EBT Outage at 24/7 Convenience Stores Causes Confusion and Frustration
People planning to pay for food early Thursday morning were greeted at 24/7 convenience stores with a message — “No EBT.”
DownDetector tracked EBT issues picking up around midnight ET Thursday nationwide.
Disruption and Resolution
By 6 a.m. ET, the reported outages appeared to be subsiding.
The exact root of the payment issue wasn’t clear.
What are SNAP Benefits?
What are SNAP Benefits?
“Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) is an electronic system that allows a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participant to pay for food using SNAP benefits,” the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Nutrition Service says. “When a participant shops at a SNAP authorized retail store, their SNAP EBT account is debited to reimburse the store for food that was purchased.”
USDA Response
The USDA overnight didn’t post any message about issues with EBT outages.
Conclusion
The EBT outage at 24/7 convenience stores caused inconvenience to many people who rely on the service to purchase food. Although the exact cause of the issue is unclear, it is reassuring that the outages appeared to subside by 6 a.m. ET. The importance of EBT as a vital service for those who need it cannot be overstated, and any issues with the system can cause significant disruption to daily life.
FAQs
Q: What is EBT?
A: Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) is an electronic system that allows Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants to pay for food using SNAP benefits.
Q: What are SNAP benefits?
A: SNAP benefits are funds allocated to individuals and families who need assistance with food purchasing.
Q: How does EBT work?
A: When a SNAP participant shops at a SNAP authorized retail store, their SNAP EBT account is debited to reimburse the store for food that was purchased.
Q: Why did the EBT outage occur?
A: The exact cause of the EBT outage is unclear, but it appears that the issue was resolved by 6 a.m. ET.
