TL;DR: Target and Safeway accept Apple Pay in store nationwide. Home Depot still does not. Panda Express works at most locations including many drive thrus. Wingstop now takes Apple Pay in the app for online orders, and most in restaurant terminals take it too, though it is worth a quick glance at the reader before you tap. Full store by store detail, a comparison table, and the difference between Apple Pay and Apple Cash are all below.
Apple Pay is now accepted at over 85 percent of retailers in the United States, so the real question is rarely “does anyone take this,” it is “does my store take this.” Below is the direct answer for five of the most searched stores on Techulk, plus Google Pay, Samsung Pay, Apple Cash, and tap to pay for each one.
Contents
Quick Answer Table
| Store | Apple Pay |
|---|---|
| Target | Yes, in store nationwide |
| Safeway | Yes, in store nationwide |
| Home Depot | No |
| Panda Express | Yes, at most locations |
| Wingstop | Yes in app, yes at most in restaurant terminals |
Target and Apple Pay
Yes. Target accepts Apple Pay at every store in the United States. Target confirms this directly on its own help page, listing Apple Pay alongside Google Pay and Samsung Pay under accepted mobile payments.
Google Pay and Samsung Pay at Target
Both work the same way Apple Pay does. Target’s terminals read any contactless mobile wallet, so Google Pay and Samsung Pay users tap the same reader Apple Pay users do.
In Store, Online and the Target App
In store is confirmed everywhere. On target.com, Apple Pay works at checkout through Safari on your iPhone or Mac. Inside the Target app itself, checkout runs through Target’s own wallet and RedCard system rather than Apple Pay directly.
Apple Cash and Cash Back at Target
Apple Cash spends anywhere Apple Pay is accepted, so it works at Target’s registers the same as a linked card would. Target does not offer cash back through its card terminals for any digital wallet, Apple Pay included, so do not expect that option at checkout.
Safeway and Apple Pay
Yes. Safeway has accepted Apple Pay in store at every US location since 2017. Safeway announced this rollout publicly, and it has stayed consistent since.
Google Pay at Safeway
Google Pay works at the same in store terminals as Apple Pay. Both ride on the same contactless hardware, so if one works, the other does too.
In Store Versus Online at Safeway
This is the split that matters most. In store, Apple Pay works without exception. Online, through the Safeway website or app for pickup and delivery orders, Apple Pay is not currently supported. You will need a credit or debit card for those orders instead.
Apple Cash and Cash Back at Safeway
Apple Cash works fine in store since it rides on Apple Pay. Cash back is where it gets inconsistent. Some Safeway locations offer cash back on digital wallet transactions and others do not, since individual stores set their own policy here. Ask your cashier before you count on it.
Home Depot and Apple Pay
No. Home Depot does not accept Apple Pay at most of its stores, and that has not changed in 2026. Home Depot’s own listed payment methods still stop at cash, major credit cards, debit cards, checks, gift cards, and PayPal for online orders. Apple Pay is not on that list.
A quick word of caution here. If you search this exact question, you will likely run into pages claiming to be an “Official 2026 Home Depot Support Guide” listing a phone number to call for help. Several of these are fake support pages, not run by Home Depot or Apple, built to get you to dial a number that has nothing to do with either company. Never call a number you found through a search result claiming to fix a payment issue. If you need help, go to homedepot.com directly.
Google Pay and Samsung Pay at Home Depot
This is genuinely murky, and it is worth saying so plainly rather than guessing. Older coverage claimed Home Depot accepted Google Pay and Samsung Pay even without Apple Pay, but Home Depot’s own current list of accepted payment methods does not mention any mobile wallet at all. Treat that as unconfirmed rather than a firm yes.
Home Depot Contactless and Tap to Pay
A contactless credit or debit card with the tap symbol may still work at some terminals, since that runs through the card network rather than a phone based wallet. This is separate from Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay specifically.
This gap traces back further than most people realize. Home Depot suffered a breach affecting 56 million payment cards back in 2014, disclosed directly in the company’s own SEC filing that year. The company rebuilt its entire payment stack afterward around its own systems rather than third party mobile wallets, and thirteen years later Apple Pay still has not made the cut.
Panda Express and Apple Pay
Yes, at most locations, though it is not guaranteed everywhere. Panda Express runs over 2,000 US locations, and the large majority now use NFC ready terminals at the counter and the drive thru. A small number of older or franchise specific setups may not, so a quick glance at the reader before you tap is a smart habit here.
Drive Thru and In App Orders at Panda Express
Drive thru windows at most locations use the same contactless terminal as the counter, so Apple Pay works the same way there. Through the Panda Express app, payment is handled through the app’s own checkout, using a linked credit or debit card rather than Apple Pay directly.
Google Pay at Panda Express
Wherever the terminal is NFC ready for Apple Pay, Google Pay works through the same reader.
Wingstop and Apple Pay
Yes. The Wingstop app now lists Apple Pay as a supported checkout option, confirmed directly on its official App Store listing. This is a genuine change since Wingstop’s online ordering did not support Apple Pay a few years ago. In restaurant, most locations now accept it at the counter too, though ownership varies by franchise, so it is still worth a glance at the terminal before you order.
In App and Online Orders at Wingstop
Open the app, add your order, and select Apple Pay at checkout the same way you would in any other app. This is the clearest, most consistent way to use Apple Pay at Wingstop right now.
Google Pay and Samsung Pay at Wingstop
Both are supported for online orders inside the app, and both work at in restaurant terminals wherever Apple Pay does.
Apple Cash Versus Apple Pay, What Is the Difference
These two get confused constantly, and the confusion is reasonable since they live in the same Wallet app. Apple Pay is a way to pay using a credit or debit card you already own, tapped through your phone instead of the physical card. Apple Cash is different. It is Apple’s own balance, money you have actually sent, received, or added, similar to how Venmo or Cash App holds a balance. Once Apple Cash is loaded in your Wallet, you can spend it exactly like Apple Pay, anywhere Apple Pay is accepted. So the simple rule is this. If a store takes Apple Pay, it takes Apple Cash too, since Apple Cash rides on the same Apple Pay rails.
How to Use Apple Pay in Store, Step by Step
- Add your card to the Wallet app on your iPhone or Apple Watch first, if you have not already.
- Look for the contactless symbol on the payment terminal at checkout.
- Hold your iPhone or Apple Watch near the reader.
- Authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode, and wait for the checkmark.
American shoppers used Apple Pay for over 450 billion dollars in in store purchases in 2025 alone, according to Capital One Shopping’s research. That is not a niche habit anymore, that is just how a lot of people pay now.
Full Comparison Table
| Store | Apple Pay In Store | Apple Pay Online | Google Pay | Samsung Pay | Apple Cash | Tap to Pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Target | Yes | Yes (Safari) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Safeway | Yes | No | Yes | Unconfirmed | Yes | Yes |
| Home Depot | No | No | Unconfirmed | Unconfirmed | No | Card only |
| Panda Express | Most locations | App uses own checkout | Most locations | Unconfirmed | Most locations | Most locations |
| Wingstop | Most locations | Yes (app) | Yes | Yes | Most locations | Most locations |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Home Depot accept Apple Pay?
No. Home Depot still relies on cash, credit and debit cards, checks, gift cards, and PayPal for online orders. Apple Pay is not on its current list of accepted payment methods.
Does Target take Apple Pay?
Yes. Every Target store in the US accepts Apple Pay, confirmed directly on Target’s own help page alongside Google Pay and Samsung Pay.
Does Safeway take Apple Pay on iPhone?
Yes, in store at every US Safeway location. It does not currently work for online pickup or delivery orders through the Safeway app or website.
Does Panda Express take Apple Pay in the drive thru?
Yes, at most locations, since drive thru windows typically use the same contactless terminal as the counter. A small number of older setups may not, so check the reader first.
Does Wingstop take Apple Pay in store?
Yes at most locations, and the app now supports Apple Pay for online orders too, which is a real change from a few years ago.
What is the difference between Apple Pay and Apple Cash?
Apple Pay spends the cards already in your Wallet. Apple Cash is Apple’s own balance, money you have sent or received, that spends anywhere Apple Pay is accepted.
Which stores accept tap to pay?
Target, Safeway, Panda Express, and Wingstop all accept some form of tap to pay at most locations. Home Depot supports tap to pay through contactless cards on the card network side, but not confirmed mobile wallets.
Final Thoughts
Five stores, two clear yeses, one clear no, and two that come down to which specific location you walk into. That is a more honest answer than most lists give you, and honestly, most competing guides for this exact question are either years out of date or, in Home Depot’s case, drowning in fake support pages trying to get you to call a scam number instead of just answering the question.
Keep this page bookmarked for your next grocery run, hardware trip, or wing order, and if you spot a location that does not match what is listed here, drop it in the comments so we can keep this accurate for the next reader.
