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While many gas stations, like grocery stores, accept EBT cards, there are limitations on what you can purchase using your benefits.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) restricts using your EBT card for ineligible items like toiletries, frozen food, medicine, alcohol, and tobacco. However, you can use your benefits on most other products, including snacks, drinks, candy, dairy products, and even cereal.
This guide will focus on gas stations where you can use your EBT card for approved food purchases. These include:
- Well-known gas station chains like Shell and 76
- Convenience stores with gas stations that accept EBT
- Grocery stores with gas stations that accept EBT
- Travel centers with gas stations that accept EBT
What is an EBT card?
An Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card is a safe and convenient way to access government benefits. If you participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), you can use your EBT card to pay for groceries and approved food items at authorized retailers.
This system has replaced paper food stamps nationwide since June 2004. Your EBT card works similarly to a debit card, but it’s important to remember that benefits can only be used for approved purchases.
EBT cards are not just for SNAP. They can also be used to receive cash assistance benefits for those enrolled in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.
Your EBT card is valid in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Guam.
Can you use EBT/food stamps at a gas station?
There are two main types of benefits you might receive on your EBT card: SNAP and cash assistance. Understanding the difference is key to knowing if you can use your card at a gas station.
- SNAP benefits: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides benefits for food purchases. You cannot use SNAP benefits to purchase gas at a gas station. However, you can use them to buy approved food and drink items at authorized retailers within the gas station, such as milk, cheese, chips, or crackers, as long as they are intended to be taken home and prepared as meals or snacks.
SNAP benefits cannot be used for prepared hot or cold food sold at a deli, restaurant, food counter, or pizza/sandwich shop inside a gas station.
- Cash benefits: Some individuals may also receive cash assistance benefits on their EBT card through programs like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). These benefits can be used for a wider range of purchases than SNAP. Check with your state’s program for specific rules, but generally, cash assistance can be used for basic needs like gas, shelter, food, transportation, clothing, and utilities.
Gas stations that accept EBT
Many gas stations accept EBT cards, but it’s important to remember that you can only use your SNAP benefits to purchase eligible food and drink items. However, some programs, like TANF, may offer additional benefits that can be used for gas purchases at authorized locations.
Here are some popular gas station chains that accept EBT for approved purchases:
- 76
- 7-Eleven
- ampm
- BP
- Casey’s General Stores
- Chevron
- Circle K
- CITGO
- Clark’s Pump-N-Shop
- Conoco
- Costco
- Country Fair
- Coen
- Cumberland Farms
- Delta Sonic
- Exxon/Mobil
- Fas Mart
- Gulf Oil
- GetGo
- High’s
- Holiday Stationstores
- Huck’s Food & Fuel
- Kroger
- Kum & Go
- Kwik Trip
- Lassus Handy Dandy
- Love’s Travel Stops
- LUKOIL
- Marathon
- Murphy USA
- Phillips 66
- Pilot Flying J Travel Centers
- Plaid Pantry
- QuickChek
- QuikTrip
- RaceTrac/RaceWay
- Royal Farms
- Rutter’s Farm Store
- Sam’s Club
- Sheetz
- Shell
- Sinclair
- Speedway
- Spinx
- Stop-A-Minit
- Stewart’s Shops
- Sunoco
- Texaco
- Thorntons
- Turkey Hill
- TravelCenters of America
- Valero
- Wawa
What can you buy with an EBT card?
Your EBT card, used for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), allows you to purchase various food and drink items to prepare meals and snacks at home. Here’s a breakdown of what you can buy:
- Essential staples: This includes cooking oils like olive oil and vegetable oil.
- Protein sources: Poultry (chicken, turkey), red meat (steak, ground beef), seafood (fish, shrimp), pork (chops, bacon), and eggs.
- Dairy products: Milk, cheese, and even alternative dairy options like almond milk.
- Grains: Breads (pita, rye, tortillas), cereals, pasta, bagels, and rice.
- Snacks and sweets: You can use your benefits for candy, cookies, brownies, chips, and snack crackers.
- Beverages: Non-alcoholic drinks like soda, juice, and energy drinks are also eligible purchases.
- Fresh produce: Seeds and plants intended for growing food at home can be purchased with SNAP benefits.
While you can use your EBT card at gas stations, it’s crucial to remember that you can only buy SNAP-approved food and drinks. This excludes prepared hot or cold food items sold at the deli, restaurant, or food counter inside a gas station, even if the gas station accepts EBT cards.
So, while you cannot use your SNAP benefits to buy gas, you can utilize your EBT card at gas stations with convenience stores selling approved groceries like bread, milk, and dairy products. Always check with the gas station to confirm their EBT policy and what qualifies as an approved purchase.
What can’t you buy with EBT?
While your EBT card allows you to purchase various food and drinks, it’s important to understand what items are not eligible for purchase with SNAP benefits. Here’s a breakdown of some common ineligible items:
- Non-food items: SNAP is designed to assist with food purchases, so anything outside the food category is prohibited. This includes medicine, hygiene products, cosmetics, paper products, and cleaning supplies.
- Alcohol and tobacco products: Cigarettes, tobacco products, beer, wine, and liquor are not eligible for purchase with SNAP benefits.
- Prepared foods: You cannot use your EBT card to buy hot or prepared food items sold at the deli, restaurant, or food counter inside a gas station, even if the gas station accepts EBT cards.
- Pet food: Unfortunately, pet food cannot be purchased with SNAP benefits.
- Lottery tickets and gambling: SNAP benefits are intended for food, and lottery tickets or any other gambling items are not covered.
- Vitamins, supplements, and certain medicines: While some states may allow over-the-counter medications with SNAP benefits, vitamins, supplements, and most medications are generally not eligible for purchase.
Individuals may sometimes receive cash benefits on their EBT card through programs like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Depending on your state’s program, these benefits have different rules and may allow for purchases like gas. Always check with your state or local agency for specific details on TANF cash benefits.
How to find gas stations that accept EBT near you
Many gas stations accept EBT cards but remember, you can only use SNAP benefits to purchase approved food and drink items intended for preparation at home, not gas itself or prepared hot/cold food items.
Here are some ways to find gas stations near you that accept EBT for approved purchases:
- Search engine: Use your phone or computer to search for “[gas station name] + EBT near me.” For instance, you could try “Shell gas station + EBT near me” or “Kroger gas station + EBT near me.” This will return a list of nearby locations that accept EBT for approved groceries.
- Store locator: Many gas station chains and convenience stores with gas stations have store locators on their websites. These locators may allow you to filter results for stores that accept EBT.
- Government resources: The USDA Food and Nutrition Service offers a SNAP retailer locator tool that allows you to search for SNAP-authorized retailers by zip code or address. While this tool may not differentiate between gas stations that accept EBT for gas and those that accept it only for groceries, it can be a helpful starting point for your search.
EBT policies vary by location, so it’s always best to contact the specific gas station you plan to visit to confirm their EBT policy and what qualifies as an approved purchase for SNAP benefits.
The bottom line
Many gas stations accept EBT cards, which means you can use your Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to buy certain food items there. These items typically include bread, dairy products, cold drinks, and snacks.
If you participate in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, you might be able to use your cash benefits on gas purchases at specific gas stations.
It’s important to note that EBT and gas station reward programs are separate. While they won’t directly combine for additional savings, using both strategically can help you stretch your budget.
Remember, it’s always a good idea to have a backup payment method in case your EBT card isn’t accepted, or you run out of benefits. If you’re looking for places to use your EBT card, try checking out gas stations and convenience stores on our list above that accept them.