Apple Pay Expands To Hundreds of Grocery Stores

Apple Pay has signed on hundreds of grocery stores throughout the country this week, just in time for the Thanksgiving holidays.

Apple officially announced on Tuesday that a number of grocery chains throughout New England, Chicago and southeast Texas are now on board to support the Apple Pay service. Joining Whole Foods and the original Apple Pay backers are Associated Food Stores, Shaw’s Supermarkets, Jewel Osco, Albertson’s, Bi-Lo, Harvey’s and Winn-Dixie.

Bi-Lo Holdings announced that customers would be able to utilize Apple Pay in-store at all of their physical locations. Winn-Dixie also published a video demonstrating how customers could utilize the service with their iPhone 6 or 6 Plus.

For consumers who get their groceries delivered, a number of grocery chains have already partnered with Instacart, which offers delivery in San Francisco, Chicago, New York City, Los Angeles, Boston, Washington, D.C, Portland, Houston, Denver and Boulder. PeaPod users can now also utilize the payment option via in-app.

While some grocery store chains have been quick to sign on with Apple Pay, others such as Safeway, King Kullen, Stop and Shop and The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, which owns A&P, Waldbaums, Food Emporium and Pathmark, have not yet indicated whether they will go with Apple Pay or not.

But given the rapid adoption of Apple Pay, merchants may find that they need to get on board soon to keep up with their competitors: Reports predict that the U.S. mobile payment market will jump from about $52 billion this year $142 billion in the year 2019.​

For additional news on Apple, visit the PYMNTS.com Apple Pay EcoSystem.