Does Dollar General Accept EBT Cards, Food Stamp or SNAP – Americans who rely on EBT to make ends meet must know the type of stores that accept food stamps as a means of payment. A popular shopping destination among SNAP recipients is Dollar Stores. With its extensive network of stores, competitive prices and reputation for catering products to budget-conscious shoppers, Dollar General raises a warning question among individuals and families who rely on government food stamp benefits: “Does Dollar General accept EBT payments?”
In this comprehensive guide, we will help you navigate through the ins and outs of using your EBT at Dollar General stores. We will also help you to delve deep into other dollar stores and grocery chains that are accepting EBT throughout America.
Highlights of this Post
Key Takeaways
- Yes, Dollar General accepts EBT cards for SNAP-approved food and groceries.
- This includes fresh produce, meat, dairy, bread, cereals, and non-alcoholic beverages.
- You cannot use EBT for hot meals, prepared foods, or non-food items.
- Dollar General accepts EBT in-store only, not online.
What Are Dollar General Stores?
Dollar General Corporation is an American chain of discount stores that is headquartered in Goodlettsville TN. Founded in October 1939 Dollar General has 19643 stores running as of 8th January 2024.
Dollar General is available throughout the United States of America except for Alaska and Hawaii. They also have store locations running in Mexico. Dollar General provides the following products at all its store locations:
- Clothing
- Cleaning supplies
- Health and beauty products
- Home décor
- Toys
- Pet supplies
- Grocery
- Pharmacy
- Seasonal items
- Outdoor furniture
- Electronics
- Hygiene products
- Footwear
- Books
- Auto
- Movies
- Gift
- School and office supplies
- Sporting goods
- Baby products
- Furniture and accessories
Dollar General sells products from top national name brands like Procter & Gamble, Clorox, Hanes, Mars, Coca-Cola, Energizer, Nestle, Unilever, General Mills, PepsiCo, Kimberly-Clark, Kellogg’s and so on. The company expanded its product offerings in 2018 to include the “Better-For-You” assortment to provide healthier nutritious options from top brands like Annie’s, Kashi, Kind and Back to Nature.
Do you know whether Wingstop accepts food stamps or not? Read them in our next guide.
How Many Dollar General Stores Are There In The United States Of America?
As of 29th April 2024, there are 9882 Dollar General stores throughout the United States of America. The US state and territory with the most Dollar General locations in America is Texas with nearly 1840 stores which accounts for 9% of the overall Dollar General stores running in the United States of America.
All these two locations are presented in 48 States and territories or 7698 cities. The top ten states and territories with the maximum number of Dollar General stores are as follows.
- Texas- 1840 or 9% of the U.S Dollar General Stores
- Georgia– 1075 or 5% of the U.S Dollar General Stores
- North Carolina– 1060 or 5% of the U.S Dollar General Stores
- Florida- 1047 or 5% of the U.S Dollar General Stores
- Ohio- 1000 or 5% of the U.S Dollar General Stores
- Tennessee– 992 or 5% of the U.S Dollar General Stores
- Pennsylvania– 958 or 5% of the U.S Dollar General Stores
- Alabama- 939 or 5% of the U.S Dollar General Stores
- Kentucky– 746.4% of the U.S Dollar General Stores
- Michigan– 739 or 4% of the U.S Dollar General Stores
The states and territories without any Dollar General stores are: American Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, the US Virgin Islands, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia and Alaska.
The cities with the most Dollar General stores in America are: San Antonio, Indianapolis, Houston, Jacksonville, Memphis, Louisville, Columbus, Knoxville, Oklahoma City and El Paso. To find a Dollar General store near you you can use the store director locator available on the official Dollar General website.
You can also read about whether the popular warehouse company Costco accepts EBT or not in our next guide.
Does Dollar General Take EBT?
Yes, Dollar General stores accept EBT payments for SNAP-approved products. The EBT benefits can be applied to almost anything that comes with a nutritional label marked on the product. In other words, you can purchase food and groceries for your household, snacks and non-alcoholic beverages, plants and seeds that produce food from Dollar General stores. The acceptance of EBT reflects a strong commitment of Dollar General to provide a convenient and flexible shopping experience to all its customers.
Dollar General store’s decision to accept the food stamp shows its commitment to serve diverse communities even those who depend on food stamps across America. For those who are relying on SNAP benefits, Dollar General stands as a welcoming and viable option to meet your shopping needs.
Do you love to shop with Walgreens? Take a look at our next guide to know whether Walgreens accept EBT payments or not.
Why Use An EBT Card To Pay At Dollar General Stores?
SNAP recipients can purchase necessary staple foods and groceries for their family with an EBT card instead of spending money out of their pocket. The price of Dollar General is comparatively less than any other general store so you are likely to get more food items for the price. Dollar General stores are known for their extensive frozen food section that can last up to six months and are also easy to prepare.
You can easily shop from here and stretch your EBT Dollars by keeping the food in the freezer for longer periods. Shopping at the Dollar General store is a convenient and fast way to make sure your family gets the food they need. The lines here are generally smaller than other large convenience markets or grocery stores so you need not wait long to get your order.
What Can You Purchase With Your EBT Card From Dollar General Stores?
The SNAP EBT benefits can be used for purchasing USDA-approved products only. The products approved by USDA comprise home nutrition products, non-alcoholic drinks, snacks, plants and seeds that produce food for the household. If any items packaging comprises nutrition information then you can rest assured they are covered by EBT benefits. There is a wide selection of food items and groceries at Dollar General.
A few common items include the following:
- 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
- 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.
- 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
- Energy drinks: Specific energy drinks are allowed for purchase using an EBT card if they are labeled as Nutrition Facts label. Any supplements, medicines or vitamins bearing Supplement facts labels are prohibited from being purchased using the EBT program.
- Seeds and Plants: SNAP participants can purchase plants and seeds to grow their produce.
Apart from grocery stores there are even bakeries that are accepting EBT payments throughout the country. You can read them in our next guide.
What Items Cannot Be Purchased With An EBT Card At Dollar General?
Following is the list of eligible items that you cannot purchase with your EBT card in any Dollar General grocery store.
- Alcoholic beverages like beer, liquor and wines
- Products containing tobacco like cigars and cigarettes
- Vitamins, supplements and medicines
- Pet foods
- Sanitary items
- Cosmetics, skincare and beauty products
- Paper products
- Live animals except fish and selfish
- Hot-prepared food items
- Cleaning products or household supplies
- Any other products that are not related to groceries
It is critical to note that hot-prepared meals are not eligible for SNAP benefits unless your state is enrolled in the Restaurant Meals Program and you can fulfill the eligibility criteria for the initiative.
To know more details you can take a look at our next guide that deals with top fast food restaurants that accept EBT or food stamps. If you qualify for EBT cash benefits for the Temporary Assistance For Needy Families Program then you can purchase non-edible foods, restaurant meals or other products that are not covered by SNAP benefits such as toilet paper, furniture, and paper towels at any Dollar General stores.
How To Use An EBT Card At Dollar General Stores?
Navigating the checkout process at Dollar General using your EBT card is designed to be a simple and seamless experience. In the below section, we have covered a step-by-step process for you to use your EBT card at any Dollar General store.
Find An EBT-friendly Dollar General Store
The first and foremost step is to find a Dollar General store that accepts food stamps or EBT in your state. Thankfully, Dollar General has its presence throughout the United States of America so you may not find it difficult to locate a nearby store. To learn more about the participating grocery stores that accept food stamps you can use the USDA SNAP retailer locator online.
Confirm EBT Acceptance Prior Placing Order
Before heading to a store that accepts food stamps or EBT you need to confirm its SNAP EBT policies and make sure they’re accepting it. You can approach the counter directly to place your order and purchase SNAP-eligible products.
Swipe Your EBT Card
When it comes to paying for your order simply swipe your EBT card while checking out at the payment window and enter the four-digit secret PIN to complete the EBT transaction. Do not forget to take the receipt where you can know the remaining balance in your EBT account.
You can combine your discounts and savings with your EBT card including manufacture and store coupons and sales. It is important to keep in mind that while you are using your EBT card it is necessary to buy eligible food for in-person transactions at any Dollar General store so you cannot use the food stamp for shopping online.
What Are The Different Payment Options Available At Dollar General?
Dollar General shoppers have different payment options to use to complete their transactions.
In-Store Dollar General Transaction
Dollar General accepts the following forms of payment for in-store shopping.
- Cash
- Contactless payment methods like Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung pay
- Debit cards– PIN and Pinless
- Contactless debit and credit cards
- OTC card
- Gift cards including Dollar General gift cards
- Check
- Coupons- paper and digital
- Ebt cards
- Credit cards like Visa or MasterCard from American Express, China Union Pay, Discover, Japan credit bank– PIN and Pinless
Online Dollar General Transaction
Online orders made through the Dollar General website accept Visa, American Express, Discover and Mastercard credit or debit card. You cannot use an EBT card. You can also use PayPal or PayPal credit. It is important to note that PayPal is not currently accepted for in-store purchases.
How Can I Tell If My Local Dollar General Store Accepts EBT?
You can easily find out if your neighboring Dollar General store accepts EBT or not by contacting the cashier or store manager ahead of time. You can do a quick online research to find the store’s phone number online. A few Dollar General stores have updated their official website to include EBT information.
If they are available in your local area you can drive by and look for signage in the window or door that indicates that the store accepts EBT payments. EBT signage will indicate that the store welcomes EBT card holders. You can also use the Dollar General store locator to find a nearby location.
Can I Use My EBT Card For Online Purchases at Dollar General Stores?
Dollar General has partnered with DoorDash, a popular online platform, to provide Dollar General items on the DoorDash marketplace web and app. This allows shoppers to make online purchases from Dollar General stores and get their orders delivered to their doorstep quickly.
However, SNAP recipients cannot make online transactions or purchases from Dollar General through delivery services like DoorDash with their EBT card at present. Those who are facing limited mobility or transportation barriers can shop for SNAP-eligible items and opt for online delivery or pick-up orders through major retailers like Amazon, ALDI, Walmart, Target, Safeway and Instacart.
Which Other Dollar Stores Apart From Dollar General Accept EBT?
The number of Dollar store chains in America is popping up with each passing day. There are more than 35,000 Dollar stores which is more than the combined total of Starbucks, McDonald’s Walmart and Target locations. You can find a wide variety of SNAP-eligible groceries, snacks, party supplies, household items or other products from these discount retail chains at extremely affordable prices.
In the below section, we have covered a list of a few more EBT-friendly Dollar Stores that accept food stamps and are known as the best alternatives to Dollar General.
Family Dollar
Similar to Dollar General, Family Dollar is a popular American variety store chain that has 8000+ locations in all U.S. states (apart from Alaska and Hawaii). Family Dollar stores were the second largest retailer in America until it was acquired by Dollar Tree in 2015.
Family Dollar stores focus on delivering top-notch products for family essentials with merchandise that ranges between $1 to $10 respectively. Family Dollar like Dollar General stores accept EBT payments for SNAP-eligible products.
Dollar Tree
Dollar Tree accepts both EBT food purchases and Ebt cash. You have the option to select which benefit you would like to use during checkout. With 4000 stores running across 48 states Dollar Tree is a preferred choice for low-income households when it comes to discount retail chains.
They have an amazing selection of refrigerated and freezer foods that is uncommon for another Dollar Store. Dollar Tree has a robust grocery section that helps you to maximize your SNAP EBT benefits. If you find it difficult to get into a Dollar Tree storing person you can get your Dollar Tree items delivered through Instacart.
99 Cent Only Stores
Another popular discount retail chain is 99 Cent Only Stores that have hundreds of locations throughout California, Texas, Arizona and Nevada. Their stores stock a wide variety of brand-name closeout deals, party supplies, fresh produce, food, snacks and many more items.
They accept EBT since everything in the store comes for $0.99 and this will help you to stretch your food budget further. Low-income families with the 99 Cent Only Stores store near them use their EBT card to purchase fresh seasonal produce.
Local Dollar Stores
There are plenty of small-dollar stores scattered throughout the United States of America. While some accept EBT and are authorized by USDA some do not want to get into the paperwork involved with SNAP eligibility criteria and fail to accept EBT.
Also, the store’s eligibility for the SNAP program frequently changes along with their location and policies so you must contact a local dollar store you are considering and confirm their best policy.
Note: Following are the Dollar Stores that are not accepting EBT:
- Bills Dollar Store (in Chatom AL)
- Dollar Zone (in various locations in Alaska).
Do you know which retailers in California accept EBT payments? Head over to our next guide to learn about the comprehensive list.
How Do Grocery Stores Qualify To Accept EBT?
SNAP-authorized grocery stores or chains should meet one of the two staple food criteria to process EBT payments. Basic food items that make a significant part of a person’s diet refer to staple foods like fruits or vegetables, poultry milk etc. These food items are prepared at one’s home and eaten as meals and generally do not include heated food, prepared food or accessory food.
1. USDA Criterion A—Stocking Requirement
According to USDA guidelines, any grocery store in America should have at least three stocking units of three different varieties for each staple food category continuously. There should be at least one perishable variety for two staple food categories as well.
There are four food categories for EBT-friendly stores: fruits or vegetables, dairy products, meat/ poultry/ fish and bread or cereals. There are 36 food stocking units required to meet USDA Criteria A. A lot of stores are authorized under this criterion.
2. USDA Criterion B—Sales Requirement
Any store that has at least 50% of its gross total retail stores coming from the sale of staple food is qualified by the EBT program. SNAP-accepting stores that take EBT offer the following items– bread and cereals, dairy products, fish, poultry meat and fruits and vegetables. Dollar General stores have half of their sales coming from staple food so they can accept SNAP benefits.
Dollar General Policies On Returns With EBT Purchase
Dollar General takes SNAP benefits as a form of payment for SNAP-eligible items in-store. When it comes to knowing about Dollar General’s return policy, customers should adhere to particular rules and restrictions set by federal law and Dollar General’s regional policies.
- Time Frame For Returns: Customers have a period of 30 days from the time of purchase to return the items that they have covered with their EBT card.
- Refund Method: Refunds for items that are purchased with EBT are not provided in cash. Instead the refund amount is generally credited to the customer’s EBT card. In some cases, customers can get an exchange or store credit. An identical item exchange or gift card can be offered if food stamp benefits crediting is not possible.
Customers must keep their purchase receipt with them if they want to get returns for the items that they’re covered with the EBT card. Dollar General store manager or staff will require proof of purchase to process the return in compliance with their policies. You must note that all the items at Dollar General are not EBT-eligible and the return policy can also differ for non-EBT eligible items.
Do you love to shop with HelloFresh and want to know whether they accept EBT or not? Learn about HelloFresh and its EBT policies in our next guide.
Additional Grocery Stores That Are Accepting EBT
The following is the list of additional stores in our grocery chains that are accepting EBT as a method of payment from SNAP beneficiaries.
- ALDI
- Harris Teeter
- HEB
- Wegmans
- Weis Markets
- Whole Foods
- Kings Food Markets
- Kroger
- Walmart
- Jewel-Osco
- King Soopers
- Target
- Amazon
- Acme Markets
- AJ’s Fine Foods
- Albertsons
- Speedway
- Associated Food Stores
- Bashas
- Big Y Foods
- Foodtown
- Fred Meyer
- Stater Bros
- Fry’s Food Stores
- Giant Eagle
- Giant Food
- Hannaford Supermarkets
- Lowe’s Grocery
- Sprouts
- BJ’s Wholesale Club
- Bravo Supermarkets
- Brookshire’s
- Smart & Final
- City Market
- Dillons Stores
- Meijer
- Piggly Wiggly
- Pick N Save
- Price Chopper
- Fareway Meat & Grocery
- Instacart
- Fine Fare Supermarkets
- Food 4 Less
- Albertsons
- Food City
- Sprouts
- Food Lion
- Publix
- QFC Supermarkets
- Raley’s
- Shaw’s
- Dollar Tree
- ShopRite
- Smith’s Food and Drug
- WinCo
- Ralphs
- Save Mart
- Safeway
- Schnucks Market
- CVS
- Stop & Shop
- Super 1 Foods
- H Mart
- Kroger
- Jubilee Foods
- Superior Grocers
- Tops Markets
- Trader Joe’s
- Vons
- Publix
Read about the comprehensive list of SNAP-eligible goods and grocery stores that accept EBT payments online in our next guide.
Conclusion
Dollar General is a prominent discount retailer throughout the United States of America that is dedicated to serving customers by providing an extensive variety of products at competitive prices. Recognizing the diversity of its customer base the company accepts a variety of payment methods including Electronic Benefits Transfer. EBT is an integral part of the SNAP program that offers eligible households a way to purchase food and groceries with government SNAP funds.
It is important to note that EBT card holders can use food stamps at Dollar General to purchase USDA-approved items only. It is also important to note that Dollar General’s acceptance of EBT is limited to in-store transactions. In other words, you cannot make online EBT purchases or transactions at Dollar General through delivery services like DoorDash. By enabling EBT transactions at its store location Dollar General makes sure essential groceries and food are accessible to everyone in the community.
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