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Whether you're eating at restaurants in person or ordering takeout, using one of the best credit cards that earn bonus rewards for dining to earn extra points, miles, or cash back.

Here are some of the best rewards credit cards for restaurants — including dine-in, takeout, and delivery — available right now.

Compare Credit Cards for Dining

Best Dining Credit Cards

Methodology: How We Chose the Best Credit Cards for Dining

We're focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won't be worth it if you're paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it's important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.

To come up with our list of the best dining credit cards, we looked at cards that offer bonus rewards on dining and other dining-specific benefits like monthly statement credits to offset restaurant or food delivery purchases. We prioritized the cards that offer the strongest return on dining purchases, while also considering each card's overall value by evaluating the annual fee, other rewards, and other benefits.

See our full ratings methodology for credit cards »

Dining Credit Cards Frequently Asked Questions 

Which card earns the most for dining and restaurants?

In terms of cash back, you'll find the highest earn rate on the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card (5% back, if restaurants is your biggest spending category that billing cycle) and U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® Card (5% back, when you choose fast food as one of your 5% categories). 

If you don't want to fuss with choosing categories or worrying about your highest spend category, the Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card (4% back on dining) and U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa® Secured Card (4x points on dining, effectively 4% back) are the next best picks. 

For earning flexible points you can redeem for travel, it's hard to beat the American Express® Gold Card (4x points).

Do fast-food restaurants like McDonald's or Starbucks count as dining? 

Yes, but it could depend on the card. In most cases, fast-food restaurants and chains are eligible dining establishments for earning bonus rewards. Starbucks, for example, classifies itself as being in the restaurant category and will usually code as a dining purchase on your credit card. But you should still check what your specific card classifies as eligible dining purchases, just in case terms vary. 

Is there a food credit card?

The closest thing to an all-around food credit card that earns bonus rewards on dining and groceries is the American Express® Gold Card, if you prefer earning flexible points. For cash back, you can't go wrong with the Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card. Both of these cards are on this list!

Best Dining Card for Foodies

American Express® Gold Card - Product Name Only

The American Express® Gold Card is an excellent choice whether you like dining out or prefer eating at home. Along with a welcome bonus offer of American Express® Gold Card, you'll earn:

  • 4x points at restaurants and on up to $25,000 in spending per calendar year at US supermarkets (then 1x)
  • 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel
  • 1 point per dollar on most other purchases

The American Express® Gold Card has a American Express® Gold Card annual fee, but two benefits can help you offset most of the yearly cost. You'll receive up to $120 per calendar year (up to $10 per month) in Uber Cash credits you can use toward eligible US Uber rides or Uber Eats purchases (the Gold Card needs to be added to the Uber app to receive the Uber Cash benefit)**. 

In addition, cardholders get up to $120 in annual dining credits** (up to $10 per month) with participating food delivery services and restaurants. These include purchases with Grubhub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Milk Bar, Wine.com, Goldbelly, and participating Shake Shack locations. 

The Amex Membership Rewards points you earn with the card are incredibly flexible, too. You can redeem them for travel through the American Express Travel portal, transfer them to airline and hotel partners, or trade them in for gift cards, cash back, merchandise, and more. 

Amex Gold Card Review

Best Premium Card

Chase Sapphire Reserve® - Product Name Only

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® earns 5x total Chase Ultimate Rewards® points on air travel and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards (after earning the $300 travel credit) and 3x points on other travel and dining. New cardholders can earn Chase Sapphire Reserve®.

The card offers a complimentary DashPass membership, which waives delivery fees and offers lower service fees on orders of $12 or more. Cardholders also receive $5 per month in DoorDash in-app credits (from April 2022 through December 31, 2024).

While the Chase Sapphire Reserve® charges a $550 annual fee, it comes with premium benefits and rewards that can be well worth it if you take advantage of them. Cardholders receive $300 in credits toward eligible travel purchases made with their card each account anniversary year. You'll also get a complimentary Priority Pass airport lounge membership, a complimentary two-year Lyft Pink All Access membership, and excellent travel and shopping protections. 

With the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, you'll earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points which you can transfer to airline and hotel partners, such as United Airlines, Hyatt, and Air Canada Aeroplan. When you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, your points are worth 1.5 cents each (50% more) when you use them to book travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal.

Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card Review 

Best for Dining and Travel

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card - Product Name Only

If you want to earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points but you don't want to pay the hefty annual fee for the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a great alternative. It also offers a free year of DashPass membership with DoorDash, extended until December 31, 2024, and it earns 3x points on dining.

Right now, it's offering an increased welcome bonus of Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. Your points are worth 1.25 cents apiece when you use them to book travel through the Chase portal or you can transfer them to airline and hotel partners to potentially get even more value. 

With an annual fee of $95, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a good choice if you want solid dining and travel perks without breaking the bank. 

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Review

Best Cash Back Rate

Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card - Product Name Only

The Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card is a great pick for maximizing your restaurant spending if you prefer earning cash back to travel rewards. You'll earn 4% back on all dining purchases, entertainment, and eligible streaming services, 3% back on groceries, and 1% back on everything else with no caps.

It's currently got a solid welcome offer: Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card.

There's a Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card annual fee, but if you prefer a no-annual-fee card, the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card is also worth a look. You will get 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases. Also, 10% cash back on purchases made through Uber & Uber Eats, plus complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through November 14, 2024.

You'll get a slightly lower rate of return on dining, select streaming, and entertainment — 3% instead of 4% — and you'll still earn 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through the Capital One Travel Portal, 3% back on groceries, and 1% back on everything else. 

Capital One Savor Card Review

Best for Dining and Rotating Bonus Categories

Chase Freedom Flex℠ - Product Name Only

The Chase Freedom Flex℠ is marketed as a cash-back card, but it earns rewards in the form of Chase Ultimate Rewards points.

The Chase Freedom Flex℠ comes with a welcome bonus offer of Chase Freedom Flex℠. It earns bonus rewards in a variety of categories, including dining. You'll earn 3% back (3x Chase Ultimate Rewards points) at restaurants and drugstores, and 5% cash back (5x points) on travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards. 

With the Chase Freedom Flex℠, you can earn 5% cash back (5x points) on up to $1,500 in combined spending in categories that rotate every quarter (then 1x) when you activate the bonus. From April 1 to June 30, 2023, the Chase Freedom 5x categories are Amazon and Lowe's.

Chase Freedom Flex Credit Card Review

Best for Dining and Flat-rate Rewards

Chase Freedom Unlimited® - Product Name Only

Similar to Chase Freedom Flex℠, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® is also framed as a cash-back card, but it earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points. With this card, you can earn Chase Freedom Unlimited®.

If you don't want to worry about rotating categories, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers a simpler rewards structure. Outside of restaurants and drugstores (3% back) and Chase Travel purchases (5% back), you'll earn 1.5% back on all purchases (1.5x points) with no caps.

Here's our comparison of the Chase Freedom Flex versus Chase Freedom Unlimited to help you decide which card is better for you.

Chase Freedom Unlimited Review

Best Uncapped Rewards Rate With No Annual Fee

U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card - Product Name Only

If you're looking for a no-annual-fee card that earns big rewards on dining without worrying about spending caps, the U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card is a very compelling choice. New cardholders can earn U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card — worth $200 in cash back, travel, or gift cards.

The U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card earns an uncapped 4x points (4% back) on dining, including takeout and delivery, 2x points (2% back) at grocery stores including grocery delivery, gas stations, and on streaming services, and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. It also offers a $15 annual streaming bonus for eligible services like Netflix, Apple TV+, Spotify, and more.

US Bank Altitude Go Card Review

Best for Restaurants and Other Bonus Categories

Citi Premier® Card - Product Name Only

The Citi Premier® Card flies under the radar as a credit card for restaurant spending, but if you're looking for an all-purpose card that earns bonus rewards in lots of categories — including dining — it's an excellent pick. Even better, the card is currently offering a bonus of Citi Premier® Card.

With the Citi Premier® Card, you'll earn 3x points at restaurants, gas stations, supermarkets, hotels, and on airfare, and 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases. Citi ThankYou points don't always get as much attention as other rewards currencies, but they're incredibly versatile — you can transfer them to airline partners, use them to book travel through the Citi ThankYou portal, or redeem them for gift cards, cash back, merchandise, and more. 

Citi Premier Card Review 

Best for Automatically Maximizing Rewards

Citi Custom Cash℠ Card - Product Name Only

The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card is unique in that cardholders earn 5% cash back on up to $500 in purchases in the eligible category they spend the most in each billing cycle (then 1%), and 1% on all other purchases.

Restaurants are one of the eligible categories — along with gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs, and live entertainment. If dining out and ordering in are big expenses for you, using the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card for your purchases could earn you up to $25 in bonus cash back per month ($500 x 5% back).

The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card is also offering a welcome bonus of Citi Custom Cash℠ Card. For a card with a Citi Custom Cash℠ Card annual fee, this is a good deal. Just remember it only earns 1% back outside of your highest spending category each month, so other cards — like the Citi Premier® Card — may be a better fit if you want to earn more rewards in multiple categories.

Citi Custom Cash Card Review

Best for Fast Food

U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card - Product Name Only

Whether you're a road warrior who grabs quick meals on the go or a family that hits the drive-thru on busy school nights, the U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® Card could be your best choice for earning generous rewards on fast food.

It's unique in that cardholders can earn 5% cash back on two eligible categories (from a list) of their choice, on up to $2,000 in combined purchases each quarter (then 1% back). The list includes fast food, plus prepaid air travel, hotel stays, and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Center online portal, home utilities, TV, internet, and streaming services, department stores, electronic stores, cell phone providers, sporting goods stores, furniture stores, movie theaters, gyms and fitness centers, ground transportation, and select clothing stores.

You'll also get to choose a 2% cash back "everyday" category from restaurants, gas and EV charging stations, or grocery stores, and earn 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases. 

This no-annual-fee card comes with a good welcome bonus offer: U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® Card. After account opening, you'll also qualify for a U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card (then a U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® Card APR). 

US Bank Cash Plus Card Review

Best for Students

Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card - Product Name Only

The new Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card is a great choice if you're new to credit and looking for a cash-back card that earns bonus rewards in popular categories. Student credit cards are often easier to get approved for if you don't have a credit score, and this card doesn't charge an annual fee or foreign transaction fees.

Cardholders earn 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, eligible streaming services, and grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target), and 1% back on everything else. 

The Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card comes with a decent range of benefits, including price protection***, extended warranty***, car rental coverage***, and complimentary concierge services. As with other Capital One cards, you'll automatically be considered for a higher credit line in as little as six months from account opening.

Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Student Credit Card Review

Best for Lower Credit Scores or Building Credit

U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa® Secured Card - Product Name Only

If you're brand new to credit or rebuilding your credit, opening one of the best secured credit cards like the no-annual-fee U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa® Secured Card can help you improve your credit score when you use it responsibly. And unlike most credit cards for bad credit, this card earns generous rewards, particularly on dining out.

Like its non-secured version (the U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card), the U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa® Secured Card earns 4x points on dining (including takeout and delivery), 2x points at grocery stores (including grocery delivery), gas stations (including EV charging), and on streaming services, and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. Cardholders also get the same $15 annual bonus for eligible streaming services.

The biggest difference is that the U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa® Secured Card doesn't have a welcome bonus offer, and you'll have to put down a security deposit of $300 to $5,000 (which becomes the amount of your credit limit). However, after you show a history of responsible use, you may be able to "graduate" to the U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card and have your security deposit returned down the road.

US Bank Altitude Go Secured Credit Card Review

Best for Cash Back on Dining in Q2 2023

Discover it® Cash Back - Product Name Only

The Discover it® Cash Back - Product Name Only doesn't always make our list of the best dining credit cards, but for the second quarter of 2023, it's a hard one to beat. This card earns 5% cash back in popular rotating quarterly bonus categories when you activate, on up to $1,500 in combined spending (then 1%). You'll also earn 1% back everywhere else Discover It Cashback rotation.

From April 1 to June 30, 2023, the bonus categories are restaurants and wholesale clubs. Restaurants include full-service restaurants, cafes, cafeterias, fast-food locations, and restaurant delivery services. 

There's no traditional welcome bonus offer on the card; instead, Discover will match all the rewards you earn in the first 12 months through the Discover Cashback Match program. Plus, there's no annual fee or foreign transaction fees to worry about.

Discover it Cash Back card review

What Counts as Dining as a Credit Card Bonus Category?

Each card issuer has a slightly different definition of dining or restaurants, but generally speaking, dining credit cards will earn bonus rewards in that category at sit-down restaurants and fast-food joints,  and possibly cafés, bars, lounges, or food delivery services.

Whether or not an establishment triggers a credit card dining bonus depends on the merchant category code (MCC) the vendor uses and the specific rules for the card issuer. Here's what the major banks included in this guide consider dining:

  • American Express: Sit-down restaurants, fast-food restaurants, and some delivery services (like Grubhub and Uber Eats). What doesn't count: Bars, nightclubs, convenience stores, supermarkets, grocery stores, cafeterias, caterers, theatre clubs, breweries, bakeries, meeting venues, and restaurants inside another establishment (like a hotel)
  • Capital One: Restaurants, cafés, bars, lounges, fast-food chains, bakeries. What doesn't count: Outlets such as food trucks or food carts that may use a "merchandise" code, restaurants in department stores or hotels
  • Chase: Sit-down restaurants, fast-food restaurants, delivery services (if they classify as a restaurant merchant). What doesn't count: Merchants that sell food and drinks located within facilities such as sports stadiums, hotels and casinos, theme parks, grocery, and department stores, bakeries, caterers, and gift card merchants
  • Citi: Restaurants (including cafes, bars, lounges, and fast-food restaurants). What doesn't count: Bakeries, caterers, and restaurants located inside other establishments (like hotels, department stores, grocery stores, discount and convenience stores, or warehouse clubs)
  • US Bank: Restaurant, fast-food restaurants, or bars. What doesn't count: On the U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® Card, fast-food restaurants are a separate category from dining (which doesn't include fast food)

How Can I Earn More Rewards on Dining?

Even if you're already using a credit card that earns bonus cash back or points at restaurants, it's possible to stack your earnings by registering your card with an airline or hotel dining program. These platforms award you bonus rewards when you use your card at a participating restaurant, and they're free to join.

Powered by Rewards Network, here are some of the more popular options:

Some programs earn bonus cash back and other rewards; you can find the full list of Rewards Network dining programs here.

How to Choose the Best Dining Credit Card for You

The best rewards credit card for your restaurant spending depends on the types of rewards you like to earn and if you'll use the card for other purchases. Some cards offer a high earning rate on dining but might not be a good fit for your other spending, while others come with a decent rate of return at restaurants and additional everyday spending categories.

If you're planning to apply for a new credit card to use on restaurant spending, you should also consider the welcome bonus offer — some cards currently come with record-high offers — as well as the annual fee, benefits, and redemption options. 

 

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The Best Dining Credit Cards of May 2023