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)
#886
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 292
Mine were all OneVanilla. Numbers on package and card did not match. Never got a fraudulent/swapped one .
#887
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 292
However, the external packaging has a bar code with a much longer number. Looks like about 30 digits. That doesn't appear to match any of the numbers on the card.
#889
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 714
Anyone have issues with Hy-Vee recently? Seems really manager dependent.
Within the past month I made a purchase of two $500 VGCs on the same transaction.
I tried to do it again yesterday, and was told limited to $999. Then the manager said the register wouldn't let her do it, even though I had made a larger purchase noted above.
Today, I tried to do a $500 card, and was told "corporate policy is cash only, to prevent money laundering."
I've seen specific stores say cash only and have it posted, but I've never heard about the corporate policy thing until today.
Within the past month I made a purchase of two $500 VGCs on the same transaction.
I tried to do it again yesterday, and was told limited to $999. Then the manager said the register wouldn't let her do it, even though I had made a larger purchase noted above.
Today, I tried to do a $500 card, and was told "corporate policy is cash only, to prevent money laundering."
I've seen specific stores say cash only and have it posted, but I've never heard about the corporate policy thing until today.
#890
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: DCA
Posts: 818
My WM has been running low on $500 VGCs lately so I figured I would try a OneVanilla MCGC which they always have tons of. However, the cash register spit out an error receipt saying it had to be paid for in cash or debit only. It said something along the lines, "This purchase includes a money order or prepaid card and must be paid with cash or debit only." Have OV MCGCs always been hard-coded that way at WM or is this a recent thing? Never tried to buy one before. Just hoping it doesn't extend to VGCs.
#891
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: TYS/BNA/ATL
Programs: UR, TYP, MR, C1, AA, UA, WN, BA, AS, AV, AC, Choice, Hyatt, IHG, Hilton, Wyndham, Marriott
Posts: 1,978
DP: I've seen $500 variables in Safeway again, but didn't try to buy them yet. I asked in WF, if they will sell with CC, they said yes. Didn't try.
#892
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 740
#893
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
As strange as it seems this makes sense. In the days of the presidential dollar I could deposit $75,000 a day in cash for months at my banks without ever worrying about getting shut down. But these days, if you do the same volume depositing money orders, your bank is likely to close your account. Long live Bizarro World!
[QUOTE=shimps1;27830528]...Today, I tried to do a $500 card, and was told "corporate policy is cash only, to prevent money laundering"...
[QUOTE=shimps1;27830528]...Today, I tried to do a $500 card, and was told "corporate policy is cash only, to prevent money laundering"...
#894
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: DCA
Posts: 818
Went to Whole Foods today to buy some VGCs using the +1 MR AmEx offer and was told you can only buy 1k at a time. Anyone have experience with that - is it a strictly enforced top-down limit like 10k at Simon or 5k at Giant? Or more of a cashier-by-cashier thing?
#895
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
Has been 1K per visit at all the WFs I have visited in several states since last fall.
#896
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,837
I've had issues with the cashier trying to activate an already activated card (the 1st VGC was scanned twice) and somehow their system lets them do that, so I end up with only 1 VGC activated but my CC was charged for 2.
This has happened to me twice and they were able to refund my CC.
After those 2 incidents, when I went back, they wanted 1 VGC per transaction.
#897
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: UA-1K, MM, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Titanium
Posts: 4,432
Mine is 1k per transaction and I have had 5 transactions while there so I bought a total of 5k at one time.
#900
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 10
Acme has $500 variable VGCs
I was at an Acme in southern NJ that had variable $500 VCGs in stock (giftcardmall.com / Sunrise Bank). Purchased one with a chipped Amex, no DL required. I did not inquire about daily limits, but will probably try for $2000 next time to finish off the $6000 grocery spend on my Blue Cash Preferred.
I would update the wiki but I haven't been here long enough.
I would update the wiki but I haven't been here long enough.