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Whether you’re eating at restaurants in person or ordering takeout, using a credit card that earns bonus rewards for dining can help you earn extra points, miles, or cash back.
Here are some of the best credit cards for restaurants — including dine-in, takeout, and delivery — available right now.
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.
Best dining card for foodies: Amex Gold
Best premium card: Chase Sapphire Reserve
Best for dining and travel: Chase Sapphire Preferred
Best cash back rate: Capital One Savor Card
Best for dining and rotating bonus categories: Chase Freedom Flex
Best for dining and flat-rate rewards: Chase Freedom Unlimited
Best uncapped rewards rate with no annual fee: US Bank Altitude Go
Best for restaurants and other bonus categories: Citi Premier Card
Best if dining is your top spending category: Citi Custom Cash Card
Best for fast food: US Bank Cash Plus
Best for students: Capital One SavorOne Student Card
Best for lower credit scores or building credit: US Bank Altitude Go Secured
Compare the best credit cards for dining
Amex Gold card
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 Travel1 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, Ruth’s Chris Steak House (through August 1, 2022), Boxed (through August 1, 2022), and participating Shake Shack locations. Here’s our Amex Gold card review for all the details.
The American Express Membership Rewards points you earn with the card are incredibly flexible, too. You can redeem them for travel through the Amex Travel portal, transfer them to airline and hotel partners, or trade them in for gift cards, cash back, merchandise, and more.
Amex Membership Rewards points are worth, on average, 1.8 cents each based on Insider’s points and miles valuations — but the exact value you’ll get depends on how you redeem your rewards.
Chase Sapphire Reserve card
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. It’s currently offering Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
Cardholders receive a complimentary DashPass membership, which waives delivery fees and offers lower service fees on orders of $12 or more. Chase recently extended the DashPass benefit and added $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 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 or redeem through Pay Yourself Back (including toward dining purchases through June 30, 2022). Read the Chase Sapphire Reserve card review to learn more.
Chase Sapphire Preferred card
If you want to earn 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 a 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 with Pay Yourself Back, 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. Read our Chase Sapphire Preferred card review to learn more.
Insider’s points and miles valuations peg Chase Ultimate Rewards points as worth, on average, 1.8 cents apiece — in part because you can often get outsized value from your points when you transfer to partners for award travel.
Capital One Savor card
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’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 Capital One Travel, 3% back on groceries and 1% back on everything else. To learn more about the card, check out our Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card review.
If you have an eligible Capital One-branded card, including the Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card, you can take advantage of the recently launched Capital One Dining program. Cardholders can access exclusive, hard-to-get dining reservations in major cities that aren’t available through other platforms.
Chase Freedom Flex card
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ is marketed as a cash-back card, but it actually 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. Learn more in our Chase Freedom Flex card review.
Right now, there are alternate offers available through Chase for the Freedom Flex and Freedom Unlimited — read our guide to the current Chase Freedom offers to compare and decide which is best for you.
Chase Freedom Unlimited
Similar to Chase Freedom Flex℠, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® is also framed as a cash-back card, but it earns 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 and Chase Freedom Unlimited to help you decide which card is better for you, and be sure to check out our Chase Freedom Unlimited card review.
U.S. Bank Altitude Go Visa
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. Read more in our US Bank Altitude Go card review.
Citi Premier card
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. Read the Citi Premier credit card review for more info.
The Citi Premier® Card is one of the cards in the Citi Trifecta — a trio of cards that can earn you maximum points on every purchase you make. Insider values Citi ThankYou points as worth, on average, 1.6 cents apiece.
Citi Custom Cash card
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. Read more about the card in our Citi Custom Cash card review.
U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card (jump to U.S. Bank Cash+ card details »)
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 Travel 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. Here’s our US Bank Cash+ card review for more details.
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).
Capital One SavorOne Student card
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 long credit history, 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. Learn more in our Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards card review.
U.S. Bank Altitude Go secured card
If you’re brand new to credit or rebuilding your credit, a secured credit card 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.
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.
Dining credit card frequently asked questions (FAQ)
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 and 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 hotelsChase: 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 merchantsCiti: 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)
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).
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:
American Airlines AAdvantage DiningDelta SkyMiles DiningUnited MileagePlus DiningSouthwest Rapid Rewards DiningHilton Honors DiningIHG Rewards Dine and EarnMarriott Bonvoy Eat Around TownChoice Privileges Dining
There are also programs that earn bonus cash back and other rewards; you can find the full list of Rewards Network dining programs here.