Can I use my EBT card at Sam's Club?

(Last Updated On: January 23, 2019)

In today’s post, we are going to answer the question: Can I use my EBT card at Sam’s Club? There is some confusion around whether you are able to use an EBT card at Sam’s Club since it is a members-only warehouse store. This means you must have purchased a membership to Sam’s Club in order to shop there. In this post, we will cover the following topics related to using your EBT card at Sam’s Club.

To find out if your local Sam’s Club warehouse store accepts EBT cards as payment, keep reading this post.

About Sam’s Club

Sam’s Club is a chain of membership-only retail warehouse clubs owned and operated by Walmart. Sam’s Club prides itself on providing exceptional wholesale club values on TVs, mattresses, business and office supplies, groceries and more. Sam’s Club currently operates over 655 membership warehouse clubs in the United States.

Can I use my EBT card at Sam’s Club?

To answer the question you’re looking for – Yes, you can use your EBT card at any of the Sam’s Club locations in the United States. EBT cards cannot be used to make purchases online at the Sam’s Club website and you must be a registered member of Sam’s Club to make purchases to avoid incurring additional fees. Your EBT card can only be used at Sam’s Club to purchase food items that meet the USDA’s standards.

As stated above, your EBT card can only be used to purchase approved items at one of the over 655 Sam’s Clubs warehouse stores. To find a Sam’s Club near you, use the Sam’s Club location finder here.

How to use your EBT Card at Sam’s Club

If you would like to redeem your Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, also known as food stamps at Sam’s Club using your EBT card, follow the instructions below. We’ve made this process super easy for you!

Simply select the items you wish to purchase as normal and checkout at any of their available point-of-sale registers. You can use your EBT card just like a normal debit card at any of the available registers. Once you swipe your card and select the EBT option displayed on the screen, you’ll be prompted to enter your 4-digit Personal Identification Number (PIN). You must have this information in order to complete the transaction. Once you enter your PIN your transaction will be completed and you will receive your receipt with current EBT card balance.

If you need additional help with using your EBT card at Sam’s Club, any team member will be able to assist you at the cash register. Before you shop at Sam’s Club with your EBT card, there are a few important things you should know before you go. We will highlight what they are in the next section.

EBT Eligible Food Items

The first thing you should be aware of when using your EBT card at Sam’s Club is what items you are purchasing. It’s important that you only select eligible EBT food items when shopping with your EBT card and redeeming food stamps. If you select unapproved food items and try to purchase them with your EBT card, your transaction will be declined. You will have to pay for any unapproved items with another form of payment such as cash or credit.

Common approved EBT food items include:

Bread, cereal, granola bars
Dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese, etc.)
Fresh, Frozen and Canned Fruits
Fresh, Frozen and Canned Vegetables
Fresh and Frozen Seafood (fish, shellfish, etc.)
Poultry (chicken breast, chicken thighs, chicken drumsticks, turkey breast, etc.)
Pork products (pork chops, pork tenderloin, bacon, pork sausage, etc.)
Red Meat (steak, ground beef, ribs, etc.)
Dessert Items (ice cream, brownies, cookies, bakery items, etc.)
Candy (Hershey’s, Snickers, Reese’s, etc.)
Frozen food items (frozen meal entrees, french fries, pasta, etc.)
Soft Drinks (juice, soda, Arizona Tea, etc.)
Snack Crackers and Chips (potato chips, popcorn, crackers, pretzels etc.)
Cooking Oils (olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, etc.)
Seeds, Nuts, and Plants (cashews, nut variety packs, peanut butter, etc.)

Your EBT card cannot be used at Sam’s Club to purchase a variety of common items. We’ve listed those for you below.

Common unapproved EBT items include:

Protein bars & powder
Prepared, ready-to-eat food (premade sandwiches, salads, etc.)
Hot, prepared food (anything from the snack bar)
Vitamins & Medicine
Household products
Cleaning Supplies
Alcoholic beverages
Tobacco products
Feminine products
Cosmetics
Dog Food
Baby Formula & Diapers

For a full list of all EBT approved and unapproved items, check out our post here.

Check your EBT Card Balance

The second thing you should be aware of before redeeming your food stamp benefits at Sam’s Club is your EBT card balance. If you do not know how much money is on your EBT card and your transaction amount is larger than your available EBT card balance, your transaction will be declined. You can only purchase as much as your available EBT card balance. If you would like to purchase more than your available balance, you will have to pay for those items with another form of payment such as cash or credit.

For help checking your EBT Card Balance, check out our EBT Card Balance by State list here. Once you are on the page, select the state where you are receiving benefits and follow the instructions provided to receive your current EBT Card Balance.

Stores that Accept EBT

With one in seven Americans receiving nutritional assistance, many households are dependent on the benefits that the government provides. Since the laws for SNAP are constantly changing, it’s important to know where and how to use your EBT benefits.

Like Sam’s Club, there are hundreds of other stores that accept EBT cards from food stamp recipients. EBT approved stores can include grocery stores, markets, wholesale stores, convenience stores, discount stores, specialty food stores, and farmer’s markets. To find out what stores take EBT near you, check out our full list of EBT approved stores here.

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Can I use my EBT card at Sam’s Club?

About Sam’s Club