Best Credit Cards for Restaurants and Dining in 2025
Our winner
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Our winner
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is our top pick for the best dining credit card because of its generous earning rates and low annual fee when compared to other dining credit cards with similar benefits.
Key takeaways
- The average American spends $3,639 a year dining out, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- A dining credit card allows you to earn a higher rewards rate on dining at restaurants and fast food establishments, and in some cases takeout and delivery.
- Earn 2 to 4 points or miles per dollar spent on dining with a dining rewards credit card. That could add up on average to 7,000 to 14,000 points or miles a year.
- A dining rewards card might be right for you if you’re a foodie who spends the U.S. average of $300 a month — or more — on dining out.
- (Winner) best credit card for restaurants: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- Runner-up for best dining card: American Express® Gold Card
- Best credit card for dining and groceries: Citi Strata Premier® Card
- Best credit card for dining with no annual fee: Chase Freedom Unlimited®
- Best restaurant credit card for entertainment: Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
- Best credit card for eating out with high rewards in top spending categories: Citi Custom Cash® Card
- Best restaurant credit card for online shopping: Prime Visa
- Best dining rewards card for business owners: American Express® Business Gold Card
8 best credit cards for dining out
| Credit Cards | Our Ratings | Annual Fee | Rewards Rate | Welcome Offer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Apply Now
on Chase's secure site Rates & Fees |
Winner
|
$95 | 1X - 5X points
| 75,000 points
Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
|
Apply Now
on Chase's secure site Rates & Fees |
American Express® Gold Card
|
Dining card runner up
|
$325 | 1X - 4X points
| As high as 100,000 points
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
| |
Citi Strata Premier® Card
Apply Now
on Citibank's secure site Rates & Fees |
Dining and Groceries
|
$95 | 1X - 10X points
| 60,000 points
Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.
|
Apply Now
on Citibank's secure site Rates & Fees |
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Apply Now
on Chase's secure site Rates & Fees |
No annual fee
|
$0 | 1.5% - 5% cash back
| $200 cash back
Intro Offer: Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
|
Apply Now
on Chase's secure site Rates & Fees |
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
|
Entertainment
|
$0 | 1% - 8% cash back
| $200 Cash Back
$200 Cash Back after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
| |
Citi Custom Cash® Card*
|
High rewards in top spending categories
|
$0 | 1% - 5% cash back
| $200 cash back
Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
| |
Prime Visa
Apply Now
on Chase's secure site Rates & Fees |
Online shopping
|
$0 | 1% - 5% cash back
| $150 Amazon gift card
Get a $150 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members
|
Apply Now
on Chase's secure site Rates & Fees |
American Express® Business Gold Card
|
Business Owners
|
$375 | 1X - 4X points
| 100,000 points
Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.*
|
To compare the best credit cards for dining, you should take a look at the rewards you can earn at restaurants, takeout and delivery, as well as how much you can earn in other categories. You should also see if the card has any dining credits or other benefits and how they compare to the card’s annual fee. (A card with no annual fee often is best — however, many cards with annual fees have other perks that can offset that cost.) Finally, you should take a look at the APR and recommended credit.
Methodology for choosing the best dining and restaurant cards
We looked at credit cards reviewed on LendingTree, as well as cards on major issuer sites, to compile a list of the best dining and restaurant rewards cards available right now. Some of the main criteria we considered when choosing cards included:
The card’s rewards earning rate, points value and how easy points are to redeem.
Whether or not a card charges an annual fee, if the fee is waived for the first year and if the card benefits offset or outweigh the annual fee.
Whether or not a card comes with a welcome offer or sign-up bonus, how easy it is to earn the bonus and how valuable the bonus is overall.
How the hotel card’s annual percentage rate (APR) compares to other cards in its category and whether or not there’s a low interest intro offer on purchases and/or balance transfers.
These include things like dining credits, complimentary services, travel perks and more.
Our choices are not influenced by our advertisers. You can read more about our credit card methodology here.
Winner
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here. Apply Now
Earn 3x points on dining
Full rewards rate details:
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- Earn 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries
- Earn 2x on all other travel purchases
- Earn 1x on all other purchases
- Earn elevated points on dining
- Get up to 75% more value for points when redeemed through Chase TravelSM
- Solid sign-up bonus
- Complimentary Door Dash DashPass for a minimum of one year
- $95 annual fee
- No intro APR offer for purchases or balance transfers
- Complex points earning structure
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is our pick for best dining credit card, whether you’re a foodie who loves to travel, a homebody who uses restaurant and grocery delivery services often or somewhere in between.
You can enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
In addition, you’ll get a complimentary DashPass subscription (which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees) for a minimum of one year when you activate by Dec. 31, 2027.
- Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
- Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel℠
- 10% anniversary points boost - each account anniversary you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
- Member FDIC
Best dining card runner-up
American Express® Gold Card
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide
Full rewards rate details:
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Terms apply.
- High welcome offer
- Generous rewards program for dining and U.S. supermarket purchases
- Annual Uber benefit and dining credits (enrollment required)
- Travel benefits, like baggage1 and rental car insurance2
- $325 annual fee
- Statement credits can be difficult to use
- Can’t carry a balance on some purchases
The American Express® Gold Card is one of the best rewards cards for dining — it offers one of the highest rewards rates available at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. It also comes with a monthly dining credit when you use your card on select dining purchases (enrollment required) and offers flexible rewards redemption options, including the ability to transfer points to other loyalty programs.
You’ll get up to $10 per month in statement credits (for a maximum of $120 per year) when you make purchases at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com and Five Guys*. Plus, you’ll also get up to $10 each month (for a maximum of $120 per year) in Uber Cash when you add this card to your Uber account and use it to pay for U.S. Uber eats and rides. The card also includes up to $84 statement credits for Dunkin’* and up to $100 statement credit for Resy*.
These perks and credits are worth over $400, fully covering the card’s $325 annual fee.
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Best credit card for dining and groceries
Citi Strata Premier® Card
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here. Apply Now
Earn 3X points on a wide variety of categories, including restaurants
Full rewards rate details:
- Earn 10x on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked through CitiTravel.com. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases.
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Restaurants.
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Supermarkets.
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Gas and EV Charging Stations.
- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on All Other Purchases
- Earn a $100 Annual Hotel Benefit: Once per calendar year, enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com. Benefit applied instantly at time of booking.
- Travel insurance protection: Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption (Common Carrier), Trip Delay, Lost or Damaged Luggage, MasterRental Coverage (Car Rental).
- Generous sign-up bonus
- Elevated rewards on dining, groceries and more
- Annual hotel credit and other travel benefits
- $95 annual fee
- No 0% intro APR offer
- Must book travel through Citi for best earning rate and hotel credit
The Citi Strata Premier® Card is our choice for the best credit card for dining and groceries, thanks to its elevated earnings on a number of everyday spending categories — including restaurants, supermarkets and more.
You’ll rack up valuable Citi ThankYou® Points quickly with this card. Earn 10x on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked through CitiTravel.com. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Restaurants. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Supermarkets. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Gas and EV Charging Stations. Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on All Other Purchases $100 Annual Hotel Benefit: Once per calendar year, enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com. Benefit applied instantly at time of booking. Travel insurance protection: Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption (Common Carrier), Trip Delay, Lost or Damaged Luggage, MasterRental Coverage (Car Rental).
There’s also a valuable sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com. And if you like to travel, you can use your points to book travel with one of Citi’s 15-plus travel partners and take advantage of the $100 annual hotel credit, which offsets the $95 annual fee.
- Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.
- Earn 10 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.
- Earn 3 Points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations.
- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- $100 Annual Hotel Benefit: Once per calendar year, enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com. Benefit applied instantly at time of booking.
- No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
No annual fee
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here. Apply Now
Earn 3% cash back on dining and an unlimited 1.5% on most other purchases
Full rewards rate details:
- Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more
- Earn 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service
- Earn 1.5% on all other purchases
- $0 annual fee
- Elevated rewards earning rate on dining
- Easy-to-earn sign-up bonus
- Long intro APR period on purchases and balance transfers
- Limited bonus categories
- Must book through Chase for highest earning rate
- Charges foreign transaction fees
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is the best credit card for dining out with no annual fee, as it offers a solid 3% cash back rewards earning rate on restaurants and 1.5% on almost all other purchases. This makes it a great fit if you want to earn a high cash back rate on dining and other everyday purchases. The card also comes with one of the easiest-to-earn sign-up bonuses of any dining credit card on the market, which means you can earn bonus cash back quickly.
However, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® has fairly limited bonus categories aside from dining, unless you’re booking travel through the Chase TravelSM portal.
- Intro Offer: Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
- Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases.
- No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
- Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 18.99% - 28.49%.
- No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
- Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
- Member FDIC
Entertainment
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Earn 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores
Full rewards rate details:
- Earn 3% Cash Back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services
- Earn 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply)
- Earn 8% Cash Back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
- Earn 1% Cash Back on all other purchases
- Generous cash back on dining and entertainment
- $0 annual fee
- Long intro APR on purchases and balance transfers (a balance transfer fee applies)
- Potentially high APR after intro period ends
- Target and Walmart excluded from higher grocery store earnings
The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card is our pick for best credit card for dining and entertainment. In addition to cash back on dining and grocery purchases, the card offers generous rewards on a wide range of entertainment purchases. You’ll also earn rewards on select popular streaming services, and additional rewards on Capital One Entertainment purchases.
- Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
- Earn unlimited 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, plus 1% on all other purchases
- 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; 19.24% - 29.24% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
- No foreign transaction fee
- No annual fee
- For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply
High rewards in top spending categories
Citi Custom Cash® Card*
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Get 5% on your top category of spending each month (including restaurants)
Full rewards rate details:
- Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter.
- Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- Special Travel Offer: Earn an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2026
- $0 annual fee
- Earn 5% cash back on your highest spend category each month (includes restaurants)
- Easy-to-earn sign-up bonus
- Long intro APR on purchases and balance transfers
- $500 monthly limit on higher cash-back rewards rate
- Most other purchases only earn 1% cash back
- No travel protections
- 3% foreign transaction fee
If you’re looking for a card that you can dedicate to getting the most cash back possible on dining purchases, the Citi Custom Cash® Card may be the best dining credit card for you. Along with a $0 annual fee and easy-to-earn sign-up bonus, you’ll earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. Also, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Unfortunately, though, the 5% rate covers only one category each month, and you’ll earn just 1% cash back on most other purchases. You may want to get another card to cover other major expenses, like gas and grocery shopping.
- Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
- 0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR will be 18.24% - 28.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
- Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. Also, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. Special Travel Offer: Earn an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2026.
- No rotating bonus categories to sign up for – as your spending changes each billing cycle, your earn adjusts automatically when you spend in any of the eligible categories.
- No Annual Fee
- Citi will only issue one Citi Custom Cash® Card account per person.
Online shopping
Prime Visa
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here. Apply Now
Earn 2% cash back on gas stations, restaurants and local transit
Full rewards rate details:
- Earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership
- Earn unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare)
- Earn unlimited 1% on all other purchases
- Amazon gift card upon approval
- Travel benefits, such as car rental and baggage delay insurance
- $0 annual fee
- $0 foreign transaction fees
- Must have Amazon Prime membership to earn highest rewards rate
- Subject to the Chase 5/24 rule
If you frequently shop at Amazon or Whole Foods, the rewards offered with the Prime Visa are hard to beat — and it also offers a good rate for restaurants, making it our pick for best credit card for dining out and online shopping. You’ll earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership, unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare), and unlimited 1% on all other purchases.
Plus, the card comes with a $0 annual fee and an Amazon Gift Card available instantly upon approval.
- Get a $150 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members
- Earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership
- Prime Card Bonus: Earn 10% back or more on a rotating selection of items and categories on Amazon.com with an eligible Prime membership
- Earn unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare)
- Earn unlimited 1% back on all other purchases
- No annual credit card fee
- No more waiting. Redeem daily rewards at Amazon.com as soon as the next day
- Member FDIC
Business owners
American Express® Business Gold Card
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Get 4X points on the two eligible categories where your business spent the most each month (including U.S. restaurants)
Full rewards rate details:
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points on the top two eligible categories where your business spends the most each month from 6 eligible categories. While your top 2 categories may change, you will earn 4X points on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories each calendar year (then 1X thereafter). Only the top 2 categories each billing cycle will count towards the $150,000 cap.*
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com using your Business Gold Card.*
- Earn up to $20 in statement credits monthly after you use the Business Gold Card for eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and Office Supply Stores. This can be an annual savings of up to $240. Enrollment required. Terms Apply
- Extremely generous welcome offer
- Earn valuable points at a high rate on common business purchases
- Up to $395 in credits for select business purchases (enrollment required)
- Travel benefits
- High annual fee
- High spend to earn the welcome offer
- Yearly spending cap for on higher rewards rate
The American Express® Business Gold Card is one of the best business credit cards for dining. It offers exceptional rewards in popular business-related spending categories: U.S. restaurants, U.S. gas, U.S. advertising, U.S. wireless telephone services, U.S. electronics, software and cloud systems and transit (for example, buses, trains, taxis and rideshares). You’ll earn valuable Membership Rewards points that you can use to fund travel and transfer to more than 15 hotel and airline loyalty programs.
This card charges a $375 annual fee. However, the card also offers up to $395 worth of credits toward a monthly Walmart+ membership and purchases at select merchants that can help cover the annual fee (enrollment required).
- Welcome Offer: Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.*
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points on the top two eligible categories where your business spends the most each month from 6 eligible categories. While your top 2 categories may change, you will earn 4X points on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories each calendar year (then 1X thereafter). Only the top 2 categories each billing cycle will count towards the $150,000 cap.*
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com using your Business Gold Card.*
- Earn up to $20 in statement credits monthly after you use the Business Gold Card for eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and Office Supply Stores. This can be an annual savings of up to $240. Enrollment required.*
- Get up to a $12.95** statement credit back each month after you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Business Gold Card. **Up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes on one membership fee.*
- The Business Gold Card comes in three metal designs: Gold, Rose Gold and White Gold. Make your selection when you apply on Americanexpress.com.
- *Terms Apply
What is a dining credit card?
There are several types of credit cards that give you elevated rewards for restaurant meals. Dining rewards cards offer cash back, points or miles for restaurant purchases and can really help you save money on dining out.
The purchases that are eligible to earn dining rewards vary depending on the credit card — however, they typically include sit-down restaurants, fast food restaurants, cafes and, sometimes, even takeout and delivery. Some card issuers also count purchases at bars and bakeries, while others do not.
But while there are dining credit cards available with no annual fees, the cards with the highest rewards rates and most robust benefits often charge a fee.
Pros and cons of dining rewards credit cards
- Provide points, miles or cash back on everyday purchases
- Dining rewards can be used to offset restaurant purchases
- Might offer annual dining credits
- May offer rewards in other popular categories, such as gas and groceries
- May offer other valuable benefits, protections and annual credits
- Might charge an annual fee
- Rewards may have caps on earning
- Often require good credit or even excellent credit
- Dining credits may be limited to specific establishments
Best dining rewards programs
Many airlines and hotels offer dining rewards programs that allow you to stack rewards by earning airline miles or hotel points at participating restaurants on top of what you earn with your dining credit card. Depending on the program, you can earn 3 to 8 miles points per dollar. To get started, sign up for a program, link your dining credit card, go out to eat and watch for earnings to be deposited right into your loyalty account.
Airline dining programs
| Dining Program | Earning rate |
|---|---|
| Delta SkyMiles Dining | Up to 5 miles per dollar |
| American Airlines AAdvantage Dining | Up to 5 miles per dollar |
| Alaska Mileage Plan Dining | Up to 5 miles per dollar |
| United MileagePlus Dining | Up to 5 miles per dollar |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards Dining | Up to 3 miles per dollar |
| Free Spirit Dining | Up to 5 miles per dollar |
| TrueBlue Dining | Up to 3 points per dollar |
Hotel dining programs
| Dining Program | Earning rate |
|---|---|
| IHG One Rewards Dine & Earn | Up to 8 points per dollar |
| Eat Around Town by Marriott Bonvoy | Up to 6 points per dollar |
| Hilton Honors Dining | Up to 8 points per dollar |
| Choice Eat & Earn | Up to 5 points per dollar |
How to pick the best credit card for restaurants
When choosing the best dining credit card you should consider a few factors:
-
How much do you spend monthly on dining?
Before deciding which card is right for you, you should determine how much you spend on dining each month. That way, you can compare the rewards rates and dining credits to calculate the earning and money saving potential of each card for your spending habits.
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Where do you dine?
Check the fine print to see what counts as dining for a card you’re considering. While virtually all dining cards count restaurants, some exclude food delivery or purchases made in bars, cafeterias or bakeries. Review the card details to make sure you can earn the highest rewards rate when you dine out.
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Is the annual fee worth it?
Many dining cards charge an annual fee, so tally up the dollar value of the card benefits you’ll use to make sure the cost is worth it. For example, a card offers dining credits for establishments where you eat regularly can offset the cost of the card. So if you end up using all of the dining credits available on a card like the American Express® Gold Card each year, that could more than offset the cost of the card.
However, if the only card benefit you’ll be taking advantage of is the rewards earning rate, you may find that a no-annual-fee credit card, like the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, is the best choice.
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What do you spend on besides dining?
If you also spend a significant amount in another rewards category (such as travel), you might want to consider a dining card that also offers an elevated rewards rate on those purchases, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. And if your spending varies, you may prefer a card that automatically offers the highest rewards rate in your top spending category each month, like the Citi Custom Cash® Card.
Frequently asked questions
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is one of the best cash back credit cards for dining because it earns an elevated rewards rate at restaurants. With the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, you’ll enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases.
Dining purchases typically refer to purchases made at restaurants, including fast food establishments and cafes. Many cards also include restaurant takeout and delivery in this category. Some cards exclude food purchases made at bakeries, bars, cafeterias, sports stadiums, casinos and theme parks.
Our pick for best Chase credit card for restaurants is the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, which offers an excellent rewards earning rate on dining (including delivery and takeout), plus a complimentary DoorDash subscription for a year. The dining and other benefits offset the card’s modest annual fee.
2. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
To see rates & fees for American Express cards mentioned on this page, visit the links provided below:
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply
The information related to the Citi Custom Cash® Card has been independently collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.
The content above is not provided by any issuer. Any opinions expressed are those of LendingTree alone and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any issuer. The offers and/or promotions mentioned above may have changed, expired, or are no longer available. Check the issuer's website for more details.
