Does Trader Joe’s Take EBT or Food Stamps?

This information is current as of July 27, 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 store chains throughout the country willingly accept EBT cards. But what about Trader Joe’s? Does Trader Joe’s Take EBT or Food Stamps? 

Yes! All locations of Trader Joe’s stores accept EBT cards, and you can also use your SNAP cash benefits to buy accepted products.

Read on for a brief history of Trader Joe’s and learn everything you need to know about using your EBT card at one of these stores nationwide.

A Brief History of Trader Joe’s

Trader Joe’s is a popular go-to for fresh fruits, veggies, and gluten-free, vegan, and organic food options.

Learning the history behind a retailer helps provide a better understanding of the company overall.

Founded in Los Angeles, California, in 1958 by Mr. Joe Coulombe, Trader Joe’s traces back to a chain store called Pronto Markets. Rexall Drug Co. started Pronto Markets and hired Mr. Coulombe to lead their new division of convenience stores.

While Joe was successful, he felt that Pronto Market was too similar to 7-Eleven, and there would be too much competition.

He got the idea for Trader Joe’s as a spoof on Trader Vic’s in Beverly Hills. Trader Vic’s was notorious for being pricy, and Trader Joe’s would become a much less expensive establishment.

The first Trader Joe’s opened its doors in Pasadena in 1967 and has been in operation. Trader Joe’s has over 500 stores throughout the United States and continues to grow as a full-service grocery store offering unique foods. Mr. Coulombe passed in 2020, but his legacy lives on.

What Is the EBT Program?

The EBT or Electronic Benefits 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.

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.

If you have any questions or wish to apply for SNAP, you can reach the United States Food and Nutrition Services through their website.

Does Trader Joe’s Accept EBT or SNAP?

Trader Joe’s does accept EBT payments, which allows needy families to use their SNAP benefits at one of the best supermarket chains in America. Because they have so many stores, a Trader Joe’s can’t be too far from you!

What Can I Buy at Trader Joe’s 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 Trader Joe’s. Any food item that you can take home to your family is permissible. But this does not count 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:

• Snack foods
• Dairy products
• Poultry
• Meat
• Fish and other seafood
• Bread
• Cereal
• Cooking oils
• Cookies
• Cakes
• Seeds to plant food
• Plants that produce food

What Can’t I Purchase at Trader Joe’s 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:

• All alcohol, including liquor, wine, and beer
• Cigarettes or any tobacco products
• Cleaning supplies
• Hot, ready-to-eat foods
• Household supplies
• Toiletries
• Diapers
• Paper Products
• Cosmetics
• Pet Food
• Pet Products
• Vitamins and supplements (anything with a “Supplements Facts” label on the bottle)

You may still be unsure what you can buy, which is understandable. It’s overwhelming! But a member of the Trader Joe’s team of employees should be able to assist you or find someone who can.

Also, be aware that different states will have different rules on what you can use your cash benefits for. If you reach out to your local SNAP office, they can list the things you can buy with your SNAP cash in stores.

How Do I Use My EBT Card at Trader Joe’s?

You can use your EBT card at Trader Joe’s 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 notify you 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 designate the SNAP benefits for the eligible items, as your benefits can not be returned once used.

Keep your receipt for any returns. You can also track your spending, as your EBT balance can be found at the bottom of the receipt.

Can I Use EBT for Trader Joe’s Delivery and Pickup Services?

Trader Joe’s doesn’t offer online delivery or curbside pickup! This has been the case with them for a while, despite the Covid 19 pandemic.

Customers do not have the option of ordering through Trader Joe’s website.

However, you can use Amazon as a third-party delivery service for Trader Joe’s. We all know by now that Amazon sells almost everything, including groceries. And they have a grocery page on their website where you can order from Trader Joe’s. You can also use your EBT card at the store when you check out.

What Other Ways Can I Pay at Trader Joe’s?

Aside from EBT payments, Trader Joe’s offers other payment forms. You could use these forms of payment as a backup for things not covered by the SNAP program.

Trader Joe’s takes the following methods of payment:

• Trader Joe’s physical gift cards
• Cash
• Personal checks
• Debit cards
• Credit cards
• Apply Pay
• Google Pay
• Samsung Pay

Where Can I Find a Trader Joe’s?

Trader Joe’s has a store in every US state. The following is a list of cities where you can find a Trader Joe’s.

• Alabama:  Birmingham and Huntsville,
• Alabama:  Little Rock
• Arizona:  Gilbert, Glendale, Mesa, Oro Valley, Phoenix, Prescott, Queen Creek, Scottsdale, Surprise, Tempe, and Tucson
• California:  Agoura Hills, Alameda, Aliso Viejo, Arroyo Grande, Bakersfield, Berkeley, Brea, Brentwood, Burbank, Calabasas, Camarillo, Campbell, Capitola, Carlsbad, Castro Valley, Cathedral City, Cerritos, Chatsworth, Chico, Chino Hills, Chula Vista, Claremont, Clovis, Concord, Corona, Costa Mesa, Culver City, Daly City, Danville, Davis, Eagle Rock, El Cerrito, Elk Grove, Emeryville, Encinitas, Encino, Escondido, Fairfield, Fair Oaks, Folsom, Fremont, Fresno, Glendale, Goleta, Granada Hills, Greenbrae, Hermosa Beach, Huntington Beach, Irvine, La Canada, Lafayette, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel,  La Habra, La Jolla, La Mesa, La Qunita, Livermore, Long Beach, Los Altos, Los Angeles, Los Gatos, Manhattan Beach, Marina Del Ray, Menlo Park, Millbrae, Milpitas, Mission Viejo, Modesto, Monrovia, Monterey, Montrose, Morgan Hill, Mountain View, Napa, Newport Beach, North Hollywood, Novato, Oakland, Oceanside,  Orange, Pacific Grove, Palmdale, Palm Desert, Palo Alto, Pasadena, Petaluma, Pinole, Pleasanton, Rancho Cucamonga, Rancho Palos Verdes, Rancho Santa Margarita, Redding, Redlands, Redondo Beach, Riverside, Rocklin, Roseville, Sacramento, San Carlos, San Clementa, San Diego, San Dimas, San Francisco, San Jose, San Juan Caspistrano, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, San Rafael, San Ramon, Santa Ana, Santa Barbara, Santa Clarita, Santa Cruz, Santa Maria, Santa Monica, Santa Rosa, Sherman Oaks, Simi Valley, South San Francisco, South Pasadena, Stockton, Studio City, Sunnyvale, Temecula, Templeton, Thousand Oaks Toluca Lake, Torrance, Tustin, Ventura, Walnut Creek, Westchester, West Hills, West Holywood, Westlake Village, Whittier, Woodland Hills, and Yorba Linda
• Colorado: Boulder, Colorado Springs, Denver, Fort Collins, Greenwood Village, Littleton, and Parker
• Connecticut: Danbury, Darien, Fairfield, Manchester, Orange, Stamford, West Hartford, and Westport
• District of Columbia
• Delaware: Newark and Wilmington
• Florida: Boca Raton, Coral Gables, Coral Springs, Davie, Delray Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Gainesville, Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach, Miami, Miami Beach, Naples, Orlando, Palm Beach Gardens, Pembroke Pines, Sarasota, St. Petersburg, Tallahassee, Tampa, Wellington, and Winter Park
• Georgia: Athens, Atlanta, Marietta, Norcross, Roswell, and Sandy Springs
• Iowa: Coralville and West Des Moines
• Idaho: Boise and Meridian
• Illinois: Algonquin, Arlington Heights, Batavia, Chicago, Downers Grove, Evanston, Glen Ellyn, Glenview, La Grange, Lake Zurich, Libertyville, Naperville, Northbrook, Oak Park, Orland Park, Park Ridge, and Schaumburg
• Indiana: Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, and South Bend
• Kansas: Leawood and Wichita
• Kentucky: Crestview Hills, Lexington, and Louisville
• Louisiana: Baton Rouge and Metairie
• Massachusetts: Acton, Allston, Arlington, Boston, Brookline, Burlington, Cambridge, Foxborough, Framingham, Hadley, Hanover, Hingham, Hyannis, Needham, Peabody, Saugus, Shrewsbury, Somerville, and West Newton
• Maryland: Annapolis, Bethesda, College Park, Elkridge, Pikesville, Rockville, Silver Spring, and Towson
• Maine: Portland
• Michigan: Ann Arbor, Bloomfield Hills, Grosse Pointe, Kalamazoo, Kentwood, Northville, Rochester Hills, and Royal Oak
• Minnesota: Bloomington, Eagan, Maple Grove, Minneapolis, Minnetonka, Rochester, Shoreview, St. Louis Park, St. Paul, and Woodbury
• Missouri: Brentwood, Chesterfield, Creve Coeur, Des Peres, and Kansas City
• North Carolina: Asheville, Cary, Chapel Hill, Charlotte, Greensboro, Morrisville, Raleigh, Wilmington, and Winston Salem
• Nebraska: Omaha and Lincoln
• New Hampshire: Bedford, Nashua, and Portsmouth
• New Jersey: Brick, Bridgewater, Cherry Hill, Clifton, Denville, Edgewater, Florham Park, Freehold, Hoboken, Marlton, Millburn, North Brunswick, Paramus, Princeton, Shrewsbury, Wayne, Westfield, and Westwood
• New Mexico: Albuquerque and Santa Fe
• Nevada: Carson City, Henderson, Las Vegas, and Reno
• New York: Brooklyn, Buffalo, Colonia, Commack, Garden City, Halfmoon, Hartsdale, Hewlett, Ithaca, Lake Grove, Larchmont, Long Island City, Merrick, New York, Oceanside, Plainview, Rego Park, Rochester, Scarsdale, Staten Island, Syracuse, and Yorktown
• Ohio: Cincinnati, Columbus, Dublin, Kettering, Mentor, Westlake, and Woodmere
• Oklahoma: Nichols Hills and Tulsa
• Oregon: Beaverton, Bend, Clackamas, Corvallis, Eugene, Hillsboro, Lake Oswego, Medford, Portland, and Salem
• Pennsylvania: Ardmore, Camp Hill, Jenkintown, Media, North Wales, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, State College, and Wayne
• Rhode Island: Warwick
• South Carolina: Columbia, Greenville, and Mt. Pleasant
• Tennessee: Chattanooga, Franklin, Germantown, Knoxville, and Nashville
• Texas: Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Katy, McKinney, Plano, San Antonio, Southlake, and The Woodlands
• Utah: Cottonwood Heights, Orem, and Salt Lake City
• Virginia: Alexandria, Arlington, Ashburn, Bailey’s Crossroads, Centreville, Charlottesville, Fairfax, Falls Church, Glen Allen, Newport News, Reston, Richmond, Springfield, Virginia Beach, and Williamsburg
• Virginia: Richmond
• Washington:  Bellevue, Bellingham, Burien, Everett, Federal Way, Issaquah, Kent, Kirkland, Lynnwood, Olympia, Redmond, Sammamish, Seattle, Shoreline, Silverdale, Spokane, University Place, and Vancouver
• Wisconsin: Brookfield, Madison, and Milwaukee

What Are the Hours of Operation at Trader Joe’s? 

While most Trader Joe’s stores are open from 8 am to 9 pm, some stores may operate at slightly different times. You can always visit the store’s website to check the times of your local store.

Conclusion

Hopefully, this article has been informative enough to give you all the information you need regarding Trader Joe’s and EBT. Trader Joe’s is not only a great grocery store but also accepts EBT at all of its stores across the county.

We hope this list of stores helps you figure out where the nearest Trader Joe’s is to you, and happy shopping! 

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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.