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Where Are Discover Credit Cards Accepted?

Last Updated: July 25, 2024
8 min read
Using your credit card

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Key Points:

  1. Discover is accepted nationwide by 99% of the places that take credit cards.1

  2. You can use your Discover Card to make withdrawals for cash advances.

  3. Discover Card acceptance is convenient at gas stations, restaurants, online, and at major retailers for cash back rewards.

Buy groceries online. Pick out a birthday gift. Head to a catch-up dinner with friends. Get gas. You’re probably making dozens of purchases throughout the week—and it’s important to have a credit card that you’re confident will be accepted where you use it. If you’re wondering where are Discover cards accepted, the good news is that Discover is accepted at millions of places nationwide.1

Discover is accepted nationwide by 99% of the places that take credit cards

Get the facts—99% of merchants nationwide who take credit cards accept Discover.1

How do you know whether a merchant will accept your Discover Card or Discover student credit card? The best thing to do is to ask. While some stores may have “payment accepted” decals at the register or on their door, others may not.

How widely accepted are Discover Cards?

Discover is accepted nationwide by 99% of the places that take credit cards.1 So, you can earn rewards with Discover when you shop, order food, and much more.

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Are Discover credit cards accepted at gas stations?

As retailers widely accept Discover Cards, chances are high that your favorite gas station accepts Discover too. If you ever find a gas station that doesn’t accept credit cards from Discover, you can call the customer service number on the back to let us know. We’ll work to add them.

Are Discover credit cards accepted at grocery stores?

Does your favorite grocery store take Discover? Many national chains like Walmart, Meijer, Kroger, Publix, and Albertsons all accept Discover Card. Walmart takes Discover directly in their Walmart Pay app,2 and a lot of top stores even let you get cash back with your purchase with no additional fees.

 

If you’re like most people looking to save money on your grocery bill, then getting cash back by using your rewards credit card for grocery purchases is a great place to start. For example, both the Discover It® Cash Back Credit Card and Discover It® Student Cash Back let you earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, you earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically.

Are Discover credit cards accepted on food delivery apps?

Does DoorDash accept Discover? Yes! Most popular food delivery apps accept your Discover Card: 

  • DoorDash
  • Grubhub
  • Instacart
  • Postmates
  • Shipt
  • Uber Eats

Can you rent a car with a Discover Card?

Because Discover is accepted nationwide by 99% of the places that take credit cards,1 your favorite place to rent a car likely welcomes Discover too.

How can you determine whether a retailer accepts Discover Card?

If you’re shopping in person, you can look for a sticker on the door or checkout area with the Discover acceptance mark. Even if that sticker is missing, you can always ask to try your Discover Card first.

Why aren’t Discover Cards accepted everywhere?

It’s not always clear why some merchants still don’t accept credit cards from Discover.

  • New kid on the block: One reason might be that when Discover was launched in 1986, it had to catch up with other credit card networks. Our merchant acceptance has grown by millions since then.
  • Partnerships: Another reason is that some retailers have agreements with other card issuers. As an example, you might wonder “Does Costco take Discover Card?” Costco is the only major retailer that does not accept Discover based on a partner contract with another major card carrier.

Over 30 years after launching, Discover Card is accepted by 99% of the places across the country that take credit cards.1 So, it’s easy to earn Discover rewards when you shop in stores or online, pay bills, order food, and so much more.

What can you do if your Discover Card isn’t accepted?

There are a couple of things you can do if a merchant doesn’t accept your Discover Card.

In some instances, Discover is accepted even if the merchant doesn’t know it. You may want to try to use your card to be sure. If you find a merchant that doesn’t accept Discover, you can message or call our 100% U.S. Based Customer Service team to let us know and we’ll work to add them.

Did you know?

If you miss out on extra cash back rewards from Discover because a merchant doesn’t accept your card, you may be able to find a merchant who will. Because Discover is accepted by 99% of the places across the country that take credit cards,1 retailers who welcome your card may be easy to find.

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How can you determine whether Discover is accepted in a specific country?

To check for acceptance in a specific country, visit the Discover international credit card acceptance page. Select a country to review Discover credit card acceptance and ATM availability there.

Reminder: If you’re traveling internationally, you should notify Discover to ensure uninterrupted use of your Discover Card.

What can you expect when using your Discover Card in a foreign country?

When using your Discover Card in a foreign country, you can expect to earn rewards on every purchase you make. Plus, Discover has no foreign transaction fee.

Discover Card is accepted at millions of places around the world,3 allowing you to use your card when traveling internationally. And you can look for the Discover and Diners Club International® acceptance marks when making a purchase. Even if you don’t see the acceptance marks, you can try using your card.

You can use a Discover Card at participating merchants to withdraw cash

Discover has a cash at checkout option at participating stores, like Kroger and Walmart, that allows you to withdraw cash up to $120 within 24 hours when you make a purchase—and helps you avoid ATM fees (though it will be subject to your standard purchase APR).

How can you get a cash advance from your Discover Card?

It’s possible to use your Discover Card at a bank, ATM, or credit union for a cash advance up to your cash available limit. (Note: Interest rates on cash advances tend to be higher than those on purchases and a service fee would also apply.) To set up your card to allow for cash advances, just contact customer service and get a PIN to use at the ATM. You can also present your credit card and a photo ID at a bank or credit union to get money. To find ATMs and banks where you can withdraw cash, check our ATM locator.

You can get a cash advance from your Discover Card from more than 415,000 domestic ATMs that accept PULSE card once you create a PIN. If you take a cash advance, you can choose to direct deposit it into your checking account online, or you can request checks by going to Discover.com/checks or call 1-800-DISCOVER (1-800-347-2683) to order. Keep in mind that your cash advance APR applies to the amount you take, and interest charges begin to accrue immediately.

Discover credit cards are accepted at online merchants

Do you shop on your smartphone, tablet, or laptop? Discover is accepted at most online retailers, and paying with your Discover Card can make it easy to earn or redeem rewards. For example, you can redeem any amount, any time4 using your Discover Card at Amazon.com—there's no minimum.5 You can also redeem any amount of rewards with PayPal.6

How can you use your Discover Card online?

You can use your Discover Card to shop online at retailers like Amazon.com, order food from local restaurants, pay for subscriptions like streaming services, donate at charity websites, and add it to digital wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay, store payment services such as PayPal, and much more.

What are the benefits of using your Discover Card online?

Every purchase with Discover earns rewards, which can be redeemed in a variety of ways best suited for cardmember needs.

And Discover monitors every account transaction and alerts you of any suspicious activity to help monitor fraud. You’re never held responsible for unauthorized purchases on your Discover Card.7

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  1. Acceptance: According to the Feb 2024 issue of the Nilson Report.

  2. Walmart Pay, the Walmart Pay logo are registered marks of Walmart, registered in the U.S. and other countries.

  3. Discover Acceptance: Merchant acceptance rates vary by country. Prior to international travel, check Discover’s acceptance map. Register your travel plans to minimize purchase interruptions.

  4. Rewards Redemption: Rewards never expire. We reserve the right to determine the method to disburse your rewards balance. We will credit your Account or send you a check with your rewards balance if your Account is closed or if you have not used it within 18 months. You may be unable to redeem rewards in some limited situations such as when you choose to use an electronic funds transfer to redeem rewards to a new (unverified) deposit account. Any gift card must have a minimum value of at least $5.00 to be redeemed.

  5. Use Rewards at Amazon.com: For complete details on how to Pay with Rewards at Amazon.com see Amazon.com/DiscoverRewards. Amazon is not a sponsor of this promotion. Amazon, the Amazon.com logo, the smile logo and all related marks are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. To redeem your rewards at checkout, you must select the Discover Card from which you want to redeem rewards. If you do not pay for your full purchase with rewards, you may use the Discover Card from which the rewards were applied or an Amazon.com Gift Card to pay for the remainder of your purchase. You may not use a credit card from an issuer other than Discover or another Discover credit card enrolled in Shop with Points in conjunction with the rewards transaction.

  6. Use Rewards with PayPal: For complete details on how to Pay with Rewards with PayPal see PayPal.com/Discover. Pay with Rewards with PayPal will be available for eligible credit cards on eligible purchases or rewards can be donated to support a charitable cause with PayPal Giving Fund. To learn more about Pay with Rewards, see terms and conditions.

    All reward redemptions are subject to Discover’s reward program terms. To redeem your rewards at checkout, you must select the Discover Card from which you want to redeem rewards. If you do not pay for your full purchase with rewards, you must use the Discover Card from which the rewards were applied to pay for the remainder of your purchase. You may not use a credit card from an issuer other than Discover or another Discover credit card enrolled in Pay with Rewards in conjunction with the rewards transaction.

    PayPal, and the PayPal logo are trademarks of PayPal and its Affiliates.

  7. $0 Fraud Liability: An “unauthorized purchase” is a purchase where you have not given access to your card information to another person or a merchant for one-time or repeated charges. Please use reasonable care to protect your card and do not share it with employees, relatives, or friends. Learn more at Discover.com/fraudFAQ.

  • Legal Disclaimer: This site is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for professional advice. The material on this site is not intended to provide legal, investment, or financial advice and does not indicate the availability of any Discover product or service. It does not guarantee that Discover offers or endorses a product or service. For specific advice about your unique circumstances, you may wish to consult a qualified professional.