What Is a Rain Check at a Store?
A rain check lets you buy a sold-out sale item at the sale price later. Federal rules, Sprouts, Meijer and Target each treat it differently.
By Olivia HarperContributing writer. Policy checked .
On this page
A rain check is a promise from a store: the advertised item sold out, so you can buy it at the sale price later, after it comes back in stock. This page explains, in our own words, the federal rule behind rain checks and what three store pages say, read on October 26, 2026. Policies change, and the store page is the one that applies.
Where rain checks come from
The Federal Trade Commission has a rule for retail food stores, found in Title 16, Part 424 of the Code of Federal Regulations. It says a food store should not advertise a product at a stated price if its stores do not have the item in stock and readily available during the ad period, unless the ad clearly says supplies are limited or the item is sold only at some stores.
The rule also lists ways a store can defend itself when an item runs out. Offering a rain check is one of them. The others are showing it ordered enough stock for the expected demand, offering a similar product of at least equal value at the sale price or a matching discount, or offering other compensation worth at least the advertised value.
So rain checks are one option, not a duty, and the rule covers retail food stores. Other shops set their own rules, and an ad that says "while supplies last" changes the picture.
What stores say
| Store | Rain check rule on its own page |
|---|---|
| Sprouts | Gives rain checks on Weekly Ad items that are out of stock; redeem within 30 days at any Sprouts |
| Meijer | Its offer terms say no rain checks or substitutions unless stated otherwise |
| Target | No rain checks on price match requests for out-of-stock items |
| Kroger | See our Kroger rain check guide |
Sprouts
Sprouts has a written rain check policy. When a Weekly Ad item is out of stock, you can get a rain check and use it within 30 days at any Sprouts location. Sprouts says there is no limit on how many you buy at the sale price unless the original ad set one. Its coupon rules are separate: coupons must be used at the time of purchase, with no rain checks or later adjustments.
Meijer
Meijer's offer terms say special prices are good only while supplies last, with no rain checks or substitutions unless the offer states otherwise. Read the terms on the specific ad before you count on a rain check.
Target
Target's price match page says an item does not need to be in stock to get a price match, but rain checks are not given for price match requests on out-of-stock items.
How to ask for one
- Check the ad first. Words like "while supplies last" or "limited quantities" usually mean no rain check.
- Ask at the service desk while the sale is still running.
- Note the expiry date. Sprouts gives 30 days; other stores set their own limits.
- Bring the rain check back. Show it at checkout when the item is back on the shelf.
Sources
16 CFR Part 424, eCFR; Sprouts Policies and FAQ; Meijer Customer Service FAQ; Target Price Match Guarantee. Checked October 26, 2026.