RMP application package and respond with an approval, denial, or further information.
- This process can take up to 4 months. Please contact the USDA-FNS directly for updates on your application; CDSS will not have this information.
- If the application package is denied, please reach out to FNS directly at 1-877-823-4369 for more information.
- Once approved, you must acquire a POINT OF SALE (POS) MACHINE (see footnote below) that will accept CalFresh Food Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) transactions and post the RMP VENDOR SIGNAGE on your restaurant storefront.

Footnote: RMP restaurant vendors are responsible for the cost of setting up a POS Machine. In addition, the POS Machine must be in full operation before an announcement is made to the public of the restaurant vendor’s RMP status.

CalFresh Restaurant Meals Program for County Partners:

The CalFresh RMP was established through Assembly Bill (AB) 942 (Chapter 814, Statutes of 2019). For the statewide implementation, County Welfare Departments (CWD) chose one of three options:

Maintain administration of an existing RMP,
Transition the administration of an existing RMP to CDSS, or
Opt for CDSS to newly implement the RMP in the county.

As of November 2021, CDSS is overseeing the administration of the RMP in 56 of 58 counties, with 2 counties maintaining local administration. For more information on the statewide implementation of the RMP, please reference ACL 21-100.

CalFresh Restaurant Meals Program Partner Resources:

CalFresh Restaurant Meals Program Partner Toolkit Materials:

CalFresh Restaurant Meals Program Client Toolkit Materials:

Contact the CalFresh Restaurant Meals Program Unit:

If you have any questions or would like to request a phone call, please email CDSSRMP@dss.ca.gov.