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Understanding EBT and Warehouse Shopping

The Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card is a payment method used by people who receive SNAP benefits (formerly known as food stamps). When you have an EBT card, you can use it to purchase food items at authorized retailers. Many people don't realize that warehouse clubs like Costco, Sam's Club, and BJ's Wholesale Club are authorized to accept EBT payments. This guide provides information about how warehouse shopping works with EBT cards and what you need to know before you go.

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Warehouse clubs operate differently than traditional grocery stores. Members typically pay an annual membership fee to shop at these stores, and they often offer bulk quantities of products at lower per-unit prices. The selection tends to be limited compared to regular supermarkets—warehouse clubs carry fewer brands and varieties, but often at competitive prices. Understanding how your EBT card works at these locations is important because the rules and restrictions may differ slightly from what you experience at a regular grocery store.

An estimated 42 million Americans receive SNAP benefits, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Of these beneficiaries, many could save money by shopping at warehouse clubs, but they may not know it's possible. The barrier often isn't the store's rules—it's simply lack of information. This guide addresses common questions about warehouse club shopping with EBT and explains what items you can and cannot purchase.

Before visiting a warehouse club with your EBT card, you should understand a few basic facts: which stores accept EBT, what membership requirements exist, what foods you can buy, and any payment restrictions. These details vary between different warehouse clubs, and knowing them in advance prevents confusion at checkout and helps you plan your shopping trip more effectively.

Practical Takeaway: Warehouse clubs can offer lower prices on bulk purchases, but only if you understand their specific EBT policies before you shop. Taking time to learn these details upfront saves you a wasted trip and helps you stretch your benefits further.

Which Warehouse Clubs Accept EBT Payments

Costco is the largest warehouse club that accepts EBT cards in most locations across the United States. As of recent years, Costco has been expanding its acceptance of EBT payments. However, acceptance isn't universal at every single Costco location—some regional variations exist due to state-specific regulations. Before visiting your local Costco, you can call ahead or check their website to confirm that your specific store accepts EBT. When Costco does accept EBT, you can use it to pay for food items, just like at any other authorized retailer.

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Sam's Club, another major warehouse chain, has been less consistent with EBT acceptance. While some Sam's Club locations do accept EBT for food purchases, this varies significantly by location and state. The company has made changes to its EBT policy over the years, so current acceptance may differ from what you remember if you haven't shopped there recently. Contact your nearest Sam's Club directly to ask about their current EBT policy before planning a shopping trip.

BJ's Wholesale Club, which operates primarily in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, generally accepts EBT at most of its locations. BJ's serves states from Maine to Florida and west to Ohio and Pennsylvania. Like other warehouse clubs, BJ's allows you to use your EBT card to purchase food items. However, state regulations can affect whether specific locations accept EBT, so confirming with your local store remains important.

Smaller regional warehouse clubs may also accept EBT, depending on where you live. These include stores like Restaurant Depot in some areas and various local warehouse operations. The best way to find out what's available near you is to search online for "warehouse clubs near me" combined with "EBT accepted" or to call stores directly and ask about their SNAP/EBT policy. As of 2024, the warehouse club landscape continues to evolve regarding EBT acceptance.

State differences affect EBT acceptance at warehouse clubs more than many people realize. Some states actively work with warehouse clubs to increase SNAP access, while others have fewer partnerships. This means acceptance in one state might not reflect what's available in another state. Before planning a warehouse shopping trip, check with your state's SNAP program office or the warehouse club itself.

Practical Takeaway: Call or visit the website of your nearest warehouse club before shopping. Don't assume they accept EBT based on information about other locations. A five-minute phone call prevents a frustrating trip where you can't complete your purchase.

What You Need to Know About Warehouse Memberships

Most warehouse clubs require a membership to shop. Costco charges around $65 per year for a basic Gold Star membership, with higher-tier membership options available. Sam's Club memberships cost approximately $50 per year for a basic membership. BJ's Wholesale offers multiple membership levels starting around $55 per year. These membership fees are not covered by EBT benefits—you must pay them separately. However, if you have limited income, some warehouse clubs offer discounted memberships or occasional waived fees for people in certain circumstances.

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The membership requirement exists because warehouse clubs operate on a different business model than traditional grocery stores. They sell products in bulk at lower markups and make much of their profit from membership fees rather than individual product sales. This model allows them to offer lower per-unit prices on many items. Before paying for a membership, consider whether the items you regularly purchase and the prices you'd pay would justify the annual cost for your household.

Some warehouse clubs periodically offer promotional memberships or trial periods. Occasionally, these stores run special promotions where they offer discounted first-year memberships, bonus gift cards with new memberships, or even free trial shopping days. Keeping an eye on their websites or asking in-store staff about current promotions can help you reduce the upfront cost of membership. Some people share a household membership among family members to split the annual cost.

Once you're a member, you'll receive a membership card that you must present to enter the warehouse and to check out. You'll use this membership card along with your EBT card at checkout—the membership card identifies you as an authorized shopper, and your EBT card pays for the food items. Both cards are necessary. If you forget your membership card, many warehouse clubs can look up your membership by phone number or ID at the entrance or checkout.

It's worth exploring whether you might be eligible for membership discounts through your employer, local community organizations, or senior programs if you fall into those categories. Some employers offer employee discounts on warehouse club memberships. Additionally, some communities have programs that help low-income residents obtain warehouse memberships at reduced cost. Asking staff at your local warehouse club about any available discounts is worthwhile.

Practical Takeaway: Before buying a membership, calculate whether the money you'd save on regular purchases would exceed the annual membership fee. If you primarily buy fresh produce and limited packaged goods, a warehouse membership might not save you money. If you buy large quantities of pantry staples, the savings could be significant.

What Food Items You Can Buy With EBT at Warehouse Clubs

SNAP benefits have specific rules about what foods you can purchase. These rules don't change when you shop at a warehouse club—the same items that are allowed at a regular grocery store are allowed at a warehouse club. You can purchase vegetables, fruits, meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, breads, cereals, snack foods, non-alcoholic beverages, and seeds or plants that produce food. These are the basic categories of SNAP-eligible foods that warehouses typically stock.

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The advantage of buying these items at a warehouse club is quantity and price. You might find a 10-pound bag of potatoes, a 5-pound container of Greek yogurt, or bulk packs of chicken breasts. The per-pound or per-unit price is often significantly lower than at traditional grocery stores. If your household uses these items regularly and you have storage space, buying in bulk can stretch your benefits further. For example, a 5-pound bag of rice at a warehouse might cost $4, while the same rice at a regular store might cost $6 to $8 for a comparable amount.

You cannot use EBT, including at warehouse clubs, to buy certain items: prepared foods (hot foods from the deli or bakery section), vitamins or medicines, household supplies, pet food, alcohol, or tobacco. At warehouse clubs, this means you can't buy items from the food court if a warehouse has one, and you can't purchase