Apr 8, 2014, 1:24 am
Last edit by: ericliujian
Grocery stores that sell variable GCs to $500. Please understand these are observations by those who contribute to this thread and are provided for the good of the community. Apologies if some chains are different in different areas. TY.
YES:
7-11 (Vanilla Visa $20-500) - Sometimes limited to 1x per buy. Sometimes buggy. Often codes as gas station.
Big Y (CT/MA): m̶a̶x̶i̶m̶u̶m̶ ̶$̶1̶0̶0̶0̶ ̶c̶a̶n̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶c̶h̶a̶r̶g̶e̶d̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶c̶r̶e̶d̶i̶t̶ ̶c̶a̶r̶d̶ ̶p̶e̶r̶ ̶p̶e̶r̶s̶o̶n̶,̶ ̶p̶e̶r̶ ̶d̶a̶y̶;̶ ̶a̶n̶y̶t̶h̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶o̶v̶e̶r̶ ̶m̶u̶s̶t̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶p̶a̶i̶d̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶c̶a̶s̶h̶̶ Cash or debit only
CVS: Vanilla, $2000 max 24 hours
Family Fare (hit and miss)
Food Lion (Post 287 reports no good CC experience. YMMV, Manager override needed cash only memo)
Giant - now accepts CCs as of 10/1/16 - recent change from past cash or debit only policy.
Glens
Haggen
HEB -- usually limited to $1000 total (with fees) but many times they'll sell 2-3 if you split into separate transactions.
H-T
Hy-Vee ($500 limit)
Hannafords (multiple reports that Visa / MC / AMEX GCs are no longer sold at stores)
Kroger (DL will be requested and DL no. entered, even if just buying 1). If you use CHIP PIN card, no DL will be requested
Lowe's Foods (Manager override needed)
Marianos
Meijer Mastercard ONLY (US Bank)
QFC
Ralph's - in So Cal they sell $500 variable load cards
Safeway/Albertsons - most (all?) stores sell $500 variable load. Their banners include Acme, Randalls/Tom Thumb, Vons/Pavilions, Shaw's/Star, and others.
Stop & Shop (when it's stocked - manager override required for $500 and up)
Stater Bros
Walgreen: Vanilla
Weiss: cash only
Winn-Dixie ($500 and up in single transaction requires override from manager for each card - but some cashiers have the override code, and almost all customer service reps have it) (Cash/debit only per #544: edit: varies by region)
PREVIOUSLY:
A&P - Out of business
Acme (DE/MD/NJ/PA). Many in NJ now say NO and stock as been pulled
Albertsons ($1K and up in single transaction requires override from manager and every single VGC over $1K requires override each time)
AutoZone (Vanilla Visa $20-500). Pulled off the shelf now (4/2018) - Update: Was told by store MGR these are seasonal thus expect OCT-JAN each year. If in stock (in back) they can sell them all year.
Jewel
Ralph's
Randalls ($500 VGC purchase requires manager override and they usually check CC vs photo ID)
Safeway ($500 and up in single transaction requires override from manager just 1 time)
ShopRite (not all). SR no longer stock variable load up to $500.00. The variable loads the have now only allow a max of $200.00 for the same 5.95 fee.
Vons ($500 and up in single transaction requires override from manager just 1 time)
Whole Foods$500 (Now only $200 max)
NO:
Publix ($50 and $25)
Festival Foods
Giant Eagle
Bi-Lo
Grocers that sell $200:
Most Albertsons' subsidiaries listed in 'PREVIOUSLY'
Bashas'
HEB
McCaffrey
Piggly Wiggly-up to 200 max. of 1k per transaction 4.95 fee no ID required
Shaws/Star Market $500 Amazon GCs are still around, but all other GCs are only up to $200 at this time.
Shop Rite
Tops
Wegmans
Whole Food
Improvements and additions welcome.
Note: this thread began as an attempt to find out if a Kroger store in the area where jan_believes was travelling might have the variable $500 Visa GC since the store where I was at the time, did not. It has morphed into a discussion about MOs (at Kroger, although other stores MAY be included but not mentioned), as well. Not the intent of the discussion. Use discretion, please. Local rules apply.
YES:
7-11 (Vanilla Visa $20-500) - Sometimes limited to 1x per buy. Sometimes buggy. Often codes as gas station.
Big Y (CT/MA): m̶a̶x̶i̶m̶u̶m̶ ̶$̶1̶0̶0̶0̶ ̶c̶a̶n̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶c̶h̶a̶r̶g̶e̶d̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶c̶r̶e̶d̶i̶t̶ ̶c̶a̶r̶d̶ ̶p̶e̶r̶ ̶p̶e̶r̶s̶o̶n̶,̶ ̶p̶e̶r̶ ̶d̶a̶y̶;̶ ̶a̶n̶y̶t̶h̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶o̶v̶e̶r̶ ̶m̶u̶s̶t̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶p̶a̶i̶d̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶c̶a̶s̶h̶̶ Cash or debit only
CVS: Vanilla, $2000 max 24 hours
Family Fare (hit and miss)
Food Lion (Post 287 reports no good CC experience. YMMV, Manager override needed cash only memo)
Giant - now accepts CCs as of 10/1/16 - recent change from past cash or debit only policy.
Glens
Haggen
HEB -- usually limited to $1000 total (with fees) but many times they'll sell 2-3 if you split into separate transactions.
H-T
Hy-Vee ($500 limit)
Hannafords (multiple reports that Visa / MC / AMEX GCs are no longer sold at stores)
Kroger (DL will be requested and DL no. entered, even if just buying 1). If you use CHIP PIN card, no DL will be requested
Lowe's Foods (Manager override needed)
Marianos
Meijer Mastercard ONLY (US Bank)
QFC
Ralph's - in So Cal they sell $500 variable load cards
Safeway/Albertsons - most (all?) stores sell $500 variable load. Their banners include Acme, Randalls/Tom Thumb, Vons/Pavilions, Shaw's/Star, and others.
Stop & Shop (when it's stocked - manager override required for $500 and up)
Stater Bros
Walgreen: Vanilla
Weiss: cash only
Winn-Dixie ($500 and up in single transaction requires override from manager for each card - but some cashiers have the override code, and almost all customer service reps have it) (Cash/debit only per #544: edit: varies by region)
PREVIOUSLY:
A&P - Out of business
Acme (DE/MD/NJ/PA). Many in NJ now say NO and stock as been pulled
Albertsons ($1K and up in single transaction requires override from manager and every single VGC over $1K requires override each time)
AutoZone (Vanilla Visa $20-500). Pulled off the shelf now (4/2018) - Update: Was told by store MGR these are seasonal thus expect OCT-JAN each year. If in stock (in back) they can sell them all year.
Jewel
Ralph's
Randalls ($500 VGC purchase requires manager override and they usually check CC vs photo ID)
Safeway ($500 and up in single transaction requires override from manager just 1 time)
ShopRite (not all). SR no longer stock variable load up to $500.00. The variable loads the have now only allow a max of $200.00 for the same 5.95 fee.
Vons ($500 and up in single transaction requires override from manager just 1 time)
Whole Foods
NO:
Publix ($50 and $25)
Festival Foods
Giant Eagle
Bi-Lo
Grocers that sell $200:
Most Albertsons' subsidiaries listed in 'PREVIOUSLY'
Bashas'
HEB
McCaffrey
Piggly Wiggly-up to 200 max. of 1k per transaction 4.95 fee no ID required
Shaws/Star Market $500 Amazon GCs are still around, but all other GCs are only up to $200 at this time.
Shop Rite
Tops
Wegmans
Whole Food
Improvements and additions welcome.
Note: this thread began as an attempt to find out if a Kroger store in the area where jan_believes was travelling might have the variable $500 Visa GC since the store where I was at the time, did not. It has morphed into a discussion about MOs (at Kroger, although other stores MAY be included but not mentioned), as well. Not the intent of the discussion. Use discretion, please. Local rules apply.
Stores that sell $500 GCs(up to 2019)
Jul 15, 2014, 7:01 am
#271
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 201
My local W-D has started using a new fraud prevention measure. It's a form much like the form you have to sign when purchasing pseudoephedrine. Name, DL, amounts, date purchased, but no signature. I was the first one on the list. I'll be interested to see if I end up being the second (and the third, fourth, etc.) Hopefully that's a sign that they intend to keep allowing CCs for GCs.
Andyandy
Andyandy
Jul 15, 2014, 8:27 am
#272
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Gulf Coast of FL
Posts: 115
Yikes. My WDs have been terrific and easy so far (they just came to our area, buying out Sweetbays). I've been doing reasonably small doses and spreading it out among WDs as much as possible. Fingers crossed, 'cause they've been good to me.
Jul 15, 2014, 9:08 am
#273
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: MGM
Programs: United Silver, PC Plat/Amb, HH Dmnd
Posts: 805
No SSN? the store I buy my MOs require nothing as of now (knock on wood!) but IF sometime later, they will require DLs, I'm still fine with that.
I often show my DL as ID so I have no problem with that but if they will require SSN aside from DL info, and not knowing who has access to their logbook, I'll say no thanks.
I often show my DL as ID so I have no problem with that but if they will require SSN aside from DL info, and not knowing who has access to their logbook, I'll say no thanks.
Andyandy
P.S.: That's a lot of acronyms!
Jul 15, 2014, 10:15 am
#274
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: BOS
Programs: AA XPlat
Posts: 103
Shaws (South Shore, MA)
Attempted purchase of var load vgc at Shaws for $500x2.
Was told would need an override, but when supervisor arrived, she pointed to posted signage at the register which stated $300 max load, without manager approval. And that managers wouldn't approve anything higher.
Thanked them for their time and departed.
Noted a fellow MSer made a purchase just before me at the same register with no issues (assume just $500x1). We'll say "hi" one of these days.
The posted sign was a plain computer print out, didn't look like anything corporate. But couldn't tell if was specific to that store or would be found at others in the area.
The next day I successfully purchased vgc $500x1 at a Star Market in the city.
Was told would need an override, but when supervisor arrived, she pointed to posted signage at the register which stated $300 max load, without manager approval. And that managers wouldn't approve anything higher.
Thanked them for their time and departed.
Noted a fellow MSer made a purchase just before me at the same register with no issues (assume just $500x1). We'll say "hi" one of these days.
The posted sign was a plain computer print out, didn't look like anything corporate. But couldn't tell if was specific to that store or would be found at others in the area.
The next day I successfully purchased vgc $500x1 at a Star Market in the city.
Jul 15, 2014, 12:32 pm
#276
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA, BA, CX, DL, EK, F9, GA, HA, IB, JL, KE, LH, MH, NH, OS, PG, QR, RJ, SA, TG, UA, VN, WN, ZH
Posts: 927
Jul 15, 2014, 1:00 pm
#277
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,944
Attempted purchase of var load vgc at Shaws for $500x2.
Was told would need an override, but when supervisor arrived, she pointed to posted signage at the register which stated $300 max load, without manager approval. And that managers wouldn't approve anything higher.
Thanked them for their time and departed.
Noted a fellow MSer made a purchase just before me at the same register with no issues (assume just $500x1). We'll say "hi" one of these days.
The posted sign was a plain computer print out, didn't look like anything corporate. But couldn't tell if was specific to that store or would be found at others in the area.
The next day I successfully purchased vgc $500x1 at a Star Market in the city.
Was told would need an override, but when supervisor arrived, she pointed to posted signage at the register which stated $300 max load, without manager approval. And that managers wouldn't approve anything higher.
Thanked them for their time and departed.
Noted a fellow MSer made a purchase just before me at the same register with no issues (assume just $500x1). We'll say "hi" one of these days.
The posted sign was a plain computer print out, didn't look like anything corporate. But couldn't tell if was specific to that store or would be found at others in the area.
The next day I successfully purchased vgc $500x1 at a Star Market in the city.
Jul 15, 2014, 1:49 pm
#278
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: NC
Programs: AAConciergeKey/1MM, DL DM/2 MM, UA Gold,Hilton Diamond, IHG Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 11,980
Really? Shocked that Bi-Lo and Food Lion are on this list, that's great. Are you buying Vanilla Reloads or plain gift cards? Want to put them on my Bluebird as easily as possible.
Jul 16, 2014, 7:00 am
#281
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: IAD
Posts: 60
I was at a Safeway last night in Northern Virginia and they said it's now cash/debit only for variable-load VGC. Said it was a new store policy. What I didn't figure out is whether its local or corporate and whether it's hard coded at the register. Either way, not good.
Jul 16, 2014, 3:02 pm
#283
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: SFO
Posts: 175
Jul 16, 2014, 5:33 pm
#284
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: Hilton Diamond, CC, Hyatt & IHG
Posts: 121
It is definitely local. I purchased a few VGC today at Safeway.
Jul 16, 2014, 7:55 pm
#285
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 186
This is definitely true. It's also worth reiterating, if you want to go big at Safeway you have to make sure that the cashiers trust you. This is as simple as becoming a regular: don't look sketchy, be polite, and try to repeat with the same cashiers each time. Once they recognize you, it's easy to purchase several thousand at a time.