Best Credit Card for Dining 2026
Updated 26 March 2026
Compare cards that earn 3 to 5% back at restaurants, on food delivery apps, and at grocery stores. Use the calculator below to find which card puts the most money back based on your actual spending.
Best Credit Cards for Dining Rewards
Sorted by restaurant rewards rate. Click any card to expand full details.
| Card Name | Restaurant Rate | Delivery Rate | Grocery Rate | Annual Fee | Sign-up Bonus | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chase Sapphire PreferredTop Pick Visa | Good / Excellent | 3% | 3% | 1% | $95/yr | 60,000 points | Frequent diners who also travel |
American Express Gold Card Amex | Good / Excellent | 4% | 4% | 4% | $250/yr | 60,000 points | Heavy restaurant and grocery spenders |
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Mastercard | Good / Excellent | 3% | 3% | 3% | $0 | $200 cash back | Cash back seekers who want no annual fee |
Citi Custom Cash Card Mastercard | Good / Excellent | 5% | 1% | 1% | $0 | $200 cash back | Diners who spend mainly at restaurants each month |
U.S. Bank Altitude Go Visa Visa | Good / Excellent | 4% | 4% | 2% | $0 | 20,000 points | No-fee card with strong dining and delivery rates |
Discover it Cash Back Discover | Good | 5% | 5% | 5% | $0 | Cashback Match (first year) | First-year value maximizers comfortable with rotating categories |
Bilt Mastercard Mastercard | Good / Excellent | 3% | 3% | 1% | $0 | None | Renters who want flexible points plus dining rewards |
Wells Fargo Autograph Card Visa | Good / Excellent | 3% | 3% | 1% | $0 | 30,000 points | Everyday spenders who want broad bonus categories |
Reward rates shown are the standard published rates. Bonus categories may have spending caps or time limits. Rates and terms are subject to change. Always read the full card terms and conditions before applying.
Dining Rewards Calculator
Enter your monthly spending to see projected annual rewards per card, net of annual fees.
Sit-down restaurants, cafes, bars, and fast food
DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub, and similar apps
Supermarkets, warehouse clubs, and online grocery delivery
Monthly Food Total
$850
$10,200 per year across restaurants, delivery, and groceries
Estimated Annual Rewards (net of annual fee)
after $250 fee
after $95 fee
How dining categories work
Card issuers use Merchant Category Codes (MCCs) to classify spending. A restaurant earns the dining bonus rate only if the merchant is coded 5812 (eating places) or 5814 (fast food). Cafes, bars, and food trucks typically qualify. Grocery stores, warehouse clubs, and airline food kiosks usually do not, even if you are buying food.
Points vs. cash back
Cash back cards give you a simple percentage return. Points cards can deliver higher value when transferred to airline or hotel partners, but require more planning. If you are new to rewards cards, start with a cash back card. Once you are comfortable tracking and redeeming, consider a transferable points card for potentially 50 to 100% higher value on the same spend.
Watch for spending caps
Some cards cap the bonus category spend. For example, the Citi Custom Cash earns 5% only on the first $500 per billing cycle, then drops to 1%. The Amex Gold caps the 4x grocery rate at $25,000 per year. Know your cap before applying. If your monthly restaurant spend exceeds the cap, a card with an uncapped but slightly lower rate may earn more over the year.