Does Grubhub Take EBT Cards Payment 2024 (2024)

Does Grubhub Take EBT Cards, SNAP or Food Stamps Payment – The popular online food delivery company Grubhub has facilitated a lot of people to enjoy the advantages of door-to-door food delivery. While you can enjoy meals from Grubhub at the comfort of your home, you need to know the different payment options available with the company. A lot of households enrolled in the SNAP program wonder if they can use their EBT benefits to order food from Grubhub.

Unfortunately, Grubhub is not accepting EBT payments from SNAP beneficiaries. Only retailers that offer uncooked food and groceries are authorized by USDA to accept EBT benefits. Companies providing food delivery services like UberEats, Grubhub and PostMates are not accepting EBT benefits. In this comprehensive guide, we will help you to learn the ins and outs of Grubhub EBT policy and will provide you with a comprehensive list of alternate retailers or food delivery companies that are accepting EBT.

Key Takeaways

• Grubhub does not accept EBT payments as they deliver prepared meals, not groceries.
• SNAP recipients cannot use their EBT card to order food from Grubhub.
• Alternative EBT-friendly grocery delivery services include Amazon, Walmart, Target, and DoorDash.
• You can use EBT cards to purchase groceries and food items at authorized retailers.
• EBT cannot be used for hot, prepared meals or restaurant bills.

How Does The SNAP EBT Program Work?

EBT stands for Electronic Benefit Transfer and is a popular government-issued debit card that can be used for the purchase of groceries and food items. The card is issued to recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program who can make eligible purchases from authorized retailers. Even though it is widely accessible by major stores it cannot be used at food delivery apps like UberEats, Postmates and Grubhub.

USDA has extended SNAP benefits in the form of the Online Purchasing Pilot Program that allows EBT cardholders to buy groceries without leaving their homes using SNAP funds. Once you enter your state that is participating in USDA Online Purchasing Pilot Program select the store that accepts EBT and add eligible goods to your cart. You can select your EBT card as a payment option at checkout and authorize your 4-digit secret PIN to make a successful transaction.

Get a comprehensive list of SNAP-eligible goods and grocery stores that accept EBT payments online in our next guide.

What is Grubhub?

Grubhub is a popular American online and mobile prepared food ordering and delivery platform that was founded in 2004 and is based in Chicago IL. Formerly known as Grubhub Seamless Inc. Grubhub is serving people throughout the United States of America

The company is an integral part of ‘Just Eat Takeaway.com’, a prominent global online food delivery marketplace that features 355,000+ merchants in 4000 U.S. cities. The company helps restaurants grow their business and provide flexible opportunities for customers to enjoy restaurant meals in the comfort of their homes.

How Does Grubhub Work?

Grubhub caters to customers and depends on a wide network of restaurants. They extend the reach of fast food restaurants by allowing businesses to provide delivery even if the restaurant conventionally offers dining service. Restaurants get started with Grubhub by applying on the ‘Grubhub for Restaurants page’ and once accepted Grubhub works with the restaurant to implement their pricing and other details in the app and website.

The company takes a portion of the restaurant’s revenue to maintain the workflow and this revenue includes a marketing and processing fee including a percentage of the cost of the order. Grubhub trains drivers and notifies them on the app when an order is available from a nearby restaurant. The driver waits for the food if necessary and delivers it to the customer by following the prompted driving directions in the app.

Does Grubhub Accept EBT Payments?

Grubhub does not take EBT as an acceptable form of payment. The SNAP program is intended for groceries however Grubhub generally delivers hot prepared food from restaurants and this is the reason why it does not qualify for SNAP EBT Purchase.

Customers who want to order restaurant meals from Grubhub can use other convenient forms of payment methods like cash, Android pay, PayPal, Apple Pay, and major credit or debit cards like Visa, American Express, Discover and MasterCard.

Do you know which retailers in California accept EBT payments? Head over to our next guide to learn about the comprehensive list.

Why Doesn’t Grubhub Accept EBT Payments?

In today’s rapidly growing food delivery landscape of comfort and convenience companies like Grubhub have become a go-to option for many households to order restaurant meals without leaving their home. Even though the company provides an invaluable service for their customers, SNAP recipients cannot order food from Grubhub using their EBT card.

This is because of the SNAP rules and guidelines designed by USDA that authorize retailers to accept EBT only for the purchase of groceries and EBT benefits cannot be applied to prepaid food or restaurant bills— something that Grubhub solely provides. Most of the food delivery apps like Grubhub, UberEats and Postmates are not accepting EBT payments currently which may limit the option for SNAP recipients with access to the EBT system.

What Can You Generally Purchase With Your EBT Card?

The following is the list of items that you can generally purchase with your EBT card from approved retailers:

• Milk and Dairy Products: All types of milk, yogurt, cheese and butter are eligible
• Bread and cereals: All types of bread, crackers, cereals, pasta, oatmeal and rice are allowed
• Fruits and vegetables: All types of fresh, canned or frozen fruits and vegetables are allowed for EBT purchase. This also includes dried fruits and vegetables.
• Meat, poultry and fish: This comprises all forms of meat such as pork, beef, turkey, chicken, fish and lamb
• Seeds and Plants: SNAP participants can purchase plants and seeds to grow their produce.
• Snacks and desserts: Chips, cakes, cookies and other snack items are eligible as long as they do not have any vitamins or minerals in them.
• Energy drinks: Specific energy drinks are allowed for purchase using an EBT card if they are labeled as Nutrition Facts. Any supplements, medicines or vitamins bearing Supplement facts labels are prohibited from being purchased using the EBT program.

What Can’t You Purchase With Your EBT Card?

Here is the list of items that you can generally purchase from USDA-approved retailers anywhere throughout America.

• Alcohol And Tobacco Products: This includes beer, wine, tobacco, cigarettes, liquor, low-alcohol beers labeled as liquor-filled chocolates, non-alcoholic, Alcoholic wine, e-liquid for electronic cigarettes etc. However, you can use the EBT card to purchase wine vinegar, wine, and vanilla extract as they can be used for cooking ingredients.
• Medicine, Vitamins and Supplements: Any item that comprises the Supplement Facts Label is a supplement and cannot be purchased with EBT or SNAP benefits. You cannot buy vitamins, medicines and supplements with your EBT card.
• Hot Prepared Food: This includes hot cocoa, chili stew, prepared meats or any restaurant meals.
• Live Animals: You cannot purchase live animals using your EBT card however there are exceptions such as live shellfish, live fish removed from water, animals slaughtered before pickup from the store etc.
• Non-Food Items: This includes cleaning supplies, pet food, cosmetics, hygiene items, cooking utensils etc.

What Payment Options Does Grubhub Accept?

Grubhub makes it easy and convenient for its customers to pay for their orders. Even though you cannot use your EBT card to order meals from Grubhub you can choose the following list of payment options.

• Cash
• Apple Pay
• Android Pay
• Major debit or credit cards like Visa, American Express, Discover And Mastercard
• E-gift cards
• PayPal

Customers who want to place an order online on Grubhub can have the peace of mind that they can use plenty of different payment options to choose from.

Where To Use EBT/ Snap Card?

Food delivery apps are not the only place where you can use your EBT card. There are 248,000 vendors that are accepting EBT throughout America. Let’s take a look at the following places where EBT card is generally accepted as a means of payment.

Grocery Stores, Farmers Market And Supermarket

Grocery stores, farmers markets and supermarkets are a few common types of stores that generally accept food stamps or EBT as a method of payment. For instance Circle K, Trader Joe’s, 99 Ranch Market, Dollar Tree, Dollar General, Family Dollar etc.

Convenience Stores, Pharmacies And Gas Stations

Although pharmacies, drugstores, convenience stores and gas stations are not related to grocery shopping most of them are authorized by the USDA to accept EBT payments for eligible food items and groceries. This includes Loves, Safeway, Speedway, 711, CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid etc.

Online Retailers For Grocery Delivery

Online retailers have become massively popular over the recent course of years. To cater to their diverse customer base they are incorporating EBT benefits. This includes online retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Target, Instacart and DoorDash that provide a wide array of food items that can be purchased with EBT and can be delivered to the recipient’s doorstep directly.

Do you know whether ARCO gas stations accept food stamps or not? Read them in our next guide.

List Of Food Delivery Companies That Accept EBT: Alternates Of Grubhub To Consider

As you know Grubhub does not accept EBT as a viable form of payment, fortunately there are various grocery as well as food delivery services throughout the United States of America that accept EBT and cater to SNAP recipients. These include the following options.

Amazon

Amazon Fresh– the grocery delivery and pickup service of the company and Groceries On Amazon are the two ways through which you can use your EBT card online across the country.

• Groceries On Amazon

EBT cardholders can find a wide section of SNAP-eligible non-perishable pantry staples as well as shelf-stable food items in the Grocery and Gourmet food section on Amazon.com. You need to shop for snap ebt eligible mark products with your ebt card. If you are not a Prime member then you can get free delivery on orders above $35.

• Amazon Fresh

Amazon Fresh provides online grocery delivery in select 9 U.S. states for individuals and families eligible for the SNAP EBT program. Amazon Fresh delivery orders come with a service fee that ranges between $6.95 to $9.95 on orders below $100.

Walmart

Walmart allows EBT cardholders to use SNAP benefits for online ordering in 49 states whereas Alaska residents have to use their EBT card at pickup.

Customers need to download the Walmart app or visit walmart.com and create an account. You need to add your EBT card to your Walmart account to pay for SNAP-eligible purchases. Walmart comes with a free curbside pickup service if you make a minimum $35 order or else you will be charged a small pickup fee that you cannot cover with your ebt card.

BJ’s Wholesale Club

One of the major warehouse clubs that accept EBT for online grocery orders is BJ’s Club which is available in Connecticut, Florida, New Jersey, Michigan, Massachusetts, Maine, Georgia, New Hampshire, New York, and Pennsylvania. The company is planning to make pick-up also available in more states by participating in an online purchasing pilot program in the upcoming months.

DoorDash

The latest delivery service DoorDash accepts online SNAP payments. You can use your SNAP benefits online to pay for grocery delivery and pick up some DoorDash websites. The first step is to create an account with DoorDash and add your EBT card details. EBT cardholders get a free month of DashPass that generally comes with a monthly charge of $9.99.

ALDI

One of the biggest grocery chains in America, ALDI is already accepting EBT payments from customers. As with any other grocery chain, ALDI users who qualify for SNAP benefits can use the EBT card to buy groceries and food items at participating locations. ALDI has partnered with Instacart to make online grocery delivery and door pickup options available for ebt card holders.

Target

The online SNAP payment option is available by the leading grocery chain Target in all U.S. states that are enrolled in the Online Purchasing Pilot Program. Cardholders can buy eligible grocery items on target.com through their delivery service known as shipping. Shipped members get free delivery and pickup services with their ebt card on orders more than $35.

Albertsons

Albertson has announced recently that it will be accepting EBT as a method of payment. This move by the pharmacy retail chain addresses food insecurity in America and allows low-income households to access healthy and affordable food options.

Instacart

The popular online grocery delivery service in America is Instacart which is offering grocery delivery services in select stores across the United States of America contingent on the state’s participation in the USDA online purchasing pilot program. EBT cardholders get a discount on Instacart + membership. You can purchase groceries from the following USD-approved retailers Instacart Aldi, Price Rite, Price Chopper Market 32, and Stop And Shop Hannaford Supermarket.

A few more retailers that are accepting EBT for online grocery delivery and or pickup are as follows:

• H-E-B
• Hy-Vee
• Kroger
• Safeway
• Stop & Shop
• ShopRite

A few wholesale retailers like Costco and Sam’s Club accept EBT cards for in-store SNAP-eligible purchases however you cannot use your EBT card for making purchases online at their platforms.

How To Pay With EBT For Online Grocery And Food Delivery?

Using EBT benefits online is a simple and pretty straightforward process. In the below section, we have provided a step-by-step guide on how you can pay for things with your SNAP benefits online from participating retailers.

• Before trying to use your EBT online you need to ensure your state is enrolled in the SNAP Online Purchasing Pilot Program.
• Once you confirm your state eligibility to use SNAP EBT benefits online you need to select a grocery store that provides online delivery or pickup to purchase EBT-eligible goods and groceries. Make sure the store is accepting EBT by going to the payment method in the settings.
• The next step is to add eligible items to your cart and go to the checkout. Here you have to select the EBT card in the payment option and enter your card details and 4-digit secret PIN to authorize the transaction.

Conclusion

With the advancement of science and technology people can comfortably order groceries and food online and get them at their doorstep quickly. The popularity of food delivery services like the Grubhub platform is increasing with each passing day. Households who depend on food stamp benefits would be disappointed to note that the platform is not accepting EBT payments since they deliver hot prepared meals instead of groceries and are not authorized by USDA to take EBT payments from SNAP recipients. However, there are many other ways to pay for your orders including major online retailers who are accepting EBT payments like Amazon, Walmart, Target, DoorDash and Instacart. Those who depend on EBT benefits must understand the list of items that they can purchase with SNAP benefits.

Our comprehensive guide at Get Government Grants will help you to make the best decision for yourself and your family. Head over to our blog section today to improve the financial situation of your family. We are passionate about helping people find relevant answers to their questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Doordash Accept EBT?

Yes, DoorDash has joined other online retailers like Amazon and Instacart to accept EBT payments. The acceptance of SNAP as a payment method has opened a new market for the company and SNAP recipients can make online orders using their EBT card from their preferred retailers through DoorDash.

Does Gopuff Take EBT?

Unfortunately, Gopuff is not accepting EBT as a payment method for its food delivery service. This can be disheartening for EBT card holders however not all online retailers embrace SNAP EBT payments. Gopuff offers a wide array of payment methods like credit cards, debit cards and PayPal to cater to its customer base.

Can I Use My EBT Card At Food Delivery Services?

While most of the popular food delivery platforms like Grubhub, UberEats, Gopuff and Postmates do not support EBT as a payment method a lot of retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Target, DoorDash and Instacart are embracing EBT payments. A lot of reasons, especially USDA restrictions and guidelines, contribute to this limitation.