Safeway is a grocery store chain that exists primarily on the western coast of the United States. It’s similar to brands like HEB, Publix, and Meijer.
What makes Safeway unique as a grocery store is that it is a one-stop shop for everything. Most locations have a florist, a pharmacy, and a comprehensive deli. You can find aisles with school supplies, greeting cards, and toys.
Every grocery store provides a customer service area for those who need extra help. When you visit Safeway, there’s an extensive counter at most locations where you can process returns, purchase lottery tickets, or ask questions.
The customer service counter also cashes checks for customers in 2023.
Does Safeway Cash Checks in 2023 (Personal, Payroll, Cashiers)?
Safeway grocery stores continue to allow customers to cash checks at all locations in the United States. This service comes with a small fee, which is 1.15% of the total amount of the transaction. The chain accepts payroll, cashier’s, stimulus, and government-issued checks up to $1,500.
Safeway is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Albertsons, which is a supermarket chain that includes convenience store options. You’ll find numerous departments available to browse when stopping at most locations, including a bakery, liquor area, fuel center, and coffee shop.
Starbucks has a licensing agreement to provide branded services for many Washington, Oregon, and California locations.
You can also find Safeway stores along the East Coast, primarily in Virginia and Maryland. In total, there are more than 900 locations in 18 different states. The home company that manages this chain and others has a presence in more than 30 states and more than double the number of stores.
Although grocery stores are moving away from the money and service center concept, Safeway continues to embrace this option. Customers can make copies or buy stamps at the counter. It’s part of the brand’s philosophy of providing “all the ingredients for life,” ensuring that you get what you need at each store.
Safeway recognizes that some customers don’t have debit or credit cards. They need cash access to purchase their groceries and supplies, so they offer this service for a small fee. The average cost is about $2.25 for every $200 a customer cashes, up to the $1,500 limit (or whatever amount a manager approves).
Although this fee is higher than what someone might pay at a bank, it’s often more convenient to handle all your business at one location. Instead of paying for fuel and spending an unpredictable amount of time waiting in line, you can stop at the service counter and get your cash right away.
For Safeway, that means customers pay them to get their checks turned into cash. Then they start another transaction when purchasing groceries. It’s a win-win scenario for everyone.
How to Cash a Check at Safeway
If you want to cash a qualifying check at a Safeway grocery store, you’ll need to present it with valid identification. It must be a government-issued ID, so one of the following options is necessary to complete the transaction.
- International Passport.
- Driver’s License or State-Issued ID.
- Military Identification.
A school ID card does not count for the check-cashing policy at Safeway. Although public districts are part of the government, they don’t provide identity verification as part of the overall process.
Customers must input their Social Security number into Safeway’s system when cashing the check for tax-reporting purposes. You should not be giving this information to a store employee as a condition of getting your money.
It only takes a few minutes for the verification process to work. You’ll receive your money if no issues arise.
When Can I Cash Checks at a Safeway Store?
Most Safeway stores open early in the morning and close after midnight. Some of them provide 24-7 services to their communities.
Although the store hours allow for customer entry, you’ll find the service counter isn’t staffed during the overnight shift. If you need a check cashed, you’ll need to find someone who can page the appropriate employee to provide services.
Some Safeway stores might provide check-cashing services during regular business hours, which is typically 9 AM to 5 PM each day. These hours could be extended to the weekends. You can also talk to the customer service desk about your circumstances to see if they’ll provide access outside of their regular time.
Does Safeway Cash Checks on Sundays?
You can cash a check at Safeway whenever the customer service counter is open. It might appear to be different on the weekend, especially during a Sunday morning, but employees are often responsible for multiple departments during these relatively slow hours.
It helps to contact your local Safeway to determine what their customer service hours are so that you can plan your visit accordingly.
Why Won’t Safeway Cash Certain Types of Checks?
Customers can cash several check options at Safeway, but not all options are accepted. This grocery store chain doesn’t take starter, third-party, personal, or handwritten checks.
Although local and state rules might allow them to accept these checks, the company’s policy is to reject cashing them. This decision involves the risks of potential fraud with those options. Here’s a closer look at why Safeway makes that decision.
- Starter Checks. Banks and credit unions offer this option for new account holders until their pre-printed checks arrive. Although you can pay for groceries with them at Safeway, you cannot cash them. The cashier will need to see a valid ID to accept it as payment.
- Handwritten Checks. These checks can be easily forged or modified to become a different amount. Imagine how easy it would be to turn $150 into $1,500 if the description line isn’t filled out? This option has a high risk of rejection or stoppage, so Safeway avoids the problem altogether by refusing to accept them.
- Third-Party Checks. This option means that someone has already signed over the check to another person or business. Even though you might be the legal owner of the money the document represents, the risk of theft and fraud stops Safeway from cashing this option. You might need to visit a financial institution to get your funds.
- Personal Checks. Someone could steal a check, write it out to themselves, and forge your signature. If Safeway accepts this option, it would be incredibly easy to take money from others. That’s why the grocery store chain only accepts business checks and specific alternatives.
If you need to get cash and only have checks, most grocery stores let you write a personal check for $25 more than the transaction amount during a purchase. You’ll need to provide a qualifying ID to get money this way.
Each store sets its own policy for allowing checks written for more than the transaction amount. Safeway stores typically have a range from $15 to $50 that they allow.
Can I Cash a Cashier’s Check at Safeway?
Most Safeway stores allow customers to cash printed checks that represent secured funds. This option is usually issued by a bank or credit union.
When you have a cashier’s check, the money gets drawn against the institution’s funds when it is cashed. That means you can go to a bank, give them $1,000 (plus fees), and receive a check written out to anyone in that amount.
The institution’s representative issues the cashier’s check with the name and account information from the bank or credit union. It also includes the payee and remitter, making the funds available by the end of the next business day.
Certified checks are different than cashier’s checks. Safeway stores don’t typically cash these because the money gets drawn against a person’s checking account. Their name and information are printed on the document.
A certified check includes your signature and that of the institution’s representative. Banks and credit unions put a hold on those funds until it clears.
Cashier’s checks are considered more secure than certified checks because of how the money gets delivered when cashing it. Certified checks don’t come with the same watermarks, which makes them a bit easier to fake.
How Many Checks Can I Cash at Safeway?
Safeway has a company policy to not accept checks that exceed $1,500. You can receive money for any qualifying check below that amount.
Although you are limited to the check amount, Safeway doesn’t provide a restriction on the total number that you bring to the customer service counter. The only limitation would be the amount of cash that the store has available for this service.
If you plan to cash several checks, it might be cheaper to start a checking account at a local bank or credit union. Most Safeway stores allow you to take up to $200 out above a transaction amount with your debit PIN, making it a far cheaper option.
Should I Cash My Checks at Safeway?
Unbanked individuals will find the check-cashing services at Safeway to be extremely reasonable. Although the fees can take more than $10 out of every $1,000 received, the convenience of going to a store instead of a bank is worthwhile. For those with a bank account, it is often cheaper and easier to have a cashier perform this service there.
When I was a kid, my first job was to deliver the daily newspaper throughout my small town. The paper had four total routes, and I began with just one. By the end of the summer, I was handling all the deliveries.
It was decent money back then. I’d be out there for three or four hours each afternoon, getting about $40 per day.
The newspaper would issue a check every two weeks. I’d take it to the local store, they’d cash it for free, and then I’d stock up on Mountain Dew and baseball cards.
Back then, I could cash a check for free. Today, we’re not so lucky.
Times have changed, but the convenience factor of cashing a check where you need to get stuff is still the same. Safeway recognizes this fact and provides a reasonable service for those who need this assistance.
In a perfect world, it would be better to write a check than to cash one to get groceries. If you cashed a $1,000 check at Safeway twice per month for the entire year, you’re losing $480. Most banks won’t charge you that in service fees.
If you don’t want to keep your money at a bank or credit union, this service makes sense to use. Ask for someone at the counter or request a manager the next time you visit a local Safeway to take advantage of this opportunity.
