Uber Eats Will Begin Accepting SNAP Benefits in 2024. Here's What That Means for You

Uber Eats is probably better known for delivering food from restaurants, but it delivers groceries as well. Traditionally, you'd have to pay for these groceries with a credit card or with a bank account. But not everyone has the cash in their checking account to cover the cost of getting groceries brought to their door.

Fortunately, Uber is making a positive change that will help those who need it most. In 2024, Uber Eats will start accepting SNAP benefits for some purchases. Here's what that means for those who are participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Uber to accept SNAP benefits for groceries

Uber Eats has indicated that the app will begin accepting SNAP as a method of payment starting in 2024, although it has yet to provide specific details on when this option will be added to the app.

"Helping to improve access to quality food is incredibly important to our work at Uber and we're proud to use Uber's technology and extensive local delivery networks to offer SNAP recipients the ability to use their benefits to access fresh groceries conveniently from our app in 2024," the company said in a statement.

Uber is not the first of the grocery delivery services to provide access to this payment option. Instacart recently began accepting SNAP benefits in all 50 states, and both Walmart and Kroger allow customers to pay for grocery pickup using SNAP benefits in some locations. But since Uber Eats is a prevalent, widely used delivery service nationwide, this change is still likely to have a big impact. Many people who wouldn't otherwise have access to grocery delivery may now find it's accessible to them.

"We know that online food delivery can have a meaningful impact in reducing barriers to fresh groceries, especially for the most vulnerable -- including people living in food deserts, seniors, and those facing disabilities or transportation barriers," Uber's statement read.

Uber's willingness to accept SNAP benefits will likely also prompt more competitors to do the same. DoorDash has also indicated it's trying to facilitate an option for accepting SNAP as a payment method, and other similar services will probably follow in their footsteps so as not to lose business from the approximately 42 million SNAP participants.

Should you spend your SNAP benefits on Uber Eats?

If you are a SNAP recipient who is excited to find Uber Eats will soon be accepting your benefits as a payment method, it's important to be aware that prices on this delivery app do tend to be inflated compared with prices in store. You'll also have to pay delivery fees, and it's commonly expected that you will tip your driver. All of this adds costs.

However, if you do not have affordable transportation to a good grocery store, being able to use Uber Eats to get your groceries brought right to you could be life-changing. Getting grocery delivery can also sometimes help you spend less since you'll need to make a meal plan to decide what to have delivered -- and you'll be less prone to impulse purchases in store since you won't actually be in the store.

Before you start shopping with Uber Eats, be sure to check prices and compare them to what you'd usually spend in store so you can decide if paying for the convenience is worth it to your personal finances.