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)
#751
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 162
#753
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 8,460
#756
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 73
When the Freedom card offered 10% for up to $1500 in Amazon purchases people added them to their Amazon gift card balanced which gets slowly drained over the year. Similar with Target offers. You might not be able to do this on a huge scale over the year, but you can cover a lot of your regular spend this way.
#757
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 8,460
If you don't churn too many cards over the year you buy GC in the 90days to meet minimum spend and use them over the rest of the year.
When the Freedom card offered 10% for up to $1500 in Amazon purchases people added them to their Amazon gift card balanced which gets slowly drained over the year. Similar with Target offers. You might not be able to do this on a huge scale over the year, but you can cover a lot of your regular spend this way.
When the Freedom card offered 10% for up to $1500 in Amazon purchases people added them to their Amazon gift card balanced which gets slowly drained over the year. Similar with Target offers. You might not be able to do this on a huge scale over the year, but you can cover a lot of your regular spend this way.
#758
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Northeastern United States
Posts: 597
My local Hannaford put all their VGCs back on the GC rack this week after keeping them behind the service counter for the last 6-8 months during which they only sold them via "Cash and Debit Card only". They recently upgraded to chip readers so I figured that's why they put them back on the GC rack. I took one to the register with my groceries Thursday afternoon for a test and the cashier asked what amount I wanted on it and let me use my CC to purchase everything without issue.
I went back Friday morning to buy a couple more and got told by a different cashier that the policy is "CASH ONLY". I asked about purchasing with a debit card and she said "The policy is cash only, no debit, on Visa, MC, and AMEX GCs". On the way out I asked the one of the employees I'm friendly with in the parking lot gathering the shopping carts if he knew anything new about being able to buy VGCs with a CC since he also works the registers and the chip readers are now working to which he told me he'd check and let me know next time I see him, but he thought they were going to allow VGC purchases with CCs again once the chip readers were working.
Seeing that I bought one the day before with my CC I think that the new POS software upgrade isn't hard coded against CC purchase, but the employees have still been told not to allow purchase with a CC. I have my fingers crossed that they go back to CC sales, but I know they got hit with VGC fraud last year that added up into the six figure range according to online news articles so I wouldn't be surprised if they are still gun shy about taking VGCs for them.
I went back Friday morning to buy a couple more and got told by a different cashier that the policy is "CASH ONLY". I asked about purchasing with a debit card and she said "The policy is cash only, no debit, on Visa, MC, and AMEX GCs". On the way out I asked the one of the employees I'm friendly with in the parking lot gathering the shopping carts if he knew anything new about being able to buy VGCs with a CC since he also works the registers and the chip readers are now working to which he told me he'd check and let me know next time I see him, but he thought they were going to allow VGC purchases with CCs again once the chip readers were working.
Seeing that I bought one the day before with my CC I think that the new POS software upgrade isn't hard coded against CC purchase, but the employees have still been told not to allow purchase with a CC. I have my fingers crossed that they go back to CC sales, but I know they got hit with VGC fraud last year that added up into the six figure range according to online news articles so I wouldn't be surprised if they are still gun shy about taking VGCs for them.
#759
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: New Jersey
Programs: WN, AA, UA, DL, AC, CX, BA, AGR, IHG, HH, CC, UR, MR, TY
Posts: 121
Feels weird
Today I did something that I haven't ever done before. This afternoon after disposing of $2000 OVGCs from CVS at 7 FDs (3 denies), I stopped into the grocery store.
Up until a month or so ago S&S was generally easy picking. Now the policy's debit/cash only for Visa/MC/Amex GCs. Fatefully, the rules aren't against using CC with merchant GCs.
Today I bought my first "amazon gift card" for five-hundred dollars. It's a pretty big deal. I've now just committed to buying things that I may or may not need, all for 2500 UR points. And all I can think about is the other two 2500 opportunities left on that card. And then the other 2 Freedoms I have, and their three x 2500s apiece! It's all like a giant, on-going promotion for consumerism.
Up until a month or so ago S&S was generally easy picking. Now the policy's debit/cash only for Visa/MC/Amex GCs. Fatefully, the rules aren't against using CC with merchant GCs.
Today I bought my first "amazon gift card" for five-hundred dollars. It's a pretty big deal. I've now just committed to buying things that I may or may not need, all for 2500 UR points. And all I can think about is the other two 2500 opportunities left on that card. And then the other 2 Freedoms I have, and their three x 2500s apiece! It's all like a giant, on-going promotion for consumerism.
#761
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: IAH
Programs: DL DM, Hyatt Ist-iest, Stariott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 12,790
My Amazon balance is finally about to run out after the Q4 madness last year.
#763
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 71
http://www.target.com/p/400gc-6-fee-...d/-/A-17214227
6 dollar fee - 5 dollar coupon: TGT4DN9P
= 401 total price pre-unloading for 400.. pretty dang good. Except limit is one. If you go slowly but surely you can get a good amount of the cards coming in. Placed 2 orders tonight because I have some spend to do on a Marriott card. 800/for this one night isn't bad, for me.
6 dollar fee - 5 dollar coupon: TGT4DN9P
= 401 total price pre-unloading for 400.. pretty dang good. Except limit is one. If you go slowly but surely you can get a good amount of the cards coming in. Placed 2 orders tonight because I have some spend to do on a Marriott card. 800/for this one night isn't bad, for me.
#764
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: HNL <-> BOS
Posts: 382
http://www.target.com/p/400gc-6-fee-...d/-/A-17214227
6 dollar fee - 5 dollar coupon: TGT4DN9P
= 401 total price pre-unloading for 400.. pretty dang good. Except limit is one. If you go slowly but surely you can get a good amount of the cards coming in. Placed 2 orders tonight because I have some spend to do on a Marriott card. 800/for this one night isn't bad, for me.
6 dollar fee - 5 dollar coupon: TGT4DN9P
= 401 total price pre-unloading for 400.. pretty dang good. Except limit is one. If you go slowly but surely you can get a good amount of the cards coming in. Placed 2 orders tonight because I have some spend to do on a Marriott card. 800/for this one night isn't bad, for me.