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Here’s Where You Can (& Can’t) Use Apple Pay In The US…
85% of retailers and restaurants now accept Apple Pay in the US but there’s still quite a few hold-outs, most notably Walmart. Here’s a list of all the major retailers, stores, and restaurants / fast food chains that accept Apple Pay…
Retailers that Accept Apple Pay
| Retailer | Accepts Apple Pay |
|---|---|
| Target | ✔️ |
| McDonald’s | ✔️ |
| Kroger | ✔️ |
| Chick-fil-A | ✔️ |
| Taco Bell | ✔️ |
| Walgreens | ✔️ |
| Aldi | ✔️ |
| CVS | ✔️ |
| Dollar Tree | ✔️ |
| Lowe’s | ✔️ |
| Publix | ✔️ |
| Wendy’s | ✔️ |
| Chipotle | ✔️ |
| Ross | ✔️ |
| Burger King | ✔️ |
| Popeyes | ✔️ |
| TJ Maxx | ✔️ |
| Whataburger | ✔️ |
| Marshalls | ✔️ |
| Ulta | ✔️ |
| Family Dollar | ✔️ |
| Food Lion | ✔️ |
| Little Caesars | ✔️ |
| Meijer | ✔️ |
| Michaels | ✔️ |
| Panda Express | ✔️ |
| 7-Eleven | ✔️ |
| Albertsons | ✔️ |
| Best Buy | ✔️ |
| Circle K | ✔️ |
| Dunkin’ | ✔️ |
| H-E-B | ✔️ |
| Jack in the Box | ✔️ |
| Safeway | ✔️ |
| Subway | ✔️ |
| Whole Foods | ✔️ |
| Wingstop | ✔️ |
| IHOP | ✔️ |
| KFC | ✔️ |
| Panera | ✔️ |
| Petsmart | ✔️ |
| Sam’s Club | ✔️ |
| Waffle House | ✔️ |
| Winco | ✔️ |
| 7/11 | ✔️ |
| Arby’s | ✔️ |
| Autozone | ✔️ |
| Cookout | ✔️ |
| Culver’s | ✔️ |
| Dutch Bros | ✔️ |
| Harris Teeter | ✔️ |
| Kohl’s | ✔️ |
| QT | ✔️ |
Retailers that Do Not Accept Apple Pay
| Retailer | Accepts Apple Pay |
|---|---|
| Walmart | ❌ |
| Dick’s Sporting Goods | ❌ |
| Hobby Lobby | ❌ |
| Home Depot | ❌ |
| Kmart | ❌ |
| Kroger (Kroger Pay) | ❌ |
| Lowe’s | ❌ |
| Sam’s Club | ❌ |
| Bed Bath & Beyond | ❌ |
| Guitar Center | ❌ |
Why Do Some Retailers Not Accept Apple Pay?
There’s a million and one reasons to accept Apple Pay, if you’re a business. But there’s also some pretty good reasons not to as well – especially if you’re Walmart.
Most big retailers take Apple Pay – around 85% of major chains, stores, and eateries to be precise. But not every one is onboard with Apple Pay.
Walmart is the biggest hold-out when it comes to accepting Apple Pay. But it does have its reasons:
- First and foremost, Walmart has its own payment system – Walmart Pay – and it’d prefer its customers use this over Apple Pay.
- The second reason relates to the mountain of lucrative data Walmart can scrape from Walmart Pay. Imagine processing tens of millions of transactions a week. Now, imagine you had some of the smartest people in the world analysing that data.
- Data is king. And when you know what your customers are already buying from you, you can optimize your offers to ensure they buy more.
As for retailers like Guitar Center, your guess is as good as mine. But as has been noted on more than one occasion, adoption of contactless payments in the USA has been rather slow, especially when compared to other countries like the UK, parts of Europe, and Asia.
And then there’s the fact that some companies – OK, a lot of big name companies – do not like Apple and Google getting between them and their customers.
Yes, Apple Pay and Google Pay make for quick and easy payments. But there’s plenty of US brands and businesses that want to block Apple and Google from taking over the mobile payments space.
They even created a consortium called the Merchant Customer Exchange (MCX) to try and slow down the adoption of Apple Pay and Google Pay in the US, although this initiative fell flat on its face.
What is The Merchant Customer Exchange (MCX)?
MCX was like this band of retail heavyweights in the US. They got together to cook up their own mobile payment platform, called CurrentC. The big idea? To give Apple Pay a run for its money.
Here’s a quick list of some of the main companies involved in MCX: 7-Eleven, Alon Brands, Best Buy, CVS Health, Darden Restaurants, HMSHost, Hy-Vee, Lowe’s, Michaels, Publix, Sears Holdings, Shell Oil Products US, Sunoco, Target Corporation and Walmart
Now, CurrentC was no ordinary payment system. It had a neat trick up its sleeve – it could connect straight to your bank account. That meant waving goodbye to those pesky credit card networks. Pretty slick, huh?
MCX and its brainchild, CurrentC, had one mission and one mission only – to take down the big, bad credit card fee monster that’s been munching on retailers’ slim profits.
Imagine this: every sale you make, up to 3% just vanishes into the pockets of credit card companies. Ouch, right? CurrentC was supposed to be the hero here, slashing those fees and padding retailers’ wallets.
But here’s the twist: Joe and Jane Consumer weren’t losing sleep over retailers’ financial woes. Credit cards? Americans love ’em. The whole idea of loading up a payment wallet through ACH – yeah, that wasn’t really their jam.
Plus, CurrentC tossed out the juicy bits of credit cards – like smoothing out your cash flow and financing those must-haves. No carrot, no stick, no switch.
Payment platforms are a two-way street – you need buyers and sellers on board. Retailers were giving CurrentC the thumbs up, but consumers? Not so much. No value, no appeal.
And here’s the kicker: CurrentC’s payment process was about as smooth as a ride on a gravel road. It ran on QR codes. That meant pulling out your phone, flashing a code, or playing scanner tag with the cashier. Compare that to the good ol’ credit card swipe – it’s no contest.
Sure, QR codes are big in China with giants like Alipay and Tenpay, and even India’s Paytm is in on the game. But replicating that magic in the US? CurrentC missed the mark by a country mile.
MCX had to call it a day on their brainchild. The plot twist? They ended up selling their tech to none other than JPMorgan Chase.
And as for MCX’s current status? It vanished into thin air – no news, no buzz, nothing. Seems like they’ve left the stage for good.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Apple Pay Acceptance
Does Walmart accept Apple Pay?
A: No, Walmart does not currently accept Apple Pay at its stores.
Can I use Apple Pay at Target?
A: Yes, Target accepts Apple Pay at all of its stores.
Does McDonald’s support Apple Pay?
A: McDonald’s accepts Apple Pay at most of its locations.
Can I use Apple Pay at Kroger?
A: Yes, Kroger accepts Apple Pay at its stores, including brands like Ralphs, Fred Meyer, and QFC.
Does Chick-fil-A accept Apple Pay?
A: Yes, Chick-fil-A accepts Apple Pay at its restaurants.
Can I use Apple Pay at Taco Bell?
A: Yes, Taco Bell accepts Apple Pay at its drive-thru and in-app for pickup orders.
Is Apple Pay accepted at Walgreens?
A: Yes, Walgreens accepts Apple Pay at all of its locations.
Does Aldi support Apple Pay?
A: Yes, Aldi accepts Apple Pay at all of its stores.
Can I use Apple Pay at Costco?
A: No, Costco does not accept Apple Pay at its warehouses, but it accepts Apple Pay for purchases on its website.
Does CVS Pharmacy accept Apple Pay?
A: Yes, CVS accepts Apple Pay at its stores and in the CVS Pharmacy app.
Is Apple Pay accepted at Dollar Tree?
A: Yes, Dollar Tree accepts Apple Pay at all of its stores.
Can I use Apple Pay at Home Depot?
A: No, Home Depot does not currently accept Apple Pay at its stores.
Does Lowe’s support Apple Pay?
A: Yes, Lowe’s accepts Apple Pay at all of its stores.
Can I use Apple Pay at Publix?
A: Yes, Publix accepts Apple Pay at all of its locations.
Does Wendy’s accept Apple Pay?
A: Yes, Wendy’s accepts Apple Pay at most of its locations.
Can I use Apple Pay on Amazon?
A: No, Amazon does not accept Apple Pay at its online store, but it accepts Amazon Pay, which is a similar digital wallet service.
Does Chipotle support Apple Pay?
A: Yes, Chipotle accepts Apple Pay at all of its locations.
Can I use Apple Pay at Ross?
A: Yes, Ross accepts Apple Pay at all of its stores.
Is Apple Pay accepted at Burger King?
A: Yes, Burger King accepts Apple Pay at most of its locations.
Does In-N-Out support Apple Pay?
A: No, In-N-Out does not currently accept Apple Pay at its locations.
Can I use Apple Pay at Popeyes?
A: Yes, Popeyes accepts Apple Pay at most of its locations.
Is Apple Pay accepted at TJ Maxx?
A: Yes, TJ Maxx accepts Apple Pay at all of its stores.
Does Trader Joe’s support Apple Pay?
A: No, Trader Joe’s does not currently accept Apple Pay at its stores.
Can I use Apple Pay at Whataburger?
A: Yes, Whataburger accepts Apple Pay at most of its locations.
Does Hobby Lobby accept Apple Pay?
A: No, Hobby Lobby does not currently accept Apple Pay at its stores.
Is Apple Pay accepted at Marshalls?
A: Yes, Marshalls accepts Apple Pay at all of its stores.
Can I use Apple Pay at Ulta?
A: Yes, Ulta accepts Apple Pay at all of its stores.
Does Family Dollar support Apple Pay?
A: Yes, Family Dollar accepts Apple Pay at all of its stores.
Can I use Apple Pay at Food Lion?
A: Yes, Food Lion accepts Apple Pay at all of its stores.
Does Goodwill accept Apple Pay?
A: No, Goodwill does not currently accept Apple Pay at its stores.
Can I use Apple Pay at Little Caesars?
A: Yes, Little Caesars accepts Apple Pay at most of its locations.
Is Apple Pay accepted at Meijer?
A: Yes, Meijer accepts Apple Pay at all of its stores.
Does Michaels support Apple Pay?
A: Yes, Michaels accepts Apple Pay at all of its stores.
Can I use Apple Pay at Panda Express?
A: Yes, Panda Express accepts Apple Pay at most of its locations.
Is Apple Pay accepted at 7-Eleven?
A: Yes, 7-Eleven accepts Apple Pay at most of its locations.
Can I use Apple Pay at Albertsons?
A: Yes, Albertsons accepts Apple Pay at all of its stores.
Does Best Buy support Apple Pay?
A: Yes, Best Buy accepts Apple Pay at all of its stores.
Can I use Apple Pay at Circle K?
A: Yes, Circle K accepts Apple Pay at most of its locations.
Is Apple Pay accepted at Dunkin’?
A: Yes, Dunkin’ accepts Apple Pay at most of its locations.
Can I use Apple Pay at H-E-B?
A: Yes, H-E-B accepts Apple Pay at all of its stores.
Does Jack in the Box accept Apple Pay?
A: Yes, Jack in the Box accepts Apple Pay at most of its locations.
Can I use Apple Pay at Safeway?
A: Yes, Safeway accepts Apple Pay at all of its stores.
Is Apple Pay accepted at Subway?
A: Yes, Subway accepts Apple Pay at all of its locations.
Can I use Apple Pay at Whole Foods?
A: Yes, Whole Foods accepts Apple Pay at all of its stores.
Does Wingstop support Apple Pay?
A: Yes, Wingstop accepts Apple Pay at most of its locations.
Can I use Apple Pay at IHOP?
A: Yes, IHOP accepts Apple Pay at most of its locations.
Does KFC accept Apple Pay?
A: Yes, KFC accepts Apple Pay at most of its locations.
Can I use Apple Pay at Panera?
A: Yes, Panera accepts Apple Pay at all of its stores.
Is Apple Pay accepted at Petsmart?
A: Yes, Petsmart accepts Apple Pay at all of its stores.
Can I use Apple Pay at Sam’s Club?
A: Yes, Sam’s Club accepts Apple Pay at all of its stores.
Is Apple Pay accepted at Waffle House?
A: Yes, Waffle House accepts Apple Pay at most of its locations.
Does 7/11 accept Apple Pay?
A: Yes, 7/11 accepts Apple Pay at most of its locations.
Can I use Apple Pay at Arby’s?
A: Yes, Arby’s accepts Apple Pay at most of its locations.
Does Autozone support Apple Pay?
A: Yes, Autozone accepts Apple Pay at all of its stores.
Can I use Apple Pay at Cookout?
A: Yes, Cookout accepts Apple Pay at most of its locations.
Is Apple Pay accepted at Culver’s?
A: Yes, Culver’s accepts Apple Pay at most of its locations.
Can I use Apple Pay at Dutch Bros?
A: Yes, Dutch Bros accepts Apple Pay at all of its stores.
Does Harris Teeter accept Apple Pay?
A: Yes, Harris Teeter accepts Apple Pay at all of its stores.
Can I use Apple Pay at Kohl’s?
A: Yes, Kohl’s accepts Apple Pay at all of its stores.
Is Apple Pay accepted at QT?
A: Yes, QT accepts Apple Pay at all of its stores.
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