Rewards credit cards used to be pretty standard: You got airline miles, you got hotel points, or you got cash back. But as credit cards have started rewarding various types of spending with point-based rewards instead of just simple cash back, one of the categories that has jumped out is dining. We’ve come a long way since the original Diner’s Club charge card. Once reserved for special occasions, dining out is a staple of everyday life for many people, and a lucrative way to earn credit card rewards.
Let’s take a look at the best credit cards in this category. As we’ve done before (we’ve got top picks for grocery shopping and cards for new grads), this list looks at a few factors:
How easy is it to earn points, and how easy is it to redeem them?
If there’s an annual fee, are there enough benefits to make the fee worth it?
Are there bonus offers that can accelerate your initial earnings?
Here are the top cards for earning points or cash back on restaurants, takeout and delivery.
Best card for beginner rewards card users
Rewards: Earn 3% cash back on dining and entertainment, 2% cash back at grocery stores, and 1% everywhere else. There’s no spending cap for earning rewards.
Signup bonus: Get a $150 cash bonus when you spend $500 in your first three months after opening the card.
Annual fee: $0
Bonus perks: Get 0% introductory APR on the first 15 months your account is open.
Why we like it: While its big-brother card, Savor, offers 4% back on dining, the SavorOne card offers rewards that are nearly the same without the annual fee. Rewards never expire for the SavorOne card, and you can redeem your cash-back in any amount. If you want a card that rewards dining without tempting you to overspend for a big signup bonus (the Savor card offers $300 cash back when you spend $3,000 in the first three months), start with this card.
Best card for frequent ride-hailers
Rewards: Earn 4% back on restaurants, takeout, bars, and of course, Uber Eats orders. Earn 3% back on airfare, hotels and vacation home rentals, 2% back on online purchases including Uber rides, and 1% back on everything else. You can redeem your earnings for Uber Cash to use in the Uber app, for cash back, or gift cards.
Signup bonus: Get $100 when you spend $500 on purchases in your first three months.
Annual fee: $0
Bonus perks: Get up to $600 in mobile phone insurance (includes damage, theft, and “involuntary and accidental parting”!) if you use your card to pay your monthly phone bill.
Why we like it: Two Cents readers speak highly of this card for its versatility. Take a lot of Ubers? Use your rewards for that. Decide to buy a car and don’t need Uber quite as much? Use your rewards to pay off that meal you just drove yourself to. Combined with its lack of an annual fee and low threshold for a signup bonus, it’s a solid choice for Uber fans and beyond.
Best card for travelers
Rewards: Earn four points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide. Earn four points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, with a $25,000 annual purchase cap. Earn three points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airlines or through American Express’s travel portal, and earn one point per dollar on everything else.
Signup bonus: Spend $2,000 in your first three months to get 35,000 points.
Annual fee: $250
Bonus perks: The card comes with a $100 airline fee credit, which can be used on baggage, in-flight meals, or other incidentals; you have to select an airline for the calendar year. You can also get a $10 statement credit per month when you use your card to pay for Grubhub, Seamless, Boxed and Shake Shack (along with, for some reason, The Cheesecake Factory and Ruth’s Chris Steak House).
Why we like it: This card is best for someone who wants to eat their way to their next vacation and is already comfortable with rewards cards. American Express points can be transferred to 19 different airlines and three hotel loyalty programs (Choice, Hilton and Marriott). Travel is the best way to redeem points for this card—if you want to use points for cash back on your statement, you’ll only get 0.6 cents per point compared the one-to-one redemption for travel. The credits for airline incidentals and dining through specific chains nearly make up for the annual fee, if you use them wisely.
Best card for people who like to buy in bulk
Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi
Rewards: Earn 4% on gas for your first $7,000 spent per year, 3% on restaurants and travel, 2% on Costco purchases, and 1% on everything else.
Signup bonus: None
Annual fee: $0, but you must have a Costco membership (which starts at $60 per year).
Bonus perks: It’s a store card that can be used anywhere Visa is accepted, which means it comes with a lot of the travel insurance benefits we like to see for credit cards.
Why we like it: This card delivers rewards a bit differently: Each spring, you get a credit card reward for all your prior-year spending, and that reward is redeemable at Costco for either cash or purchases. It’s designed for Costco regulars, obviously, but the flexibility for how you earn could provide a nice windfall later.