Costco is an American company that runs member-only warehouses worldwide, with about 746 warehouses in the United States alone. Also, when it comes to retailer statistics worldwide, they are a proud number one position holder. They make provision, at wholesale prices, for a rather massive variety of grocery items. In this article, we will look at all you need to know about Costco and EBT cards.
When a purchase is made from Costco, there are several approved modes of payment are employed, such as credit cards, cash, checks, debit cards, Costco cards, and EBT, to ensure customer satisfaction. Yes, you saw that right. Costco warehouses also accept EBT.
The company follows state rules and regulations very closely, especially when it comes to what you can and can’t buy with your EBT card. You do not necessarily have to be a Costco member before you can pay for items, as you are allowed to use the Costco card of a friend to enter a Costco store. Know that membership is highly needed before being given purchasing power. However, if you have to pay for groceries, you will have to make use of your own EBT card.
When did Costco start accepting EBT cards?
Due to an increasingly large number of families in the United States who find it very difficult to cater to their needs, those big warehouses, popular for their king-size cheerios boxes, have now fallen into competition with other clubs and warehouses that also deal in groceries due to the large number of American citizens that depend on food stamps. About 36 million Americans.
Costco, on a Wednesday in October 2009, declared that they were going to begin accepting food stamps after they carried out a test in stores in New York. This did not make them the only warehouse club to introduce this payment method, as competitors like BJ’s Wholesale Club and Sam’s Club had already introduced the practice.
Can another person use my EBT card for me?
People would ask if they could use other people’s EBT cards or if others could use theirs if the need were to arise. Here’s what you need to know about your EBT card’s ownership and usage.
First off, I would like you to keep in mind that your Costco member card cannot be transferred. I’m not saying other family members or friends cannot use it. Of course, there are certain ways we can make it possible for others to be able to access your Costco card. So long as you are in possession of an EBT card, you can go into the Costco store to buy groceries. But know that you must pay with your EBT card.
This is possible because cashiers are not required to ensure that both the names on the Costco membership card and those on the EBT benefits card are the same.
What can’t I buy at Costco with EBT?
Just like other grocery stores, you can sort out your grocery bills with your SNAP benefits, giving you an edge over the bulk of groceries at Costco. However, not all your grocery items can be covered with these benefits.
Some items that can’t be paid for using the SNAP benefits are household items, already prepared or ready-to-eat meals. This depends on the SNAP laws in the Costco region.
Also, meals from the Deli and food court cannot be paid for with EBT, vitamins, medication, products we use for cleaning and food for our pets. Bills on these items can’t be sorted using the snap benefits. You can’t also use your EBT/SNAP benefits on alcohol, tobacco, or food. Although optional cash may be used to sort out orders ineligible for EBT/SNAP benefits,
Can I pay online with EBT at Costco?
Online shopping has somewhat become the order of the day as it is flexible. This has also raised a lot of questions, especially about payment methods. Which one can I use to pay for delivery? We’ll look at one of these questions, which is, is it possible to pay for grocery orders online at Costco?
We know that Costco warehouse club allows the use of Snap benefits for payment on grocery items. This is not the case for online orders on Costco.com. So, instead of using EBT, they allow the use of other instruments like Costco Shop Card, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, The Costco anywhere Visa by City, etc. for payment on online grocery items from Costco.
Though Costco does not allow the use of EBT/SNAP benefits on online orders from Costco.com, this does not mean that other retailers don’t. In fact, retailers like ShopRite, Kroger, Amazon, and Albertson’s allow you to settle your online grocery orders with your EBT/SNAP benefits.
How do I make payment with EBT at Costco?
If you are new to using EBT or Costco, making a payment with your benefits card is not complex at all. However, remember to sort your grocery bills first when purchasing both food and non-food items such as household items, vitamins, and baby diapers.
One way to achieve this is by either instructing your cashier to split your payment method or making separate payments for both orders. When there is cash on your benefits card and payment is being made with the cash account, food costs will not be deducted from the benefits account on the card, but all deductions will be made from your cash accounts, including items that should be paid for with snap benefits. At this point, you may be left with little cash to pay for your non-grocery items.
That being said, the steps below will serve as a guide on how to pay at Costco using your EBT/SNAP benefits:
- When called upon by the cashier, you will be instructed to either swipe across or insert your card on the machine, depending on how the machine is operated.
- Ensure you notify the cashier attending to you from which account you wish to settle your order with. Whether SNAP or cash,
- If need be, you might want to enter your pin again to confirm the bill.
- Some stores might request identity verification. This is just to make sure the card is yours.
When you are done, your total bill will be deducted from your preferred account and your receipt will be given to you. Ensure your receipt is safe just in case of any mistaken transaction, deduction etc.
Are EBT cards allowed at Costco’s food court?
The Costco food court is different in operation from the Costco warehouses. This is because while the warehouses only let in Costco members with membership cards, the food court doesn’t take membership as a criterion before letting you eat there, as non-members can also eat there without paying any extra charges.
You might also wonder if you are allowed to use your EBT card at the food court. Well, it is already established that you cannot pay for food at the food court with Snap Benefits, or EBT. However, if you have cash in your EBT card and are at a Costco warehouse with a food course, you are free to place an order without showing your membership card, depending on your state’s SNAP laws. You may need to pay for your order using your cash account.
If there is a long line at the checkout and you want to place a food court order, go ahead and inform the cashier. Once you are finished at the checkout, proceed to the food court and show the cashier’s receipt to the food court attendant. If you place this kind of order, you’ll need to swipe your card for a single transaction.
Are cashiers alerted when EBT is used at Costco?
If you are paying for groceries or other items with your card, of course, the machine will always require you to input what card you are paying with, especially in very large stores. This includes both Costco and Sam’s Club. Also, because not all items can be paid for with the EBT card, the scanners will indicate which items are eligible for payment with EBT.
However, if you are using your EBT card at the self-checkout, the said card will function just like your regular ATM card and no one will know that payment is being made with Snap Benefits. So if the Costco store near you offers self-checkout service, you are free to use your EBT card to make payment for your groceries, and you need not tell the cashiers that’s what you are using.
In other smaller outlets like your normal local grocery store or sprout, it is important to notify the cashier of which card you are using, but in situations you wish to not let others know, you can just show out your card to the cashier and she’ll know which card option to select from her end.