Does Kroger Count as a Grocery Store for Amex?

If you're wondering whether Kroger counts as a grocery store for American Express rewards, Kroger purchases can qualify for rewards in the U.S. supermarket category when the transaction is coded by American Express as an eligible supermarket purchase.

American Express explains that it determines rewards categories using merchant codes. Each merchant is generally assigned a code based on what it primarily sells, and American Express uses those codes to determine whether a purchase qualifies for additional rewards.

That means the important question isn't simply whether you think of Kroger as a grocery store. What matters for American Express rewards is how the Kroger transaction is categorized by the merchant and reported to American Express.

Affiliate Disclosure: We are a professional review site that receives compensation from the companies whose products we review and recommend. If you click on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened, we may earn a commission. We are independently owned, and the opinions expressed here are our own.

Does Kroger Qualify as a U.S. Supermarket for Amex Rewards?

Kroger operates as a supermarket and sells the types of food and household products that American Express describes as characteristic of a supermarket.

American Express defines a U.S. supermarket as a merchant that offers a wide variety of food and household products, including items such as meat, fresh produce, dairy products, canned and packaged goods, household cleaners, pharmacy products and pet supplies.

American Express also explains that supermarket purchases can qualify for additional rewards when the merchant's category is eligible for the rewards program on your particular American Express Card.

Therefore, purchases made directly at Kroger can qualify for a U.S. supermarket rewards category when the transaction is coded accordingly.

Why Does Amex Use Merchant Codes?

American Express does not determine a rewards category simply by looking at the individual item you purchased.

Instead, American Express says merchants are assigned codes based on what they primarily sell. Those codes are then used to determine whether a purchase falls into a category that earns additional rewards.

For example, if you buy groceries, household supplies and other merchandise during the same shopping trip at a supermarket, the transaction can generally be categorized according to the merchant rather than according to each individual item in your cart.

This is why the merchant where you make the purchase can be more important than the individual products you're buying when it comes to category-based Amex rewards.

Does Everything You Buy at Kroger Earn the Supermarket Bonus?

Not necessarily. Whether a purchase earns additional rewards depends on the rewards program attached to your particular American Express Card and how the transaction is categorized.

American Express explains that eligible purchases are determined using merchant codes. If the merchant's code is included in an eligible rewards category, the purchase can qualify for the additional rewards associated with that category.

For a card that offers additional rewards at U.S. supermarkets, a qualifying Kroger transaction can therefore earn the supermarket bonus even if your shopping cart contains a mixture of products.

However, certain transactions may be excluded from additional rewards under the terms of the particular card or rewards program.

Does Kroger Gas Count as a Gas Station for Amex?

This is an important distinction if you shop at Kroger and also purchase gasoline there.

American Express specifically states that supermarkets and superstores that sell gasoline are not considered gas stations for its U.S. gas station rewards category.

Therefore, you should not automatically assume that buying gasoline at a Kroger fuel station will qualify for an additional gas-station reward simply because you are purchasing gasoline.

American Express determines the category according to the merchant code. Its current rewards information explains that gas stations must be merchants whose primary business is selling gasoline to consumers, while supermarkets and warehouse clubs that sell gasoline are excluded from the gas-station category.

Does Kroger Delivery Count as a Supermarket Purchase for Amex?

Online and delivery purchases require additional attention because the way a transaction is processed can affect its rewards category.

American Express states that rewards categories are based on merchant information and that purchases made through third parties may not receive additional rewards if American Express cannot identify the purchase as belonging to an eligible category.

If you place a Kroger order directly through Kroger, the transaction may be categorized based on the information Kroger provides to American Express. However, purchases made through a third-party platform can be treated differently.

For this reason, you should not assume that every grocery purchase associated with Kroger will necessarily receive the same rewards treatment.

Does Paying With a Digital Wallet Affect Kroger Amex Rewards?

American Express says that using a mobile or digital wallet can sometimes affect whether a purchase receives additional rewards.

According to American Express, a purchase may not receive additional rewards when the transaction information does not allow the purchase to be identified as eligible for the particular rewards category. American Express specifically lists mobile and digital wallets among the circumstances that can affect additional rewards.

If earning a supermarket bonus is important to you, paying directly with your American Express Card can make the transaction easier to identify under the terms of the rewards program.

Does Kroger Count as a Grocery Store for the Amex Gold Card?

The American Express^® Gold Card offers additional Membership Rewards^® points at U.S. supermarkets, subject to the card's rewards terms and applicable limits.

Kroger is the type of supermarket that can fall within the U.S. supermarket category when the purchase is processed and coded as an eligible supermarket transaction.

American Express currently states that U.S. supermarket purchases can earn additional rewards on eligible cards, while also explaining that merchant coding determines whether a purchase qualifies.

So if you regularly shop at Kroger, purchases made directly at the store can be useful for earning supermarket rewards with an eligible American Express Card.

What Types of Stores Does Amex Exclude From the Supermarket Category?

American Express specifically distinguishes supermarkets from several other types of merchants.

Its current U.S. supermarket rewards information says the following are not considered supermarkets for purposes of the category:

• Superstores
• Convenience stores
• Warehouse clubs
• Meal-kit delivery services
• Specialty food stores
• Small corner grocery stores
• Gourmet shops
• Natural food stores
• Liquor stores

American Express also specifically identifies large superstores such as Walmart as outside the U.S. supermarket category.

This distinction is important because simply selling groceries does not automatically make a merchant eligible for the supermarket rewards category.

What If My Kroger Purchase Doesn't Earn the Supermarket Bonus?

If you believe an eligible Kroger purchase should have earned additional rewards but did not, American Express recommends contacting the number on the back of your Card.

American Express explains that there can be situations where it receives inaccurate information or cannot identify a transaction as belonging to an eligible rewards category.

You can also review the rewards information associated with your particular Card to determine which purchases qualify for additional rewards.

Does Kroger Count as a Grocery Store for Amex? The Bottom Line

Yes, Kroger purchases can qualify for the U.S. supermarket rewards category on an eligible American Express Card when the transaction is coded as an eligible supermarket purchase.

The key point is that American Express determines rewards categories using merchant codes. A purchase does not qualify simply because you consider the merchant a grocery store. The transaction must be identified under an eligible merchant category according to the terms of your particular Card.

This also explains why certain Kroger transactions can be treated differently. Gasoline purchased at a supermarket is not automatically considered a gas-station purchase, and transactions involving third-party payment accounts, third-party processors or digital wallets may not always receive additional rewards.

If you regularly shop at Kroger with an American Express Card that offers additional rewards at U.S. supermarkets, purchases made directly at Kroger can be an important way to earn those rewards, provided the transactions are categorized as eligible supermarket purchases.