One of the best ways to maximize your credit card rewards is to pick a card that offers bonus points in the categories that you spend the most in, whether that’s supermarkets, gas stations, or non-bonused categories.
In this post I wanted to look at the best credit cards for dining & restaurant purchases. While everyone has to eat, admittedly not everyone dines out a lot. Nonetheless, odds are that most people spend a decent amount either on restaurants or grocery stores, so hopefully this is useful for many people.
I know one of the bonus categories that earns me the most rewards is the dining category, so this one is near and dear to my heart. There are lots of great credit cards offering bonuses on dining purchases, whether you want to earn cash back, transferable points, airline miles, or hotel points.
In all cases, I’ll only be looking at cards earning at least 2% back (or the equivalent of that based on my valuation of points).
In this post:
What’s the best credit card for restaurant purchases?
While I’ll go into a lot more detail below, let me try to provide the simplest advice possible for figuring out which credit card is best to use for dining:
- For personal cards, if you want to earn travel rewards, it’s tough to beat the American Express® Gold Card, Citi Strata Premier℠ Card, or Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, as the cards offer 3-4x points on dining globally with no foreign transaction fees
- For personal cards, if you want to earn cash back, it’s tough to beat the no annual fee Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card (Rates & Fees), which offers 3% cash back on dining globally with no foreign transaction fees
- For business cards, the American Express® Business Gold Card potentially offers 4x points on U.S. purchases at restaurants (if it is in one of the two categories where you spend the most in a given billing cycle), or alternatively, the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card offers 2x points on dining purchases (on the first $25,000 spent per cardmember year), though in both cases I’d only use these cards for restaurant purchases in the United States
I’d say those are among the best, most widely useful cards for this category. However, below I’ll cover lots of other good options.
What qualifies as dining & restaurant spending?
Before going into great detail about the best cards for dining purchases, I think it’s important to talk a bit about what qualifies as dining spending:
- While it varies by card issuer, generally speaking the dining category includes cafes, bars, lounges, fast food restaurants, takeout, and delivery
- Generally convenience stores, nightclubs, and restaurants located within other establishments won’t be categorized as dining & restaurants
- This also all comes down to how particular merchants choose to categorize themselves
The policies will differ based on the specific establishment, so if you frequently make a purchase with the same merchant, I recommend verifying the merchant category.
Best personal cards for dining December 2024
People have different preferences when it comes to earning rewards for credit card spending. Some people prefer to earn travel rewards that they can use towards their next adventure, while other people prefer to earn cash back, which they can redeem however they want.
So, what are the best personal credit cards for dining spending? I’ll share only the cards that are currently open to new applicants (note that the Citi Prestige is also a great option, but it’s not open to new applicants anymore).
1. American Express® Gold Card
Reward for restaurant spending: 4x Amex Membership Rewards points (which I value at 6.8%)
Card annual fee: $325 (Rates & Fees)
Other things to be aware of: The Amex Gold has no foreign transaction fees, and you can earn 4x points on dining globally. You’ll earn 4x on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year and then 1x.
Read a review of the Amex Gold, apply for the Amex Gold.
2. Citi Strata Premier℠ Card
Reward for restaurant spending: 3x Citi ThankYou points (which I value at 5.1%)
Card annual fee: $95
Other things to be aware of: The Citi Strata Premier has phenomenal bonus categories, and being able to earn 3x points on dining globally with no foreign transaction fees is awesome
Read a review of the Citi Strata Premier, apply for the Citi Strata Premier.
3. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Reward for restaurant spending: 3x Chase Ultimate Rewards points (which I value at 5.1%)
Card annual fee: $95
Other things to be aware of: The Chase Sapphire Preferred has no foreign transaction fees, and you can earn 3x points on dining globally
Read a review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred, apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
4. Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Reward for restaurant spending: 3x Chase Ultimate Rewards points (which I value at 5.1%)
Card annual fee: $550
Other things to be aware of: The Chase Sapphire Reserve has no foreign transaction fees, and you can earn 3x points on dining globally
Read a review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve, apply for the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
5. American Express® Green Card
Reward for restaurant spending: 3x Amex Membership Rewards points (which I value at 5.1%)
Card annual fee: $150 (Rates & Fees)
Other things to be aware of: The Amex Green has no foreign transaction fees (Rates & Fees), and you can earn 3x points on dining globally
Read a review of the Amex Green, apply for the Amex Green.
The information and associated card details on this page for the American Express Green Card has been collected independently by OMAAT and has not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
6. Bilt Mastercard®
Reward for restaurant spending: 3x Bilt points (which I value at 5.1%)
Card annual fee: $0
Other things to be aware of: The Bilt Mastercard has no foreign transaction fees, and you can earn 3x points on dining globally as long as you have at least five posted transactions per billing cycle
Read a review of the Bilt Mastercard, apply for the Bilt Mastercard.
7. Aeroplan® Credit Card
Reward for restaurant spending: 3x Air Canada Aeroplan points (which I value at 4.2%)
Card annual fee: $95
Other things to be aware of: The Aeroplan Card has no foreign transaction fees, and you can earn 3x points on dining globally
Read a review of the Aeroplan Card, apply for the Aeroplan Card.
8. Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
Reward for restaurant spending: 7x Hilton Honors points (which I value at 3.5%)
Card annual fee: $450
Other things to be aware of: While the Hilton Aspire has no foreign transaction fees, you only earn bonus points for dining at U.S. restaurants
Read a review of the Hilton Aspire, apply for the Hilton Aspire.
The information and associated card details on this page for the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has been collected independently by OMAAT and has not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
9. Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Reward for restaurant spending: 2x miles (which I value at 3.4%)
Card annual fee: $395
Other things to be aware of: The Capital One Venture X offers 2x miles on all purchases globally with no foreign transaction fees
Read a review of the Capital One Venture X, apply for the Capital One Venture X (Rates & Fees).
10. Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
Reward for restaurant spending: 3% cash back
Card annual fee: $0 (Rates & Fees)
Other things to be aware of: The Capital One Savor has no foreign transaction fees, and you can earn 3% cash back on dining globally
Read a review of the Capital One Savor, apply for the Capital One Savor.
11. Chase Freedom FlexSM Credit Card
Reward for restaurant spending: 3x points (which I value at 3-5.1%)
Card annual fee: $0
Other things to be aware of: The Chase Freedom Flex offers 3x points on dining, and those points can be converted into Ultimate Rewards points if you have it in conjunction with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card, or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card; the card has foreign transaction fees, so I wouldn’t use it abroad
Read a review of the Chase Freedom Flex, apply for the Chase Freedom Flex.
12. Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Reward for restaurant spending: 3x points (which I value at 3-5.1%)
Card annual fee: $0
Other things to be aware of: The Chase Freedom Unlimited offers 3x points on dining, and those points can be converted into Ultimate Rewards points if you have it in conjunction with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card, or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card; the card has foreign transaction fees, so I wouldn’t use it abroad
Read a review of the Chase Freedom Unlimited, apply for the Chase Freedom Unlimited.
13. Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
Reward for restaurant spending: 2x American AAdvantage miles (which I value at 3%)
Card annual fee: $99, waived the first year
Other things to be aware of: The Citi AAdvantage Platinum has no foreign transaction fees, and you can earn 2x miles on dining globally, so this is one of the better airline cards for restaurant spending
Read a review of the Citi AAdvantage Platinum, apply for the Citi AAdvantage Platinum.
14. Citi Custom Cash® Card
Reward for restaurant spending: Varies
Card annual fee: $0
Other things to be aware of: This card offers 5x points in the category in which you spend the most each billing cycle, for up to $500 of spending; restaurants is one of those categories, meaning you could earn 5x points on dining purchases, and you can pool rewards with Citi ThankYou points earned on other cards
Read a review of the Citi Custom Cash, apply for the Citi Custom Cash.
Best business cards for dining December 2024
As you can see above, there are lots of great personal credit cards for restaurant and dining purchases. What about business cards, though, given that wining & dining is a common business expense? Let’s take a look at the best business credit cards for dining purchases, though I’ll note there aren’t quite as many good options as you’ll find with personal cards.
1. American Express® Business Gold Card
Reward for restaurant spending: 4x Amex Membership Rewards points (which I value at 6.8%)
Card annual fee: $375 (Rates & Fees)
Other things to be aware of: This card offers 4x points in the two categories you spend most in, up to $150,000 per year, and U.S. restaurants is one of those bonus categories. After the $150,000 cap has been hit, you’ll earn 1x.
Read a review of the Amex Business Gold, apply for the Amex Business Gold.
2. The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
Reward for restaurant spending: 2x Amex Membership Rewards points (which I value at 3.4%)
Card annual fee: $0 (Rates & Fees)
Other things to be aware of: While there’s no bonus category specifically for restaurants, the card offers 2x Membership Rewards points on the first $50,000 spent every calendar year (and then 1x), which is excellent; the card does have foreign transaction fees, so I wouldn’t recommend using it abroad
Read a review of the Amex Blue Business Plus, apply for the Amex Blue Business Plus.
3. Capital One Spark Miles for Business
Reward for restaurant spending: 2x Capital One Spark miles (which I value at 3.4%)
Card annual fee: $95, waived the first year
Other things to be aware of: While there’s no bonus category specifically for restaurants, the card offers 2x Capital One miles on all purchases with no foreign transaction fees, which is an excellent return
Read a review of the Spark Miles for Business, apply for the Spark Miles for Business (Rates & Fees).
4. Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card
Reward for restaurant spending: 4x Marriott Bonvoy points (which I value at 2.8%)
Card annual fee: $125 (Rates & Fees)
Other things to be aware of: This is one of the best hotel credit cards for restaurant purchases; the card has no foreign transaction fees, and this bonus category applies globally
Read a review of the Marriott Bonvoy Business, apply for the Marriott Bonvoy Business.
5. United℠ Business Card
Reward for restaurant spending: 2x United MileagePlus miles (which I value at 2.8%)
Card annual fee: $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $99
Other things to be aware of: This is one of the best airline credit cards for restaurant purchases globally, and the card has no foreign transaction fees
Read a review of the United Business, apply for the United Business.
6. Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
Reward for restaurant spending: 2x points (which I value at 2-3.4%)
Card annual fee: $0
Other things to be aware of: The Ink Business Cash offers 2x points on the first $25,000 spent per year on restaurants and gas stations, and those points can be converted into Ultimate Rewards points if you have it in conjunction with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card, or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Read a review of the Ink Business Cash, apply for the Ink Business Cash.
Maximize value by using dining rewards programs
There are several different dining rewards program that help restaurants get extra business by offering points, miles, or cash back by using a linked credit card for your purchase. These are more prevalent in major cities where the restaurant market is more crowded, but it can still be worth joining even if you don’t live in a market that offers this — you never know when you’re going to stumble across one of these restaurants on a work trip or vacation.
Here are the best dining rewards programs available today:
- Seated — This app offers to give you rewards worth a certain percentage of your check, depending on where you dine
- InKind — This app offers a minimum of 15% savings at many restaurants, and there’s the potential to save even more
- Rewards Network — This company partners with major loyalty programs to offer a co-branded dining rewards program; while you may be able to double-dip with Seated or Mogl, for Rewards Network you’ll have to choose whether each of your credit cards is linked to the dining rewards program for Alaska, American, Delta, Hilton, Southwest, or United, but you can participate in all of the programs (this is also a great way to keep miles from expiring!)
Loyalty Program | Dining Rewards Program |
|---|---|
Alaska Mileage Plan | |
American AAdvantage | |
Delta SkyMiles | |
Hilton Honors | |
Southwest Rapid Rewards | |
United MileagePlus |
Bottom line
Hopefully the above list gives a card for every budget and rewards preference. From a no annual fee card earning 3% cash back, to a premium card earning 4x points, there are lots of great options to choose from for your dining spending.
If you’re looking to earn travel rewards for your personal dining spending, you really can’t go wrong with the American Express® Gold Card, Citi Strata Premier℠ Card, or Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. If you’re looking to earn simple cash back rewards with no annual fee, you can’t beat the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card (Rates & Fees).
What credit card do you use for dining purchases?
The following links will direct you to the rates and fees for mentioned American Express Cards. These include: American Express® Business Gold Card (Rates & Fees), American Express® Gold Card (Rates & Fees), The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express (Rates & Fees), Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card (Rates & Fees), and American Express® Green Card (Rates & Fees).
This is a poor article because most people will not choose a card just for restaurants. If choosing just for restaurants then the rational as to which card is different than if one chooses a card that they would use for multiple categories. It also depends on other related cards that one uses for other types of purchases. It is not a standalone decision.
My Citi Prestige disagrees.
Worth mentioning that the SavorOne cashback can be transferred to the Venture X, so the SavorOne earns 3x Capital One miles per dollar on dining, and the Savor, with a $95 annual fee, earns 4% (or 4x) on dining!
5x Hyatt points on restaurant spend for Q2 2023.
at least on my chase.com/mybonus.
I should start putting my dining spend on my Citi Prestige card instead of my amex gold card. I just don't value citi points as much as MR but I just end of transferring most to FB anyways.
Why would you not include the Credit One Bank Wander Card, which gets 5 percent cash back on dining?
Likely because no one has ever heard of this card.
For Q2 this year I'm using my Discover card for 5% cash back.
US Bank Altitude Go is a pretty big omission here. It gets 4% back, no annual fee, no foreign transaction fee. If you are going for cash back, that would probably be the best option.
Citi Prestige earns 5x Thank You points globally for restaurants. I'm so glad I am grandfathered in to the $350 annual fee as a Citi Gold member
The only reason I kept my Citi Prestige because it has an unbeatable 5x for restaurants globally!