It was different back in the day. You had to whip out actual food STAMPS to pay. Everyone behind you in line could see them. You had to sort out eligible and non-eligible items on the belt, and the cashier had to issue you a credit slip for any change due.
Now it’s all handled online with the swipe of a debit card. Likely the next person does not even know it’s a SNAP purchase unless they are watching closely.
Oh it was Different for sure. I worked in a pharmacy back in the early 80s . A mom would come in with her welfare card . It was a thin cardboard looking card and on it would be listed her name and the names of her children . Invariably those children have different last names . She would come in for prescription and yell back to the pharmacist that she did not want generic . The pharmacist would tell her that state law said he had to use generic unless it wasn’t available . Then she would stand in line for her lottery ticket and get her cigarettes while yelling at the kids that they could not get their candy . Finally she had to sign a book when the prescription came .
Repeat above scenario as nauseam.