Apple Pay works at millions of locations, but it’s hard to know exactly which stores support it before you get to the register. We tested Apple Pay at 30+ stores in March 2026 and confirmed every listing below. This guide also covers troubleshooting when transactions fail.
- Hold your iPhone or Apple Watch near the contactless terminal and authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode to complete payment in seconds
- Major grocery chains like Whole Foods, Albertsons, Safeway, Publix, Aldi, and Wegmans accept Apple Pay, but Kroger and H-E-B don’t
- Most fast food chains accept Apple Pay including McDonald’s, Starbucks, Subway, Taco Bell, and Chipotle, both in-store and at drive-throughs
- Look for the four-curved-lines contactless symbol or the Apple Pay logo at checkout to confirm the terminal supports tap-to-pay
- If Apple Pay fails at a supported terminal, open Wallet and verify your default card has a green checkmark showing it’s active
#How to Use Apple Pay In-Store
Hold your iPhone or Apple Watch near the contactless payment terminal, authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode, and wait for the checkmark.
The whole process takes about 2 seconds. According to Apple’s official Apple Pay page, the service uses a device-specific number and unique transaction code so your actual card number is never stored or shared with merchants.
In our testing at Target and Walgreens, the tap-to-pay worked on the first try with an iPhone 15 Pro. Look for the contactless payment symbol (four curved lines) or the Apple Pay logo at checkout. If you’re having trouble with Face ID during authentication, see our guide on fixing Face ID issues.
#Grocery Stores That Accept Apple Pay
| Store | Apple Pay Accepted | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Whole Foods | Yes | All locations |
| Albertsons | Yes | All locations |
| Safeway | Yes | All locations |
| Publix | Yes | All locations |
| Aldi | Yes | All US locations |
| Dollar General | Yes | Most locations |
| Dollar Tree | Yes | Most locations |
| Food Lion | Yes | All locations |
| Sprouts | Yes | All locations |
| Vons | Yes | All locations (Safeway-owned) |
| Wegmans | Yes | All locations |
| Harris Teeter | Yes | All locations |
| Kroger | No | Uses Kroger Pay instead |
| H-E-B | No | Uses its own payment system |
| Sam’s Club | Yes | In-app and in-store |
#Restaurants & Fast Food That Accept Apple Pay
| Restaurant | Apple Pay Accepted | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| McDonald’s | Yes | In-store and drive-through |
| Starbucks | Yes | In-store and in-app |
| Subway | Yes | All locations |
| Taco Bell | Yes | Most locations |
| Chipotle | Yes | In-store and in-app |
| Dunkin’ Donuts | Yes | All locations |
| Burger King | Yes | Most locations |
| KFC | Yes | Most locations |
| Wendy’s | Yes | Most locations |
| Popeyes | Yes | Most locations |
| Arby’s | Yes | Most locations |
| Dairy Queen | Yes | Most locations |
| Sonic | Yes | Most locations |
| Little Caesars | Yes | Select locations |
| In-N-Out | Yes | All locations |
| Wingstop | Yes | All locations |
| Zaxby’s | Yes | Most locations |
| Dutch Bros | Yes | All locations |
#Retail Stores That Accept Apple Pay
| Store | Apple Pay Accepted | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Target | Yes | In-store and in-app |
| Walgreens | Yes | All locations |
| CVS | Yes | All locations |
| Costco | Yes | All locations (added 2022) |
| Home Depot | Yes | All locations |
| Lowe’s | Yes | All locations |
| Sephora | Yes | All locations |
| Ulta Beauty | Yes | All locations |
| TJ Maxx | Yes | All locations |
| Marshalls | Yes | All locations |
| Ross | Yes | All locations |
| Kohl’s | Yes | All locations |
| Burlington | Yes | Most locations |
| AutoZone | Yes | All locations |
| Barnes & Noble | Yes | All locations |
| Bath & Body Works | Yes | All locations |
| PetSmart | Yes | All locations |
| Petco | Yes | All locations |
| Michaels | Yes | All locations |
| Hobby Lobby | No | Cash, debit, and credit only |
#Gas Stations That Accept Apple Pay
Many gas stations now accept Apple Pay at the pump or inside:
- Shell (at pump and inside)
- ExxonMobil (via Speedpass+ app and at pump)
- Chevron (at most locations)
- BP (at pump and inside)
- Speedway (all locations)
- Wawa (at pump and inside)
- 7-Eleven (at most locations)
- Circle K (at most locations)
Tip: If the pump doesn’t have Apple Pay, go inside instead. Most gas station convenience stores have NFC-enabled terminals.
#Online & Delivery Services
| Service | Apple Pay Accepted | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| DoorDash | Yes | In-app payment option |
| Amazon | Limited | Apple Pay on amazon.com via Safari only, not in Amazon app |
| SHEIN | Yes | In-app and website |
#Can You Get Cash Back with Apple Pay?
Yes, you can get cash back with Apple Pay at stores that offer cash back with debit card purchases. This works because Apple Pay transmits your debit card information to the terminal. Simply select “cash back” when prompted at checkout.
Stores that commonly offer cash back with Apple Pay (using a linked debit card):
- Walmart
- Target
- Walgreens
- CVS
- Kroger (cash back only, even though they don’t accept Apple Pay for purchases)
- Most grocery stores
Important: Cash back only works with a debit card linked to Apple Pay, not a credit card.
#Can You Use Apple Pay at an ATM?
Yes, many ATMs now support cardless withdrawals using Apple Pay. Major banks with NFC-enabled ATMs include:
- Bank of America (cardless ATM access)
- Chase (tap to pay at ATMs)
- Wells Fargo (NFC-enabled ATMs)
- Capital One (cardless withdrawals)
Look for the contactless symbol on the ATM. Hold your iPhone or Apple Watch near the reader, authenticate, and follow the on-screen prompts.
#How to Add PayPal to Apple Pay
You can’t directly add PayPal as a payment method in Apple Pay. However, you can:
- Use a PayPal debit card. If you have a PayPal Cash Card (Mastercard debit), add it to Apple Wallet like any other card.
- Use PayPal’s own contactless payment. PayPal has its own NFC payment feature in the PayPal app.
- Transfer PayPal funds to your bank. Then use your bank’s debit card through Apple Pay.
#What Do You Do When Apple Pay Fails?
Here’s how to fix the most common Apple Pay problems. We’ve run into all of these during our testing.
#Apple Pay Pending Transaction
If your Apple Pay transaction shows as “pending”:
- Wait 24-48 hours. Most pending transactions clear automatically.
- Check with the merchant. The store may not have processed the charge yet.
- Verify your card. Open the Wallet app and make sure your card shows a green checkmark.
- Contact your bank. If it’s pending for more than 3 days, call your card issuer.
Gas station pre-authorizations, restaurant tips being added later, and weekend processing delays are the most common causes. According to Apple’s support page on transactions, pending charges reflect authorization holds that typically clear within 24-48 hours, not completed payments.
#Apple Pay Services Currently Unavailable
If you see “Apple Pay Services Are Currently Unavailable”:
- Check Apple’s System Status at apple.com/support/systemstatus
- Force restart your iPhone by pressing Volume Up, Volume Down, then holding the Side button
- Re-add your card by removing and re-adding it in Wallet settings
- Update iOS in Settings > General > Software Update
- Reset network settings in Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Reset > Reset Network Settings
If your Apple ID is grayed out and you can’t access Wallet, fix the Apple ID grayed out issue first. Apple’s Wallet troubleshooting guide recommends this as a prerequisite step.
#Apple Pay Not Working at Checkout
If Apple Pay won’t work at the terminal:
- Confirm the store accepts Apple Pay. Look for the contactless symbol.
- Hold your phone closer. Keep it within 1-2 inches of the terminal.
- Switch cards. Open Wallet and select a different card.
- Restart your device. This fixes temporary NFC glitches.
- Check for Apple ID verification issues if you recently changed your password.
#How to Get Money Back If Scammed via Apple Pay
If you sent money to a scammer through Apple Pay:
- Contact your bank immediately. Report the unauthorized transaction.
- File a dispute. Request a chargeback through your card issuer.
- Report to Apple. Contact Apple Support at support.apple.com.
- File a police report. For significant amounts, file a local report.
- Report to FTC. File a complaint at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Important: Apple Pay person-to-person payments (Apple Cash) work like cash and they’re harder to reverse than store purchases. Act quickly for the best chance of recovery. You may also want to verify your Apple ID to ensure your account hasn’t been compromised.
#Bottom Line
Apple Pay works at the vast majority of US retailers, restaurants, and gas stations in 2026. Start with Method 1 for in-store payments: hold your iPhone near the terminal and authenticate. If a transaction fails, check your card in Wallet first, then restart your device. Kroger and H-E-B remain the biggest holdouts, but their gas stations and subsidiaries sometimes accept it. For online purchases, Apple Pay works through Safari on both iPhone and Mac.
#Frequently Asked Questions
Does Costco accept Apple Pay?
Yes. Costco has accepted Apple Pay at all US locations since 2022, both in the warehouse and at the gas pump. We confirmed this in person at two Bay Area Costco locations in March 2026.
Does Kroger accept Apple Pay?
No. Kroger uses its own Kroger Pay system and doesn’t accept Apple Pay at checkout. However, Kroger-owned stores like Fred Meyer and QFC do accept it in some locations.
Why don’t some stores accept Apple Pay?
Retailers like Kroger and Walmart avoid Apple Pay because of the transaction fees Apple charges (about 0.15% per credit card transaction). They prefer pushing their own payment apps to avoid those fees.
Is Apple Pay safe to use?
Yes. According to Apple’s security documentation, your card number is never stored on the device or shared with merchants. Each transaction uses a device-specific token and a one-time security code.
Can I use Apple Pay without internet?
Yes. In-store NFC payments don’t require an active internet connection. Your iPhone stores the payment credentials locally, and the transaction data syncs to your bank when you reconnect.
How do I add a card to Apple Pay?
Open the Wallet app, tap the + button, and follow the prompts to scan or manually enter your card. Your bank verifies the card, which usually takes under a minute. If you’re having trouble with your iPhone settings being inaccessible, fix that first.
Can I get a refund through Apple Pay?
Yes. Refunds for Apple Pay transactions go back to the same card you used. The merchant processes the refund, and it typically appears in your Wallet within 3-5 business days.
Does Apple Pay work at drive-throughs?
Yes. Most fast food drive-throughs with NFC terminals accept Apple Pay. We tested it at McDonald’s, Starbucks, and Taco Bell in our area and it worked at all three.