Walmart is the biggest retailer in the US, with over 5,000 stores and clubs, but until now it wasn’t a place where you could tap to pay using Google Pay. Today Google has announced that that’s changed.
Starting Aug. 24, tap to pay will be available at select Walmart stores and Sam’s Club locations. It will roll it out to all US stores and clubs by the end of 2026, and to fuel stations by mid-2027.
The addition of tap to pay to Walmart checkout also applies to Walmart, Sam’s Club, and OnePay cards that can also be added to Google Wallet.
“Tap to Pay gives customers and members another familiar and convenient way to pay at checkout using contactless payment methods,” Walmart said in its announcement. “Whether picking up groceries, gifts or everyday essentials, they can check out using eligible contactless card, phone, or smartwatch.”
How to tap to pay
Tap to pay is one of the big benefits to Google Wallet.
To use it, turn NFC on in Settings, then go to Connections or Connected Devices, look for NFC and Contactless Payments, and toggle the switch on. Then open Google Wallet and add a debit or credit card. To tap to pay, just unlock your phone and hold it near the contactless payment terminal until you see a checkmark.
A partnership of a different feather
Earlier this year, Walmart and Google announced an expansion of their residential drone delivery service collaboration.
Google’s Wing service has been used in Dallas-Fort Worth and metro Atlanta, and is now planning to grow to a network of over 270 drone delivery locations in 2027.
Some of the cities scheduled to get Walmart deliveries via drone are Memphis, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Salt Lake City.
Central Florida just got drone delivery two weeks ago.
Walmart said that deliveries take about 30 minutes, and they are free.
