Vons Companies Inc. announced it will accept credit cards at all of its 351 supermarkets.
The Arcadia, Calif.-based supermarket company said positive customer feedback to a test of credit card acceptance in 1992 prompted the chainwide rollout.
Vons stores will accept Visa, MasterCard, and Discover cards at the checkout, in addition to its own debit-payment option, VonsCheck.
In the latter, a replacement for check-cashing, customers authorize the direct payment of funds from their checking account via the automated clearing house.
Vons is the nation's ninth-largest supermarket chain, with stores in Southern and central California and Nevada.