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Old Apr 8, 2014, 1:24 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
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.
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Stores that sell $500 GCs(up to 2019)

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Old Jul 14, 2017, 3:46 am
  #916  
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: So.FL
Programs: AA Platinum Jet Blue Mosaic
Posts: 106
Originally Posted by jrbdmb
Related question from my previous post - wasn't sure it was worth a separate thread ...

A recent Amex Blue Cash Preferred Terms and Conditions update taking effect July 01 2017 states specifically that Gift Card Purchases and Reloads (and other "money equivalent" transactions) do not qualify for the normal 6% rewards for supermarket spend.

Can Amex really identify whether I'm buying a GC at the local store vs. groceries? Is there any way to avoid scrutiny other than avoid "obvious" purchase totals like $505.95?

I've looked a bit for this 7/1/17 update to the T&C but cannot find it.

Is it on a monthly statement? If so, what month?

I sure don't want to call AX and ask.

Please LMK if this is real.

If this is correct, I guess I will have a need for one less AX card.
chipcollector is offline  
Old Jul 14, 2017, 8:01 am
  #917  
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 62
Originally Posted by Nelumbo
WFM has pulled $500 variable VGCs and MCGCs from stores yesterday. A WFM cashier told me that blackhawk notified them to do so because people have "scammed" the company with the current amex offer of 3X MR points. I was surprise by the specific details she mentioned.
May be location dependent. My local WF still has a rack of 50+ and I was able to do 2*500 this morning
breauxdle is offline  
Old Jul 14, 2017, 8:16 am
  #918  
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: NY
Posts: 523
Originally Posted by Nelumbo
WFM has pulled $500 variable VGCs and MCGCs from stores yesterday. A WFM cashier told me that blackhawk notified them to do so because people have "scammed" the company with the current amex offer of 3X MR points. I was surprise by the specific details she mentioned.
My WF still has them, but they limit me to $1K/day.
FrankMS is offline  
Old Jul 14, 2017, 12:26 pm
  #919  
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 65
The AX T&C mentions that Gift Card Spending isn't allowed for meeting the initial spending requirement for the 150$ back.

As far as the 6000$ per year on groceries it states the following doesn't apply.

"purchases or reloading of prepaid cards, or purchases of other cash equivalents."

Doesn't mention Gift Cards Explicitly - so if it's still working please post back.
pancakeman27 is offline  
Old Jul 14, 2017, 1:40 pm
  #920  
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: DCA
Posts: 818
AmEx has had anti-MS language in their T&Cs for ages. It has never been widely enforced aside from the leaked 100k Platinum offers where they were manually reviewing each account. I would not sweat this. My OBC statement closed two days ago and I got my expected 5% back from several thousand worth of VGC purchases.
bodiddely is offline  
Old Jul 14, 2017, 8:15 pm
  #921  
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: So.FL
Programs: AA Platinum Jet Blue Mosaic
Posts: 106
Originally Posted by lem.raskaw27
The AX T&C mentions that Gift Card Spending isn't allowed for meeting the initial spending requirement for the 150$ back.

As far as the 6000$ per year on groceries it states the following doesn't apply.

"purchases or reloading of prepaid cards, or purchases of other cash equivalents."

Doesn't mention Gift Cards Explicitly - so if it's still working please post back.
I can tell you this:

I have had the AX BC PFD for four years now.

I use it for a mixture of regular grocery spend and GC purchases.

Maybe 60% - 40%

Up thru and including my June 2017 statement I've gotten 6% credit for all
grocery purchases including gc.

I am nearly "all done" with the $6,000 for this calendar year so its almost time
to sock drawer this card.

What caught my eye was this supposedly new change to the T&C beginning
7-1-17.

However, the only place I have seen this particular alleged 7/1/17 change was in this thread.

Was just looking for ammunition in making my decision to get rid of another AX card that now costs $95 a year.

Without continuing 6% credit for gc purchases AX can keep this one
chipcollector is offline  
Old Jul 15, 2017, 9:21 am
  #922  
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: The World!!!
Programs: Some of them not all ...
Posts: 1,532
Originally Posted by bodiddely
AmEx has had anti-MS language in their T&Cs for ages. It has never been widely enforced aside from the leaked 100k Platinum offers where they were manually reviewing each account. I would not sweat this. My OBC statement closed two days ago and I got my expected 5% back from several thousand worth of VGC purchases.
+1, got a love the Krogy Self Service Check Out

2 months to go and almost at the $50K max per year.
carlitos is offline  
Old Jul 21, 2017, 4:21 pm
  #923  
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: DCA
Posts: 818
OneVanilla at 711

Anyone have much of a handle on the internal limits at 7-11 buying OneVanilla VGC/MCGC? There definitely seem to be velocity limits and recent experience seems to suggest to me that certain cards can be "seasoned" to have higher limits vs cards that haven't been used to purchase OV cards before. In February I got a card with a gas station category bonus that I wanted to MS at 711 with. Sometimes it would only let me buy one 500 card, sometimes two, never more than that. More recently I've been able to do 2x 500 x2 transactions (so 2k total) on that card without issues. Today I got a brand new credit card and tried to buy 2x 500 MCGC. The POS rejected one card but sold me one solitary 500 MCGC. I'm hoping with time this new card will get more "trusted" as not fraudulent by 711 or OV (whichever entity is imposing the limit) to allow for greater volume and velocity. Anyone have similar experiences or hypothesis/speculation to share?

Edit: wanted to add I've literally never been asked to match ID to CC at a 7-11 when buying high value GC. If 7-11 is concerned about cracking down on fraud they might start there @:-)

Last edited by bodiddely; Jul 21, 2017 at 4:27 pm
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Old Jul 22, 2017, 8:21 am
  #924  
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: NY
Posts: 523
Originally Posted by bodiddely
Anyone have much of a handle on the internal limits at 7-11 buying OneVanilla VGC/MCGC? There definitely seem to be velocity limits and recent experience seems to suggest to me that certain cards can be "seasoned" to have higher limits vs cards that haven't been used to purchase OV cards before. In February I got a card with a gas station category bonus that I wanted to MS at 711 with. Sometimes it would only let me buy one 500 card, sometimes two, never more than that. More recently I've been able to do 2x 500 x2 transactions (so 2k total) on that card without issues. Today I got a brand new credit card and tried to buy 2x 500 MCGC. The POS rejected one card but sold me one solitary 500 MCGC. I'm hoping with time this new card will get more "trusted" as not fraudulent by 711 or OV (whichever entity is imposing the limit) to allow for greater volume and velocity. Anyone have similar experiences or hypothesis/speculation to share?

Edit: wanted to add I've literally never been asked to match ID to CC at a 7-11 when buying high value GC. If 7-11 is concerned about cracking down on fraud they might start there @:-)
My 711 does 500's separately. I can do three in a row before a decline, so I do three with one card and three with another. It's not the cards declining the transaction, it's the POS. Maybe 711 has repetitive limits (similar to OM/OD)? Also, mine checks ID match with card.
FrankMS is offline  
Old Jul 24, 2017, 10:32 am
  #925  
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 25
WF still selling $500 VGC in South FLA. Where am I able to liquidate WF VGC's? Are they Meta/Blackhawk? WM or OO?
BCon81 is offline  
Old Jul 24, 2017, 3:29 pm
  #926  
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: SoCal
Programs: IHG RA, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold, Delta Silver
Posts: 100
Originally Posted by BCon81
Are they Meta/Blackhawk? WM or OO?
Read the packaging or back of the card to find the issuer and servicer. A card can be issued by Metabank and serviced by Blackhawk... they aren't mutually exclusive.
dmac1418 is offline  
Old Jul 29, 2017, 11:07 am
  #927  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Programs: HH Gold (again), US/UA/DL non-elite, ZE Presidents Circle, WN reluctant no fee convert.
Posts: 1,449
Back to the concern about Amex and their exceptions.

Notice the wording "cash equivalents". What that means to MS fans and Amex may be quite different when it comes to GCs (not real deal prepaid instruments).

My statement closed last night but it's not shared on my online info yet. I am about to find out if the Amex ECP will remain a "go-to" card for me.
jan_believes is offline  
Old Jul 30, 2017, 8:25 am
  #928  
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
They is Meta - you buy you regretta. You will go postal when you find USPS won't work and good luck finding a clerk at any P or W-D who will let one slip by.

Originally Posted by BCon81
WF still selling $500 VGC in South FLA. Where am I able to liquidate WF VGC's? Are they Meta/Blackhawk? WM or OO?
AlohaDaveKennedy is offline  
Old Jul 31, 2017, 1:49 pm
  #929  
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 44
local Safeway recently changed to $200 max per day. I'm in Alexandria, VA area. sigh..
misenlai is offline  
Old Aug 2, 2017, 9:15 am
  #930  
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: DCA
Posts: 818
Originally Posted by misenlai
local Safeway recently changed to $200 max per day. I'm in Alexandria, VA area. sigh..
Check out the Giant on Duke street. You have to fill out an annoying form for 2k or more but they'll sell up to 5k per day. Metabank $500 variables with $5.95 fee.
bodiddely is offline  


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