Woman Uses EBT At Publix And Was Denied A Sandwich Because They Heated It

Government has all kinds of laws. They help arrange life in society, and without them, we would have anarchy.

To avoid any possibility of misuse, these laws are sometimes incredibly detailed. We have one of those stories today.

It's about how one turn in a microwave made one person ineligible to get a meal. In a TikTok video captioned "my blood is boiling, and my mouth is watering," user tiktoshh expressed her frustration after being denied the use of her EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer) card to purchase a sandwich and some sides at Publix.

The server mistakenly heated the sandwich, making it ineligible for purchase with an EBT card. This program is a crucial resource for those with low income, but specific rules must be followed.

For example, EBT cards are only to be used for cold items that can be prepared outside the establishment from which they're bought. Understandably, this TikTok user's video caused quite a stir.

At Publix, @tiktoshh selected a sandwich, donuts, and some chips. However, when she attempted to pay with her EBT card, the worker at the register informed her that it couldn't be used for that particular purchase. Puzzled, the TikToker told the woman that she had used it there before, to which the worker replied, "You've got a hot sandwich, ma'am."

Read the full story below:

This woman's story went viral:

tiktoshh via TikTok “Well, I didn’t ask for a hot sandwich,” the TikToker responded to the cashier.“The clerk warmed it up,” she said in reply.“Well, un-warm it!” @tiktoshh yelled in response as she concluded her video.

Electronic Benefits Transfer is a system that allows those in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to use their SNAP benefits to purchase food. When a participant shops at a store approved by the SNAP program, the money is deducted from the EBT account for the food that was bought.

It is utilized in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Guam, and it has been the only way to receive SNAP benefits since June of 2004.

People who watched the TikTok shared some tips on how to use an EBT card, while others found the video amusing without realizing the underlying issue. It's unfair to deny someone a meal simply because they asked for it to be heated, especially when that wasn't even requested. Publix, please do better!

Viewers expressed their opinions on the narrative and identified companies that accept EBT for potential future purchases.

tiktoshh via TikTok

So many technicalities:

tiktoshh via TikTok

Just wait for it to cool down:)

tiktoshh via TikTok

From 2013 to 2019, the number of people in the United States receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits — formerly Food Stamps — steadily declined. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic started in 2020, the number of people using this program jumped sharply, from 35.7 million to almost 40 million.

Data from the KIDS COUNT® Data Center shows that the number of people using the program has continued to rise in 2021, reaching approximately 41.5 million.