Stores That Do NOT Accept EBT
TJ Maxx, Ross, Burlington, Citi Trends, Ulta, Michaels, GameStop, Petco, PetSmart, and standalone Starbucks and Dunkin' do not take EBT. None of them are SNAP-authorized. The rule is simple: your EBT card works at stores that sell real groceries, and only for the groceries.
The short version: No staple food on the shelves means no EBT at the register · Hot and prepared food is never covered, even at stores that do take EBT · Warehouse clubs do take EBT (membership still required) · Fast food only counts in nine Restaurant Meals Program states.
Why These Stores Can't Take Your EBT Card
It isn't the store's choice. The USDA has to authorize a store before its registers can accept SNAP (food stamps), and a store only qualifies one of two ways:
- Criterion A — what's on the shelf. The store stocks at least 36 staple food items: three varieties in each of the four staple categories, three units of each variety, kept in stock continuously. At least two of the categories must include a perishable item.
- Criterion B — what it sells. More than half the store's total sales come from staple foods. This is how butcher shops and produce stands qualify.
The four staple categories are vegetables or fruits; dairy; meat, poultry, or fish; and breads or cereals. Prepared foods and "accessory foods" — candy, chips, soda — don't count toward either test. That's why the snack rack at Burlington doesn't help it qualify.
One narrow exception: the USDA can still authorize a store under Need for Access if it's in an area where SNAP shoppers have very limited access to food. That's how a small rural corner store sometimes takes EBT when a bigger store in a city wouldn't.
The List: Stores That Don't Take EBT
We checked each of these against the USDA's SNAP retailer file — the same data behind every store listing on this site. All have zero authorized locations.
| Store | Why not |
|---|---|
| TJ Maxx | Clothing and home goods. No staple food aisle, so it can't qualify. |
| Marshalls | Same owner as TJ Maxx, same answer. (A Kentucky grocery called Marshalls IGA does take EBT — different store.) |
| HomeGoods | Furniture and decor only. No groceries. |
| Ross Dress for Less | Apparel and home discount. No staple foods stocked. |
| Burlington | Coats, clothing, baby gear. Snacks at the register don't count as staple foods. |
| Citi Trends | Clothing and accessories. Not SNAP-authorized anywhere. |
| Ulta Beauty | Cosmetics. SNAP never covers beauty or personal-care items. |
| Michaels | Craft supplies. (Small independent stores named "Michael's Market" do take EBT — not the craft chain.) |
| Dick's Sporting Goods | Sporting goods only. |
| GameStop | Games and electronics. Never SNAP-eligible. |
| Petco and PetSmart | Pet food is never SNAP-eligible, no matter where you buy it. |
| Old Navy, Bath & Body Works, Home Depot | No staple food inventory. Some garden centers sell food-producing seeds and plants, which SNAP does cover — but only at a store that is itself SNAP-authorized. |
| Liquor stores | Alcohol is never SNAP-eligible, and stores selling mostly alcohol can't be authorized. |
Fast Food and Restaurants: Nine States Only
Restaurants generally can't take SNAP. A business counts as a restaurant when more than half its sales are prepared food meant to be eaten right away — and that disqualifies it everywhere except under one program.
The Restaurant Meals Program (RMP) lets certain SNAP recipients buy prepared meals at approved restaurants. It's a state option, and only these states run one:
- Arizona
- California
- Illinois — Cook and Franklin counties only
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- New York
- Rhode Island
- Virginia
Who can use it: every member of your household must be 60 or older, disabled, homeless, or the spouse of someone who qualifies. Your state codes your EBT card for it — you don't tell the cashier. If you're not eligible, the card is simply declined.
About Dunkin': it isn't part of any state's RMP that we could confirm, so treat it as a no. Which specific restaurants participate is decided state by state and often county by county — chains like Subway and KFC show up on some county lists in California and Arizona, but that's per location, never chain-wide. Check your state's own list before you count on it.
We pulled every one of those nine states’ official approved-restaurant lists: see restaurants that accept EBT for which chains are on them and how to check your own address.
Living in an RMP state? Your regular grocery options are unchanged — find EBT stores near you.
Starbucks: It Depends Which One
A standalone Starbucks doesn't take EBT. There are no SNAP-authorized Starbucks locations.
A licensed Starbucks counter inside a grocery store is different, because the grocery store holds the SNAP authorization. There, sealed packaged items like bagged coffee beans or a bottled cold drink can ring up on EBT with the rest of your groceries. A hot latte can't — hot drinks made to order are prepared food, and that's excluded everywhere.
Warehouse Clubs Do Take EBT
Costco, Sam's Club, and BJ's are commonly assumed to be off-limits. They're not:
- Costco — accepts EBT at 575 authorized locations across 47 states.
- Sam's Club — accepts EBT at 589 authorized locations across 44 states.
- BJ's Wholesale Club — accepts EBT at 162 authorized locations across 17 states.
Two catches. You still need a paid membership to shop — SNAP doesn't waive it, though Sam's Club offers SNAP recipients a discounted membership. And the food court is hot prepared food, so it isn't covered.
Dollar stores are another common surprise: Dollar Tree takes EBT at 6,432 authorized locations in 49 states, for eligible food only.
Hot Food: The Rule That Catches People Out
A store can take your EBT card and still refuse an item. SNAP covers food you take home and prepare, so anything sold hot is out — rotisserie chicken, the deli hot bar, a slice of pizza, hot coffee. Cold and packaged versions of the same food are usually fine.
States can request temporary hot-food waivers after a disaster, which lift that rule for a set period in the affected area. They expire, so check with your state agency rather than assuming one is active. See the complete EBT-eligible food list for what's covered day to day.
What SNAP Never Covers, Anywhere
- Alcohol and tobacco
- Hot food sold ready to eat
- Vitamins, supplements, and medicine
- Pet food and pet supplies
- Cleaning products, paper goods, cosmetics, and other household items
Seeds and plants that produce food for your household are covered — one of the few non-grocery items that is.
Where Your Card Does Work
Roughly a quarter-million stores nationwide are SNAP-authorized: supermarkets, discount and dollar stores, warehouse clubs, farmers markets, and plenty of corner stores. Browse the major chains that accept EBT, find stores near you, or pick your state.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does TJ Maxx take EBT?
No. TJ Maxx has no SNAP-authorized locations in the USDA retailer data. It sells clothing and home goods, not staple groceries, so it can't qualify as a SNAP retailer. The same goes for Marshalls and HomeGoods.
Does Ross accept EBT?
No. Ross Dress for Less is not SNAP-authorized at any location. It's a discount clothing and home store, and it doesn't stock the staple foods the USDA requires.
Does Burlington take EBT?
No. Burlington doesn't accept EBT anywhere. The candy and snacks near the checkout are "accessory foods," which don't count toward SNAP authorization.
Does Citi Trends accept EBT?
No. Citi Trends sells clothing and accessories and has no SNAP-authorized locations. You can't use food stamps there.
Does Dunkin' accept EBT?
Almost never. Dunkin' is a restaurant, and SNAP only covers restaurant meals through the Restaurant Meals Program — which runs in nine states and is limited to SNAP recipients who are 60 or older, disabled, or homeless. Packaged Dunkin' coffee sold at a grocery store is EBT-eligible like any other packaged food.
Can you use EBT at Starbucks?
Not at a standalone Starbucks — none are SNAP-authorized. At a licensed Starbucks counter inside a grocery store, the grocer's registers may ring up sealed packaged items like bagged coffee beans on EBT, but never a hot or made-to-order drink.
Why do some stores not accept EBT?
The USDA only authorizes stores that stock real groceries. A store must carry at least 36 staple food items across four categories, or make more than half its sales from staple foods. Clothing, beauty, and electronics stores can't meet either test.
Do Costco and Sam's Club take EBT?
Yes. Warehouse clubs are SNAP-authorized and take EBT for eligible groceries in the club. You still need a paid membership to shop — SNAP doesn't waive that. Food-court items are hot prepared food, so they aren't covered.
Can I buy pet food with EBT?
No. Pet food and pet supplies are never SNAP-eligible, at Petco, PetSmart, or a regular grocery store. The register separates them out automatically.
Can I buy hot food with EBT?
Usually no. SNAP covers food meant to be prepared and eaten at home, so hot rotisserie chicken, hot deli items, and hot coffee aren't eligible even at a store that takes EBT. The exceptions are Restaurant Meals Program states and temporary disaster waivers.
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Sources: USDA Food and Nutrition Service, Store Eligibility Requirements (Criterion A and B, staple food categories, restaurant definition, Need for Access) and SNAP Restaurant Meals Program (participating states and eligibility). Store-by-store authorization checked against the USDA SNAP Retailer Locator dataset behind this site. Note: the USDA published an updated staple food stocking rule on May 8, 2026, which retailers must meet starting November 4, 2026; the qualifying tests above are the standards in force now. Last reviewed: August 14, 2026.