Less and less people walk around with cash nowadays, but that doesn’t mean it is obsolete.
With that said, does Sam’s Club accept cash? Or do they have a strict card-only policy? We looked into it and this is what we found…
Does Sam’s Club Gas Accept Cash?
Sam’s Club gas stations accept a variety of payment methods, but they don’t accept cash for fuel. You can pay with credit card, gift cards, or use Sam’s Club Scan & Go. However, you do need produce a Sam’s Club membership card to be able to purchase your gas at most of the Sam’s Club fuel centres.
This article takes a look at Sam’s Club Gas: who can purchase there, what forms of payment are accepted, and what to remember before fuelling up.
Does Sam’s Club Require A Card Payment For Gas?
All the Sam’s Club fuel centres require some form of card payments (and a membership card) for fuel purchases.
The only exceptions to the membership card requirement are the few locations which are open to the general public. These locations are either co-located with a Walmart Store or are required by law to be open for public use. These stations offer a .05¢ discount for Members and Walmart+ users (except in New Jersey) but not to general public users.
To purchase fuel, you need either a physical card or card payment technology such as Scan & Go set up on your phone. Accepted cards include:
- Visa, Mastercard, American Express etc
- Sam’s Club credit card and master card
- Walmart credit card
- Sam’s Club and Walmart gift cards (but the Walmart gift cards need to have a magnetic strip in order to be scanned)
Read: Does Sam’s Club Have A Pharmacy?
What Forms Of Payment Can You Use At Sam’s Club Gas Stations?
Sam’s Club gas stations were set up for (and continue toward) convenience, speed, and efficiency. To this end, they introduced a contactless payment technology called Scan & Go for payment at Sam’s Club fuel pumps.
Therefore, as well as the selected card forms of payment, you can also set up a digital wallet in your Sam’s Club app and speed up the fuel payment process even more.
To use Scan & Go Fuel, simply open the Sam’s Club app on your smartphone (or download the app first if you don’t have it) and click on the Scan & Go icon.
Then scan the QR code on the gas pump: The app will ask you to confirm your pump number, and then you can select your gas and begin fueling.
When the tank is full, the app will tell you your receipt is available in the app and you’ll receive a push notification with your total. Once you’ve paid, you’ll receive the message You’re ready to roll, and then you can roll! Your receipt can also be emailed to you.
Can I Use Sam’s Cash to Pay For Fuel At Sam’s Gas?
Sam’s Cash is now the single form of customer loyalty rewards available to all Sam’s Club members, regardless of type of membership (although Plus Membership attracts the greatest rewards).
Unfortunately, Sam’s Cash cannot be used at the Sam’s Cub fuel pump (or for paying off credit cards). It can be applied to most other purchases at Sam’s Club locations, including transactions with Scan & Go (although some restrictions do apply) and when shopping Sam’s Club online.
When you’re shopping online, you’ll see associated rewards (and restrictions) as you shop and remember that the Plus membership attracts the highest Sam’s Cash rewards. Your Cash doesn’t expire, and there is no need to opt into the scheme: your participation is automatic (although you don’t have to use the Cash if you don’t want to).
When you begin to earn Sam’s Cash, the total is loaded to your membership account and updated every month. You will be able to use any accrued Sam’s Cash once it shows as ‘Available’ in the Sam’s app (or in your online account).
You can use Sam’s Cash to pay for membership (either renewal or upgrade), or you can cash it out at staffed registers/ service desks. You cannot access any kind of cash out process online.
Your Sam’s Cash balance can be redeemed through the Scan & Go checkout but cannot be applied to Scan & Go purchases at fuel stations.
Read: Does Sam’s Club Have A Food Court?
Other Things Worth Knowing About Sam’s Club Gas
Sam’s Club gas centres are quick, convenient, and popular with members because of the associated discounts on fuel. However, there are a few things worth knowing about how these fuel centres work:
- First of all, Sam’s Club Gas Stations are not open 24/7. They have set operating hours which can differ slightly according to location. The best way around this is to search a station using the Sam’s Club locator tool, and check “fuel stations”. You should be able to view the exact hours of each fuel centre. Standard fuel centre hours are Monday – Saturday (6am to 9pm) and Sundays (9am to 7pm, and there’s no option to purchase gas after hours.
- Sam’s Club gas prices are not consistent between locations. Again, use the locator tool to find a station and enquire directly (if you can’t see prices displayed online).
- Keep your membership card handy. Although there are a number of Sam’s Club fuel centres available for public use, most of them are for member use only.
- Sam’s Club membership ($45 per year) and Sam’s Club Plus membership ($100 per hear) both entitle the user to discount fuel. However, the Sam’s Club Mastercard has higher associated reward for the Plus user.
- Remember that Walmart gift cards must have the magnetic strip on the back if you want to use them to redeem fuel.
- Although Apple Pay is a popular contactless form of electronic payment for fuel, you can’t use it for Sam’s Club fuel.
Read: Can I Shop At Sam’s Club Without A Membership?
Conclusion…
Sam’s Club gas stations don’t accept cash as payment for fuel. Cash payments were phased out as Sam’s Club fuel stations became more streamlined, quicker move through, and payment options more controlled by the customer.
Instead of cash you can use a range of cards (including gift cards) and you can pay at the pump via Sam’s Cub Scan & Go app technology, which is accessed through the Sam’s Club app.