A charge on your bank statement labeled with Ralphs and “Irvine Alton” comes from the Ralphs supermarket at 5345 Alton Parkway in Irvine, located in the Alton Square shopping center. If the amount doesn’t match a grocery receipt you remember, the two most common explanations are a cash-back fee on a debit card purchase or a fee for an in-store service such as a money order or a pickup order.1Ralphs. Ralphs Alton Square Store Page
The Store Behind the Charge
The Alton Square Ralphs is open daily from 5:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. and houses deli, bakery, meat, seafood, floral, and beer, wine, and liquor departments, along with Coinstar, self-checkout, and grocery pickup.1Ralphs. Ralphs Alton Square Store Page Ralphs is a Southern California grocery chain owned by Kroger Co., and this location follows Kroger’s company-wide pricing and fee policies.
The Cash-Back Fee That Surprises Shoppers
If you asked for cash back when paying with a debit or prepaid card, your statement will show the groceries plus the cash plus a service fee. Kroger introduced the fee across its banners, including Ralphs, in 2019. The tiers are:
- Up to $100 in cash back: 50 cents.
- Over $100 and up to $300: $3.50.
The maximum you can request in a single transaction is $300. Scanning a free Kroger Plus loyalty card changes the math: the 50-cent fee is waived on cash back of $100 or less, and the larger-tier charge drops to $3.00. EBT card users are not charged the fee at all.2CFPB. Issue Spotlight: Cash-Back Fees3WXYZ Detroit. Kroger Is Now Charging a Fee if You Want Cash Back at Checkout
Among major California supermarket operators, Kroger has stood out for charging this fee. Albertsons, Vons, Trader Joe’s, Stater Bros., Gelson’s, and Whole Foods have not.4Los Angeles Times. Ralphs Cash Back Fee If you’ve shopped elsewhere for years without seeing the line item, that’s why it’s new to you at Ralphs.
Other Ralphs Charges That Show Up on Statements
A Ralphs line item isn’t always groceries or cash back. The service desk sells money orders, with pricing that varies by state and additional fees for replacements, cancellations, or cashing a money order back in. An unused money order can also pick up a non-refundable service charge after one to three years.5Ralphs. Money Orders
Grocery pickup has its own fees. Orders under $35 carry a $4.95 service fee, and California pickup and delivery orders include a 10-cent per-bag charge.6Ralphs. Pickup FAQs Any of these can show up on a statement attributed to the Alton store.
How To Keep It From Happening Again
The quickest fix for the cash-back charge is to sign up for a Kroger Plus card at any Ralphs register and scan it every time you shop. That alone eliminates the 50-cent fee on withdrawals of $100 or less.3WXYZ Detroit. Kroger Is Now Charging a Fee if You Want Cash Back at Checkout
Several other retailers still offer cash back for free. Walmart allows up to $100, Target up to $40, CVS up to $60, and Walgreens up to $20, all at no charge. The U.S. Postal Service provides fee-free cash back on debit transactions in $10 increments, up to $50. Many independent grocers also offer it for free.2CFPB. Issue Spotlight: Cash-Back Fees Your bank or credit union app will also show in-network ATMs, which many institutions share through nationwide alliances for free withdrawals.7Detroit Free Press. Cash-Back Fees at Kroger, Dollar Stores and ATMs
Is the Fee Even Legal in California?
Yes. California Civil Code section 1748.1 bars merchants from adding a surcharge when you pay with a credit card instead of cash, and Mastercard’s own rules prohibit surcharges on debit and prepaid card transactions.8California Attorney General. Credit Card Surcharges9Mastercard. Merchant Surcharge Rules Neither rule addresses cash-back service fees, which retailers treat as a charge for a service rather than a surcharge on a payment method. In August 2024 the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau published an Issue Spotlight flagging the practice at Kroger, Dollar General, and Dollar Tree and said it would continue monitoring the market, but no enforcement action or ban has been announced.2CFPB. Issue Spotlight: Cash-Back Fees
If none of these explanations match your activity, pull the receipt or request one from the store’s customer service desk; the itemization will tell you whether the charge was groceries, a cash-back fee, or another service.