Does Kroger Take Apple Pay? Find Out Now!

Are you shopping for groceries at Kroger? Apple Pay is a safe, convenient way to pay at grocery stores that accept it as a payment method. But, does Kroger take Apple Pay?

Apple Pay is an easy-to-use, contactless payment method that works with iOS mobile devices like your iPhone, Apple Watch, and iPad. It’s a secure way to pay in person at stores, through apps, or on the web. Gone are the days of waiting for change or having to use a dirty credit card reader. Instead, leave your wallet and home and use your new mobile wallet! Apple Pay is a modern payment method for the modern world.

This article answers the question “Does Kroger take Apple Pay?” and explains how to stack your Kroger Rewards using Kroger Pay.

Answer: Does Kroger Take Apple Pay?

No, Kroger does not take Apple Pay. Instead, they now promote the use of their contactless payment alternative, Kroger Pay which is available through the Kroger Pay app. The Kroger Pay app combines contactless payment, Kroger’s loyalty card, and the ability to clip digital coupons.

Here is a news release confirming that Kroger Pay is the only app-based payment method accepted at Kroger stores.

Kroger’s QFC Brand: One Small Exception

Kroger is running a small trial with Apple Pay at 61 QFC brand grocery stores in the Seattle area. For reference, that’s a little bit more than 2% of their stores. So if you live in Seattle and want to use your Apple Pay mobile wallet, you can checkout with Apple Pay at Kroger’s QFC banner stores.

What Payment Methods Does Kroger Accept?

Since you can’t use Apple Pay at Kroger, what are their accepted forms of payment?

Payment Methods Accepted at Kroger

• Kroger Rewards World Elite Mastercard
• Kroger Pay through the Kroger App
• Visa cards
• Mastercard
• Discover cards
• American Express (Amex) cards
• Debit cards
• Prepaid cards
• Kroger gift cards
• SNAP EBT cards
• WIC Card (only at select stores)
• Local personal checks
• Cash

Tip: When paying by credit or debit card, insert your chip card into the card reader rather than sliding the magnetic strip.

Why Does Kroger Not Take Apple Pay?

Kroger doesn’t take Apple Pay because they have their own mobile payment app called Kroger Pay, which is available for iPhone users in the Apple App Store and for Android users in the Google Play Store. This app lets Kroger control their checkout experience while integrating their loyalty rewards system.

Kroger doesn’t want you using a competitor’s mobile payment option, like Apple Pay or Google Pay, at their point of sale machines. While Kroger’s competitors might accept Apple Pay, they can’t accept Kroger Pay. In their thinking, by using Kroger Pay, you’re less likely to shop at a different grocery store and more likely to install their app. Since mobile apps and contactless payment options are the wave of the future, Kroger wants more control over their journey than Apple Pay would give them.

What is Kroger Pay?

Kroger Pay app is a contactless payment solution. Using your mobile device, it lets you enter your preferred payment method, such as a credit/debit card, and combine it with your Kroger loyalty card information, which lets you stack your rewards! You can also use the app to clip digital coupons and then save them to your Kroger Pay wallet app to save you even more money.

How To Use Kroger Pay

Once you’ve picked out everything on your shopping list and are ready to check out at Kroger, open the Kroger Pay App on your phone. Next, tap to generate a unique QR code that you scan to pay at checkout. Once you’ve scanned the QR code at the checkout terminal, you can take your groceries and go!

What Is Kroger?

Kroger is the largest supermarket operator in the United States by total sales. They’re the second-largest general retailer after Walmart. Not bad for a Cincinnati grocery company founded in 1883 with $372 and a single location. Today, Kroger has more than 2,800 stores and 453,000 employees. They’re known for their general grocery, dairy, deli, frozen foods, meat, pharmacy, produce, seafood, snacks, beer, wine, and liquor.

Kroger owns 13 different brands of grocery stores. You might not know your local store as a Kroger, but it might be one!

Kroger’s grocery store brands are Kroger, Dillons, Food 4 Less, Fred Meyer, Fry’s, Harris Teeter, King Soopers, Mariano’s, QFC, Ralphs, Roundy’s, Ruler Foods, and Smiths.

Tips:

• Kroger’s weekly ad is full of deals, special offers, and new products. It’s updated weekly, so check it out before heading to the store and save money.

Frequently Asked Kroger Questions

People often have specific questions about Kroger. Here are some of the most common questions people ask when considering using Apple Pay at a Kroger grocery store.

Is Apple Pay accepted everywhere?

Currently, Apple Pay works at more than 2.5 million brick-and-mortar retailers in the US, covering 85% of all US merchants. Stores that accept Apple Pay include grocery stores, restaurants, big-box locations, drug stores, and apps from some of America’s most popular brands. That said, 15% of stores, including Walmart, still don’t accept Apple Pay. Unfortunately, even though Apple Pay improves the checkout experience, there are still holdouts. How do you know if your favorite grocery store takes Apple Pay?

How do you know if stores have Apple Pay?

You can find out if a store accepts Apple Pay using the Apple Maps app on your iPhone. Follow these steps to check if a store takes Apple Pay:

1. Open the Apple Maps app
2. In the search box, type in the name of the store you want to check
3. Tap on the store that you’re checking
4. View the info card at the bottom of the app
5. Scroll down to the “Useful to Know Section”
6. If there is an Apple Pay logo, the location takes it!

What grocery stores take Apple Pay?

If you would prefer to shop at a grocery store that takes Apple Pay as a payment method, the following are a list of grocery stores that accept Apple Pay:

• Acme Markets
• Albertsons
• ALDI
• Bashas’
• BI-LO
• BJ’s
• Carrs
• Cub Foods
• Costco
• Dan’s Fresh Market
• Davis Food & Drug
• Dick’s Fresh Market
• Dollar General
• Family Dollar
• Farm Fresh Food & Pharmacy
• FoodMaxx
• Hannaford
• Harveys Supermarket
• Hornbacher’s
• Jewel-Osco
• Lin’s Fresh Market
• Lucky Stores
• Meijer
• Publix
• Raley’s Supermarkets
• Randalls
• Safeway
• Save Mart Supermarkets
• Schnucks
• Shaw’s Supermarkets
• Shop’ n Save
• Shoppers Food & Pharmacy
• Sprouts Farmers Market
• Star Market
• Stater Bros.
• SuperValu
• Tom Thumb
• Trader Joe’s
• United Supermarkets
• Vons
• Wegmans
• Whole Foods Market
• Winn-Dixie

Final Thoughts

It’s disappointing that Kroger doesn’t accept Apple Pay. However, you can still pay with your phone at Kroger using Kroger Pay. While it’s not Apple Pay, it is a contactless payment option that also lets you stack money-saving Kroger rewards!