Best Credit Cards for Restaurants

Comparing the best credit cards for restaurants

A closer look at the best credit cards for dining and restaurants

Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

Restaurant dining benefits: Unlimited 3% cash back on dining

Intro APR: 0% APR for 15 months

Regular APR: 19.74% – 29.74% (V)

Signup bonus: $200 bonus for spending $500 in the first 3 months

Our verdict: Capital One’s SavorOne Cash Rewards card was designed with restaurants in mind but also offers a generous range of categories that also have cashback bonuses. In addition to the 3% bonus for restaurants and groceries, it also provides 3% back on entertainment and streaming plus an additional 10% rate for any Uber or Uber Eats purchases, making this one of the more versatile $0 annual fee cards around.

Pros:

• 3% bonus cashback for groceries and restaurants
• 3% cashback for entertainment and streaming purchases
• 10% cashback for Uber and Uber Eats purchases
• No annual fee

Cons:

• Low rewards rate for other purchases
• Lower sign-up bonus than SavorOne premium card

Apply now: SavorOne Rewards from Capital One

Learn more: Capital One SavorOne Rewards Review

American Express® Gold Card

Restaurant dining benefits: 4x points + $10 monthly credit

Intro APR: — (no intro APR)

Regular APR: 20.99% – 28.99%

Signup bonus: 60,000 Membership Rewards Points for $4,000 spent in the first 6 months

Our verdict: While the $250 yearly fee might make you automatically discount this card, look closer, as many of the perks that come along with it could cancel out the yearly cost completely. Not only does the Gold Card come with 4x points on all restaurant, takeout, and supermarket purchases, but it also includes a $10 monthly credit you can use at The Cheesecake Factory, DoorDash, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar, and select Shake Shack locations. It also includes an additional $10 monthly credit for Uber or Uber Eats purchases and comes in classic gold or new rose gold colors.

Pros:

• 4x points for every dollar spent on restaurants, takeout, and supermarket purchases
• $10 monthly credit to use at The Cheesecake Factory, DoorDash, GoldBelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar, and select Shake Shack locations
• $10 monthly credit for Uber or Uber Eats
• Available in gold or rose gold metal

Cons:

• $250 annual fee
• $120 credits are divvied monthly and expire instead of accruing

Apply now: American Express® Gold Card

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Restaurant dining benefits: 3% back on dining

Intro APR: 0% intro APR for 15 months

Regular APR: 19.74%–28.49%

Signup bonus: 1.5% bonus on all purchases up to $20,000 for the first year

Our verdict: The Chase Freedom Unlimited card is a great card for everyday spending. Not only does it come with an automatic 3% back at restaurants, but its revolving bonus categories mean you’re able to tailor the card to your normal spending habits and earn even more back than you’d get with other cards.

Pros:

• 3% cashback at restaurants
• 3% cashback at drug stores
• 1.5% cashback on other purchases
• Quarterly bonus spending categories
• No annual fee

Cons:

• Keeping up to date on revolving bonus categories can be tedious

Apply now: Chase Freedom Unlimited^® credit card

Learn more: Chase Freedom Unlimited® Review

Wells Fargo AutographSM Card

Restaurant dining benefits: 3x points on dining

Intro APR: 0% APR for 12 months

Regular APR: 19.99% – 29.99%

Signup bonus: 20,000 points after spending $1,000 in the first three months

Our verdict: This $0 annual fee card is a workhorse for cardholders because it has so much value in so many everyday spending categories! Not only does it earn 3x points for restaurants, but also 3x points for travel, gas, mass transit, streaming, and even phone plans.

Pros:

• Unlimited 3x points per dollar spent at restaurants
• Also 3x points for purchases made for gas, travel, streaming services, and phone plans
• No annual fee

Cons:

• Wells Fargo points aren’t as readily transferable to travel partners as compared to other card issuers.

Apply now: Wells Fargo Autograph^℠ Card

Chase Sapphire Preferred®

Restaurant dining benefits: 3x points on dining

Intro APR: — (no intro APR)

Regular APR: 20.74%–27.74%

Signup bonus: 80,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months

Our verdict: Originally created to be the lite version of the premium Sapphire Reserve, the Sapphire Preferred card from Chase has become its own standalone impressive credit card. Restaurant purchases earn an impressive 3x points for $1 making it a great card for foodies, but that’s not all. The Sapphire Preferred also includes a 1-year complimentary subscription to DoorDash’s DashPass, bonus rewards for online groceries and streaming services, plus travel insurance and 5x points for any travel purchase made via the Chase Ultimate Rewards platform.

Pros:

• Points redeemable on Chase Ultimate Rewards at a rate of 1.25 cents per point
• 3x points for restaurants
• 1 year complimentary DoorDash DashPass subscription
• Travel cancellation protection
• Travel/Rental car insurance

Cons:

• $95 annual fee
• Credit score should be above 690 for approval

Apply now: Chase Sapphire Preferred^® credit card

How to pick the right credit card for dining?

When choosing a credit card for dining, the first thing to consider is your credit score. If you have a good (670+) or excellent (750+) credit score, you may be eligible for cards with higher rewards rates and better perks. However, if your credit score is fair (600 – 650) or poor (600 or below), you may need to consider cards with fewer perks but easier approval odds.

Another factor to consider is the type of dining establishments you frequent. Some cards offer bonus rewards for specific types of restaurants such as fast food or fine dining. Make sure the card you choose aligns with your personal dining habits.

Lastly, look at the rewards structure of the card. Some offer cashback while others offer points that can be redeemed for travel or gift cards. Choose a card that offers rewards that fit your lifestyle.

Should you get a restaurant credit card?

Getting a restaurant credit card can be beneficial if you dine out frequently since many cards offer cashback or rewards points on dining purchases, which can add up over time. However, consider what other perks owning the card includes, as your dining habits may change, leaving you with a card that’s not earning as much as it could. The best credit cards for dining are the ones that have a robust bonus category structure that can accommodate rewarding all types of spending.

Methodology

To find the best credit cards for dining out we factor in the fees, redemption offers, introductory offers, and odds of approval for median credit scores of 670. Based on that criteria, we select our top picks and single one credit card out for having the most versatile rewards offers for spending, both in a preferred category as well as overall rewards.

The product information provided here is based on research conducted up to a specific date and may have changed. For the latest and most accurate information, we recommend you to visit the respective card’s website before proceeding.