Does Costco Accept EBT? Costco, Sam's Club and BJ's Rules (2026)

Quick answer: Yes. Every Costco warehouse accepts EBT cards for SNAP-eligible food, and Costco follows each state's rules on what EBT can buy.¹ Sam's Club and BJ's Wholesale Club take SNAP EBT too, in the club and online.²³ You still need a paid membership, and your SNAP benefits can't cover the fee because SNAP pays only for food.²⁴ For how SNAP works, see our SNAP guide.

Which warehouse clubs take EBT?

All three big warehouse clubs take EBT, short for electronic benefit transfer. On Oct. 25, 2026, USDA's retailer data listed 1,447 SNAP-authorized locations under their names, in all 50 states and DC.⁵

Club	USDA-authorized locations	In the club	Online
Costco	651	Yes, every warehouse1	Same-Day via Instacart in 47 states and DC6
Sam's Club	594	Yes, plus Scan & Go2	Yes, pickup and delivery7
BJ's	202	Yes, plus ExpressPay3	Yes, pickup, delivery and shipping3

Source: PantryPath count of USDA SNAP retailer data, Oct. 25, 2026, and each club's help pages. USDA classes every one of these locations as a "Super Store," and California (176), Texas (138) and Florida (126) have the most.⁵ To check one club, search its address in USDA's SNAP Retailer Locator.⁸

Does Costco accept EBT?

Yes. Costco says all of its warehouse locations accept EBT cards, and EBT is on its payment method list for every U.S. Costco warehouse.¹⁹ Costco Business Center locations also appear in USDA's retailer data.⁵

EBT is not on Costco's payment lists for Costco.com or its gas stations.⁹

Can you use EBT at Costco self-checkout?

Costco lists EBT cards as accepted at its U.S. warehouses and doesn't carve out self-checkout lanes.⁹ If a self-checkout screen won't take your card, ask a staff member or move to a staffed lane.

Does the Costco food court take EBT?

No, not for hot food. SNAP can't buy food that is hot when you pay, which rules out hot pizza and hot dogs at the food court.⁴

Does Sam's Club take EBT?

Yes. Sam's Club accepts SNAP EBT, the card that replaced paper food stamps, in the club, in Scan & Go and online. You must be a member to use it.² A few details help at the register:

• You pay no state or local sales tax on food bought with SNAP benefits.²
• Food bought with SNAP can go back on your EBT card within 90 days, or be swapped for the same item. There are no cash refunds.²
• Sam's Club is not an authorized WIC retailer.²

Can you use EBT on the Sam's Club app?

Yes. Sam's Club says Scan & Go takes SNAP cards, and EBT cards with more than 16 digits work in the app and at registers.² Add the card to your wallet in the app, look for the "EBT eligible" badge, and enter your PIN to check out.⁷

Does BJ's take EBT?

Yes. BJ's accepts SNAP EBT from every state, in the club, on BJs.com, in its app and through ExpressPay, its scan-as-you-shop checkout.³ SNAP also works for curbside pickup, same-day delivery and ship-to-home orders.³

• Your SNAP balance must cover a whole item. BJ's won't split one item between EBT and another card.³
• Substitutions and items you add after ordering go on a credit card.³
• You can combine SNAP with BJ's rewards.³

Can you get a free or discounted membership with EBT?

Not at Costco, which offers no free or discounted memberships.¹⁰ Sam's Club and BJ's both have offers for new members who get SNAP or other aid, checked through ID.me.¹¹¹²

Club	Regular yearly fee	Offer for SNAP households
Costco	$65 Gold Star, $130 Executive13	None10
Sam's Club	$60 Club, $120 Plus14	Club for $60 plus $20 in Sam's Cash11
BJ's	$60 Club, $120 Club+12	Club for $25 plus a $10 reward, or Club+ for $50 plus a $20 reward12

Prices as each club's site showed them on Oct. 25, 2026. Read the fine print before you join:

• Sam's Club's offer doesn't lower the $60 Club price. It adds $20 in Sam's Cash for people who join online with no active membership in the last six months.¹⁴¹¹
• BJ's offer requires auto-renewal at the then-current fee and ends Jan. 30, 2027.¹²

What can you buy with EBT at Costco and Sam's Club?

The same eligible items you can buy with SNAP at any store. Bulk sizes don't change the rules.⁴

• Yes: fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry and fish, dairy products, bread and cereal, snack foods, non-alcoholic beverages, and seeds or plants that grow food.⁴
• No: beer, wine and liquor, tobacco, vitamins and supplements, food that is hot when you pay, pet food, paper goods, cleaning supplies and hygiene items.⁴

Your state may restrict more. USDA lists 23 states that have sought limits on soda, candy or similar items, and a federal court stopped four of them on June 22, 2026.¹⁵ Costco follows state law on what EBT can buy.¹ Our guide to stores that accept EBT tracks these changes.

Why is rotisserie chicken not covered by EBT?

Because it's hot when you pay. SNAP can't buy food that is hot at the point of sale, so the rotisserie chicken from the warming case is out, like any hot prepared food.⁴ That rule is about temperature, so cold deli food is not affected by it.⁴

Can you use EBT for Costco or Sam's Club online orders?

Yes, with limits. SNAP works online in all 50 states and DC, you still enter your PIN, and SNAP can't pay delivery fees or other charges.¹⁶

• Costco: Instacart, which runs Costco Same-Day, accepts SNAP for Costco orders in 47 states and DC, but not in Rhode Island, West Virginia or Wyoming.⁶ Same-Day prices are marked up over warehouse prices, orders have a $35 minimum, and you need a membership.¹⁷ Add your EBT card before you order, because a debit card or credit card covers fees, tips, taxes and anything not EBT eligible.¹⁸
• Sam's Club: SNAP works for online grocery items with pickup or delivery.²⁷
• BJ's: SNAP works on BJs.com and the app, and there is no minimum order to use it.³

USDA's state lists show who takes SNAP online where you live. Texas, for example, lists Costco and "Sam's Club Scan and Go."¹⁹

Does buying in bulk with SNAP save money?

It can, but only on food you'll finish before it spoils, and only if the savings beat the fee. A $65 Costco Gold Star membership works out to about $5.42 a month.¹³ Researchers using Nielsen shopping data found that tight cash keeps many low-income households from using bulk discounts, because buying big means spending more now to save later.²⁰

• Compare the unit price on the shelf tag, not the package price.
• Buy shelf-stable staples like rice, beans, oats and canned fish in bulk. Buy fresh food in amounts you can use.
• Check your EBT balance before a big trip so a sale isn't declined. Here's how to check your EBT balance, and a budget grocery list to plan the trip.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Costco take WIC?

Costco's payment method list names EBT cards but not WIC, and Sam's Club says it is not an authorized WIC retailer.⁹² Ask your state WIC agency which stores near you take WIC, or see our WIC guide.

Can I use SUN Bucks at Costco?

Summer EBT, which may go by another name such as SUN Bucks, gives $120 per eligible child to spend at authorized retailers in participating states.²¹ Costco takes EBT at every warehouse, so ask your state whether its summer card works there.¹ Our Summer EBT research covers the program by state.

Can I use EBT at a Costco gas station?

No. Costco's gas station payment list doesn't include EBT, and SNAP can't buy nonfood items.⁹⁴

Is Sam's Club or Costco cheaper for EBT shoppers?

On membership, Sam's Club and BJ's cost less for new members who get SNAP. BJ's Club is $25 with its offer and Sam's Club is $60 with $20 in Sam's Cash, while Costco Gold Star is $65 with no discount.^12111310 We did not compare shelf prices, so check unit prices on the grocery items you buy most.

Can I return food I bought with SNAP?

Yes, at Sam's Club and BJ's: within 90 days, back to your EBT card or as an exchange for the same item, with no cash refund.²³ For a Costco Same-Day order, ask Instacart within 7 days of delivery.¹⁷

How we checked this

On Oct. 25, 2026, we read the SNAP, membership and payment pages of Costco, Sam's Club and BJ's, Instacart's EBT help pages, and USDA's pages on eligible foods, online shopping, food restriction waivers and Summer EBT.^1231841615 We counted warehouse club locations in USDA's SNAP retailer data the same day.⁵ We did not visit clubs, test cards or compare prices, so confirm your club in the SNAP Retailer Locator before you go.⁸

Next step: read our SNAP guide for what your benefits cover, or try these ways to make food stamps last. If your benefits run short, find a food pantry near you.