These are the major retailers in the US that accept Google Wallet (2024)

Google Wallet lets you add your card to your phone to make contactless payments at participating retailers. It's convenient and secure, but not every retailer in the US offers Google Wallet as a valid payment method. We list the major retailers that accept Google Wallet for payments. We also show you how to check if a store accepts contactless payments. Google Wallet is available for all Android phones that run Android 9 or later, including all the top budget phones.

What is Google Wallet?

The Google Wallet app launched in 2011, while Samsung Pay and Apple Pay debuted in 2015. In 2018, Google merged Wallet with Android Pay into a new app called Google Pay, then renamed Google Pay to Google Wallet in 2022. However, using Google Wallet to pay in stores is still called Google Pay. Stores accepting it may show the Google Pay acceptance mark.

Source: Google

The Google Pay logo you'll see in participating stores

Google Wallet works similarly to Apple Pay and Samsung Pay. Tap your phone on an NFC terminal to make a transaction. Behind the scenes, Google Wallet creates a device-specific virtual card known as a device token. Your real card number is not stored on your device or shared with merchants. This is also how Apple Pay works, keeping your information private between you and your bank.

Samsung Pay works similarly to Google Wallet and has a leg up on Apple and Google. Samsung phones released before 2021 can use NFC and Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST). NFC allows you to tap your phone or card to make a payment. MST is the slightly older method of swiping the magnetic strip on your bank card along a receiver in the terminal. Samsung Pay allows your phone to spoof this and trick the terminal into thinking a card was swiped, making Samsung Pay available almost everywhere.

Newer Samsung hardware doesn't support this feature. Instead, you'll use NFT, like with Google and Apple's payment platforms.

Major US retailers that accept Google Wallet

Any place that accepts Apple Pay also accepts Google Wallet. The Apple Pay sticker displayed on shop doors is a generic term for mobile payments, much like calling all tissues Kleenex (a registered trademark of Kimberly-Clark). This is because both systems rely on NFC. If you can tap your card, you can use a mobile payment app.

An easy way to check if a retailer accepts Google Wallet is through Google Maps. Find the business and scroll down to the bottom of the About section. If you see NFC mobile payments under the Payments heading, you can use Google Wallet there. However, small retailers or pop-up shops may accept it even if Google Maps doesn't show it.

Not all retailers in the US accept mobile payments, especially small retailers. Transaction fees on a bank-supplied NFC terminal can take a slice of a small business' revenue. Here are the major retailers that accept Google Wallet.

Retail

• American Eagle Outfitters
• Adidas
• Aeropostale
• Best Buy
• Babies R Us
• Bloomingdale's
• Costco
• Disney Stores
• Famous Footwear
• Foot Action
• Forever 21
• Gap
• J Crew
• JC Penny
• Kohl's
• Levi's
• Lucky
• Macy's
• Nordstrom
• Old Navy
• Petco
• Petsmart
• Sephora
• REI
• Sak's Fifth Avenue
• Target
• Under Armor
• Urban Outfitters
• Victoria's Secret
• Wayfair

Sporting goods

• Adidas
• Champ's Sports
• Dick's Sporting Goods
• Foot Locker
• Nike
• Under Armour

Books and games

• Barnes and Noble
• Books-A-Million
• Half-Price Books
• GameStop

Grocery stores

Most major grocery chains accept Google Wallet and other tap-to-pay systems like Apple Pay. Here are the grocery stores we found that accept Google Wallet.

• Acme Markets
• Aldi
• Basha's
• BI-LO
• Costco
• Cub Foods
• Dan's Fresh Market
• Davis Food & Drug
• Family Dollar
• FoodMaxx
• Harvey's Supermarket
• Hornbacher's
• Hy-Vee
• Jewel-Osco
• Lin's Fresh Market
• Meijer
• Publix
• Raley's
• Safeway
• Save Mart
• Schnuck's
• Shaws
• Shop 'n Save
• Shoppers Food & Pharmacy
• Sprouts
• Star Market
• Stater Bros
• Target
• Trader Joe's
• United Supermarkets
• Wegmans
• Whole Foods
• Winn-Dixie

Restaurants

Source: Pexels.com

While most US restaurants and fast food chains accept Google Wallet, a few franchises may not. Ask a staff member if you're unsure. The following accept Google Wallet:

• Baskin-Robbins
• Burger King
• Chick-Fil-A
• Chili's
• Domino's
• Dunkin' Donuts
• Firehouse Subs
• Fuddruckers
• Jamba Juice
• Jimmy John's
• Johnny Rocket
• KFC
• Krispy Kreme
• Little Ceasar's Pizza
• McDonald's
• Moe's
• Panera
• Pizza Hut
• Rubio's
• Sonic
• Starbucks
• Subway
• Taco Bell
• Wendy's
• White Castle

Gas stations

Gas stations are one of those categories of retailers that may not accept mobile payments. Switching pumps to include NFC payments is expensive, so most gas stations require you to visit the cashier to use Google Wallet. The following companies accept Google Wallet at many of their pumps (not all):

• Chevron
• Costco
• Circle K
• ExxonMobil
• Red Apple
• Texaco
• 7-Eleven

Movie theaters

The big cinema chains accept Google Wallet.

• AMC
• Regal Cinemas
• Cinemark Theaters
• Showcase
• Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas

Home improvement stores

Most home improvement chains in the United States do not accept Google Pay. A few accept it, including the following:

• Ace Hardware
• IKEA

These are the major US retailers that do not accept Google Wallet

Most major retailers accept Google Wallet. The ones that don't are usually hardware stores or smaller businesses. The following major retailers do not accept any form of mobile payment, including Google Wallet:

• Applebee's
• Arby's
• Boston Market
• Carl's Jr
• Cheesecake Factory
• Gordon Food Service
• Hobby Lobby
• Home Depot
• Kmart
• Kroger
• Lowe's
• Red Lobster
• Red Robin
• Sam's Club
• Walmart

Fast and easy mobile payments

Google Wallet NFC payments are a fast and secure way to make transactions in person. However, Samsung Pay is available for Samsung phones, so if you have a Galaxy device, consider the pros and cons of using Samsung Wallet instead of Google Wallet.