ALDI, Albertsons, Safeway, Meijer, and certain 7-Eleven locations are just a few of the grocery partners who will now accept SNAP and EBT payments, according to online food ordering and delivery service DoorDash.
Through these collaborations, 4,000 grocery and convenience stores around the country are now able to offer on-demand delivery of qualified grocery goods to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participants.
DoorDash Partners with Low-Income Shoppers
According to Fuad Hannon, VP of new verticals at DoorDash, this is particularly true for disadvantaged populations, such as elders, those who live in food deserts, and those who face mobility or disability hurdles.
According to PYMNTS, DoorDash is not the first business that accepts SNAP/EBT payments through their ordering systems.
Instacart has been working with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide SNAP/EBT access to supermarket partners countrywide next year. Walmart and Kroger have been expanding or upgrading EBT payment alternatives.
Companies who don’t include these payments risk losing these clients to rival businesses. As of March, there were 41.4 million participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, according to the most recent USDA data.
Ofek Lavian, CEO of third-party payment processor Forage, explained that many SNAP/EBT users reside in places where the closest supermarkets don’t carry nutritious goods, making grocery delivery the only option for them to obtain the ingredients they require in an interview with PYMNTS.
Read more: Delayed SNAP Payments And Persistent Risk For Thousands
Free DashPass Subscription and Accessibility Initiatives
According to Lavian, many of these customers are likely to have disabilities, making delivery alternatives essential for accessibility.
Additionally, Doordash will provide SNAP beneficiaries with a DashPass subscription with $0 delivery fees on eligible orders, free for two months.
Recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will get an email with a link to redeem their free DashPass subscription once they add an EBT card to the payment method box under Program Cards on the DoorDash app.
Read more: State-By-State Schedule For June 2023 SNAP Benefit Payments