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Starbucks stores now accept plenty of payment methods, including credit cards, debit cards, cash, app payments, gift cards, Apple Pay, and more.
Even with all those options, I still ended up asking the same question: does Starbucks take EBT?
This guide walks through what EBT is, where Starbucks can accept it, and which licensed Starbucks locations are most likely to allow it.
Key takeaways
Does Starbucks accept EBT cards?
The answer is yes and no.
SNAP recipients use electronic benefits transfers, or EBT, to buy essential food items through SNAP-authorized retailers.
Since Starbucks isn’t considered “essential,” Starbucks company-operated stores DO NOT accept EBT.
There is a catch, though.
EBT can be used at licensed stores that sell groceries, staple foods, household supplies, pet food, and similar basics.
In practice, the easiest Starbucks and EBT overlap is usually a grocery-store kiosk, and many of those locations do accept EBT.
To recap, Starbucks partners that are located in grocery stores and other retail stores typically accept food stamp cards in the form of EBT.
When I started looking for places that might take it, grocery chains with a Starbucks counter were the first ones that made sense to check.
Does Starbucks in target accept EBT?
Yes, Target is a major partner of the SNAP program.
What’s even better is that most Target stores have a Starbucks location inside.
That means you can combine eligible grocery shopping with a coffee stop, including snack foods, soft drinks, and other non-food essentials.
After you’re done shopping, just head over to the Target Starbucks and order your favorite iced coffee using your EBT card to purchase.
Does safeway Starbucks take EBT?
Yes, Safeway grocery stores accept food stamps.
Those stores are built around staple food purchases, which is why EBT often works there more smoothly than at a standalone café.
Finding a Starbucks in Safeway is not as common as finding one in Target, but if you do, you may be able to use EBT for cold beverages or energy drinks, depending on the location.
Does Albertsons Starbucks take EBT?
Albertsons has stores in many states, and SNAP EBT shoppers may be able to use benefits there where EBT is accepted.
A large percentage of Albertsons grocery stores contain Starbucks-licensed stores within them.
After paying for SNAP-eligible items at the register, you can usually head to the Starbucks counter with your EBT card ready and ask about cold drinks or pastries.
Can you buy Starbucks with EBT at Kroger?
Yes, the Kroger Co. Family of Stores accepts SNAP EBT at all participating locations.
Members of the food stamp program can even make online purchases of pickup orders for an easier-than-ever shopping trip.
Many Krogers sell Starbucks products, so EBT can come into the picture on the grocery side of the trip, including items like pumpkin bread.
Does Vons Starbucks take EBT?
Yes, Vons is a member of the Albertsons corporation, and they’ve been accepting EBT for years.
Some of these stores also accept EBT for pickup and delivery orders.
The same idea applies to Vons locations with licensed Starbucks counters, where EBT may be accepted.
Does Fred Meyer Starbucks take EBT card?
Yes, Fred Meyer is a partner of the Kroger Company, and accepts EBT cards.
That setup matters because the grocery side of the visit is where SNAP is meant to apply.
The same goes at Fred Meyer, where the store accepts EBT cards and many locations have Starbucks-brewed cold drinks nearby.
What can you buy with an EBT card at Starbucks?
At a licensed Starbucks location, the key thing I keep in mind is that EBT eligibility depends on the item, not just the counter:
What can’t you buy with an EBT card?
You probably noticed that Starbucks hot beverages and hot foods and were not included in that list above.
That is because EBT generally does not cover hot drinks and hot foods, since they count as prepared food.
Once an item is treated as prepared food, the rules get stricter, and that is usually where hot items run into the limit.
You cannot buy a piping hot Americano or fresh-out-of-the-oven breakfast sandwich when you use your EBT card at a licensed Starbucks location.
What exactly is an EBT card?
To make sense of EBT, it helps to start with SNAP.
SNAP, short for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, is a government-run program to help low-income families pay for food and other household essentials.
EBT is the card system that lets SNAP benefits be used at approved retailers.
An EBT card works a lot like a debit card. Benefits are added to the card, and the balance goes down as you spend it.
If you qualify for SNAP, you can use your EBT card on eligible food items at any location that accepts SNAP EBT.
You can check the balance online or ask the cashier to look it up.
What can you buy with an EBT card?
At the grocery store, EBT usually covers a long list of eligible purchases, like:
For more info, here are the federal government’s words on EBT:
“Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) is an electronic system that allows a SNAP participant to pay for food using SNAP benefits.
When a participant shops at a SNAP-authorized retail store, their SNAP EBT account is debited to reimburse the store for food that was purchased.”
How do you purchase these items at the store?
Using SNAP benefits can lower the cost of a Starbucks stop, and the checkout process is usually straightforward once you know which items qualify.
At a licensed Starbucks location, I would still confirm acceptance with the staff or customer service desk and ask which items are eligible.
Then it is usually just a matter of choosing your items, going to the register, swiping the card, and entering your PIN.
FAQs
Does Starbucks take EBT in certain states?
Some Starbucks stores outside grocery stores do accept EBT in certain states, but the list is narrow: Arizona, California, Rhode Island, Michigan, Illinois, and Maryland.
Does Starbucks accept EBT online?
No, Starbucks does not accept EBT for online orders. In practice, you need to place the order in person at a licensed location, and the cold-food rule still applies.
What is the EBT card application process for Starbucks?
The EBT card application process starts with checking whether you qualify for SNAP. Once your state agency approves you, you send in the application and wait for the card to arrive.
Can you return Starbucks items purchased with EBT?
“Yes, you may refund an item bought with SNAP Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT), so long as your store policy allows it,” according to the US Department of Agriculture.
What is The Restaurant Meal Program?
“The Restaurant Meals Program (RMP) is a state option to allow certain SNAP clients, who might not be able to prepare meals for themselves or who do not have permanent housing for storing and preparing food, to be able to buy prepared meals at restaurants with their SNAP benefits.”
Conclusion
Does Starbucks take EBT? Here is the short recap.
Standalone Starbucks corporate stores usually do not accept food stamps in the form of EBT unless you’re in a state that offers the restaurant meals program.
Retailers that carry staple food stock, like grocery stores with Starbucks counters or Kroger locations, can accept EBT cards, and many of these stores are home to participating Starbucks locations.
Keep in mind that Starbucks purchases with EBT still come with item restrictions.
Cold foods and cold drinks are generally eligible, while hot items usually are not.
