After nearly a decade of speculation about when or if it would be supported, it looks like Kroger, the nation’s largest supermarket chain, has finally started accepting Apple Pay at some of its locations. On top of that, other grocery chains Supermarket owned by Kroger, including Fred Meyer, WFC, Ralph’s and King Soopers, have also been reported as accepting Apple Pay.
For years now Apple Pay has been the go-to payment option for many Apple and non-Apple users alike. While many retailers have adopted Apple Pay, Kroger and Walmart held firm in their resistance up until now. The lack of Apple Pay support put Kroger in a difficult position, with Kroger pay—a QR code-based alternative—failing to generate the same traction with customers as Apple Pay did.
The arrival of Apple Pay at Kroger hasn’t yet been made official, but reports of consumers encountering Apple Pay at participating locations suggest that it’s already being rolled out to certain stores. It’s important to note, however, that the Apple Pay rollout may still be in its early stages, and several Kroger locations we’ve seen don’t seem to accept it as a payment yet.
If Kroger’s adoption of Apple Pay goes as planned, it could bring about the addition of Apple Pay at other large retailers. If Walmart, another longtime Apple Pay holdout, were to start supporting Apple Pay, then the changes could be nothing short of revolutionary for the retail industry.
Have you spotted Apple Pay at your local Kroger? Share your experience in the comments and help make sure others know if their store is accepting it. Are you hoping to see Apple Pay arrive at Walmart soon? Let us know in the comments too. We’ll be sure to update everyone when we get more details from Kroger itself.
