EAGLE-EYED social media users have spotted posts claiming restaurant chains are giving away free meals to Americans receiving SNAP payments.
The chains dishing out the “free meals,” include fan favourites Olive Garden, Red Lobster, McDonald’s and Popeyes.
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Red Lobster responded to the advertisements circulating on social mediaCredit: Alamy
Olive Garden are said to be dishing out free meals for SNAP payment beneficiariesCredit: Getty
Popeyes were also said to be participating in the free food dealsCredit: Getty
These advertisements come amid the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) being halted as officials claim, the “well has run dry”.
SNAP payments provide 42 million Americans with cash to aid the cost of their shopping and while they don’t usually include restaurant meals, social media posts have declared chains want to “take care of the community”.
The federal government shutdown has entered its second month- leaving low and no-income families with no benefit payments.
Free meals might sound a little too good to be true and while the chains have not publicly made statements, the evidence amounting against the adverts doesn’t look promising.
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After a string of unofficial X accounts posted the adverts some restaurants have been forced to hit back.
The first post to surface on X was from the account handle “Followed by Feds” they suggested Olive Garden and Red Lobster were offering free food to SNAP beneficiaries.
Followed by Feds shared multiple images styled with company logos and fans were sure the claims were legitimate.
Another X account, “BowTiedYukon” then shared a poster allegedly from Popeyes dishing out free meals to people affected by the government shutdown.
These cruel claims amounted in a whirlwind on social media and before the fast food giant knew it, McDonald’s were also reportedly offering free McDoubles, small golden fries and drinks to SNAP cardholders.
“McDonald’s” were said to “understand times were tough” and they would be “helping things in a snap,” at participating locations; the fake advert was shared by the X account “8 Ball”.
Red Lobster slammed the false claims, writing on X the poster offering out free meals to SNAP recipients was fake.
They said: “This is not a legitimate Red Lobster offer and will not be honoured in our restaurants.”
A representative for Olive Garden, Brittany Baron, said: “The image you shared is not real.”
McDonald’s were said to be ‘handing out McDoubles and small golden fries’Credit: Getty
An Olive Garden spokesperson branded the adverts ‘not real’Credit: Getty
The offers shared on social media cannot be found on any of the chain restaurants official websites or social media pages, meaning they are unlikely to be fulfilled by the restaurants.
There is a Restaurant Meals Program but it’s limited to a few states and only certain people receiving SNAP payments are eligible.
The people who qualify are thought to be those who are elderly, disabled, or homeless and they are only permitted to buy prepared food at approved locations- Olive Garden and Red Lobster appear not to participate in the programme.
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Unfortunately there appears to be no truth to the free food deals.
Popeyes and McDonald’s have yet to respond to the faux adverts.
‘McDonald’s’ said they ‘understood times were tough’ in the faux advertisement circulating on XCredit: Alamy
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