Best Credit Cards for Foodies: Go Big on Dining & Groceries
Written by Dayana Yochim
Edited by Carolyn Kimball
Fact-checked by Andrea Coombes
Grocery stores, restaurants, food trucks, fast-casual takeout — the average American consumer spends more than $4,000 on food each year, with larger households shelling out double that amount.
With one of the top dining and grocery rewards credit cards, home chefs and restaurantgoers can easily pocket 2% to 3% cash back or more on every dollar spent on grub. For the average household, that translates to $100 to $300 cash back per year on food-related spending alone.
So what’s the best credit card for groceries? What about cards that reward dining out or food delivery spending? This Guide to the Best Credit Cards for Foodies highlights the best credit cards for restaurant and supermarket rewards — and shows how much cash back you can earn from each.
The 5 best credit cards for dining and grocery rewards
The best cashback credit cards for restaurant and supermarket spending are:
- Capital One SavorOne Rewards: Best for date-nighters and home chefs (3% unlimited cashback at restaurants and grocery stores)
- Citi Custom Cash Card: Best 5% cashback card for dining or groceries (pick one) on up to $500 spent on grub each month
- Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Card: Best flat-rate 2.5% card for cardholders who maintain an Alliant checking account
- Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards: Most flexible card for foodies (dining is a 3% cashback option) and supermarket shoppers (2% grocery category includes wholesale clubs)
- Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi: Best for diners (3% at restaurants) and batch meal makers (2% on Costco purchases)
Earning a spot on our list of the best credit cards for foodies is both a matter of taste as well as rewards math.
How we chose these credit cards: We used the investor.com credit card rewards calculator to identify the cards with the most generous rewards terms on food-related purchases — specifically, the cashback rates paid on groceries, dining out, purchases from wholesale clubs and even specific stores, like Whole Foods and Costco. The calculator automatically factors in bonus rates, rewards spending caps and annual fees.
Rewards earnings estimates: The annual cashback earnings range is what an average consumer would earn on food-related spending. The inputs we used in the calculator — roughly $350 a month for individuals and nearly $700 a month for larger households — are based on consumer expenditure data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Other considerations: Cashback calculations bubbled up the most financially rewarding cards for the average foodie. But we also took into account other card features and limitations. For example, some rewards cards offer access to exclusive gastronomical experiences for gourmand cardholders. Some less appealing card rules, like rewards spending caps that limit how much of your spending is eligible for bonus cashback rates, also influenced our picks.
After you check out the list of best credit cards for dining and groceries below, we encourage you to customize the inputs in the credit card rewards calculator to see which cards offer the tastiest rewards based on your own spending habits.
See a credit card that’s worthy of a slot in your wallet? Take a moment to confirm card details on the issuer’s site before you apply.
1. Capital One SavorOne Rewards
Savory: Unlimited (no earnings cap!) 3% cash back on restaurant and grocery store spending.
Sour: Unsatisfying 1% cashback rate on most other spending categories; groceries from superstores like Walmart and Target earn just 1%.
How much can I earn using the Capital One SavorOne Rewards card?: The average American who spends $350 each month on groceries and restaurant meals for themselves will earn $128 cash back per year using the SavorOne card. Larger households that spend close to $700 a month on food would earn an estimated $248 cash back per year.
It makes sense that a card with “savor” in the name offers rewards tailored to foodies. With the Capital One SavorOne Rewards card you earn an unlimited 3% cash back on restaurant and grocery store purchases (as well as a long list of activities that qualify under the “entertainment” and “streaming services” spending categories). Because a lot of other dining cards shortchange the “grocery” category rewards rate, we like that the SavorOne card offers an unlimited 3% cash back on both. (Chow down to your heart’s content; no bonus caps here!)
Because the SavorOne Rewards card charges no foreign transaction fees, it’s a good one to pack if you plan to eat your way across Italy (or anywhere overseas). Stateside, cardholders have access to Capital One Dining perks, including help with hard-to-book restaurant reservations and “culinary experiences” curated by world-renowned chefs. Couch potatoes will appreciate a current SavorOne offer: 10% cash back on Uber Eats orders plus a complimentary Uber One membership through Nov. 14, 2024.
The CapitalOne SavorOne Rewards Card is best for: those who want a no-brainer card to reach for when paying for food-related items. Because the SavorOne card’s default is 3% cash back on dining and groceries, you don’t have to worry about keeping track of rotating rewards categories. You’ll earn the unlimited 3% cash back on food purchases in perpetuity.
investor.com quick tip
Since all purchases outside of the 3% bonus categories earn just 1% cash back, consider pairing the SavorOne Rewards card with a card that pays a higher rewards rate on your other big spending categories or offers a higher (even 1.5%) default rate.
Read our full Capital One SavorOne Rewards card review.
2. Citi Custom Cash Card
Tasty: 5% cash back on your biggest spending category each billing cycle.
Tart: 5% applies to just one spend category each month (restaurants or grocery stores) and dips to 1% cash back after you spend $500.
How much can I earn using the Citi Custom Cash Card?: Based on BLS average household spending data, a small household would earn $137 cash back per year using the Citi Custom Cash Card for groceries and dining out. Larger households would earn $293 cash back per year.
If you have room in your wallet for a rewards card devoted solely to dining out or buying groceries, check out the Citi Custom Cash Card. It pays a generous 5% cash back on up to $500 in purchases within your single biggest eligible spend category each billing cycle. Here’s the catch: Food-related purchases fall into two distinct categories. In other words, in any single month, you can earn 5% cash back on restaurant purchases, or 5% cash back on supermarket spending, not both combined.
Two other caveats to consider:
- The Citi Custom Cash Card’s 5% rewards rate nosedives to 1% after you spend $500 in your bonus category, which makes the card less rewarding for big spenders.
- All purchases outside of the bonus category also earn just 1% cash back, which makes it unattractive as a stand-alone general-purpose rewards card.
The Citi Custom Cash Card is best for: rewards card shufflers. The opportunity to earn 5% cash back dining out or shopping for groceries is a great value proposition, but you’ll probably want another rewards card on hand for purchases that fall outside of Citi’s limited parameters. (To repeat, you’ll earn 5% back on up to $500 of purchases in a single spend category per billing cycle, and otherwise just 1% back.)
Read our full Citi Custom Cash review.
3. Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Card
Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Credit Card
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Seconds, please!: 2.5% cash back on everything (even food from warehouse clubs and superstores) up to $10K in spending per month, and 1.5% on purchases that exceed that amount.
Pass: The requirement to maintain an Alliant checking account to qualify for the 2.5% cashback rate, otherwise you earn just 1.5%.
How much can I earn using the Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Card?: Those with a $344 monthly food budget will earn $103 cash back per year using the Alliant Cashback credit card. Swipe $690 in food purchases a month on the card, and you’ll get $207 back.
You’ll earn 2.5% cash back on all your grub-related purchases — and everything else you put on the Alliant Cashback card, for that matter. Although it’s not marketed as a dining/grocery/food delivery or anything-in-particular card, we picked it for foodies because it pays the same cashback rate no matter where you buy your pizza rolls and arugula. Walmart, Wegmans, Target, Trader Joe’s — you’ll earn a store-agnostic 2.5% cash back on everything in your shopping cart. (Everything up to $10,000 per billing cycle, to be precise, which is a high enough spending cap even for those who prepare banquets every day of the week.)
Aaaand… here’s the caveat: In order to earn the 2.5% cashback rate, you’re required to maintain a $1,000 average daily balance in an Alliant high-rate checking account and complete one monthly direct deposit. Otherwise, the Alliant Cashback card rewards rate drops to 1.5%, which is pretty average for flat-rate rewards cards.
The Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Credit Card is best for: existing or wannabe Alliant Bank customers. New cardholders automatically qualify for the 2.5% rate for the first 100 days after sign-up and approval. After that, the rewards rate ratchets back to 1.5% unless you maintain an Alliant high-rate checking account.
Read our full Alliant Cashback Visa Signature card review.
4. Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards
Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards
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Delish: 3% cash back on dining (if you choose), and an automatic 2% cash back on grocery stores, including — wait for it — wholesale clubs.
Dullish: The quarterly $2,500 cap on purchases eligible for the 3% and 2% rates combined.
How much can I earn using the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card?: The average “consumer unit” (as the BLS calls individuals) would earn a cool $100 back a year on food-related purchases using the the B of A Customized Cash Rewards card. Households with more mouths to feed would rake in $196 cash back annually, just for food spending.
This is one of the few rewards cards that doesn’t discount your rewards rate when you buy groceries at wholesale clubs. The Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card automatically pays out 2% cash back on groceries, including your bulk buying trips to Costco, Sam’s and the like. Many rewards cards have a much less inclusive interpretation of “grocery store” spending, where the “groceries” rewards rate applies only to purchases at traditional supermarkets, and warehouse club spending earns just 1% to 1.5% cash back.
In addition to 2% cash back at the supermarket, this card lets you choose your own 3% bonus rewards category. The choices are dining (ding, ding, ding!), gas, online shopping, travel, drug stores or home improvement/furnishings. And you can swap out the 3% cashback category once a month.
Big spenders beware: There is a quarterly spending cap. The 2% and 3% cashback rewards rates apply only to the first $2,500 you spend each quarter in those eligible categories combined. That means the bonus rate applies to up to $625 of restaurant/grocery spending per month (if you spend equal amounts each month on nom noms). Once you hit the bonus rewards spending ceiling, you’ll earn just 1% until the quarterly clock resets.
The Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card is best for: those who want a cashback card that pays the full 2% grocery bonus rate, even if you buy your buckets of salsa and cases of Cheerios at a wholesale club. For months when you plan to dine in more than out, the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card provides rewards flexibility, allowing you to pick a different 3% cashback category every month.
Read our full Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card review.
5. Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi
Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi
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Yummy: 3% cash back at restaurants; 2% cash back on Costco and Costco.com purchases, no reward caps.
Yuck: Requires a Costco membership (starting at $60 a year); groceries not purchased at Costco earn just 1% cash back.
How much can I earn using the Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi card?: The average consumer will earn $76 - $143 cash back per year on restaurant and non-Costco supermarket purchases using the Costco Anywhere Visa. Shopping for groceries at Costco, however, increases the annual rewards payout to $100 - $196, depending on the size of your household.
Costco need not be your go-to grocery store for its rewards credit card to pay off for foodies. In addition to the 3% you’ll earn at restaurants and 2% on your Costco hauls, the Costco Anywhere Visa pays a competitive 4% cash back on gas/EV charging costs and 3% cash back on travel.
Although the Costco card charges no annual fee, a Costco membership is required to apply; you’ll have to shop at the warehouse (or on Costco.com) to earn 2% on groceries anyway. The grocery rewards rate is an anemic 1% if you swipe the card at a traditional supermarket.
investor.com tip: Is the Costco card worth it?
Not a Costco-monogomist grocery shopper? If the warehouse is just one of your go-to stores, keep in mind that the card is less rewarding for trips to a traditional supermarket (1% cashback rate) than it is for Costco runs (2%).
Use the credit card rewards calculator to calculate the potential payoff: Expand the “Spend Categories” menu to enter how much you spend at “Costco” and type in the amount you drop elsewhere under “Groceries.” We’ll do the the rest!* (*the math, not the dishes.)
The Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi card is best for: shoppers who are sick of Costco spending being treated as non-grocery purchases (ineligible for a higher cashback rate) by other rewards cards (it's a thing!). The Costco Everywhere Visa by Citi has an even better value prop for Costco Executive Members. The $120 annual membership buys you access to an additional 2% in cashback rewards on qualifying Costco and Costco.com purchases (on top of the 2% you earn with the card). Although the card’s standard 2% rewards rate has no annual cap, the additional 2% gravy train stops once you’ve earned $1,000 in rewards (which equates to $50,040 in Costco spending in a year).
Read our full Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi review.
Cook up a custom list of best cashback cards
You don’t have to stick to our menu of best rewards cards for foodies: For a customized list of the best credit cards to use at restaurants and supermarkets, type how much you spend each month on dining, groceries (and 14 other spend categories each month) into the investor.com credit card calculator and see which rewards card offers the tastiest terms.
Best credit cards for dining and groceries FAQs
Which credit card is best for food delivery?
If the living room couch is your idea of “destination dining,” consider the Capital One SavorOne Rewards. This no-annual-fee rewards card offers a mouthwatering 10% cash back on Uber and Uber Eats orders, plus a complimentary Uber One membership through Nov. 14, 2024. The latter saves you the $9.99 monthly (or $99.99 annual) membership fee.
If you decide to dine out or buy fixin’s for a home-cooked meal, you’ll earn an unlimited 3% cash back on restaurant and grocery store purchases (in addition to restaurant and entertainment spending) using the SavorOne card. For comparison, Cap One’s other Savor card, the Savor Rewards card, pays 4% cash back on dining and entertainment and the same 3% cash back on groceries, but it comes with a $95 annual fee.
See how the the Capital One SavorOne rewards card compares to Savor Rewards card.
Which Amex card is best for food?
The Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express pays a tasty 6% cash back on groceries (and streaming services) on the first $6,000 you spend on the card each year. You’ll also earn an unlimited 3% cash back on “transit,” which includes taxis, rideshares, train and bus tickets. The card carries a $95 annual fee, but it’s waived for the first year. For more details check out our Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express Card ReviewBlue Cash Preferred Card from Amex review.
Amex also offers a no-annual-fee card that’s in the running for the best credit card for gas and groceries category. The Blue Cash Everyday from American Express pays 3% cash back on groceries, gas and U.S. online retail purchases. The rewards rate for dining out, alas, is just 1%. And although there’s an annual rewards cap, the $6,000 spending cap applies to each separate bonus category. Intrigued? Read our Blue Cash Everyday from Amex card review.
For a head-to-head comparison, see Blue Cash Everyday from American Express vs Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express.
Does buying groceries with a credit card build credit?
Sure does! Using your card regularly — and paying your bill on time — gives your lender good news to report to the credit bureaus. A strong track record of responsible credit use is one of the main determinants of your credit score. Your payment history alone counts for 35% of your overall score.
You do not, however, need to carry a balance on your credit card to build your credit. Although making monthly minimum payments on time is key, even better for your bottom line is to pay off the balance in full each month so you don’t pay interest on the amount you charge.
We have an entire area devoted to building and maintaining your credit, including tips on how to get out of debt.
Is it better to pay for groceries with a credit card or a debit card?
Short answer: Pay for groceries with a credit card if you pay off your balance in full each month. Otherwise, it’s better to use a debit card.
If you have no credit card debt: Besides being a good way to build and maintain your credit, paying for groceries with a rewards credit card can put some money back into your pocket. “Groceries” is a common cashback category with most rewards cards. You don’t even have to pay an annual fee for a card that pays you 2% to 3% cash back on supermarket spending. Some pay even more.
If you carry a balance on your credit card: Until you pay off what you owe, try to avoid putting additional charges on the card. Otherwise you’re paying a premium for the food in your cart — the cost of each item, plus whatever interest your lender charges. (See these tips on how to tackle debt to get those balances back to $0 in no time.)
Until you’ve paid off your credit card, using a debit card for groceries is a wallet-friendlier way to go. Although you’re still paying with plastic, the debit card is the equivalent of paying cash since the money is immediately deducted from the available balance in your bank account. And while you forgo any cashback rewards you might earn on your purchases, you also avoid paying a high interest rate on the money you spend.
Compare credit cards
Select and compare two credit cards head to head to see which offers the most bang for your buck.
Select Credit Cards
↓×- Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Credit Card
- American Express Cash Magnet
- Apple Card
- Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards
- Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards
- Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards (Gold Tier)
- Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards (Platinum Honors Tier)
- Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards (Platinum Tier)
- Blue Cash Everyday from American Express
- Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express
- BMO Harris Bank Cash Back Mastercard
- Capital One Quicksilver Rewards
- Capital One Quicksilver Rewards for Good Credit
- Capital One QuicksilverOne
- Capital One Savor Rewards
- Capital One SavorOne Rewards
- Chase Freedom Flex
- Chase Freedom Unlimited
- Citi Custom Cash Card
- Citi Double Cash Card
- Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi
- Credit One Bank American Express Card
- Credit One Platinum Rewards Visa
- Credit One Platinum Rewards Visa with No Annual Fee
- Credit One Platinum X5 Visa
- Discover it Cash Back
- Discover it Chrome
- PayPal Cashback Mastercard
- PenFed Power Cash Rewards
- Petal 2 Visa Card
- PNC Cash Rewards Visa Credit Card
- Sallie Mae Accelerate
- Sallie Mae Evolve Credit Card
- SoFi Credit Card
- TD Cash Credit Card
- Truist Enjoy Cash Credit Card
- U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card
- Upgrade Cash Rewards
- Upgrade Triple Cash Rewards
- USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card
- USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature Card
- Venmo Credit Card
- Wells Fargo Active Cash Card
Compare
0 of 2Methodology
The results of the Best Credit Cards for Foodies list is based on data from the investor.com credit card rewards calculator and our own research into each credit card’s terms and conditions.
The credit card tool calculates the annual dollar value of the rewards each credit card program pays per $1 spent in each “spend category.” It takes into account tiered reward rates, reward spending caps, default reward rates and annual fees to provide the most accurate results.
For this guide we used average household food expenditure data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to estimate how much cash back per year the average consumer would earn using each rewards credit card for food (“groceries”) and food away from home (“dining”). We also accounted for different cashback rates for those shopping at wholesale clubs, Costco, and Whole Foods. We zeroed out all other spend categories to generate food-focused cashback rewards results.
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About the Editorial Team
Dayana Yochim has been writing (articles, books, podcasts, stirring speeches) about personal finance and investing for more than two decades, focusing on bringing clarity and the occasional comedic aside to what is often a murky, humorless topic. She’s written for NerdWallet, The Motley Fool, HerMoney.com, Woman’s Day, Forbes, Newsweek and others, and been a guest expert on "Today," "Good Morning America," CNN, NPR and wherever they’ll hand her a mic.
Carolyn Kimball is Managing Editor for Reink Media Group and the lead editor for content on investor.com. Carolyn has more than 20 years of writing and editing experience at major media outlets including NerdWallet, the Los Angeles Times and the San Jose Mercury News. She specializes in coverage of personal financial products and services, wielding her editing skills to clarify complex (some might say befuddling) topics to help consumers make informed decisions about their money.
Andrea Coombes has 20+ years of experience helping people reach their financial goals. Her personal finance articles have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, MarketWatch, Forbes, and other publications, and she's shared her expertise on CBS, NPR, "Marketplace," and more. She's been a financial coach and certified consumer credit counselor, and is working on becoming a Certified Financial Planner. She knows that owning pets isn't necessarily the best financial decision; her dog and two cats would argue this point.