November 4, 2024

Does Publix Accept EBT?


  • Publix accepts EBT cards in all of their locations
  • Publix also accepts EBT cards for online shopping via Instacart, for same-day delivery and curbside pickup.

EBT cards are an acceptable mode of payment in most major grocery stores. You can use your EBT card to purchase healthy and highly nutritional food items in any grocery store near you.

If you are a new beneficiary of SNAP you might be wondering if your EBT card will be accepted at the grocery store near you. Most grocery stores put up signs at the register or on the doors of the supermarket and sometimes outside the supermarket to alert customers if EBT and other food stamps are an acceptable mode of payment.

Does Publix Accept EBT? 

Publix accepts EBT cards as a mode of payment in all its locations. You can use your EBT card to purchase any SNAP-eligible item at Publix stores. If you want to purchase non-SNAP-eligible items alongside SNAP-eligible items, you might have to carry an additional mode of payment since your EBT card will only pay for SNAP-acceptable items.

Publix is the largest employee-owned grocery food chain in the world. This multipurpose grocery store has outlets all over the Southeastern United States. With branches in Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia.

Publix grocery stores participate in many food benefits programs for low-income families, like the WIC program (Women, Infants, and Children) and SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), and their cards are an acceptable mode of payment in all Publix store locations.

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Does Publix Accept EBT for Online Purchases

Publix supermarket, in collaboration with Instacart, accepts using EBT cards to purchase SNAP-eligible food items. Beneficiaries of SNAP can now purchase food items using their EBT cards by linking them with their Instacart profile. As usual EBT card only covers the cost of grocery items and an additional payment method is required for the payment of delivery fees and tips or any other related expenses.

You can shop for your grocery products online and pay for them using your EBT card. Same delivery and curbside pickup are also available. For curbside pickup, no additional fee is added, after checking out your purchases and confirming payment you can go to the store and pick up your items.

SNAP-Eligible Items at Publix Stores

SNAP benefits only pay for food items that offer nutritional benefits. Vitamins and supplements do not qualify as nutritional food items. Some of these items are listed on the items. Here are a few SNAP-eligible food items you can purchase at Publix stores and any other major grocery store.

  1. Baby formula.
  2. Beef.
  3. Fish.
  4. Dairy products.
  5. Snacks.
  6. Nonalcoholic beverages.
  7. Frozen dinner.
  8. Yogurt.
  9. Fruits.
  10. Vegetables.
  11. Seafood.
  12. Bread and bakery items.

Items that You Can’t Buy with EBT Cards at Publix

Not all items can be purchased with an EBT card even though they might be considered food. To purchase such items you would need an alternative payment option. Here are some items that cannot be bought with an EBT card;

  1. Alcohol (liquor, wine, beer)
  2. Vitamins and food supplements
  3. Medicine
  4. Cosmetics
  5. Cleaning supplies 
  6. Home appliances and other types of equipment
  7. Hot food or any food item that can be eaten in the store like a hamburger.
  8. Meat killed before arrival at the store
  9. Baby diapers or any other toiletries
  10. Cigarettes or tobacco

Other Accepted Payment Methods at Publix Stores

Publix stores accept different methods of payment for items purchased online and in-store. These payment methods include cash payment, cashless payment, and payment with a card (Debit cards, credit cards, Mastercard, Visa cards, American Express, etc). Publix stores also accept contactless payment methods. The primary contactless payment methods are Apple pay, Samsung Pay, Android pay, and Google pay.

How to use an EBT Card at Publix Stores

EBT cards can be used like any other debit card. While shopping you can pick up your grocery items as usual and at the checkout point separate your SNAP-eligible items from non-eligible items. Swipe your EBT card and input your four-digit pin to authorize the payment. Non-eligible items will have to be paid for with a different payment option.

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