San Francisco, May 5, 2026, 11:02 PDT
- DoorDash is adding SNAP/EBT payments for eligible Kroger grocery orders at nearly 2,700 stores.
- The move widens DoorDash’s push beyond restaurant delivery and into lower-margin, high-frequency grocery shopping.
- SNAP funds still cannot cover delivery, service fees or tips, a limit that may curb use by some households.
DoorDash has started letting U.S. shoppers use Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for eligible Kroger grocery deliveries across nearly 2,700 Kroger-family stores, including Ralphs, Fred Meyer, Mariano’s and Harris Teeter, the company said. SNAP is the federal food-aid program for low-income households; EBT, or Electronic Benefit Transfer, is the card system used to spend those benefits.
The launch matters now because online grocery is becoming a bigger fight for delivery apps, not just a side business. DoorDash says more than 4.5 million consumers have added a SNAP card to its app, and more than 57,000 stores on its marketplace now accept SNAP/EBT payments.
It also lands as investors watch whether DoorDash can keep growing outside restaurants without adding too much cost. DoorDash is due to report first-quarter results after U.S. markets close on Wednesday, May 6, and hold a call at 1:30 p.m. PT.
SNAP recipients can add a card in DoorDash under Account, Payment and Program Cards, or add it at checkout. The app applies the SNAP-eligible portion of the basket, and customers can adjust how much of the benefit to use, DoorDash said.
The Kroger deal gives DoorDash access to one of the biggest grocery footprints in the country. Cincinnati-based Kroger operates stores in 35 states and Washington, D.C., and already uses several delivery channels, including its own service and rivals Instacart and Uber Eats.
DoorDash said customers can buy eligible items such as produce, meat, dairy, frozen foods and pantry staples. It is also offering a $0 delivery fee on a first SNAP order from participating Kroger-family banners through June 15, though other fees, taxes and gratuity still apply.
“Access to affordable food is fundamental,” said Mike Goldblatt, DoorDash’s vice president of enterprise partnerships. “Together, we’re helping millions of consumers shop more conveniently for the groceries their households rely on every day.” DoorDash
The business case is plain enough. Grocery orders tend to be repeat purchases, and DoorDash has been trying to build a broader local-commerce marketplace while competitors such as Uber Eats and Instacart push their own grocery and benefits-payment features.
Kroger has also been leaning on delivery partners as it tries to make e-commerce more efficient. Reuters reported in March that Kroger’s hybrid model, which combines in-store picking with delivery partners including Instacart, DoorDash and Uber Eats, is aimed at lowering last-mile costs and speeding orders.
But the benefit has limits. Federal rules allow SNAP to pay only for eligible food; delivery fees, service fees and other charges cannot be paid with SNAP benefits, meaning shoppers may need another payment method for part of the order.
That could matter for uptake among the same households DoorDash is trying to reach. USDA data show SNAP served an average of 41.7 million people a month in fiscal 2024, with benefits averaging $187.20 per person per month.
DoorDash shares were down 3.2% at $167.03 in early afternoon U.S. trading, while Kroger fell 0.9% to $66.95. The stock moves came in a broader trading session and were not necessarily tied to the SNAP rollout.
