This article was updated on June 25, 2018.
The average American household spent over $3,000 eating out last year. That's a big chunk of most people's budgets. Wouldn't it be great if you could get some cash back rewards or bonus points from your credit card just for spending money at restaurants?
Here's a roundup of the best credit cards for restaurants.
Image source: Getty Images.
Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Chase Sapphire Preferred®
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Chase Sapphire Preferred® each earn bonus points at restaurants. The more expensive credit card earns 3x Chase Ultimate Rewards Points on dining, while its sibling card earns 2x points per dollar spent.
Here's a quick comparison of the two cards:
| Metric |
Chase Sapphire Preferred® |
Chase Sapphire Reserve® |
|---|---|---|
|
Points per dollar spent at restaurants |
2x |
3x |
|
Points per dollar spent on travel |
2x |
3x |
|
Points per dollar spent everywhere else |
1x |
1x |
|
Value of points when redeemed through the Chase travel portal |
1.25 cents |
1.5 cents |
|
Annual fee |
$95 (waived the first year) |
$450 |
Data source: Chase.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® comes with a hefty fee, but it can be offset by the $300 annual travel credit and various other premium credit card perks. Additionally, Chase Sapphire Reserve® cardholders can redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points for 1.5 cents each through the Chase travel portal, effectively providing 4.5% back in travel rewards on travel and dining.
Consumers will have to do some math to figure out whether it's worth paying the higher annual fee for the Chase Sapphire Reserve® over its sibling. Read our reviews of the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® to learn more.
Chase Freedom®
The Chase Freedom® earns 5% back in rotating quarterly categories throughout the year. Chase usually includes restaurants as one of the categories throughout the year. Restaurants earned 5% back during the third quarter in 2017. Bonus spending is capped at $1,500 per quarter.
If you couple the Chase Freedom® with one of Chase's premium cards, you can earn 5x Chase Ultimate Rewards points that can be much more valuable than straight cash back.
The Chase Freedom® has no annual fee, but earns just 1% cash back in non-bonus categories. To learn more about the Chase Freedom®, read our full review.
Discover it® Cash Back
Similar to the Chase Freedom®, the Discover it® Cash Back offers rotating 5% cash back bonus categories you activate. Restaurants usually show up once a year. Cardholders will earn 5% cash back at restaurants during the third quarter in 2018. Bonus spending is capped at $1,500 per quarter.
Discover also generously doubles all cash back earned for new cardholders in their first year. That includes cash back from the bonus categories.
Discover it® Cash Back charges no annual fee, but earns just 1% cash back in non-bonus categories. To learn more, read our full review of the Discover it® Cash Back.
Uber Visa Card
The Uber credit card offers one of the best cash back rates at restaurants for a no-annual-fee credit card. Cardholders can earn 4% cash back on spend at restaurants, bars, and UberEATS orders.
The Uber Visa Card also earns 3% back on select travel, making it a worthwhile option for consumers that spend a lot on travel and dining and want a card with no annual fees. It also doesn't charge a foreign transaction fee, so you can eat out abroad without worry. Read more about the Uber credit card before you apply.
Capital One® Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One® Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card offers 3% cash back at restaurants. Unlike many other credit cards that combine travel and dining as their bonus categories, the Capital One® Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card offers bonus cash back (2%) on grocery store purchases. So, consumers that are more interested in trying new foods when they go out and recreating them at home could get a lot of value out of the card.
With no annual fee, no foreign transaction fee, and no minimum cash-back redemption, the Capital One® Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card offers a lot of flexibility for consumers looking for a simple way to earn cash back on their restaurant spending. Read our full review of the Capital One® Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card to learn more.
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi offers 3% cash back on travel and dining. While there's technically no annual fee for the card, you'll have to be a member of the wholesale club, which costs $60 per year.
If you already do a lot of shopping at Costco, though, the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi could offer good value. On top of travel and dining bonus points, the card offers 4% back at gas stations (on up to $7,000 in spending per year). It also earns 2% back at Costco, and 1% back everywhere else.
Read more to determine if the Costco credit card is worth it for you.
Finding the best credit card for your restaurant habits
This list should provide a good starting point when trying to find the best credit card for your restaurant spending. If you spend a lot on dining and travel, you might get a lot of value out of the premium credit cards with annual fees. If you just want a credit card with no fees to get some extra cash back when you go out for dinner, there are options for that as well. Be sure to look over this list to determine which credit card is right for your spending habits.
