Forget the Amex Gold: This Capital One Card Wins for Grocery Stores and Dining

The American Express® Gold Card gets a lot of hype for its rewards at supermarkets and restaurants. And on paper, it looks great. But once you factor in the $325 annual fee (see rates and fees), it stops making sense for a lot of people.

That's why the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees) is a better fit for many foodies.

It has no annual fee (see rates and fees) and earns unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®).

Here's how it can save you hundreds each year.

Why the Capital One Savor card fits real-life spending

The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card is built to reward how most people actually spend. And it's especially a good fit if grocery store purchases and dining make up a big chunk of your monthly budget.

Here's the quick overview:

• Unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®)
• $0 annual fee, so there's no pressure to "earn it back" every year
• Earn a $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
• 5% cash back on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
• Intro APR offer: 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers (balance transfer fee applies); after the intro period, a 18.49% - 28.49% (Variable) APR applies
• No foreign transaction fees and a top-rated mobile app

A lot of cash back cards cap how much you can earn or force you into rotating categories. But this one earns unlimited rewards, so it works whether you spend a little on food each month or a lot.

How much you can earn in a year

Everyone's spending looks a little different, so the rewards you earn will ultimately depend on how much you spend and which categories you use the card for.

Let's say you spend about $2,000 per month on qualifying grocery store purchases and dining. At 3% cash back, that's $720 per year in rewards on food alone.

Now add another $1,000 per month in everyday, non-bonus spending earning 1%, and that's an extra $120 per year. Altogether, you're looking at $840 in annual cash back earned just from normal spending.

And that's before factoring in the welcome offer, which we estimate can push your first-year value well past $1,000 for many households.

For a card with no annual fee, that's a meaningful return on money you were going to spend anyway.

0% intro APR for a year

The Capital One Savor card also comes with a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months. That can be genuinely helpful if you're smoothing out cash flow in 2026 or consolidating higher-interest debt.

Once the intro period ends, the card has a 18.49% - 28.49% (Variable) APR, so this isn't a card you want to carry balances on long term. And balance transfers do come with a fee, which is standard. Just go in with a payoff plan.

I see this feature as optional flexibility -- not the reason to apply, but a nice safety net.

Where the Amex Gold Card still has an edge

To be fair, the American Express® Gold Card can work well for certain lifestyles. If you maximize the dining credits and don't mind an annual fee, it can give you decent value.

But that's the catch. You have to work for it.

The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card doesn't ask you to optimize or remember which credits reset when. Without any annual fee pressure (see rates and fees), you can just go about your daily spending and earn great rewards.

One downside is that flights only earn 1% cash back. If plane tickets are a big spend area for you, a dedicated travel card may serve you better. Capital One Savor is strongest when food and everyday life dominate your budget.

Final thoughts

If groceries and dining are two of your biggest monthly expenses, the Capital One Savor (see rates and fees) is right up your alley.

With no annual fee and an easy-to-earn welcome offer, it's an easy win. You spend, you earn, and you don't have to think about it much beyond that.

To learn more and apply, check out our full Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card review here.