Kroger-owned grocery store chain Harris Teeter this week announced it now accepts Apple Pay and other contactless payment methods at all of its over 250 locations in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and a few other states. Apple Pay also started rolling out at some actual Kroger locations in Kentucky and Ohio earlier this month, as the company finally embraces NFC technology. Kroger was one of the largest Apple Pay holdouts in the U.S. since the service launched in 2014, alongside Walmart and The Home Depot, but it now accepts Apple Pay at some or all Kroger, Fred Meyer, Ralphs, QFC, King Soopers, and Harris Teeter locations across the country.

Apple Pay allows customers to tap to pay with an iPhone or Apple Watch at checkout, providing a convenient and secure payment method. Alongside Apple Pay, Kroger continues to offer its own service called Kroger Pay, which requires customers to scan a QR code at checkout to pay with a debit or credit card stored in the Kroger app. Article Link: Kroger-Owned Grocery Store Chain Harris Teeter Begins Accepting Apple Pay

At least here, there’s no way to be a “Apple Pay holdout”.

CRAZY.

Glad to know cause I've left the door without my wallet on me.

About time.

Now, there is just Home Depot, Lowes, HEB, Walmart, Menards, Paper Source, Walmart, Hobby Lobby, Winco Foods, Graybar, Fleet Farm, and about 2/3 of the Kroger owned stores before the US reaches 95%+ acceptance.

Grabs Six Pack off shelf.
Flicks out watch.
Miller (or insert your fav beer here) Time.

Going to the Kroger Store this weekend and will test out Apple Pay.


Anyone wants me to grab some ice cream? 🍨 🥵

echopulse said:

About time.

Now, there is just Home Depot, Lowes, HEB, Walmart, Menards, Paper Source, Walmart, Hobby Lobby, Winco Foods, Graybar, Fleet Farm, and about 2/3 of the Kroger owned stores before the US reaches 95%+ acceptance.

Agreed! Walmart needs it desperately. Not sure what's taking so long for them. Let’s not forget Sam’s club.

Is that so???
I was just at HT the other day (like 2 or so days ago) and Apple Pay not yet accepted, at least at the Self checkout. I gotta visit one to see for myself now! LOL

It is about time.

Edit: here's an interesting read on REDDIT about Harris Teeter and NFC:

echopulse said:

About time.

Now, there is just Home Depot, Lowes, HEB, Walmart, Menards, Paper Source, Walmart, Hobby Lobby, Winco Foods, Graybar, Fleet Farm, and about 2/3 of the Kroger owned stores before the US reaches 95%+ acceptance.

I think Apple Pay is accepted anywhere that tap-to-pay is accepted. It's high time that all major retailers accept tap-to-pay. It's like no longer new technology!

Kroger ✅
Target ✅
Home Depot ❌

We’re getting there…

TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️ said:

Agreed! Walmart needs it desperately. Not sure what's taking so long for them.

Walmart really wants you to use their apps which uses QR codes to talk to the terminal. They likely have negotiated favorable rates on the payment processors for transactions coming through their app and they don’t want you using some other system if they can help it. Direct credit card payments are grandfathered in, otherwise they’d probably oppose that too. This is probably why a lot of the big chains are resistant to NFC and ApplePay.

The other reason is that they get no data on the shopper from ApplePay and they want that data for tracking and promotions. With their app, they know everything.

TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️ said:

Going to the Kroger Store this weekend and will test out Apple Pay.


Anyone wants me to grab some ice cream? 🍨 🥵

Cookies and cream, if they are out. Just vanilla.

Thank you in advance!

FINALLY! I think this was the only place I sometimes go to that didn't take Pay.

I went to the US Post office yesterday.

Needed some stamps.

Paid with watch.

Went to whole foods and picked up a special ketchup.

Paid with watch.

Got a hamburger and fries at chain.

Paid with watch.

so dang useful. I freaking love paying with the watch and apple pay.

TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️ said:

Agreed! Walmart needs it desperately. Not sure what's taking so long for them. Let’s not forget Sam’s club.

I wouldn't hold your breath on Walmart jumping on board. My understanding is that they order CC terminals without the tech for contactless payments.

I bet it came down to money.

Apple Pay is (more) secure, it takes a lot of things to go wrong to be able to use it maliciously.

Versus a card where someone can steal it, say no, and run as credit at so many places

I bet their credit card processor is pushing back on lower security payment methods and turning off a higher security one is not how to do business.

At some point even the biggest companies need full payment processing support. Even Walmart will get pushed on if it's good business. I wouldn't bet against a favored rate renewal being contingent on supporting modern payment methods with two-factor security.

The payment processors all know how much fraud costs them at the big stores and is likely making the rounds on this topic.

HEB in Texas needs to begin accepting Apple Pay!

flyingember said:

I bet it came down to money.

Apple Pay is (more) secure, it takes a lot of things to go wrong to be able to use it maliciously.

Versus a card where someone can steal it, say no, and run as credit at so many places

I bet their credit card processor is pushing back on lower security payment methods and turning off a higher security one is not how to do business.

At some point even the biggest companies need full payment processing support. Even Walmart will get pushed on if it's good business. I wouldn't bet against a favored rate renewal being contingent on supporting modern payment methods with two-factor security.

The payment processors all know how much fraud costs them at the big stores and is likely making the rounds on this topic.

Click to expand...

This is why I absolutely don't understand why the US shun Chip and PIN so badly. It could nearly obliterate fraud except for the idiots *Cough*LJS*Cough* who still don't take the chip. At least give us a choice to enable or disable with some perk for enabling

flyingember said:

I bet it came down to money.

Apple Pay is (more) secure, it takes a lot of things to go wrong to be able to use it maliciously.

Versus a card where someone can steal it, say no, and run as credit at so many places

I bet their credit card processor is pushing back on lower security payment methods and turning off a higher security one is not how to do business.

At some point even the biggest companies need full payment processing support. Even Walmart will get pushed on if it's good business. I wouldn't bet against a favored rate renewal being contingent on supporting modern payment methods with two-factor security.

The payment processors all know how much fraud costs them at the big stores and is likely making the rounds on this topic.

Click to expand...

Just like Walmart, Kroger and their associated brands have a KrogerPay app to get their hands on that sweet, sweet data of yours. It also didn't require new terminals because like the Walmart app it used a QR code.

I can't see how that app was working out for them, this looks more like they caved and bought new terminals. I bet their own payment app gets deprecated sometime in the future.

If card processors were pushing for this, it would have happened a lot sooner. When the holdouts are either small businesses that aren't going to upgrade until they are forced to replace their terminal or large businesses that have been trying to push their own payment apps, it doesn't look like their getting pushed very hard.

I still get reactions of surprise when I use my watch to pay for things at merchants, and I still have to wonder when I go somewhere I don't shop at frequently if they support it. It's just not that widespread in parts of the US. It was nice visiting Canada where basically everything everywhere supported contactless.

TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️ said:

Going to the Kroger Store this weekend and will test out Apple Pay.


Anyone wants me to grab some ice cream? 🍨 🥵

I bought some groceries today at Fry’s (Kroger) in AZ and ApplePay is still not available!

macsplusmacs said:

Cookies and cream, if they are out. Just vanilla.

Thank you in advance!

Shouldn't that read:

Cookies and cream. If they are out, just vanilla. ? 😉

Doesn't every debit card checkout terminal have a contactless payment pad on the top or side in the US? Or are there stores that don't even offer debit card payment??

Over here in the Netherlands I even pay at a vending machine or a street vendor with my iPhone. Heck, I've even seen churches in France where you can pay for candles with your phone!

Heindijs said:

Doesn't every debit card checkout terminal have a contactless payment pad on the top or side in the US?

I wish, but no.

Heindijs said:

Or are there stores that don't even offer debit card payment??

Not that many. I know there's one popular restaurant in town that hasn't since the late 80s. Cash or check only.