William LipovskyShort Answer
All Whole Foods Market locations in the U.S. accept EBT, and many also accept WIC. For more information about using EBT and WIC at Whole Foods, see below.
Table of Contents
Does Whole Foods Accept EBT/SNAP?
Whole Foods Market accepts EBT cards for in-store purchases.[1] EBT cards receive benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); because SNAP is a federal, nationwide program, all Whole Foods locations can accept EBT.
Eligible Items
You can use EBT to pay for most food items at Whole Foods, including bakery items (as previously reported). However, you cannot use EBT to buy prepared foods/hot foods or products from any of the following categories:[2]
- Alcohol
- Tobacco
- Pet food
- Toiletries (paper products, cosmetics, etc.)
- Vitamins/medicines
See our related research for more information on what you can and can’t buy with EBT.
How to Use EBT at Whole Foods
EBT works like a credit or debit card. At the checkout counter, you’ll swipe your EBT card and enter your pin on the card reader to pay for your purchases.[2]
You cannot use EBT for online, store pick-up, or delivery orders at most Whole Foods locations, though some participate in a pilot EBT delivery program.[3] You can find out if your zip code is eligible for delivery by registering through Amazon; for other delivery options, see our list of places that offer EBT food delivery.
If you don’t have enough money on your EBT card to pay for your entire purchase, you can pay with your EBT card first and then pay for the remaining amount with a different form of payment.[2] Before visiting the store, you may want to check your EBT balance; you can do so at an ATM or by calling your state’s EBT customer service line.
Does Whole Foods Accept WIC?
WIC is similar to SNAP but benefits women, infants, and children specifically. States must authorize individual store locations to accept WIC benefits.[4] Many Whole Foods stores do accept WIC,[1] but before visiting, it’s best to check with your local benefits agency or contact your local store.
Eligible Items
Foods covered by WIC include the following:[5]
- Brown rice
- Canned fish
- Cereals (ready-to-eat, instant, or hot)
- Cheese
- Corn or whole wheat tortillas
- Dry or canned beans, peas, or lentils
- Eggs
- Fresh, canned, frozen, or dried fruits and vegetables
- Fruit or vegetable juice
- Infant food
- Infant formula
- Milk
- Oatmeal
- Peanut butter
- Whole wheat pasta
- Whole wheat/whole grain bread
- Yogurt
How to Use EBT at Whole Foods
The process of using WIC at Whole Foods will vary by state. Some states issue checks or vouchers for WIC benefits, while others use reloadable cards or deliver food packages directly to participants’ homes.[4]
Bring your vouchers or benefits card to the register; if you have a WIC card, you’ll follow the same EBT card process detailed above, using the store’s standard pin pad. It’s a good idea to have a second payment method on hand to cover any items that aren’t eligible for WIC.
More Information
For more stores that take WIC, see the list of over 85 WIC retailers and our research on WIC-only stores. We also have the details of the EBT/WIC acceptance policy at a similar store, Sprouts Farmers Market.
Cathy Desmet
Sonya Bateman
Erika Crawford
Lindsey Desmet
Loren Eaton
Joseph Cho
Maria R. Riegger, Esq.
Kait Scirri
Hello, can I shop online with my EBT food stamp card?
Thank you
Hello, Heyward! Whole Foods does not accept EBT for online or delivery orders at this time. We have updated our article to reflect this information. We do have an article on stores participating in an EBT grocery delivery pilot program, which may be helpful to you — though the pilot program is only available in select states.
You can use EBT for salad bars in supermarkets because they are cold foods. You cannot use it for hot foods on a salad bar. Also, when your EBT balance does not cover the bill, you can have the cashier ring up the exact amount of what remains on the card and pay that with the card and pay the remainder with cash, credit or debit.
Hi Kim,
Thanks for sharing this information with our readers — it’s always helpful to have people chime in to help people understand how this works in practice!
Can i use SNAP card for whole foods online witj delivery?
Hi Barbara,
Right now, SNAP can’t be used to make an online purchase for grocery delivery. But, that might be changing in the near future. Keep an eye on the USDA’s online purchasing pilot program. Whole Foods is not on the list of grocery stores that are taking part in the pilot program, but those that are might give you some other options. Also, be aware that only the following states are part of the pilot program: Alabama, Iowa, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, and Washington. The pilot program is set to begin in early 2018, so at that time online purchasing should become available at some stores in some states.
Can you use ebt for the salad bar
Hi Robbie,
That depends on whether the purchase is rung up as a prepared food. I contacted a couple Whole Foods and they said that yes, a salad bar purchase is considered a prepared food and your EBT card therefore could not be used.
When you don’t have enough on the EBT card, you have to tell the cashier the exact amount you want to use on the card. When it gets denied, the amount that’s on the card usually prints out for the cashier. You can also call the number on the card so you know how much to tell the cashier. I’ve never been to a business that sells groceries not accept split payment. It’s easy to forget this if you don’t use the whole amount on your card.
I went into my Whole Foods store (where I’m a frequent customer) and had a remainder of $5.89 balance on my food card. I was buying grapefruit juice (which was $9.99) knowing that I will be paying the difference. Well, the card didn’t go through at all. We tried a few times and it didn’t even print out the receipt stating none sufficant funds and what not.
I went to a different market to buy a kerns pear juice for a dollar to see if my card still worked and it went through, giving me a remainder balance of $4.89. I’ve never had this happen before. Do you think it had something to do with technicality issue at the Whole Foods store?
Hi Orlik,
Unfortunately, it’s difficult to know what went wrong in this case. Wish we could have been more help!
The cashier can only run the card for the balance left on the card. It depends on the cash register most times. In the furtuse just let them know the remaining balance and tell them to run the card for that specific amount. Some stores can run the card and it will automatically accept the remaining balance while you pay the difference. Other systems will recognize it as you not having enough funds or insufficient funds and fail to do any transaction. Hope this helps!
This happened lot me too! I don’t think it lets you pay the difference unfortunately.
Something similar happened to me at Shoprite. For some reason some registers won’t automatically just take whatever’s on the card and allow you to pay the difference with another payment. If the full amount of the purchase isn’t available on the card it rejects it. The cashier has to enter the exact amount you want deducted from the EBT card.
I just applied for snap and wondering if my local Whole Foods market in Yonkers accepts will allow me to use this program.
Hi Mariela,
As a rule, Whole Foods Markets do accept SNAP. The specific Whole Foods Market located in Yonkers is reported to accept SNAP/EBT as a form of payment. If you’d like to be absolutely certain, it doesn’t hurt to call ahead and verify. The phone number for the Whole Foods location on Ridge Hill Boulevard is (914) 378-8090. I hope this helps!