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)
#692
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
#693
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: CCR
Posts: 326
Sadly I don't do much MS nowadays with all my serves shut down, Safeway not selling $500 variables, and my go to backup MO convenience store having half the employees refuse prepaid debit cards. Trying to finish up the wife's 3K min spend for Amex platinum, what a PITA! Things really have gone down hill in the last two months.
#694
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
I've only ever purchased a single $500, had to go to the CS desk. They either were out or no longer have $500 variables when I went to grab a beer last night.
Sadly I don't do much MS nowadays with all my serves shut down, Safeway not selling $500 variables, and my go to backup MO convenience store having half the employees refuse prepaid debit cards. Trying to finish up the wife's 3K min spend for Amex platinum, what a PITA! Things really have gone down hill in the last two months.
Sadly I don't do much MS nowadays with all my serves shut down, Safeway not selling $500 variables, and my go to backup MO convenience store having half the employees refuse prepaid debit cards. Trying to finish up the wife's 3K min spend for Amex platinum, what a PITA! Things really have gone down hill in the last two months.
#696
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 3
Tried purchasing Sunrise VGC's at two Wal-Mart's yesterday. 1st... Got a wonderful cashier, who tried to force through the transaction but received "PAYMENT TENDER NOT ALLOWED".
At the second store, before the cashier even scanned it she asked if I was paying with Cash or Debit. I said.. Neither, I'll be paying with Credit. In a very loud voice.. she responded "Oh no you won't, that's against our store policy and YOU know it." I just said nevermind, and walked away.
The most amazing thing about that is... I've not actually been into this Wal-Mart since 2008. I remember it well because I was actually helping someone purchase moving supplies while they we're in foreclosure.. and the same Wal-Mart wasn't a SuperCenter yet. It's way out of my way, and I only attempted the ride over because they supposedly had a MoneyPass machine, that was broken.
I'm thinking of calling Wal-Mart Corporate and complaining. It's probably not worth my time though.
I had heard reports of people having a little bit of a hard time buying VGC's at Wal-Mart but when did this start happening? Was it recent?
At the second store, before the cashier even scanned it she asked if I was paying with Cash or Debit. I said.. Neither, I'll be paying with Credit. In a very loud voice.. she responded "Oh no you won't, that's against our store policy and YOU know it." I just said nevermind, and walked away.
The most amazing thing about that is... I've not actually been into this Wal-Mart since 2008. I remember it well because I was actually helping someone purchase moving supplies while they we're in foreclosure.. and the same Wal-Mart wasn't a SuperCenter yet. It's way out of my way, and I only attempted the ride over because they supposedly had a MoneyPass machine, that was broken.
I'm thinking of calling Wal-Mart Corporate and complaining. It's probably not worth my time though.
I had heard reports of people having a little bit of a hard time buying VGC's at Wal-Mart but when did this start happening? Was it recent?
#697
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Northeastern United States
Posts: 597
Struck out at Whole Foods
Stopped by two Whole Foods in the Boston Metro West area. No gift card displays in the store and none at the CS desk. I asked the woman at the CS desk at the second store and he said they only have sell store GCs. I didn't inquire as to if they were getting them in the near future.
#699
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: BOS
Posts: 550
We don't have Jewel around here, but we do have Shaw's (same chain from what I know) and they definitely pulled VGCs off the shelves. At one store I did see one variable load AMEX card.
#702
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
#703
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 148
YES, my local Jewel Manager here in Indiana told me that they pulled all $500 GC and will not be selling them any more. Too many problems with fraud she said.
#704
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: ATL
Programs: AA, AGR, DL, MR, WoH, UA
Posts: 951
#705
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 285
My friend who is a many year manager of a Vegas Albertsons points the finger at Blackhawk. Stating it was a corporate decision initiated by them.
As far as chip reader clearance (many retailers are in limbo as software is slow to roll out to those hardware equipped retailers) being the road to them clearing the 500 variable cards again who knows
How much of that is true vs spin?
Edit: I should add I trust my friend (of course) but how much of it is the party line vs what really may be going on is the question
As far as chip reader clearance (many retailers are in limbo as software is slow to roll out to those hardware equipped retailers) being the road to them clearing the 500 variable cards again who knows
How much of that is true vs spin?
Edit: I should add I trust my friend (of course) but how much of it is the party line vs what really may be going on is the question