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Best Credit Cards for Restaurants and Dining Out of 2023

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Dining out, including takeout and delivery services, remains one of the most common credit card bonus categories. Some of the best credit cards for restaurants earn extra points on food and even offer statement credits to help you save on orders from food delivery subscription services.

Here are the best credit cards for restaurants and dining out that can help you maximize rewards when you try a new restaurant, grab lunch or order delivery.

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Our Picks for the Best Cards for Restaurants
<span style='background-color:#FFFF00;'>Chase Sapphire Preferred<sup>®</sup> Card</span>

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

5 points per dollar on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards

NULL points per dollar on dining

2 points per dollar on all other travel purchases

1 point on everything else

<span style='background-color:#FFFF00;'>Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card</span>

Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

10% cash back on Uber and Uber Eats through 11/14/24

8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases

5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply)

3% on dining and entertainment

3% on popular streaming services

3% at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target)

1% cash back on all other purchases

<span style='background-color:#FFFF00;'>Bank of America<sup>®</sup> Customized Cash Rewards credit card</span>

Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card

3% cash back each quarter in the available category of your choice

Automatic 2% cash back each quarter at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases; then earn 1% cash back)

1% cash back on all other purchases

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

This card earns 5 points per dollar on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards, NULL points per dollar on dining, 2 points per dollar on all other travel purchases and 1 point on everything else.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is currently offering new cardholders 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months—worth up to $750 in travel when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Its annual fee is $95.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Apply

on Chase's website

Good - Exceptional

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

APR

21.49% - 28.49% Variable

Intro APR

N/A*

Rewards

5x Points on Travel purchased through Chase

3x Points on dining, select streaming services and online groceries

2x Points on Other Travel

1x Points on All Other Purchases

Intro Bonus

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.

Annual Fee

$95

Card Details
  • Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
  • Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®; 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, and $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, plus more.
  • Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
  • Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
  • Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
  • Member FDIC

Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card offers 10% cash back on Uber and Uber Eats and complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through 11/14/24. You'll earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases and 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply). You also get 3% back on dining and entertainment, 3% on popular streaming services and 3% at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Target and Walmart). You earn 1% back on everything else. Not bad for a card with no annual fee, especially considering its current welcome offer is a one-time $200 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. See rates and fees.

Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

Apply

on Capital One's website

Rates and Fees

Good - Exceptional

Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

APR

19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)

Intro APR

0% on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months

Rewards

8% Cash Back on Capital One Entertainment Purchases

5% Cash Back on Hotels and Rental Cars Booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply)

3% Cash Back on Dining, Entertainment, Popular Streaming Services & Grocery Stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®)

1% Cash Back on All Other Purchases

Intro Bonus

Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening

Annual Fee

$0

Card Details
  • Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
  • Earn unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), plus 1% on all other purchases
  • Earn 10% cash back on purchases made through Uber & Uber Eats, plus complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through 11/14/2024
  • Earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
  • Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
  • No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus cash back won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how much you can earn
  • 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% - 29.99% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
  • No foreign transaction fee
  • No annual fee

Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card

The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card has no annual fee and offers a unique cash back program tailored to your spending. You earn 3% cash back in the category of your choice, which might include dining, gas and EV charging stations, online shopping, cable/internet/phone plans/streaming, travel, drug stores or home improvement/furnishings.

Additionally, you automatically earn 2% cash back each quarter at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases; then earn 1% cash back) and an unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Bank of America Preferred Rewards® members can earn 25% to 75% more cash back on every purchase depending on your tier in the program.

Do Bars And Coffee Shops Count as Restaurants?

The terms "dining" and "restaurant" can be a bit confusing when it comes to credit card categories. That's good news for consumers, though, since many credit cards that offer these bonus categories actually extend them to merchants beyond what you might think are included.

For instance, Chase categorizes "Dining/Restaurants" as merchants whose primary business is sit-down or eat-in dining, including fine-dining establishments as well as fast food restaurants. But you'll also find that many delivery services, including Grubhub, are counted in the dining category, as are some coffee shops and many bars. Those merchants that sell food within other facilities such as sports stadiums, theme parks or hotels are usually not included.

For its part, American Express divides restaurants into U.S. and global groupings, and excludes those that are located within other businesses such as hotels, casinos and event venues, as well as bars, nightclubs, cafeterias, caterers, theatre clubs, breweries, bakeries and meeting venues. Still, many purchases you may think fall into these categories are in fact coded as restaurant charges and thus earn bonus points. Terms apply.

Credit card issuers depend on merchants to categorize themselves for the most part, so if a café or bar lists itself as a restaurant, that's how the charge will earn points.

Are There Limits to Rewards Earned?

Some credit cards limit the number of bonus rewards you can earn in certain categories. Before you commit to a specific card for your dining buys, double-check the terms and benefits. That way, you can ensure your earning potential is not capped, or that you can at least maximize your rewards by spending up to any dollar ceilings there might be.

What Credit Score Do I Need for a Restaurant Rewards Card?

While some rewards credit cards are targeted to customers who are just getting started with credit or looking to build their credit history, the best credit cards for restaurants tend to be geared toward folks with good to excellent credit. That usually means you have a long history of paying off your bills responsibly and on time, and carry little to no debt.

Before applying for a credit card, get a free copy of your credit report and score from Experian so you will know what issuers see when they receive your application and whether it's worth applying for a certain card. You can also check out Experian CreditMatch™ for credit card offers that suit your needs.

Some of the best rewards credit cards include restaurants and dining among their bonus categories. By using such a card for your dine-in, takeout and delivery purchases, you can rack up extra rewards like points or cash much faster than with other everyday expenses. Just be sure you do so responsibly—and maximize any other perks the card might offer.