Ordering groceries online has surged in popularity during the coronavirus outbreak.
Whether you’re placing an order for curbside pickup or having groceries delivered to your home, shopping online removes the need to wander aisles and potentially come into contact with many other shoppers.
A June consumer behavior report surveying 3,000 adults found that 37% intend to shop more online and 23% plan to rely more on same-day curbside pickup because of the pandemic.
Although online grocery shopping offers many conveniences, a downside is that most merchants expect payment by debit or credit card. If you receive benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), you may not always be able to use your Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card for online purchases.
We looked into whether EBT can be used to pay for groceries online and identified several grocery chains that accommodate SNAP beneficiaries.
Which Retailers Let You Pay Online With EBT?
While many grocery retailers are not yet set up to accept EBT online, a number of stores do offer that option.
In 2019, the USDA Food and Nutrition Service initiated a pilot allowing retailers to accept SNAP benefits for online orders. Participating grocers must adhere to a specific list of requirements.
With stay-at-home directives and a rise in online shopping during the pandemic, the pilot has expanded this year as more states and retailers became authorized to process EBT payments for online purchases.
Below are the chains approved to accept EBT for online grocery purchases. Keep in mind SNAP benefits can only be used to buy qualifying food items — they cannot be used for service charges, delivery fees or other nonfood costs.
1. Amazon
SNAP participants can link their EBT cards to Amazon accounts to purchase groceries from Amazon, including items from Amazon Fresh and Amazon Pantry.
Amazon offers free shipping on orders over $25, and both Amazon Fresh and Amazon Pantry provide free shipping on orders above $35. New York City customers must spend over $50 to qualify for free Amazon Fresh shipping.
Cardholders must reside in one of these 39 states or the District of Columbia to use EBT for online purchases: Alabama, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Amazon Fresh is available in limited markets and often tied to Amazon Prime membership; however, SNAP users do not need Prime to order Amazon Fresh groceries.
EBT cardholders may qualify for discounted Amazon Prime memberships.
2. Walmart
Walmart enables EBT users to order groceries online and pick them up at stores in 40 states plus the District of Columbia: Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Shoppers can provide their EBT account information during the online checkout flow. Previously, SNAP clients had to choose “EBT card” online and show their card in-store when picking up.
Where delivery is offered, customers may also use EBT cards for home delivery orders.
Although Sam’s Club is part of the Walmart family, SNAP users cannot use EBT for online purchases at Sam’s Club.
3. Kroger
The Kroger Co., operating banners such as Kroger, QFC and Fry’s Food Stores, accepts EBT for online curbside pickup orders.
Customers can reserve pickup dates up to seven days ahead. Store staff deliver online orders directly to customers’ cars when they arrive to pick up.
Kroger has stores across 35 states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
4. ShopRite and The Fresh Grocer
ShopRite, a northeastern chain with around 300 stores, accepts EBT payments for online grocery orders from locations in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.
The Fresh Grocer, which operates roughly a dozen stores in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, also lets shoppers pay with EBT online.
Both ShopRite and The Fresh Grocer are part of the Wakefern Food Corp. cooperative.
Orders placed online may be picked up curbside or delivered where service exists. When ordering, SNAP customers must choose “EBT Snap Card” as the payment method and enter their card details.
There is no minimum purchase required to complete an online order at these retailers.
5. Albertsons
Albertsons, which operates brands like Safeway, has limited circumstances in which EBT is accepted for online purchases.
According to the company’s online shopping FAQ, only Arizona residents with disabilities can use EBT online. Those customers are asked to call customer support at (877) 505-4040 for help placing orders.
6. FreshDirect
This New York-focused online grocer serves SNAP customers in select Bronx ZIP codes — 10454 and 10455.
There are no delivery charges for EBT transactions, but orders must meet a $30 minimum.
FreshDirect’s EBT policy excludes deliveries to apartments above the fifth floor when a building lacks a functioning elevator. The program also limits how many beverage cases staff can deliver in a single order.
7. Hy-Vee
Midwestern chain Hy-Vee accepts online EBT payments at select stores and is working to expand participating locations.
Online orders must reach $30 to qualify for free pickup. Shoppers using EBT should choose the “SNAP/EBT card” option at checkout, but they’ll also be asked for a debit or credit card to hold the order and cover any non-EBT-eligible items.
SNAP users have their EBT cards processed in-store when they pick up their groceries. Customers without a debit or credit card are advised to call customer service at (800) 772-4098 to finalize their orders.
8. H-E-B
Texas-based H-E-B has several dozen locations that accept EBT for curbside pickup.
Shoppers must select the EBT option when placing an online order but do not need to input card details during checkout. EBT users are required to bring their card to the store at pickup and are encouraged to have a debit, credit or H-E-B gift card to pay for any items not eligible under SNAP.
9. Wright’s Market
Wright’s Market in Opelika, Alabama, accepts EBT for online grocery delivery.
Shoppers must enter EBT card details online to process their orders. A separate payment method is necessary to cover delivery charges and other fees.
Maya Turner is a senior writer at Savinly.
