This question may seem strange to you, given that gas stations are open 24/7. You’re likely thinking why even bother asking when it’s a known fact that gas stations are always open, so they’re expected to provide round-the-clock services as well.
Compared with the typical bank, gas stations remain open for longer hours. So, it makes sense that you can expect to find gas stations that cash your check regardless of what time it is.
When it comes to paydays, there will be times when circumstances prevent you from getting your money because nobody can cash your payroll check. It could be that payday falls on a weekday or a holiday, or it’s the odd hours of the day. Or perhaps, you got yourself a second job that pays on a weekend.
With that, let’s proceed to the different aspects when cashing checks in gas stations.
Where Are The Gas Stations That Cash Checks?
When we talk about cashing checks, the easiest place to do that would be at a bank. You just walk in there, present your obligatory identification and you get your cash. If you don’t have an ID, you can use your ATM card instead to be able to obtain your cash, or you can find another person to endorse it to.
But as we all know, banks remain open for a limited time only and their locations can be limited as well. If you can’t squeeze in the time, you’ll have no bank to cash your check at. Because of this dilemma, some have figured out an easier option for cashing checks — gas stations. The internet tells us that there are around 115,000 gas stations in the country.
We gathered a list of gas stations that offer check-cashing services and included in the list are names of several grocery stores with gas stations.
Before you cash any check, make sure that you’re aware of the difference between a personal check and a business check. Obviously, they’re both checks, however, most gas stations will only accept business checks. The reason is that personal checks are more prone to fraud, so even if it’s from your employer, don’t cash it.
NOTE: Before you go to the gas station, please call to confirm as these policies can change at any time.
What Gas Stations Can Cash Checks?
When you need to cash checks without hassle, you just go to a gas station. This wouldn’t be too hard given that it’s likely that you visit a gas station once every week to fuel up.
1. Albertson’s Stores
There are more than 2,200 Albertson’s grocery stores spread across 35 states. With more than 21 brands, Albertson’s has a 24/7 operation, including holidays. Some locations though may not be following the 24/7 schedule. They’re usually open from 7AM until the evening.
Aside from being a grocery store and a fuel station, Albertson’s also offers check-cashing services. There is a limit though to the amount they accommodate, which is $1,000. And before you make the transaction, make sure to ask about the fees as these will depend on location.
- Website: Albertson’s
2. Chevron
Chevron, operating under the names Chevron and Texaco, has more than 7,800 premium gas stations. Among the largest companies in the world, Chevron owns gas stations that are either owned by the company or are franchised. It will also cash checks for a fee.
- Website: Chevron
3. Citgo
Citgo is among the biggest energy companies, supplying 4% of the fuel in the U.S. With more than 50 gas stations in 30 states, Citgo also operates as a convenience store. Some of its locations offer check-cashing services.
- Website: Citgo
4. Dillons
Dillons operates 24 gas stations that offer check-cashing services. The company accepts different types of checks, including company-issued, government, stimulus, income tax refund, and insurance settlement disbursement checks. Dillons does not cash personal checks. Even though Dillons has more than 90 grocery stores in numerous places, the company had to reduce the number of locations with 24-hour operations because of the pandemic.
- Website: Dillons
5. Food City Supermarket
Food City Supermarket is a popular convenience store that comes with gas stations that cash checks. With over 120 stores in Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia, Food City Supermarket locations operate from 6AM until midnight. They accept payroll checks, US government checks, stimulus checks, and select rebate checks. The check-cashing service has a limit of $1,000 and has a flat fee of $3.
- Website: Food City Supermarket
6. Fred Meyer
Fred Meyer is another store with a fuel station that cashes checks. Its 130 locations are spread out across Alaska, California, Idaho, and Oregon. This superstore offers a wide variety of consumer products such as apparel, home goods, jewelry, groceries, and consumer electronics. And, it also has check-cashing services. The limit to cash checks is $5,000 with a transaction fee of $3.
- Website: Fred Meyer
7. GetGo
GetGo is a convenience store that comes with a gas station that offers check-cashing services. Owned by Giant Eagle, GetGo has more than 200 locations in Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Indiana. GetGo cashes the following checks: payroll, stimulus, government, and child support. Except for child support checks, all other checks are charged a fee. GetGo is one of few that accommodate personal checks and it charges $30 over for cash.
GetGo does not cash third-party checks, insurance checks, foreign traveler’s checks, gift checks, tax refunds, or cash money orders. You can get a money order at Giant Eagle, but redemption is limited at the location where you purchased it.
- Website: GetGo
8. King Soopers
King Soopers is a Kroger-owned store with 115 locations mostly in Colorado, many of which come with gas stations. King Soopers stores cash stimulus, government checks, and other related checks. But as with most other gas stations, King Soopers does not cash personal checks.
- Website: King Soopers
9. Hy-Vee Grocery
Hy-Vee is a supermarket and a gas station with 265 locations across eight Midwest states including Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Only a limited number of Hy-Vee locations though offer check-cashing services. Check-cashing limits range from $2,000 to $5,000. Fees can be anywhere from $2 to $6 per transaction. Each Hy-Vee store is independently owned, so there’s no standard check-cashing policy.
A number of Hy-Vee grocery stores offering check-cashing services operate 24/7 while others are open from 5AM until midnight. You can check out Hy-Vee’s store locator to find the location nearest to you that offers financial services. In addition to its check-cashing services, Hy-Vee provides various other services like fitness boutiques with cheap gym memberships, health clinics, coffee shops, dry cleaning, carpet extractor rental, and Western Union. You can also buy stamps and money orders at Hy-Vee.
- Website: Hy-Vee gas station
10. Kroger
Kroger is the biggest supermarket chain in the U.S., operating over 1,300 stores in 31 states, mostly in Ohio. Kroger stores also offer check-cashing services for payroll, business, government, stimulus, tax refund, and insurance settlement checks.
Check-cashing fees for transactions up to $2,000 start at $3. For amounts ranging from $2,000.01 to $5,000, the fee is $5.50. To cash checks, you have to present valid identification, which can be a driver’s license, U.S. passport, state-issued ID, military ID, matricular consular ID, or resident alien ID.
Kroger’s check-cashing hours are typically from 8AM to 8PM daily, but may vary by location and with holidays. Kroger does not cash starter checks, personal checks, or third-party checks.
- Website: Kroger
11. Love’s Travel Stops
Love’s Travel Stop & Country Stores, a chain of stores with more than 550 locations in 41 states, are typically convenience stores with gas stations. Mainly situated along highways, Love’s offers check-cashing services for trucker payroll checks such as Tcheks and COMcheks.
Other services provided by Love’s Travel Stops include money orders, ATM, Western Union, coin counting machines, as well as fast food, laundry, tire repair, and propane tanks. Love’s is also a place where you can use WiFi, document scanning and fax services, and get copies made.
- Website: Love’s Travel Stop
12. Meijer
Meijer is a Midwest chain of stores with fuel stations that provide check-cashing services. It has more than 250 locations in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Most of these stores. There are more than 200 Meijer gas stations that are typically open 24/7, with some operating from 6AM until midnight.
While Meijer does not offer check to cash at its checkout lane or service desk anymore, its stores has bank branches inside that provide services for cashing personal checks. In addition to check-cashing, Meijer also provides Western Union money orders up to $500 each.
- Website: Meijer
13. Pilot Flying J Travel Centers
Pilot Flying J Travel Centers are travel stops designed especially for truck drivers. Pilot Flying J is the largest operator, having 750 locations in 44 states. The travel stop offers check-cashing services at all its locations 24 hours a day. For a fee, travelers can cash checks up to $999.99. If you buy a minimum of 25 gallons fuel, you can cash a check up to $200 without any charge. Pilot Flying J accepts checks from billing companies, Pilot Flying J Direct Bill customers, and NATSO members. Valid identification is required to cash checks.
Pilot Flying J also offers various other services and amenities for travelers like gas-filling stations, high-speed Internet, Western Union, 24-hour ATMs, coin exchange machines, and public laundry services, shower facilities, game rooms, as well as free air for tires and truck washes.
- Website: Pilot Flying J
14. Ralphs
Ralphs is a chain of grocery stores with gas stations that offer check cashing services at its numerous locations. A subsidiary of Kroger, Ralphs is among many providers of Kroger’s Money Services at more than 2,000 stores. Money Services include money transfer of up to $10,000, bill payment, money order, prepaid debit cards, and no-contract wireless contracts.
Ralphs accepts different types of checks such as payroll, government, income tax refund, business, insurance settlement, and child support checks. Check cashing fees start at $3 with Shopper’s Card for checks up to $2,000. Checks between $2,000.01 and $5,000 are charged $5.50 with Shopper’s Card.
Fees and limits vary by location. You can cash a stimulus check at any Money Services location for free.
Present a valid identification to cash your check. Ralphs accepts the following: US-issued passport, state-issued ID, driver’s license, and other ID’s like resident alien, military, matricula consular, or tribal nation or reservation ID. If you don’t have a bank account, you can still cash your check at Ralphs. Use the store locator to find your local Money Services.
- Website: Ralphs
15. Road Ranger
Road Ranger is a truck stop that offers check cashing and various other services for travelers in more than 70 locations in different states. Road Ranger check cashing services are available at all its locations 24 hours a day. You can cash a check up to $999.99 for a fee. If you fuel a minimum of 25 gallons, you can cash a check up to $200 free of charge. Road Ranger accepts checks from billing companies and NATSO members. Other services include Western Union, ATM, and CoinFlip.
- Website: Road Ranger
16. Safeway
Safeway, a supermarket chain with gas stations, operates 1,300 stores located in 35 states. It offers a wide range of services including grocery, lifestyle stores, Western Union, and check-cashing. Many Safeway stores offer to cash checks even without a bank. The fee for a $200 transaction is $2.25. The check-cashing service has a limit of $1,499. Safeway accepts the following: payroll, stimulus, government, tax refund, Social Security benefits, and unemployment benefits checks. Safeway does not accept personal checks.
- Website: Safeway
17. 7-Eleven
7-Eleven, which has thousands of locations spread across 32 states, is a very well-known convenience store that usually comes with a gas station. Among the programs 7-Eleven offers is Transact, wherein you load your payroll check into a reloadable prepaid card. You can also have your government benefits direct-deposited to the card and get your money up to 2 days faster. You can also use Mobile Check Load to load your funds to your card account using your phone’s camera. Some of the benefits of a Transact 7-Eleven card are: it’s a reloadable prepaid debit card, there are no ATM fees, and you can pay bills online or in the store.
- Website: 7-Eleven
18. Shell
Shell is another popular location for cashing checks. It has around 25,000 gas stations in the country, with over 20 million customers daily. Many Shell gas stations provide check-cashing services, but the policy and procedures will depend on the location since many Shell fuel stations are owned independently. Be sure to check with the attendant first so you’d know what policy and payment forms the specific Shell location is implementing.
- Website: Shell
19. Sunoco
Sunoco, the official fuel of NASCAR, runs numerous fuel stations in the country, with more than 5,000 locations in over 30 states. Sunoco also offers check cashing services. Since the stores are independently owned, there will be differences in the procedures and rates for cashing checks. Unlike most other gas stations, Sunoco accepts personal checks but only in select locations.
- Website: Sunoco
20. Tops Grocery
Tops Grocery operates more than 170 store with gas stations in New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont. The fuel stations also offer check cashing services at many of its locations. You can cash your check at Tops Grocery for only $1. With a limit of $500, the fuel station accepts payroll, government, or stimulus checks. Tops Grocery stores also cash checks even if you don’t have a bank account. To cash a check, you only need to present a government-issued ID with a photo. Tops Grocery stores have different operating hours. Some are open 24 hours daily while others operate from 6AM until midnight.
- Website: Tops Grocery
21. TravelCenters of America
TravelCenters of America is a chain of convenience stores and gas stations with more than 260 locations in over 40 states. TravelCenters of America accepts checks from billing companies and NATSO approved accounts up to $999 for a fee. If you make a qualified purchase within 2 hours of getting your check cashed, the service fee of up to $300 will be waived. UltraONE Platinum members cash their checks for free even without a qualified purchase. Present your valid driver’s license when cashing your check. You can check their fee schedule here.
Locate a TravelCenters of America gas station nearby.
- Website: TravelCenters of America
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I cash a check at a gas station?
Cashing your check at gas station is a simple process once you find the nearest location. To cash your check, you need to present a valid and acceptable type of valid identification, which can be any of the following:
- Social Security Number and/or Taxpayer ID Number
- Primary ID. This includes your driver’s license, U.S. passport, state-issued identification, military ID, matricula consular, or a resident alien identification.
- Alternative ID. If you don’t have a primary identification, you must present at least two types of secondary ID, such as: employment ID, U.S. employment authorization, U.S. birth certificate, a high school or elementary photo card, foreign driver’s license, a permanent resident photo card, a wefare photo, or a firearms permit.
Final Thoughts
Should you need to cash checks in a non-traditional way, gas stations are an excellent option. The check cashing services they provide are pretty much straightforward. Plus, they have extended hours, so you don’t need to come in late for work or leave earlier.
In choosing among the gas stations that cash checks, familiarize yourself with the check cashing limits, the transaction fees, the identifications required, the location, and their hours of operation.
I hope one of these options work for you.
As always, if you’d like to add an option I missed out on and/or comment on what I have already written, then be sure to comment below. Thanks for stopping by!
Want $5 free?Try out Swagbucks, the most popular reward program I make the most money with. Simply answer survey questions and get paid! Join Now to Get $5! |
Add comment