In today’s plastic-oriented, smartphone-driven way to pay for food and other shopping items, that caused some consternation nationwide.
Company officials for Kroger, based in Cincinnati, released an update around 2 p.m. EST, saying “Our EBT system was down for a short period of time. It is now fixed and working properly.”
But before that, there was chaos.
My day at Kroger: couldn’t find a parking spot, couldn’t find a shopping cart, waited in line for 20 minutes, as soon as I got to the front they stopped taking cards, walked to my car to get cash, waited in line for another 20 min. Moral of the story: don’t go to Kroger today
— kenz🦋 (@kenzzt5) December 24, 2019
@kroger just announced its credit systems are ‘offline.’ Heard at New Albany Plaza store. No payments can be processed, per PA announcer.
— Grace Schneider (@gesinfk) December 24, 2019
In Lexington, Kentucky, one Twitter user tweeted a photo and wrote, "What Kroger's in #Lexington looks like at 1 p.m. on Christmas Eve when the registers go down and only cash accepted. Guy who seemed to be in charge said it's systemwide. But the computers started functioning correctly intermittently."
What Kroger’s in #Lexington looks like at 1 pm on Christmas Eve when the registers go down and only cash accepted. Guy who seemed to be in charge said it’s systemwide. But the computers started functioning correctly intermittently pic.twitter.com/TnBFhxRlAS
— Deedra Lawhead (@deedralawhead) December 24, 2019
#HappeningNow @kroger Experiences credit card outage across its stores. Shoppers had to use cash for a short time before the systems went back up. Crazy crowds at Mount Washington location @Local12 pic.twitter.com/S9pBUvhX1a
— TR Gormley (@McGingeryBeard) December 24, 2019
While the systems were down, customers piled into nearby banks to get cash, causing long lines at teller lines and ATMs.
If you’re going to Kroger, take cash. The credit card machines are down ast several of them. 5th/3rd bank teller he’s afraid of a run on the bank ala It’s a Wonderful Life. Here’s the line for the ATM In prospect. pic.twitter.com/v8aIlPwVd7
— Joe Gerth (@Joe_Gerth) December 24, 2019
The register just went down in @kroger and I’m officially over the holiday. Time to find another grocery store to fill another cart and waste another hour of my day. pic.twitter.com/PZwhPWFCRY
— tamara. (@tamjs_) December 24, 2019
Kroger has more than 4,000 stores nationwide, mostly in the South and Midwest.
Turns out there is a systemwide computer outage at Fry’s/Kroger stores nationwide! They are accepting cash only at the registers, although the system would come back online intermittently. It was a bit chaotic. #ChristmasEve2019 pic.twitter.com/wt0pU9ubW3
— Marc Martinez (@marcfox10) December 24, 2019
Despite the frustration, there were still acts of kindness among shoppers.
"The cutest old man just (paid) for our groceries at Kroger because the credit card machines were down," one Twitter user tweeted.
me and Jacob just had the cutest old man pay for our groceries at Kroger because the credit card machines were down 🥺❤️
— cara stiltner (@cara_stiltner) December 24, 2019
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