A few years back, using a check was a common method to pay bills in grocery stores. But nowadays, credit and debit cards are becoming increasingly popular since they are far less cumbersome than writing a check.
Generally, most grocery stores in the United States still accept checks, but some shops might charge you a bit higher if you use this method of transaction.
In this article, I will briefly discuss if grocery stores accept checks. I strongly suggest you read through the whole article if you want to know which stores still accept checks and the constraints of this transaction process.
Which Grocery Stores Still Accepts Check?
Although the majority of the grocery stores prefer transactions via credit card, checks are still approved in most of the major corporations such as Meijer, Walmart, and WinCo. However, you would have to follow some conditions in order to pay bills with checks.
For example, in corporations like WinCo, Save Mart, Food 4 Less, and Walmart, you can pay the bill via check, but you have to bring your driver's license or your state identification. The address on the driver's license or the state ID should fit your current address. The address must be pre-printed on the checks and you must include your phone number every time you use it.
In some grocery stores, no restriction is set for purchasing goods using checks. But in others, you need to purchase groceries in a different paying method before you can use checks. For starters, in some stores in the United States, you have to make at least 3 transactions via cash before using checks.
How Do Grocery Stores Verify Checks?
Most of the grocery stores that accept checks use the electronic system for verification. The cashier will use the scanner of that system to verify two things, the routing number of the bank and the account number of the customer. The scanner will check whether your bank account is valid and active.
If the account you have is positively balanced, the cashier might ask for your state ID or driver’s license for further verification. If everything is perfect, you will be able to successfully complete the transaction.
The scanner will also determine whether you have a bad history regarding transactions via checks. If you do, then your check will be declined. In certain situations, the electronic system malfunctions, and your check might get refused for no good reason. In such cases, it is recommended to use a different form of transaction.
Why Are Checks Still Accepted in Grocery Stores?
Although it is much more complicated to transact through checks than to pay cash or to use cards, it is still a common practice for older generations. In addition, they are the most popular food store consumers. Thus, payment through checks is still maintained in most grocery stores in order to keep faithful clients connected.
Hope you’ve got the answer to your question “do grocery stores accept checks’. Thank you so much for reading the whole article. Have a wonderful day.
