If you’re an iPhone user who frequently shops at Kroger, America’s largest supermarket chain by revenue, you may be wondering: does Kroger accept Apple Pay?
With the growing popularity of contactless mobile payments, more and more shoppers are looking to use Apple Pay and other digital wallets to quickly and securely pay at checkout with just a tap of their phone.
So what’s the deal with using Apple Pay at Kroger? Here’s what you need to know.
Is there Apple Pay at Kroger?
The short answer is: no, unfortunately Kroger does not currently accept Apple Pay in its stores, despite Apple Pay being one of the most popular mobile payment methods.
Instead of Apple Pay, Kroger has chosen to push its own proprietary mobile payment app called Kroger Pay.
Kroger Pay works similarly to Apple Pay – you add a payment card to the Kroger app on your iPhone, then scan a QR code on the PIN pad at checkout to pay.
The app can also store your Kroger loyalty card to earn fuel points and other rewards.
However, the key difference is that Kroger Pay only works at Kroger stores, while Apple Pay can be used at millions of retailers worldwide.
Why is there no ApplePay at Kroger?
So why has Kroger opted not to accept such a popular payment method as Apple Pay, which would offer convenience to many iPhone-toting Kroger shoppers?
There are a few potential reasons:
- Fees and data. By pushing people to use Kroger Pay instead of Apple Pay, Kroger likely saves on transaction fees paid to Apple. They also get access to valuable data and insights on customer shopping habits through the Kroger app.
- Loyalty and ecosystem. Kroger may believe that having its own in-house payment app will help build customer loyalty and keep shoppers in the Kroger ecosystem. Someone using Apple Pay could easily take their business to competitors, but if they start using Kroger Pay, they’re more likely to stay a Kroger customer.
- Technology and infrastructure. Accepting NFC-based mobile wallets like Apple Pay requires different checkout technology, and Kroger has already invested in its current QR code-based system for Kroger Pay. Updating terminals for Apple Pay across thousands of locations would be costly.
Despite these potential rationales, many iPhone users find it frustrating that such a major nationwide retailer won’t accept Apple Pay.
It’s an inconvenience to have to download a separate app and deal with a different payment flow just for Kroger stores. Google Pay is also not accepted.
However, Kroger isn’t the only big holdout when it comes to Apple Pay. Walmart is another mega-retailer that has refused to take Apple Pay in favor of its own Walmart Pay app. Walmart Pay functions very similarly to Kroger Pay.
Until Kroger has a change of heart, iPhone users will have to either use the Kroger Pay app or pay with physical credit/debit card or cash at Kroger checkouts.
It’s still possible that Kroger will decide to accept Apple Pay at some point in the future if they determine it will benefit their business. But for now, you’ll need to use other payment methods to complete your grocery haul at Kroger.
