Does Piggly Wiggly Accept Food Stamps, SNAP, or EBT?
This information is current as of July 25, 2022.
Knowing whether your EBT card will be accepted before you shop somewhere is always a good idea. No one wants to walk into a store and be turned away because their EBT card isn’t accepted.
Many grocery stores such as Publix and Aldi accept EBT cards and SNAP benefits. But what about Piggly Wiggly? Does Piggly Wiggly Accept Food Stamps or EBT?
They sure do! Piggly Wiggly is among many grocery stores in the United States that accept EBT as payment. So, you are free to shop at Piggly Wiggly with your SNAP benefits.
Read on for a brief history of Piggly Wiggly and discover everything you need to know about using your EBT card at one of their stores.
A Brief History of Piggly Wiggly
The Piggly Wiggly was founded in September of 1916 in Memphis, Tennessee, by Clarence Saunders. Most grocery stores didn’t allow customers to shop independently during this time. Instead, a store clerk was given a list and got the items for the customer. This only caused higher prices for all involved.
Piggly Wiggly felt that allowing customers to gather their own food in the store would cut costs. They secured the “self-service” shopping experience, allowing customers to walk through the aisles and see the food themselves.
They were also the first company to price mark items and provide shopping carts for customers in 1937.
The success of Piggly Wiggly has continued to grow through the decades. Today, there are 600 stores in 17 states, with the company headquarters now located in Keene, New Hampshire.
What is the EBT Program?
When SNAP clients shop at authorized stores, their EBT account is used to pay for their food. The program funds the account is used in all 50 US states, including the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the District of Columbus.
The EBT or Electronic Benefit Transfer is an electronic system within the United States that offers supplemental nutrition to low-income families in need. It is also known as SNAP, which is short for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
If you have any questions about SNAP, please visit the SNAP website.
Does Piggly Wiggly Accept EBT or SNAP?
Yes, customers who qualify for the SNAP program and live in the states where Piggly Wiggly operates can use their EBT card to purchase food.
What Can I Buy at Piggly Wiggly With My EBT Card?
SNAP is an excellent federal program that goes above and beyond to help low-income families. Still, there is a limit on what you can and cannot purchase with the program.
Anything considered an essential food item under the SNAP program can be purchased from Piggly Wiggly. Any food item that you can take home to your family is permissible. But this exempts hot foods prepared in the store, such as in-store hot pizza or sandwiches.
Suppose the food you are considering has a “nutrition” label on the back of the container or box. In that case, it is most likely part of the SNAP benefits program.
Examples of things you can purchase are as follows:
- Meat
- Poultry
- Fish
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Bread and cereal
- Dairy products
- Snack food
- Soft drinks and juice
- Seeds to plant to produce food
What Can’t I Buy at Piggly Wiggly With My EBT Card?
There is some limitation on what you may not purchase as it doesn’t fall under the guidelines of the SNAP program.
Examples of what you cannot purchase are as follows:
- Alcohol
- Tobacco products
- Medications
- Pet food and supplies
- Health supplements
- Cleaning supplies
- Food and drinks that are hot at the time of sale
How Do I Use My EBT Card at Piggly Wiggly?
You can use your EBT card at Piggly Wiggly as you would with any other food market, and it is used just as you would a debit or credit card. You simply inform the cashier that you will be using an EBT card, and she will let you know when to swipe your card through the machine.
You will be asked to enter the PIN number you selected when you first applied for SNAP. You must make two separate transactions for each payment if you are using both SNAP and cash benefits. Just be sure to choose the SNAP benefits for the eligible items, as your benefits cannot be returned once used.
Keep your receipt for any returns. Your receipt also includes your EBT balance making it easy to keep track of your spending.
Can I Use EBT for Piggly Wiggly Delivery and Pickup Services?
Yes! Clients using EBT and SNAP can use them as payments through Instacart pickup and delivery services.
You can also shop online directly with Piggly Wiggly using their Click’n Shop Online Shopping. Check the website to see if a store near you participates.
What Other Ways Can I Pay at Piggly Wiggly?
Aside from EBT payments, Piggly Wiggly offers other payment forms. You could use these forms of payment as a backup for things not covered by the SNAP program.
Piggly Wiggly takes the following methods of payment:
- Cash
- Visa
- Mastercard
- Discover
- American Express
- Debit cards with the Visa or Mastercard logo
Where Can I Find a Piggly Wiggly Near Me?
Piggly Wiggly is located predominantly in the south and upper Midwest. You will find stores in the following states:
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Florida
- Georgia
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- North Carolina
- New York
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Virginia
- West Virginia
Conclusion
Hopefully, this article has been informative enough to give you all the information you need regarding Piggly Wiggly and EBT. And with a name like Piggly Wiggly, how can you go wrong?
Save Money on Your Wireless Phone Service
If you qualify for SNAP, you may also be eligible for Lifeline or the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Lifeline and ACP are government-run programs that help low-income consumers receive free or heavily discounted communication services.
Click here to find out more and apply for this valuable benefit.
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Save Even More With Recommended Resources and Amazon Deals
Looking to save on additional items? You may want to check out our Recommended Resources page. For example, you can learn how to save 50% on Amazon Prime membership and use your EBT card.
