Best Credit Cards for Restaurants of July 2024
Updated: Jun 28, 2024ALSO CONSIDER: Best credit cards of 2024 || Best cash back credit cards || Best credit cards for groceries || Best travel credit cards
Turn restaurant meals, including takeout and delivery, into serious rewards by paying with a credit card that offers extra cash back or points on spending at restaurants. According to federal consumer expenditure data, the average U.S. household spent $2,375 on "food away from home" in 2020, the most recent year available. When paying for those meals with a card that earned 3% on restaurant spending, the rewards would top $70 — enough for a few more free meals, depending on the dining establishment.
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NerdWallet's credit cards content, including ratings and recommendations, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in credit cards. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, USA Today, The New York Times, MarketWatch, MSN, NBC's "Today," ABC's "Good Morning America" and many other national, regional and local media outlets. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity.
250+ credit cards reviewed and rated by our team of experts
80+ years of combined experience covering credit cards and personal finance
100+ categories of best credit card selections (See our top picks)
Objective comprehensive ratings rubrics (Methodology)
NerdWallet's credit cards content, including ratings and recommendations, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in credit cards. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, USA Today, The New York Times, MarketWatch, MSN, NBC's "Today," ABC's "Good Morning America" and many other national, regional and local media outlets. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity.
Show summary
NerdWallet's Best Credit Cards for Restaurants of July 2024
Chase Freedom Unlimited®: Best for 3% dining rewards + high rate on other spending
American Express® Gold Card: Best for Travel rewards
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Best for Travel rewards
Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Best for Travel rewards
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for 3% dining and grocery rewards
Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card: Best for 3X on dining and much more
U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card: Best for High rewards + no annual fee
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card: Best for 3% dining rewards
Citi Custom Cash® Card: Best for Up to 5% cash back
U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card: Best for Customizable rewards
American Express® Business Gold Card: Best for Small business
Chase Freedom Flex®: Best for 3% dining rewards + rotating bonus categories
DoorDash Rewards Mastercard®: Best for DoorDash delivery
Best Credit Cards for Restaurants From Our Partners
Credit card | NerdWallet rating | Annual fee | Rewards rate | Intro offer | Learn more |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Find the right credit card for you.
Whether you want to pay less interest or earn more rewards, the right card's out there. Just answer a few questions and we'll narrow the search for you.
Whether you want to pay less interest or earn more rewards, the right card's out there. Just answer a few questions and we'll narrow the search for you.
3% dining rewards + high rate on other spending
Travel rewards
3% dining and grocery rewards
3X on dining and much more
High rewards + no annual fee
3% dining rewards
Up to 5% cash back
Customizable rewards
Small business
3% dining rewards + rotating bonus categories
DoorDash delivery
FULL LIST OF EDITORIAL PICKS: BEST CREDIT CARDS FOR RESTAURANTS
Click the card name to read our review. Before applying, confirm details on the issuer’s website.
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
Our pick for: High rewards rate + sign-up bonus
If a night out is more than a once-in-a-while proposition for you, consider the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card. You get a best-in-class cash-back rate on dining, entertainment and eligible streaming services, plus bonus rewards at grocery stores. The sign-up bonus is one of the best you can get on a cash-back card. There's an annual fee, though. Read our review.
U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card
Our pick for: High rewards rate + no annual fee
The U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card is perhaps the most cost-effective restaurant card on the market, earning a whopping 4 points per dollar on dining purchases including takeout and delivery. You can find higher rates on dining, but not on cards with no annual fee. Read our review.
Citi Custom Cash® Card
Our pick for: Up to 5% cash back
The Citi Custom Cash® Card offers a lot of value for a $0 annual fee: 5% back automatically in your eligible top spending category on up to $500 spent per billing cycle (1% back on other spending). The list of eligible 5% categories is varied and includes biggies like restaurants, grocery stores and more. And unlike with its competitors, there's no activation schedule or bonus calendar to keep track of. Read our review.
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
Our pick for: 3% dining rewards
Love the night life but dead-set against paying an annual fee? Consider the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card. It pays a lower cash-back rate on dining and entertainment than the regular Savor card, but the rewards are nevertheless quite good (see rates and fees). The sign-up bonus is smaller than on the annual-fee version, too, but it's still solid (see rates and fees). Read our review.
Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card
Our pick for: 3X on dining and much more
The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card offers so much value, it's hard to believe there's no annual fee. Start with a great bonus offer, then earn extra rewards in a host of common spending categories — restaurants, gas stations, transit, travel, streaming and more. Read our review.
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card
Our pick for: 3% dining rewards
The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card gives you a little more control over your credit card rewards by letting you choose which category earns the highest cash-back rate, from a list that includes gas stations, restaurants, travel, home improvement and more. You also get bonus rewards at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, plus a great new-cardholder bonus offer. Read our review.
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Our pick for: 3% dining rewards
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® was already a fine card when it offered 1.5% cash back on all purchases. Now it's even better, with bonus rewards on travel booked through Chase, as well as at restaurants and drugstores. On top of all that, new cardholders get a 0% introductory APR period and the opportunity to earn a sweet bonus. Read our review.
Chase Freedom Flex®
Our pick for: 3% dining rewards
The Chase Freedom Flex® offers bonus cash back in quarterly categories that you activate, as well as on travel booked through Chase, at restaurants and at drugstores. Category activation can be a hassle, but if your spending matches the categories — and for a lot of people, it will — you can rack up hundreds of dollars a year. There's a fantastic bonus offer for new cardholders and an intro APR offer, too. Read our review.
U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card
Our pick for: Customizable rewards
If you don't mind putting some work into your rewards, check out the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card. It might be the most customizable cash back card available. You pick which categories earn the most cash back — you get two 5% categories and a 2% category — and you can change those options every quarter. There's a good bonus offer for new cardholders, too. Read our review.
American Express® Gold Card
Our pick for: Travel rewards
The American Express® Gold Card can earn you a pile of points from everyday spending, with generous rewards at U.S. supermarkets, at restaurants and on certain flights booked through amextravel.com. Other benefits include hundreds of dollars a year in available dining and travel credits and a solid welcome offer for new cardholders. There's an annual fee, though, and a pretty substantial one, so it's not for smaller spenders. Read our review.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Our pick for: Travel rewards
For a reasonable annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card earns bonus rewards (up to 5X) on travel, dining, select streaming services, and select online grocery purchases. Points are worth 25% more when you redeem them for travel booked through Chase, or you can transfer them to about a dozen airline and hotel partners. The sign-up bonus is stellar, too. Read our review.
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Our pick for: Travel rewards
The high annual fee on the Chase Sapphire Reserve® gives many potential applicants pause, but frequent travelers should be able to wring enough value out of this card to more than make up for the cost. Cardholders get bonus rewards (up to 10X) on dining and travel, a fat bonus offer, annual travel credits, airport lounge access, and a 50% boost in point value when redeeming points for travel booked through Chase. Points can also be transferred to about a dozen airline and hotel partners. Read our review.
DoorDash Rewards Mastercard®
Our pick for: DoorDash delivery
If you're regularly ordering from DoorDash and its sibling service Caviar, the DoorDash Rewards Mastercard® could deliver significant value, with up to 4% cash back and special offers that can save you even more. Read our review.
OTHER OPTIONS
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
If you like your shopping carts like your dining rewards — extra large — the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi is your card. It offers bonus rewards in several categories, including:
4% cash back on gas and EV charging (up to $7,000 per year, then 1% after that).
3% back on restaurants and eligible travel purchases.
2% back at Costco stores and Costco.com.
1% back on all other purchases.
It doesn’t have a sign-up bonus. Its annual fee is $0, but it requires a Costco membership, which starts at $60 per year.
Sam's Club® Mastercard®
After using this card to fill up on gas at the pump, you'll want to tap it to fill up on daily specials at your favorite restaurant. The Sam's Club® Mastercard® gets you:
5% cash back on gas bought at Sam's Club, Walmart and other gas stations (on up to $6,000 per year).
3% back on dining.
1% back on all other purchases.
Extra rewards for Sam's Club purchases if you have a "Plus" membership.
The annual fee is $0. It requires a Sam's Club membership, which costs at least $45 a year.
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Last updated on June 28, 2024
Methodology
NerdWallet's credit cards team selects the best credit cards in each category based on overall consumer value. Factors in our evaluation include fees, promotional and ongoing APRs, and sign-up bonuses; for rewards cards, we consider earning and redemption rates, redemption options and redemption difficulty. A single card is eligible to be chosen as among the "best" in multiple categories. Learn how NerdWallet rates credit cards.