Does Trader Joe's Take EBT/SNAP/Food Stamps? Answered

Short Answer

All Trader Joe’s locations take EBT cards and cash benefits as payment for eligible purchases; SNAP and cash assistance program restrictions apply. For more on using EBT at Trader Joe’s, see below.

Table of Contents

Does Trader Joe’s Take EBT?

Trader Joe’s accepts EBT cards with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and cash benefits. We confirmed this information by contacting individual stores, on the company’s website, and in the USDA’s SNAP retailer locator. We reached out to Trader Joe’s locations in Arizona, California, Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, New York, and Oregon; all of the stores we called accept SNAP/EBT.

Cardholders can use EBT to pay for food-related expenses authorized by SNAP, or they can use cash benefits that are a part of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program or related state programs.

TANF and SNAP Restrictions

EBT funds can be used to purchase a variety of products, and you can even get cash back if you receive cash assistance. Cash benefits are not, however, valid on the following purchases:

Tobacco products, alcohol, or imitation alcohol
Lottery tickets
Bail
Vacation or travel services
Firearms or ammunition
Tattoos

SNAP benefits add further restrictions to your purchases; you cannot buy the following with SNAP benefits:

Vitamins and medicines
Prepared or hot foods
Any non-food items

See our related research for more information on what you can and can’t buy with your EBT card.

Using EBT at Trader Joe’s

To use your EBT card or cash benefits at Trader Joe’s, swipe your EBT card at the register, select the EBT option, and enter your four-digit PIN. Note that if you attempt to use your EBT card to pay for ineligible items, the system will not process the transaction. You will have to pay for those items separately.

For more places where you can shop with SNAP benefits, check out our list of grocery stores that accept EBT.

Trader Joe’s Accepted Payment Methods

In addition to EBT, Trader Joe’s also accepts cash, checks, credit cards, debit cards, gift cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay. If your order includes items that are not eligible for EBT, you can use any one of these payment methods to pay for those items.