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)
#586
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 3,688
it's been a while since I've shopped at my Neighborhood Market. I went yesterday and bought 2 Sunnies, 1 per transaction and used am3x BCP and OBC. The BCP was initially rejected when swiped. When I inserted card to chip reader, transaction went through; OBC went through with the chip reader. Loaded these cards to my prepaids at the nearby WM.
#587
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 23
So I love shopping at Kroger. Just started MS and I realize that the Pinned post mentions driver's license required. I started with a $250 and was asked for my DL. The cashier appeared to be taking the # down but was saying just needed to verify that the CC i was using was mine. The next time I went I happened to get the same cashier who did the same thing. I haven't asked if he's taking my DLN down. Is it normal for them to take DLN and if so is that an issue?
#588
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 3,688
So I love shopping at Kroger. Just started MS and I realize that the Pinned post mentions driver's license required. I started with a $250 and was asked for my DL. The cashier appeared to be taking the # down but was saying just needed to verify that the CC i was using was mine. The next time I went I happened to get the same cashier who did the same thing. I haven't asked if he's taking my DLN down. Is it normal for them to take DLN and if so is that an issue?
#589
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: DFW
Posts: 478
I understand if cashiers have to match DLs with CCs to determine ownership but to take DL # each time, makes no sense. If t'was me, I'd ask the manager if it'd suffice to match DL with CC w/o any store personnel taking down info from my cards. I don't think it's unreasonable request and will probably get positive results.
#593
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 191
I understand if cashiers have to match DLs with CCs to determine ownership but to take DL # each time, makes no sense. If t'was me, I'd ask the manager if it'd suffice to match DL with CC w/o any store personnel taking down info from my cards. I don't think it's unreasonable request and will probably get positive results.
#594
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Indiana, United States of America
Programs: UA MileagePlus, JAL Mileage Bank, ANA Mileage Club
Posts: 2
Data point for Krogers in central Indy:
I went to three different Krogers today. Two Krogers allowed the purchase of the gift card (showed driver's license and all that), but at the third Kroger, they told me that, due to recent credit card fraud, they are no longer accepting credit cards for purchase of gift cards.
I went to three different Krogers today. Two Krogers allowed the purchase of the gift card (showed driver's license and all that), but at the third Kroger, they told me that, due to recent credit card fraud, they are no longer accepting credit cards for purchase of gift cards.
#595
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 34
Any office supply stores sell $500 GC?
Would love to get an ink business for the 5x at office supply stores but sounds like they mostly only carry $200 ones, which would get pricey with the fees. I have plenty of success buying $500 GCs at the grocery store so I get 6x with my HHonors Amex but HHonors points are kinda weak so that's not too great.
#597
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 1,066
Also, to this point I've just been doing a few cards each year for myself and my wife typically targeting ones with the highest sign up bonuses ($500+). It seems it might be more lucrative to target 5% cards like this one and max out the buying of GCs. How much do you net each month after purchase fees?
Last edited by cdog999; Aug 2, 2015 at 12:55 pm
#599
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Down South, The Desert
Programs: Marriot Rewards, Southwest Rapid rewards, Emerald Club, Avis Preferred
Posts: 1,871
Would love to get an ink business for the 5x at office supply stores but sounds like they mostly only carry $200 ones, which would get pricey with the fees. I have plenty of success buying $500 GCs at the grocery store so I get 6x with my HHonors Amex but HHonors points are kinda weak so that's not too great.
#600
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: NE
Programs: UA PLAT, HH Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 211
HyVee is dead to me. First, my usual store went $200 max limit on credit cards, then today at another location, found each and every GC marked with permanent marker by the store "cash only at customer service." Another one bites the dust.....