Baker Refuses To Sell Pies To Food Stamp Customers
By: Amy Jeanroy
Published: August 16, 2012

A Baker in Walpole, Mass. sells her homemade pies at the local Braintree Farmers Market. She has decided to not allow anyone to pay using EBT cards (formerly called Food Stamps). 
According to Andrea Taber, the owner of Ever So Humble Pie Co. in Walpole, buying her specialty Whoopi pies is akin to nail salons and Lottery tickets. Since it is essentially a luxury item, she has made the choice not to sales, using welfare benefits. 
What do you think? Should customers shopping at farmers markets be able to buy sweets and pastries? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

Comments:
Jane
August 17, 2012

Hmm...a few thoughts come to mind on the idea of not selling her items certain customers.  
First of all, I "get" what she's saying, but putting this into acceptable practice is quite another.  I immediately try to imagine myself as the customer who is allowed to shop in "this" section, but not allowed to shop over in "that" section.  I think I'd feel degraded as a human being.  Can't my family have a treat once in awhile, just because we're having hard times?  
Every individual situation is different.  How would I feel, especially if I did in fact pay equally into for most of my life my share of the "taxpayers money?" Guess I don't count anymore because I'm having a rough time right now?
The concept of what to buy with stamps certainly can and is abused by many when they don't have their priorities straight in terms of kids to feed  "properly" etc.  But where do you draw the line on this example alone?
Pies, I guess.
Mac

First, you may want to change the above sentence from "not to refuse the welfare benefits" to "to refuse the welfare benefits".
I applaud this woman for trying to help these welfare recipients by doing what the government is failing to do.  That is, putting limits on what can be purchased with food stamps.  This is paid by all taxpayers, so the money should be spent responsibly.
I believe that food stamps should only be qualified to use for healthy, non-name-brand food items.  That's it.  Seems like everytime I happen to be in a Walmart checkout line, there are people wasting food stamps on candy bars, ding-dongs, name-brand full-priced merchandise, and other unhealthy items.  That doesn't help anybody.
And pies.  Seriously.  If it is so important to spend taxpayer money on a pie, then buy the ingredients and make it yourself.  
Saying all that, I do support the food stamps program.  It was designed for helping out families get back on their feet.  But it should not be used indefinitely and definitely not for luxury items.
Amy Jeanroy

Thank you for pointing out my error. I appreciate it, Mac! 
AJ
Perry P. Perkins

Sad and wrong.
First, it's bad business, and she's asking for a discrimination lawsuit, especially if she refuses service to a minority, based of the use EBT. The program has restrictions in place, let them decide what can and can't be purchased, and take the heat for it. 
Second, it's bad marketing. If I were in line behind someone that she refused to serve, I would likely step out of line and spend my money elsewhere (then I'd go home and blog about it, lol.) Plus, refusing to sell your product to someone who can legally buy it...in this economy...isn't real bright.
Lastly, it's unfairly judgmental. As Jane said, above...what if this is someone who is just on hard times and wants to provide a struggling family a treat? Do you really want to be the rat-bastard to tell some poor kid that they don't deserve a piece of pie, because they have a single and/or disabled parent, or because mom or dad lost their job? 
Not everyone on welfare or foodstamps is a mulch-generational system-playing crack whore...especially in our current economy, where millions are out of work and there aren't enough jobs to go around...despite what some believe. 
Times are hard and people are struggling, does it really help any part of our society to make someone feel just a little bit worse about themselves and their lives?
Shame on you, Andrea Taber.
-Perry
Perry P. Perkins
Chef/Menu Designer
hautemealz.com
Erin

I think that this opens the business owner up to potentially liability concerns.  Better to lobby for EBT reform that to go vigilante.  And if this baker's pies are, in fact, "all natural - no trans fats" as outlined on their Web site, then this isn't really that bad for the family.  It is certainly healthier than a Little Debbie, which is also allowed on EBT.
I think overall, this isn't the sound business way to fight for your beliefs.
ekcantcook.blogspot.com
stormy

absolutely fine for her to decline currency other than American dollars.  I would not want the extra processing to manage credit cards of any kind and I do not believe businesspeople should be forced to take other currency or credit cards sales (which cost the businessperson).
stormy

absolutely fine for her to decline currency other than American dollars.  I would not want the extra processing to manage credit cards of any kind and I do not believe businesspeople should be forced to take other currency or credit cards sales (which cost the businessperson).