Best Dining Credit Cards

Introduction to Credit Cards for Dining

Whether you dine in or order takeout, savvy foodies can earn extra points, miles, or cash back by using one of the best credit cards for bonus rewards for dining.

Here are some of the best restaurant cards for dine-in, takeout, and delivery.

Best Credit Cards for Restaurants

• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Best for dining and travel
• Chase Freedom Unlimited®: Best for dining and flat-rate rewards with no annual fee
• American Express® Gold Card: Best dining card for foodies
• Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Best premium card for dining rewards
• Chase Freedom Flex® : Best for dining and rotating categories
• U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card : Best uncapped rewards rate with no annual fee
• Citi Strata Premier℠ Card : Best for restaurants and other bonus categories
• Citi Custom Cash℠ Card : Best for automatically maximizing rewards
• U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card : Best for fast food
• Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for students
• U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa® Secured Card : Best for lower credit scores or building credit
• Bilt Mastercard®: Best for bonus dining days and locations

Compare the Top Credit Cards for Restaurants

 

Dining Credit Card Reviews

The best cards for dining out offer generous rewards on food and drinks. When choosing a dining credit card, make sure you're earning more than 1% back on anything you spend in a restaurant, bar, or similar establishment. You should also be able to earn additional rewards in other categories.

The following reviews highlight our top choices for good dining credit cards you can get right now, according to Business Insider's team of credit card experts. 

Best for Dining and Travel: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

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 through December 31, 2027, and it earns 3x points on dining.

Right now, it's offering a welcome bonus of 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. 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. 

Business Insider's points and miles valuations peg Chase Ultimate Rewards points as worth 1.8 cents apiece on average because you can often get outsized value from your points when you transfer to partners for award travel.

Read our Chase Sapphire Preferred Card review.

Best for Dining and Flat Rate Rewards With No Annual Fee: Chase Freedom Unlimited®

 

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 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

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 credit cards, to help you decide which one is better for you.

Read our Chase Freedom Unlimited review.

Best for Foodies: American Express® Gold Card

The American Express® Gold Card is an excellent choice whether you like dining out or prefer eating at home. It offers a welcome bonus of 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership.

Additionally, you'll earn 4 Membership Rewards® points on purchases at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1 point), 4 points at US supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1 point), 3 points on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com, 2 points on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com, and 1 point on all other eligible purchases.

The American Express® Gold Card has a $325 annual fee, but two benefits can help you offset most of the yearly cost. You can enroll to receive up to $120 per calendar year (up to $10 per month) in Uber Cash credits you can use toward eligible U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats purchases (you must have the latest version of the Uber App and your eligible Amex Gold Card must be a method of payment in your Uber account). 

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 at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys**. 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. 

Read our Amex Gold Card review.

Best Premium Card for Dining: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a no-brainer for adventurous travelers who value strong trip insurance benefits. And for those who travel light with a single credit card, this card does double duty as a fantastic card for foodies on the go, earning 3 points per dollar on dining purchases. 

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® also 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). New cardholders can earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

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 (through December 31, 2027).

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 Chase Travel℠.

Read our Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card review.

Best for Dining and Rotating Bonus Categories: Chase Freedom Flex®

 

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 $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. 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 Chase Travel℠. 

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. For Q1, the Chase Freedom quarterly bonus categories is groceries, gyms, spa services, and Norwegian Cruise fares.

Read our Chase Freedom Flex Credit Card review.

Best Uncapped Rewards Rate With No Annual Fee: U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card

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 25,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in eligible net purchases in the first 90 days of account opening — 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 our U.S. Bank Altitude Go Card review.

Best for Restaurants and Other Bonus Categories: Citi Strata Premier℠ Card

The Citi Strata 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 75,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening.

With the Citi Strata 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 our Citi Premier Card review. 

Best for Automatically Maximizing Rewards: 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 $200 cash back, fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of account opening. For a card with a $0 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 Strata Premier℠ Card — may be a better fit if you want to earn more rewards in multiple categories.

Read our Citi Custom Cash Card review.

Best for Fast Food: U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card

 

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: $200 bonus after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening. After account opening, you'll also qualify for a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 billing cycles  (then a 19.74% - 29.74% Variable APR). 

Read our U.S. Bank Cash Plus Card review.

Best for Students: Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

 

The Capital One Savor 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.

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 Savor 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.

Read our Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Student Credit Card review.

Best for Lower Credit Scores or Building Credit: U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa® Secured Card

 

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 Cash+® 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. 

The U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa® Secured Card earns rewards at the following rates:

• 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
• 1 point per dollar on all other purchases

Cardholders also get the same $15 annual bonus for eligible streaming services that non-secured U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card cardholders receive. 

The primary difference between the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card and its non-secured counterpart — the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card — is that you'll have to put down a security deposit of $300 to $5,000 to get the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa® Secured Card, which becomes the amount of your credit limit. This card also doesn't offer a welcome bonus, which is common with secured credit cards. But after you show a history of responsible use, you may be able to "graduate" to the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card, and have your security deposit returned down the road.

Read our U.S. Bank Altitude Go Secured Credit Card review.

Best for Bonus Dining Days and Locations: Bilt Mastercard®

 

The Bilt Mastercard® is the newest addition to this guide for best dining credit cards, but it richly deserves the accolade. The Bilt Mastercard® is best known as the only credit card that allows renters to pay rent each month without incurring a transaction fee. But this card also offers fantastic dining benefits: Cardholders earn 3x per dollar on all dining purchases, which doubles to 6x per dollar on Bilt Rent Day, which falls on the first of every month (double earning is capped at 1,000 points).

Business Insider values Bilt Rewards points at up to 2.1 cents apiece, which means you could earn up to 12.6% back on a Bilt Rent Day meal out. 

Bilt separately offers the Bilt Dining program, which allows diners to link any credit or debit card to the issuer's dining network to earn 5 points per dollar spent at participating restaurants. Thus, you can earn a total of 8x points per dollar on most days or 11x points per dollar on Bilt Rent Day if you link your Bilt credit card to the Bilt Dining program for stacked rewards.

Furthermore, Bilt regularly offers elevated promotion periods for cardholders who pay for dining expenses with the Bilt Mastercard®. A recent Bilt Rent Day bonus offered up to 16 points per dollar at select restaurants, worth a whopping 33.6% in bonus value.

However, the Bilt Mastercard® comes with one important catch: Cardholders must make five transactions per billing statement period across any category of spend in order to earn Bilt Rewards. If you're a renter, for example, you'll only need to pay rent each month with this card and then complete four more purchases in order to earn points on every dollar charged to the Bilt Mastercard®.

Read our Bilt Mastercard review.

Dining Credit Card Bonus Categories

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)
• U.S. 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)
• Bilt: Restaurants, bars, bakeries, and fast-food restaurants. What doesn't count: Caterers, grocery stores, and other miscellaneous places that serve food or operate restaurants on their premises. Bilt cardholders also need to make five transactions per statement period across any category of spend in order to earn Bilt Rewards. 

How to Earn More Credit Card Rewards on Restaurant 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 Dining
• Delta SkyMiles Dining
• United MileagePlus Dining
• Southwest Rapid Rewards Dining
• Hilton Honors Dining
• IHG Rewards Dine and Earn
• Marriott Bonvoy Eat Around Town
• Choice Privileges Dining
• Bilt Dining

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

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 

Why You Should Trust Us: How We Chose the Best Credit Cards for Dining

Business Insider's guides and reviews aren't influenced by money in any way. Our credit cards team will tell you when a card is a good deal — and we will tell you when it's a rotten deal.

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.

Read our post on how we rate credit cards for more information.

Jasmin Baron

Jasmin Baron is a credit cards writer and editor who has contributed her knowledge to sites like The Points Guy, Million Mile Secrets, and Business Insider.Her expertise in maximizing travel rewards grew from over two decades of experience in the aviation industry, including 18 years working as a pilot and flight instructor in her native Canada.

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