Does Smart and Final Take EBT? What You Need To Know

Smart and Final, a warehouse-style grocery chain, accepts EBT for in-store purchases, allowing SNAP participants to buy eligible items like fruits, vegetables, meat, bread, and dairy. This makes it easier for EBT cardholders to access nutritious food.

However, EBT cannot be used for online orders or delivery services. Customers should plan to shop in-store to use their EBT benefits at Smart and Final.

EBT Acceptance at Smart & Final

Smart & Final stores facilitate their customers by accepting EBT for in-store purchases, providing access to a wide range of eligible food products under the SNAP program.

Customers holding EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer) cards, which are part of the government’s SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), can use these cards at Smart & Final locations. However, EBT payments cannot be used for online purchases, restricting its use to physical store transactions.

Accepted EBT Items

At Smart & Final, EBT cardholders can purchase a variety of items, including:

  • Fresh produce: Fruits and vegetables
  • Staples: Meat, poultry, fish, dairy products
  • Dry goods and cereals: Bread, cereals, rice, pasta
  • Non-alcoholic beverages: Juice, milk
  • Others: Seeds and plants which produce food for the household to eat

EBT funds are not to be used for non-food items, alcohol, tobacco, pet food, or hot prepared meals at Smart & Final.

Shopping with EBT

Shopping with Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) at Smart & Final is straightforward. Customers using EBT can expect a seamless check-out process similar to using a debit card.

How to Use EBT at Smart & Final

To use EBT at Smart & Final, a customer must follow a simple process. At the point of sale, the customer needs to:

  1. Swipe their EBT card.
  2. Select ‘EBT’ from the payment options.
  3. Choose between ‘Food’ or ‘Cash’ benefits, depending on their purchase and benefits.

PIN Security

For security, customers are required to enter their Personal Identification Number (PIN) after swiping their EBT card. It’s important that they:

  • Keep their PIN private to prevent unauthorized use.
  • Never write the PIN on the EBT card.

Checking Out

When checking out, items eligible for EBT purchase will be totaled separately. The process involves:

  1. Scanning all items first.
  2. The terminal automatically separating EBT eligible items.
  3. The customer confirming the amount, then the transaction is completed.

Eligible items are deducted from the customer’s EBT account balance. If there are non-EBT items, an alternative form of payment will be required for those items.

Additional Payment Methods

Smart & Final stores offer a variety of payment methods to accommodate their customers’ needs, ensuring a flexible shopping experience.

Other Forms of Payment

Besides accepting EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer), Smart & Final also accepts several other forms of payment. They include:

  • Credit Cards: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover
  • Debit Cards: All major debit cards
  • No personal checks, WIC, or gift cards are accepted for delivery orders through their delivery partner, Instacart. In-store policies may differ.

Combining Payment Methods

Customers may choose to split their payment between EBT and other accepted payment methods in-store, especially when purchasing both eligible grocery items and non-EBT eligible items. However, it’s important to note that:

  • EBT cards cannot be used for online orders.
  • When shopping in-store, the EBT amount will only cover eligible items, requiring an alternative payment method for the remaining balance.

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