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BEST CREDIT CARDSBEST CREDIT CARDSBEST CREDIT CARDS FOR RESTAURANTS OF JANUARY 2025
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Best Credit Cards for Restaurants of January 2025

Updated: Dec 23, 2024
Jae Bratton
Written by
Lead Writer
Caitlin Mims
Reviewed by
Content Management Specialist
Kenley Young
Edited by
Fact Checked
Assigning Editor
Fact Checked
Jae Bratton
Written by
Lead Writer
Caitlin Mims
Reviewed by
Content Management Specialist
Kenley Young
Edited by
Fact Checked
Assigning Editor
Fact Checked
+ 2 more
+ 2 more
Many or all of the products on this page are from partners who compensate us when you click to or take an action on their website, but this does not influence our evaluations or ratings. Our opinions are our own.

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. Federal data says the average household spent about $70 a week on "food away from home" in 2022, the most recent year available. When paying for those meals with a card that earned 3% on restaurant spending, the rewards would top $100 — enough for a few more meals.

  • 400+ credit cards reviewed by our team of experts (See our top picks)

  • 80+ years of combined experience covering credit cards and personal finance

  • 27,000+ hours spent researching and reviewing financial products in the last 12 months

  • 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.

  • 400+ credit cards reviewed by our team of experts (See our top picks)

  • 80+ years of combined experience covering credit cards and personal finance

  • 27,000+ hours spent researching and reviewing financial products in the last 12 months

  • 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.

NerdWallet's Best Credit Cards for Restaurants of January 2025

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Best Credit Cards for Restaurants From Our Partners

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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.

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.

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.

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 Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card

Our pick for: 3% dining rewards

Some credit cards reward you well for going out, others for staying in. The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card is the rare card that does both. It offers a terrific cash-back rate not only on dining and entertainment but also at grocery stores and on popular streaming services. Toss in a good bonus offer and intro APR period, and this card is a winner. (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 $65 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.

• • •

To view rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, see this page. To view rates and fees of the American Express® Business Gold Card, see this page.

The information related to the DoorDash Rewards Mastercard® has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card.

Last updated on December 23, 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.

About the author

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Jae Bratton

Jae is a writer for the credit cards team at NerdWallet. Her writing has been published in newspapers, blogs and an academic journal. Read full profile
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