Starting with only one store location in 1930, Publix has become a giant supermarket chain in the southeastern United States. This employee-owned grocery chain boasts over 1200 retail locations, with sushi bars, liquor stores, and cafes in selected areas.
With a loyal customer base and excellent product quality, it is no wonder that you can use EBT cards at Publix. Not only can you use the EBT payment method in-store chainwide, but you can also use your SNAP benefits for quick online delivery and curbside pick-ups from Publix via Instacart.
In the age of cashless transactions, this integration adds another feather to Publix’s cap, making grocery shopping even more straightforward for EBT reliant families.
Read on as I discuss everything you need to know about using EBT cards at Publix and its online SNAP benefits acceptance via Instacart.
How To Buy EBT Eligible Items In-Store At Publix?
According to the USDA guidelines, when using EBT, there are certain items that you cannot buy. However, the eligible items include a wide variety of edibles, including meat, poultry, fish, fruits, vegetables, and snack items.
If you wonder how you can buy EBT eligible items at Publix with your SNAP benefits, the process is relatively simple.
You will use your EBT card like your debit or credit card by swiping it at the payment counter and entering your PIN. If all the items in your cart are EBT-eligible (more on this later in the article), then all your purchase costs will be covered with SNAP benefits with no need for secondary payment methods.
However, if you have bought, let’s say, any cleaning supplies not covered with your EBT card, then you will pay via the EBT card first for all EBT-eligible items and then pay for the remaining item through another payment source.
Subs, Cakes, And Sushi: What Can You Buy At Publix Using SNAP Benefits?
SNAP can buy food items including non-alcoholic drinks, fruits, vegetables, poultry, fish and meats (animals slaughtered before pick-up), bread, cereals, dairy products, snack foods, plants, and seeds that can be used to grow food to eat.
However, there are some more, say “luxurious,” items you can enjoy from Publix. For example, while hot food items are not covered in EBT, you can use the benefits to enjoy pre-made cold subs from the store. Moreover, since sushi is also not technically a hot food, you can use your SNAP benefits to purchase it (subject to availability).
Moreover, since you can purchase dairy products with SNAP, cakes can also be bought with your EBT card. However, if you want to buy a custom cake, the answer may not be a definitive yes. The best course of action would be to contact your nearby Publix store to see if they accept EBT for custom cake orders.
Apart from hot food items, there are several other supermarket items that you cannot buy with SNAP and would need another payment source for them. These items include:
- Non-food items such as cleaning and household supplies, paper products, pet food, cosmetics, and hygiene items
- Alcoholic beverages like liquor, wine, beer
- Tobacco and cigarettes
- Live animals (fish taken out of water, shellfish, and pre-slaughtered animals excluded)
- Anything with a “Supplement Facts” label on it, which slides vitamins and medicine
Grocery shopping has also evolved with changing times, and online shopping has become extensively common. Not everyone wants to take a trip to the supermarket for grocery shopping every time.
Thus, to compete with various competitors’ online shopping models, Publix partnered with Instacart to provide online delivery. It also gives the option for curbside or in-store pick-up. And what’s even better is that people reliant on EBT can also avail these online services.
While you can use the EBT as a payment method on the Instacart interface to pay for your EBT-eligible grocery items, know that you will be charged a service and delivery fee. Similarly, a pick-up fee is also charged.
If your order is over $35, your delivery fee through Instacart will begin from $3.99 but can differ based on delivery time, type, and for smaller orders under $35. There is no service fee for pick-ups, but the pick-up fee is generally $1.99.
Step-By-Step Guide To Shop Online At Publix With EBT
Since its partnership with Instacart, Publix accepts online EBT payments for chainwide stores. When shopping using SNAP online, you can choose delivery or select pick-up, which will allow you to collect your order.
For Online Delivery
- Create an account by signing up for Instacart
- Select Publix and then shop for EBT-eligible items
- You can also switch on a filter to only see EBT-eligible products by going to the Explore optionand checking the box next to “show only EBT-eligible items.”
- Another way to check if an item is EBT-eligible from the store’s homage is to click on it. If the letters EBT are displayed above the price, you can use SNAP benefits to pay for the item.
- Once you have all the items in your cart, click the Checkout button, after which you will be prompted to enter the delivery address.
- For payment, first, enter your debit or credit card information and then the required information for your EBT card.
- Go to Edit and enter the amount applied to your SNAP/EBT Card.
- Confirm the payment method by tapping on the button.
- Go to the Place Order page and after reviewing the information, click on the button to finalize the order.
- Once you have placed your order, Enter your EBT card PIN.
- Once done, the payment breakdown will tell you how much will be charged through your SNAP benefits and how much will be paid via your debit or credit card.
- Please note that even if your cart entries are all EBT-eligible, your debit or credit card will still be charged for delivery and service fees.
For Pick-Up
- Select the Publix store and click on the pick-up button, which will be under the store’s name on your Instacart homepage.
- Choose the pick-up location of your preference for the map and then start shopping for your items like you would with online delivery.
- You will also select the time for your pick-up.
- When your order is ready for pick-up, you will get a message or notification informing the same.
- Get to the store and follow instructions to announce your arrival.
- You will either have to enter the store to pick your order or wait for someone to bring it out to you. Most stores only require you to park at assigned pick-up spots.
Conclusion
There, you have it – everything you need to know about using EBT in Publix to buy high-quality edible grocery items with a few simple steps, in-store and online.
