As SNAP Benefits Lapse, Restaurants Are Stepping Up

Welcome to Deep Dish, a weekly roundup of food and entertainment news. Last week we discussed the Uncrustables v. Trader Joe’s legal woes.

We’re entering dangerous times for American foodways. As the government shutdown continues into its fourth week, lack of federal funds will start directly impacting millions of Americans who rely on SNAP, the supplemental nutrition assistance program also known as food stamps. The Trump administration has already taken a $130 million donation from reclusive billionaire Timothy Mellon in order to cover the salaries of active-duty troops and has diverted tariff revenues to keep funding for the women and children-centric food assistance programs, also known as WIC, active. But, as of late last week, Trump’s representatives stated that no emergency funds would be used to cover SNAP benefits. In response to this emerging crisis, restaurants have stepped up to help feed their communities.

Also this week, celebrity chef José Andres reveals his latest cookbook, the strange case of two hyper-specific vending machines, and the neverending epic of Cracker Barrel’s redesign fiasco adds yet another chapter.

Restaurants Step in to Feed Those in Need

When SNAP benefits lapse in November, some 42 million Americans will be forced to find other ways to feed themselves and their families. But in many communities, restaurants are stepping in to try to ensure no one goes hungry. On the West coast, San José’s Tony & Alba’s Pizza and Pasta is offering free pizza, pasta, fruit, and a drink to children and parents with an EBT card. A number of Phoenix restaurants have offered similar deals, and restaurants across Maine have done the same. “We all need help sometimes. Just ask,” Tony & Alba’s wrote in an Instagram post. “We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone.” —Sam Stone, staff writer

José Andrés’ New Cookbook Transports Us to a Languorous Spanish Dreamland

Renowned chef and founder of World Central Kitchen, José Andés, gave us a preview of his latest cookbook, Spain My Way: Eat, Drink and Cook like a Spaniard ahead of its release in May of 2026. We should all be so lucky to experience Spain Andrés’s way: with mouthwatering paellas, burnished basque cheesecakes, and intimate anecdotes based on his experiences in Barcelona, Madrid, and many other places. Until you can get yourself to Spain, settle in with some boquerones, and cook your way through Andrés’s latest book. —S.S.

Two Very Specific Food Vending Machines Made Waves This Week

In case the cheesemonger wasn’t an efficient enough supplier of your charcuterie board, might I suggest paying a visit to the 24/7 cheese vending machine in the Hamptons? By the looks of Ina Garten’s Instagram post (“Only in the Hamptons!,” she writes cheekily in the caption), the machine appears to boast, beyond wedges and wheels, canned olive oil, jarred honey, cornichons, crackers, and other fancy provisions. Over on the opposite coast in San Francisco, Pasta Supply Co. debuted a vending machine of their own, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, slinging fresh pasta, containers of sauce, meatballs, and garlic bread. A few thoughts: One, I hope the machine is sufficiently climate controlled. Two, how is a glass jar of fig jam supposed to plummet from its shelf without cracking disastrously before retrieval? Accepting any and all tips from those in Sag Harbor and SF, respectively. —Li Goldstein, associate newsletter editor