Anna Canteen in AP is the government canteen where anyone can eat a full meal for ₹5. Anna Canteen in AP serves breakfast, lunch and dinner at ₹5 a meal, and no card, income proof or registration is needed — a daily-wage worker, a pensioner, a student or a traveller can walk in, pay ₹5 and eat. The canteens run in towns and cities across the state, near bus stands, hospitals, markets and government offices.

The idea is simple: a cooked meal should not cost a day’s wage. For a construction worker, a street vendor or an auto driver, a ₹5 meal leaves money for the family instead of spending ₹50 or more at a hotel. The canteens were first opened in 2018, closed in 2019, and reopened on 15 August 2024 with 183 canteens across the state. This guide explains how Anna Canteen in AP works, who can eat there, the menu and timings, how to find a canteen near you, and the history of the scheme.

Anna Canteen in AP: How the ₹5 Meal Works

The canteen serves a cooked meal for ₹5. The government pays the rest of the cost of preparing the food, so the price to the person eating stays at ₹5. The meal is served on a token or a coupon bought at the counter — you pay ₹5, take the token and collect the meal. There is no application, no enrolment and no means test; the canteen is open to everyone who comes. The canteens are meant for people who work away from home during the day and for those who cannot afford a hotel meal — daily-wage workers, construction workers, street vendors, auto drivers, the elderly and the poor.

The kitchens are run by the municipal administration with the support of charitable kitchens, including the Akshaya Patra Foundation, which cooks food at scale for schools and canteens. The food is prepared in a central kitchen and served hot at the canteen. Because the canteens are in public places — near bus stands, hospitals and markets — they are easy to reach on foot, and a person can eat there and return to work.

Who Can Eat at an Anna Canteen in AP?

Anyone. There is no eligibility list, no ration card requirement and no income limit for an Anna Canteen meal. That is the point of the scheme — it is not a benefit for a category of people but a cheap meal for anyone who needs one. In practice, the people who use the canteens most are daily-wage workers, construction workers, street vendors, auto and taxi drivers, the elderly living on a pension, students and patients’ attendants at government hospitals.

Pensioners who receive NTR Bharosa and women who travel free on buses under Stree Shakti are among the regular users — a free bus ride to the town and a ₹5 meal make a hospital visit or a day’s work affordable. There is no limit on how many times a person can eat at a canteen, and no one is asked for identity proof.

Anna Canteen in AP: Menu and Timings

The canteens serve three meals a day. Breakfast is usually idli, upma or pongal; lunch is rice with sambar or dal, a vegetable curry and curd; dinner is a similar cooked meal. The menu changes by the day, and the exact dishes are displayed at the canteen. The food is simple, vegetarian and cooked for a large number of people.

Timings follow the meal: breakfast in the morning, lunch around midday and dinner in the evening. The exact hours are fixed by the municipality and displayed at each canteen, and the meal is served until the food for that session is over — so it is best to go early, especially for lunch, which is the busiest meal. The canteens serve all three meals every day, including Sundays and public holidays.

How to Find an Anna Canteen Near You

There is no online booking and no app for Anna Canteen — you find the canteen by asking locally. The canteens are in the main towns and cities, usually near the bus stand, the railway station, the government general hospital, the market or the municipal office. Ask at your Grama or Ward Sachivalayam or the municipal office for the nearest canteen, or look for the Anna Canteen board near the bus stand. Our guide to Grama and Ward Sachivalayam services explains what the Sachivalayam can help with. If you are travelling, the canteen near the bus stand or the hospital is the one to ask for, and the municipal administration’s website lists the canteens under the Commissioner and Director of Municipal Administration.

Anna Canteen in AP: History and Current Status

Anna Canteen was launched in 2018, when the first canteens opened in towns across the state. The canteens were closed in 2019 after the change of government, and the buildings stood unused for five years. On 15 August 2024, the canteens were reopened — 183 canteens across the state — and the ₹5 meal was restored. The reopening was one of the first decisions of the new government, and the canteens have run since then.

The number of canteens is being increased in phases, and new canteens are opened in towns that do not yet have one. If your town has no canteen, the demand can be raised with the municipal commissioner or the local MLA. For the latest position, check with the municipal office or the Sachivalayam rather than a forwarded message — the number of canteens and the timings are fixed locally and can change. The same care applies to other food support: a family that holds a white ration card should also check the Deepam 2.0 free LPG cylinders and the Annadata Sukhibhava income support, so that the food, fuel and income support are all claimed together.

Frequently Asked Questions About Anna Canteen in AP

How much does a meal cost at Anna Canteen in AP?

₹5 per meal — breakfast, lunch and dinner all cost ₹5 each.

Do I need a ration card to eat at Anna Canteen?

No. No ration card, income proof or registration is needed. Anyone can walk in, pay ₹5 and eat.

Where are Anna Canteens located?

In towns and cities across Andhra Pradesh, usually near bus stands, railway stations, government hospitals, markets and municipal offices.

What food is served at Anna Canteen?

A vegetarian cooked meal. Breakfast is usually idli, upma or pongal; lunch is rice with sambar or dal, a vegetable curry and curd; dinner is a similar cooked meal. The exact dishes change by the day.

Are Anna Canteens open on Sundays?

Yes. The canteens serve all three meals every day, including Sundays and public holidays.

Anna Canteen in AP is a small amount of money for a full meal — ₹5 for breakfast, lunch or dinner, open to anyone, with no card and no questions. If you work away from home, find the canteen near the bus stand or the hospital in your town and eat there. For the other support a low-income family should know about, see our guides to Stree Shakti free bus travel, NTR Bharosa pension and the Andhra Pradesh Schemes in August 2026 roundup, and for official information use the Government of Andhra Pradesh portal and the municipal administration.

Last updated: November 2026