Does Rite Aid Take EBT Card, SNAP OR Food Stamps – Rite Aid Corporation is a popular and leading drugstore chain that has several store locations throughout the United States of America. Apart from drugs and medicines a lot of Rite Aid stores also provide necessary grocery items that are allowed for purchase with an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card. An EBT card is issued to eligible participants for cash benefits and food stamps through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Beneficiaries who are enrolled in this program often wonder whether they can use their food stamp benefits at their local Rite Aid store. Fortunately, Rite Aid accepts EBT benefits from SNAP beneficiaries for eligible products. In this comprehensive guide, we will help you to delve deep into how you can use your EBT card at Rite Aid and what are the other participating chains where you can use your SNAP benefits.
Highlights of this Post
Key Takeaways
- Rite Aid accepts EBT cards for eligible food and grocery purchases.
- SNAP participants can use EBT cards at all Rite Aid locations nationwide.
- Online EBT purchases are not currently accepted at Rite Aid.
- Always confirm EBT acceptance with your local store to avoid surprises.
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What Is The Difference Between EBT, SNAP or Food Stamps Program?
The Electronic Benefits Transfer card or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is the updated version of the food stamp program. The card has become a critical tool for all SNAP recipients that allows them to purchase eligible goods from local pharmacies, grocery stores, convenience markets, online retailers, local co-ops and so on. The Electronic Benefits Transfer card works similarly to any debit card however the card comes with certain restrictions that may differ from one state to another.
What is Rite Aid?
Rite Aid Corporation is a popular American drugstore chain that was founded in Scranton PA 1962 by Alex Grass under the brand Thrift D Discount Center. Based in Philadelphia PA this is the third largest drugstore chain in America with approximately 2000 stores and has also been ranked #148 in the Fortune 500 in 2022. Since 1962 the corporation has created a strong presence on both the West and East Coast by making it one of the leading grocery store chains in the nation.
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How Many Rite Aid Pharmacies Are There In The United States Of America?
There are nearly 1692 Rite Aid pharmacy store locations throughout the United States of America as of 23rd April 2024. The US state and territory with the maximum number of Rite Aid locations in America is situated in California with 375 rated pharmacies that account for 22% of the entire Rite Aid pharmacies in America.
Rite Aid is situated in 16 U.S. states and territories and 1102 U.S. cities. Let’s take a look at the following states and territories with a maximum of Rite Aid pharmacies.
- California– 375 or 22% of the U.S Rite Aid Pharmacies.
- Pennsylvania- 375 or 22% of the U.S Rite Aid Pharmacies.
- New York- 201 or 12% of the U.S Rite Aid Pharmacies.
- Michigan– 189 or 11% of the U.S Rite Aid Pharmacies.
- Ohio– 151 or 9% of the U.S Rite Aid Pharmacies
- Washington- 99 or 6% of the U.S Rite Aid Pharmacies
- New Jersey- 73 or 4% of the U.S Rite Aid Pharmacies
- Oregon– 51 or 3% of the U.S Rite Aid Pharmacies
- New Hampshire- 49 or 3% of the U.S Rite Aid Pharmacies
- Virginia– 38 at 2% of the U.S Rite Aid Pharmacies
The US states and territories that do not have Rite Aid pharmacies are: Guam, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Arizona, Kansas, Maine, Georgia, Rhode Island, Indiana, New Mexico, Montana, US Virgin Island, Northern Mariana Island, North Dakota, Minnesota, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Missouri, Alaska, Texas, Kentucky, South Dakota, Tennessee, Nevada, Arkansas, Alabama, Nebraska, Utah, Louisiana, North Carolina, Iowa, Illinois, Mississippi, Florida, Colorado, West Virginia, Oklahoma, District Of Columbia, Wyoming and American Samoa.
Cities with the maximum number of Rite Aid pharmacies in America are: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Brooklyn, San Diego, Buffalo, Bakersfield, Los Angeles, Toledo, Virginia Beach and Sacramento.
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.
Can I Use My EBT Card At Rite Aid?
Yes, Rite Aid accepts EBT or food stamp benefits from SNAP beneficiaries as a method of payment. However, there are certain guidelines and restrictions about the type of products that you can buy with your EBT card at Rite Aid. The drugstore enables the purchase of EBT-approved items at all its store locations. However, the pharmacy does not accept EBT as a method of payment online.
It is important to use the Rite Aid store locators to make sure your neighboring Rite Aid is accepting EBT payments. By accepting EBT, Rite Aid provides an amazing option for those who depend on government benefits to purchase items that they need.
Food items like fresh fruits, vegetables, bread, cereals, dairy products, poultry, fish, meat, snacks, and non-alcoholic beverages can be purchased with an EBT card. If you have any doubt about whether or not a product can be purchased with an EBT card it is best to ask the cashier or store manager before completing the purchase.
You can also read about whether the popular warehouse company Costco accepts EBT or not in our next guide.
How To Know If My Local Rite Aid Store Accepts EBT Or Not?
Even though all Rite Aid store locations accept EBT it is always recommended to check with your local store and confirm their EBT acceptance policy to avoid the guesswork and embarrassment at the last moment. The best thing is to contact them before paying a visit and ask if they accept SNAP benefits or not.
A lot of Rite Aid stores have signs on their doors or windows that will help you to know if they accept EBT cards as a method of payment or not. Alternatively, you can visit the Rite Aid website and search for your local store. Once you find it, scroll down to the bottom of the page and look for the SNAP EBT accepted section. If it is listed as EBT accepted you can use your food stamp benefits at that particular store. In case it is not listed then you need to find a different store.
What Are The EBT-Eligible Items That I Can Purchase At Rite Aid?
Following is the list of EBT-eligible products that you can purchase at Rite Aid stores anywhere throughout the country:
- Meat, poultry and fish: This comprises all forms of meat such as pork, beef, turkey, chicken, fish and lamb
- Bread and cereals: All types of bread, crackers, cereals, pasta, oatmeal and rice are allowed
- Milk and Dairy Products: All types of milk, yogurt, cheese and butter are eligible
- Fruits and vegetables: All types of fresh, canned or frozen fruits and vegetables. This also includes dried fruits and vegetables.
- 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.
- Seeds and Plants: SNAP participants can purchase plants and seeds to grow their produce.
What Can’t I Purchase With My EBT Card At Rite Aid?
The SNAP benefits are limited to food and groceries that come with nutritional value. In other words, you cannot purchase alcoholic tobacco products, hot food and non-edible food with your SNAP benefits cards. In the below section, we have covered the list of items that you cannot purchase with your SNAP card.
- Alcoholic beverages such as liquor, wine, and beer
- Prepared hot food
- Cigarette and tobacco-containing products
- Drugs, vitamins, medicines, and supplements
- Non-food items like pet foods
- Cleaning supplies
- Laundry detergent
- Dry ice
- Fuel pumps
- Diapers
- Shampoo
- Live animals except (fish and shellfish)
- Gas
- Clothing
- Hygiene and sanitary products
- Cosmetics and skincare products
- Paper products
As per USDA guidelines EBT or SNAP credits are applied to the purchase of approved food items and groceries only. The transaction will not push even if you try to use the card for unapproved items. Also repeated attempts to use the EBT card for unapproved purchases can result in EBT benefits suspension.
Following are the consequences that you may face for your unapproved food purchases.
- Three-month ban for the first unapproved SNAP purchase
- One-year ban for the next unapproved SNAP purchase
- Two-year ban for the third unapproved SNAP purchase.
How To Use An EBT Card At Rite Aid?
Using an EBT card at a local Rite Aid store is a simple and pretty straightforward process. In the below section, we have covered a few simple steps that will help you complete EBT transactions at Rite Aid stores.
- Step 1: Visit a local Rite Aid store and choose eligible food or grocery items that have been listed in the above section of the article. Next, take your items to the register or cashier to pay for your order.
- Step 2: Insert or swipe your EBT card at the POS terminal just like you use any debit or credit card. You have to enter the four-digit secret PIN when prompted to finish the transaction. To pay for any non-EBT eligible goods you can use a debit card, credit card, mobile wallet, or cash or use your EBT cash benefits.
- Step 3: Next, take your receipt as well as the purchased items before leaving the store. The receipt will help you to know the remaining EBT card balance.
Can I Use My EBT Card To Purchase Eligible Items Online From Rite Aid?
Rite Aid provides the flexibility and convenience to customers to shop eligible goods online like personal care, beauty, grocery, household, pets, toys, vitamins and supplements and other products.
If you’re a SNAP recipient and wondering if you can use your food stamp benefits to make online purchases from Rite Aid the answer is simply No! Presently Rite Aid does not accept EBT cards or food stamps for online payments or home delivery of purchases. To use your EBT card to make an eligible purchase at your local Rite Aid store you need to head to the store in-person.
Rite Aid Return Policy
Rite Aid stores ensure hassle-free returns for customers who are not satisfied with their purchases. The store handles the return on a case-to-case basis with customer satisfaction as their top-notch priority.
The company encourages customers to keep receipts or have their Rite Aid reward card details used during the original purchase so that they can get a refund quickly. Refunds are credited using the original method of payment and it is accepted within 90 days of the original purchase date.
If you do not have a receipt but have written a reward card or phone number used during the original purchase then Rite Aid can look for the transaction 48 hours after the original purchase date and provide them with a full refund on the original purchase price. You can contact customer service to know more about the return instructions or exchange details by dialing 1-800-748-3243.
- While making a return for any item that had a coupon attached Rite Aid cannot refund cash for the value of the coupon and can’t return the coupon that was used
- Refunds cannot be issued on prepaid cards, gift cards money services and lottery tickets
- To return or exchange any item without a receipt or Rite Aid reward card information used at the time of original purchase you need to present a photo ID. Return without a card or receipt will receive the lowest promotion price in the previous 45 days. Eligible returns without a receipt can be refunded for a Rite Aid gift card or any product exchange. Rite Aid reserves the right to limit or reuse non-receipted returns or exchanges including if the return is supposed to be a health or safety risk.
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 Are The Accepted Payment Methods At Rite Aid?
Besides EBT payments, Rite Aid accepts various other payment methods to provide convenience and flexibility to all its customers. Following are the few payment methods that are available at your local Rite Aid store.
- Major credit cards such as Visa, MasterCard, CareCredit, Discover JCPenney Credit Card and American Express
- Mobile payments such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay
What Other Pharmacies/ Drug Stores Accept EBT?
A lot of pharmacies and drug stores in America accept EBT or food stamps to help SNAP beneficiaries supplement their diet with nutritious and healthy food. To find out whether a local pharmacy or drugstore accepts EBT or not you can use the USDA SNAP Retailer Locator. These participating chains are as follows.
Walgreens
Similar to Rite Aid Walgreens accept EBT payments from SNAP beneficiaries. This popular pharmacy store is not accepting EBT payments as a method of payment online so SNAP beneficiaries have to purchase at their physical locations.
This is the second largest pharmacy store chain in America behind CVS Health and specializes in filling prescriptions, health information, health and wellness products, photo services etc. You can use your EBT card at Walgreens for the purchase of eligible products only.
CVS
CVS is a leading pharmacy and retail store chain that has more than 10,000 store locations throughout the United States of America. With its wide variety of products like drugs, food, household items for toiletries and grocery items CVS is a convenient location for those who rely on it.
EBT can be used at CVS for the purchase of eligible goods only and this does not include vitamins, supplements, pet food, household items, alcohol or tobacco products. CVS also launched a pilot program in 2018 for select stores that started accepting EBT payments for eligible goods online. It is important to note that the pilot program is available only in certain states.
Do you know which retailers in California accept EBT payments? Head over to our next guide to learn about the comprehensive list.
What Grocery Stores Accept EBT For Online Grocery Delivery Or Pick Up?
While the online platform of Rite Aid is presently not accepting EBT as a method of payment, major retailers accept food stamps to provide more convenience and flexibility to SNAP recipients. Let’s take a look at the major retailers that have piloted programs allowing for online EBT payments.
Amazon
SNAP recipients can use their EBT card on Amazon if they are living in authorized states and participating in the U.S.’s Online Purchasing Pilot Program.
Depending on the type of food you need and whether you want to purchase quantity in bulk Amazon provides three options such as Amazon Core Groceries, Amazon Pantry and Amazon Fresh. EBT funds can be used on eligible food items that are shipped and sold by Amazon.com.
Instacart
A popular online platform that enables EBT card holders to go for online grocery shopping and delivery with SNAP benefits is Instacart. The company employs personal shoppers to shop for and deliver the groceries to your doorstep.
You need to link your EBT card to your Instacart account and provide all EBT information for online shopping. The popular grocery delivery service enables you to shop for goods from various stores like ALDI, Publix, Piggly Wiggly, Price Right, Woodman’s Market and so on.
Walmart
Walmart is a popular grocery chain that accepts EBT payments for both in-store and online grocery delivery and pick-up. Customers first need to create an account with Walmart and place orders online using their debit card.
You can get free curbside pickup service for orders above $35 or else you have to pay a small pickup fee. It is important to note that you cannot cover the cost of your delivery fees or pick-up using an EBT card.
Target
Target is a leading grocery retailer in America that accepts SNAP benefits or food stamps as a payment method at all of its store locations through its service known as Shipt.
The company welcomes EBT cardholders and allows them to purchase eligible grocery and food items. The same-day grocery delivery option available at Target comes with a cost of $9.99 whereas Shipt members can get free delivery on all orders more than $35.
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 makes it easier for people to get things they need and maximize their benefits with multiple payment options.
DoorDash
DoorDash is a popular food delivery service known as DoorDash enables people to shop with their EBT card for eligible food items like meat, fresh produce, pantry staples and many more.
This is a delivery giant that has partnered with grocery stores. The company joins big chains like Instacart, Amazon, Walmart and Target to help SNAP recipients use EBT cards to pay for online grocery delivery and pick up.
A few more retailers that accept EBT to offer a plethora of food choices to recipients are as follows.
- Harris Teeter
- HEB
- Dollar Tree
- Wegmans
- Weis Markets
- Whole Foods
- Jewel-Osco
- King Soopers
- Kings Food Markets
- Kroger
- Family Dollar
- Acme Markets
- AJ’s Fine Foods
- Albertsons
- Foodtown
- Speedway
- Associated Food Stores
- Bashas
- Big Y Foods
- 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
- City Market
- Dillons Stores
- Meijer
- Piggly Wiggly
- Pick N Save
- Price Chopper
- Fareway Meat & Grocery
- Fine Fare Supermarkets
- Food 4 Less
- Food City
- Food Lion
- Publix
- QFC Supermarkets
- Raley’s
- Shaw’s
- ShopRite
- Dollar Tree
- Smith’s Food and Drug
- WinCo
- Ralphs
- Save Mart
- Schnucks Market
- CVS
- Stop & Shop
- Super 1 Foods
- H Mart
- Kroger
- Jubilee Foods
- Superior Grocers
- Tops Markets
- Trader Joe’s
- Vons
- Publix
Get a comprehensive list of SNAP-eligible goods and grocery stores that accept EBT payments online in our next guide.
Conclusion
The SNAP or EBT program is a critical government assistance program geared towards low-income households in the US. This program assists qualifying households with EBT that can be used for the purchase of groceries in various stores scattered across the nation. Rite Aid is one of the most popular convenience stores in the nation with thousands of stores throughout the country. You can purchase everything from household items, groceries to snacks at your local Rite Aid store. Thankfully this drugstore retail chain accepts EBT and provides a convenient option for SNAP recipients to stop by and shop for eligible products. It is recommended to double-check with your local Rite Aid store if you’re planning to use your EBT benefits there.
We hope this article has been informative enough to give you all the details you need regarding Rite Aid that accepts EBT. You can learn more about the government grants and financial assistance program at the Get Government Grants’ blog section today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Rite Aid Take EBT?
Yes, Rite Aid accepts EBT payments from SNAP beneficiaries throughout America. It would be critical to check the store locator to make sure your local Rite Aid is accepting EBT payments. This is helpful for low-income households in America to use their EBT payments.
Does Rite Aid Accept Ebt For Prescriptions?
No SNAP recipients can’t use their EBT card for prescription medications, vitamins, or supplements at any Rite Aid store location. Like any other grocery store type Rite Aid has to abide by the USDA guidelines about the type of products that they can buy with food stamp benefits.