Apple Pay is accepted at millions of locations worldwide and the number keeps growing. Apple Pay can be used wherever contactless payments are accepted, including many major retailers, grocery stores, restaurants, transportation services and more. Here is an overview of where Apple Pay is currently accepted.
Grocery Stores
Most major grocery store chains in the United States accept Apple Pay at checkout. This includes national chains such as:
- Kroger
- Albertsons
- Publix
- Costco
- Whole Foods
- Trader Joe’s
- Walmart
- Target
- Sam’s Club
- Meijer
Regional grocery store chains that accept Apple Pay include:
- H-E-B (Texas)
- Hy-Vee (Midwest)
- Food Lion (Southeast)
- Giant Eagle (Ohio Valley & Midwest)
- Harris Teeter (Southeast)
- Piggly Wiggly (Southeast)
- Ralphs (California)
- Fred Meyer (Pacific Northwest)
- Fry’s Food Stores (Arizona)
Many local and independent grocers also accept Apple Pay. Check with your neighborhood market to see if they offer contactless payment.
Retailers
Most major retail chains accept Apple Pay in their brick-and-mortar stores. This includes:
- Amazon
- Best Buy
- The Home Depot
- IKEA
- Lowe’s
- Macy’s
- Nordstrom
- Target
- TJ Maxx/Marshalls
- Walgreens
Apple Pay is also accepted at many clothing retailers such as:
- Abercrombie & Fitch
- American Eagle
- Banana Republic
- Chico’s
- Express
- Forever 21
- GAP
- H&M
- J.Crew
- Lululemon
- Madewell
- Old Navy
- Urban Outfitters
- Zara
Plus sports and outdoor retailers like:
- Bass Pro Shops
- Cabela’s
- DICK’s Sporting Goods
- REI
Independent boutiques are also increasingly adopting Apple Pay. Check with your local shops.
Restaurants
Most major fast food and fast casual restaurants accept Apple Pay through their mobile apps or in store. This includes:
- McDonald’s
- Starbucks
- Subway
- Panera Bread
- Chipotle
- Chick-fil-A
- Domino’s
- Dunkin’
- Panda Express
- Shake Shack
Many casual dining and family style chains also take Apple Pay:
- Applebee’s
- Buffalo Wild Wings
- Chili’s
- Cracker Barrel
- Denny’s
- IHOP
- Olive Garden
- Outback Steakhouse
- Red Lobster
- Red Robin
Higher end restaurants like Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Capital Grille, Seasons 52 and J. Alexander’s also accept mobile wallet payments.
Bars and pubs are hit or miss when it comes to Apple Pay. Your best bet is to check ahead.
Entertainment
Apple Pay is accepted at many entertainment, leisure and travel businesses including:
- AMC theaters
- Regal Cinemas
- Fandango
- StubHub
- theme parks like Disney World and Universal Studios
- ski resorts
- professional sports arenas
- performing arts venues
- hotels including Marriott, Hilton and Hyatt chains
- airlines such as American, Delta, United and Southwest through mobile apps
- Uber and Lyft
Many local entertainment hot spots like bowling alleys, mini golf courses, go kart tracks and amusement parks also accept contactless payments.
Gas Stations
Almost every major gas station chain now accepts contactless payments at the pump and in store, including:
- Exxon
- Mobil
- Shell
- BP
- Sunoco
- Valero
- Chevron
- Texaco
- Love’s
- Speedway
Some exceptions are gas stations like Wawa and Sheetz which have their own mobile payment apps.
Pharmacies
All major pharmacy chains take Apple Pay including:
- CVS
- Walgreens
- Rite Aid
- Walmart
- Target
- Kroger
- Duane Reade
- Bartell Drugs
Many smaller independent pharmacies also accept contactless payments. Check at the register.
Online Retailers
In addition to in-person payments, Apple Pay can be used online wherever you see the Apple Pay, contactless payment or “Buy with Apple Pay” buttons at checkout. This includes most major online retailers such as:
- Amazon
- Target
- Walmart
- Best Buy
- Nordstrom
- Macy’s
- Kohl’s
- Wayfair
- Overstock
- Etsy
Many smaller online shops also integrate Apple Pay by using payment services like Stripe.
Apps and Websites
Apple Pay can be used within iOS apps wherever Apple Pay is a payment option. Top apps that accept Apple Pay include:
- Uber
- Lyft
- Postmates
- Instacart
- Fandango
- Airbnb
- Ticketmaster
- Groupon
- Wish
- Fanatics
- Nike
- Ticketmaster
- StubHub
- Seamless
- GrubHub
Websites that support Apple Pay transactions on iOS include:
- Apple
- Apple Music
- iTunes
- App Store
- Target
- Best Buy
- Staples
- Instacart
- Urban Outfitters
- Forever 21
- WWE
- T-Mobile
- AT&T
- Verizon
- Sprint
Many additional apps and mobile websites support Apple Pay as an in-app payment method.
Vending Machines
Contactless payments like Apple Pay are being adopted at vending machines across the U.S. You can find Apple Pay-enabled machines on college campuses, office buildings, airports, train stations and more. Just look for the contactless payment logo.
Public Transit
Many public transit systems allow you to pay fares using Apple Pay, including:
- Transport for London
- Chicago Transit Authority
- Portland TriMet
- San Francisco Muni
- Utah Transit Authority
- Las Vegas Monorail
- Metro Transit (Minneapolis/St. Paul)
Just hold your iPhone or Apple Watch near the reader upon entering the bus, subway, train, streetcar or monorail.
International Availability
Apple Pay is available in over 70 countries and regions globally. Some of the major countries where it is widely accepted include:
- Australia
- Canada
- China
- France
- Germany
- Hong Kong
- Italy
- Japan
- New Zealand
- Poland
- Russia
- Singapore
- Spain
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
Check Apple’s website for an up-to-date list of supported countries.
Conclusion
Apple Pay can be used at a wide variety of retailers, restaurants, services, apps, websites and more. Anywhere contactless payments are accepted, Apple Pay is an option on supported iPhones and Apple Watches. Major chains like Walmart, Target, Starbucks and McDonald’s all take Apple Pay, along with thousands of smaller businesses. Apple is continually working to expand Apple Pay availability worldwide.
Some key takeaways on where Apple Pay is accepted:
- Grocery chains like Kroger, Target, Walmart
- General retailers like Walmart, Best Buy, Nordstrom
- Restaurants like Starbucks, Panera, Olive Garden
- Gas stations like Exxon, Shell, Chevron
- Pharmacies like CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid
- Transportation like Uber, American Airlines
- Apps like Uber, Instacart, Airbnb
- Websites like Apple, Target, Urban Outfitters
- Vending machines on college campuses, transit stations, etc.
- Over 70 countries globally accept Apple Pay
Before you shop or dine out, look for the Apple Pay or contactless payment logos to confirm that you can use mobile wallet at that merchant. And if you don’t see the logos, just ask – many small businesses accept Apple Pay even if they don’t heavily advertise it. Apple Pay provides a fast, easy and secure way to make purchases in stores, in apps, on websites and more.