Best Credit Cards for Groceries of 2023

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As food prices continue to increase, anything that can reduce that cost is welcome. The best credit cards for groceries could do just that by providing cash back and points for grocery shopping, as well as complimentary services and memberships that could make your life easier.

Read on to see our picks for the best grocery shopping cards and how you can pick the right one for you.

Our Top Picks for the Best Credit Cards for Groceries

• Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express — Best Cash-Back Credit Card for Groceries
• American Express® Gold Card — Best Card for Groceries and Dining
• Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card — Best No-Annual-Fee Credit Card for Groceries
• Sam’s Club® Mastercard® — Best Wholesale Club Credit Card
• Costco Anywhere Visa® Credit Card by Citi — Best Wholesale Club Card Runner-up
• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card — Best Credit Card for Online and Delivery Groceries
• U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards® Visa Signature® Card — Best for Superstores
• Other credit cards for groceries we considered

Best Credit Cards for Groceries Reviews

Terms apply. Click here for rates and fees.

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Why we chose it: The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express offers the highest cash back rate for grocery shopping out there.

The Blue Cash Preferred® from American Express is tailor-made for families, offering cash back on multiple categories in which larger households typically spend much of their money:

• 6% at U.S. supermarkets up to the first $6,000 spent, 1% thereafter

• 6% on select U.S. streaming services

• 3% on transit (including taxis/rideshares, buses, trains, parking and more) and at U.S. gas stations

• 1% on other qualifying purchases

While the $6,000 spending limit might seem low for some people, that’s $360 in cash back if you spend that amount — in addition to what you’ll earn at the rate of 1% once you reach the cap..

This card offers plenty of rewards when it comes to other household expenses as well. To start, its 6% cash back in select streaming services is no small reward , considering the average American spends between $30 and $50 a month on popular streaming services.

The card’s transit category is rare, as well. It yields 3% on almost all types of transportation-related expenses, from rideshares to tolls and trains. Whether you live in a city with a lot of public transportation or you commute long distances, this card can reward you for it.

The Blue Cash Preferred® from American Express doesn’t charge an annual fee for the first year, but there is a $95 annual fee after that. Despite this, this card could be the right choice for a household that can take full advantage of its high grocery rewards..

Keep in mind, however, that the U.S. supermarkets category doesn’t include wholesale clubs or superstores, so if you do most of your shopping there, you might want to consider some of the other cards in our list, such as the Sam’s Club® Mastercard®, Costco Anywhere Visa® Credit Card by Citi or U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards® Visa Signature® Card.

Terms apply. Click here for rates and fees.

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Why we chose it: With 4x points on both U.S. supermarkets and restaurants worldwide, the American Express® Gold Card is one of the best cards in the market, especially for foodies.

The American Express® Gold Card is pretty well known for its rewards, especially those pertaining to food and travel. For example:

• 4x points at U.S. supermarkets up to the first $25,000 spent, 1x point thereafter

• 4x points at worldwide restaurants, and U.S. delivery and takeout

• 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or through AmexTravel.com

• 1x points on all other qualifying purchases

Cardholders get 4x points at U.S. supermarkets. While that’s equal or even lower than some cash back cards in the category, points are significantly more flexible than cash back, and can be more easily transferred to hotel or airline partners.

Also, the $25,000 spending limit is over three times higher than, say, the limit on the Blue Cash Preferred® from American Express. If you actually reach that cap, you’d have accrued 100,000 points, which could be worth up to $10,000 depending on how you redeem them.

On top of this, the card also offers 4x points for dining out on those nights when you just don’t want to cook. This benefit applies to restaurants worldwide and, since the card also offers 3x points when booking your flights directly with airlines or through AmexTravel.com, it’s a great choice for those whose travel plans revolve around food.

While the $250 annual fee is pretty high, the American Express® Gold Card is a versatile option that yields high rewards and offers great benefits on almost anything food- and travel-related.

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Why we chose it: Among cards with no annual fee, it’s hard to compete with Capital One’s offering when it comes to food and entertainment.

The rewards rate the Capital One SavorOne Rewards Credit Card offers is truly top notch, especially for a card without an annual fee. Not only does it offer high cash back on a great night out, but also on nights in, nights abroad and more:

• 8% on purchases on Capital One Entertainment

• 5% on hotel and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel

• 3% on dining and grocery stores, excluding superstores like Target and Walmart

• 3% on entertainment, such as concerts, sporting events and movie theaters

• 3% on select streaming subscriptions

• 1% on all other qualifying purchases

With this card, you can get unlimited 3% cash back at grocery stores, as well as eligible streaming services — so, if your plans most often involve cozy dinners at home while watching Netflix, the SavorOne will reward you for both. For nights out, same thing: 3% at restaurants and entertainment for the whole date night combo.

It also offers solid travel rewards, including travel accident insurance, making it a versatile card that could cover most of your bases.

Why we chose it: The Sam’s Club® Mastercard® offers higher cash back than its wholesale competitors both in the store and out.

As far as wholesale clubs go, this credit card from Sam’s goes further than its competition, offering high cash back in a variety of categories:

• 5% back on gas and EV stations up to the first $6,000, 1% thereafter
• 3% back on dining
• 3% back for Plus members on Sam's Club purchases (1% for Club members)
• 1% on other qualifying purchases

Wholesale clubs are typically excluded from grocery-related rewards on most credit cards so, if you do most of your shopping in bulk, it’s a good idea to consider a card issued by one of the stores itself. Of these,. the Sam’s Club® Mastercard® offers the most rewards — 5% on gas, the highest among all cards we’ve reviewed, and up to 3% on Sam’s Club purchases. (That’s 1% for regular members and 3% for Plus members.)

Unfortunately, the card doesn’t offer any insurance policies or travel-related perks. But when it comes to buying groceries in bulk, it might be the best possible card.

All information about the Sam’s Club® Mastercard® has been collected independently by Money.com.

Why we chose it: The Costco Anywhere Visa® Credit Card by Citi offers a well-rounded array of rewards, including travel benefits, that its competitors lack.

If you’re a Costco fan, you might need a way to get rewarded for those huge grocery hauls. Since most credit cards exclude wholesale clubs from their grocery store categories, the co-branded Costco card is a good option, and it doesn’t just reward Costco purchases:

• 4% back on gas and EV charging worldwide up to the first $7,000 spent, 1% thereafter

• 3% back on restaurants and qualifying travel purchases

• 2% back on Costco purchases

• 1% back on all other qualifying purchases

While 2% isn’t as high as the 3% Sam’s Club offers its Plus members, it might be worth it if Costco is your preferred wholesaler. In addition, offers top-notch rates cash back on gas and now EV charging, as well as on travel.

Also, Costco doesn’t accept anything other than VISA, which makes finding cards to reward you on purchases a little bit harder. You won’t be able to use just any card at Costco, but you’ll be able to use the Costco Anywhere Visa® Credit Card by Citi anywhere.

All information about the Costco Anywhere Visa® Credit Card by Citi has been collected independently by Money.com.

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Why we chose it: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® offers 3x points on online grocery shopping and offers some additional perks on delivery services.

Widely regarded as one of the best travel cards in the market, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® also has some perks when it comes to grocery shopping:

• 5x points on travel purchases through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, excluding hotel purchases leading up to the $50 hotel credit (2x on other travel purchases)

• 3x points on dining, including delivery and takeout

• 3x points on online grocery purchases

• 3x points on select streaming services

• 1x points on all other qualifying purchases

In addition to its online grocery shopping rewards, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® offers a complimentary DoorDash DashPass subscription for at least the first 12 months if activated before December 31st, 2024. DoorDash not only delivers from restaurants, but also grocery stores, making this a huge perk if your favorite or nearby stores don’t offer delivery. It also offers a complimentary six months of InstaCart+. (Keep in mind that, after those six months, it’ll renew automatically and charge the fee to your card.)

And, of course, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® offers a myriad of rewards, insurance benefits and statement credits. You can also redeem all the points you accrue at a higher 1.25x value on Chase Ultimate Rewards®.

Why we chose it: The U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards offers high cash back on two of the most excluded store types in grocery shopping rewards: wholesale clubs and superstores, provided you choose that category each quarter.

While most cards explicitly exclude wholesale clubs and superstores, this card gives you a chance to choose this type of store and gives even higher rewards than many competitors.

Here’s the breakdown:

• 6% back on two retailers of your choice up to the first $1,500 spent each quarter, 1.5% thereafter

• 5.5% back on hotel and car reservations booked and paid directly through U.S. Bank’s Rewards Travel Center

• 3% back on a category of your choice up to the first $1,500 spent each quarter, 1.5% thereafter

• 1.5% on all other qualifying purchases

This card stands out for including Walmart and Target®, hugely popular stores that are typically excluded from cards’ rewards programs. So, if that’s where you do most of your grocery shopping, with the 6% earning rate on the first $1,500 spent each quarter, you could stand to earn up to $90 in cash back.

In the other category of your choice, in which you can earn 3% on your first $1,500 each quarter, you can choose wholesale clubs, earning you more than even some co-branded cards. This could earn you $45 in cash back before hitting the limit.

Despite the low spending limit, the 1.5% you’ll earn after is also higher than most cards, on which earning typically goes down to 1%. This unlimited 1.5% base rate is pretty high for a card with this level of versatility and with a comparatively low annual fee of $95.

All information about the U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards® Visa Signature® Card has been collected independently by Money.com.

Other credit cards for groceries we considered

Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

Terms apply. Click here for rates and fees.

The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express is an excellent no-annual-fee card, with various bonus categories, including 3% at U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gas stations on up to $6,000 per year on each category (1% after that). Unfortunately, its low spending cap (in relation to the amount earned) kept it off our top list.

BJ’s One™ Mastercard®

If you shop at BJ’s, this card will most definitely appeal to you. Its high 3% cash back is among the highest you can get for any wholesale club. The unlimited 1.5% outside the store is pretty good too. And if you have more premium The Club+ Membership and qualify for the BJ’s One+™ Mastercard®, the rewards are even higher (5% at BJ’s, 2% on all other qualifying purchases). However, with a little over 200 locations in 16 states, BJ's Wholesale Club's reach is more limited than other wholesalers that did make our list.

All information about the BJ’s One™ Mastercard® has been collected independently by Money.com.

Citi Premier® Card

The Citi Premier® Card covers a wide variety of categories, especially when it comes to travel. However, those rewards aren’t high enough to justify its $95 annual fee, especially when compared to other offerings in the same price range.

All information about the Citi Premier® Card has been collected independently by Money.com.

Prime Visa

If you’re an Amazon Prime member, the Prime Visa is an excellent card to have, with one of the highest cash back rates available as well as an array of insurance policies that rivals that of premium cards. If you do most of your grocery shopping at Whole Foods Market, the choice is simple: no other card will reward you nearly as much as this one. Having said that, its grocery rewards are limited to Amazon and Whole Foods, which kept it off our top picks.

Instacart Mastercard®

If you frequently use Instacart to deliver groceries right to your door, the Instacart Mastercard® can help you save some money by giving you 5% cash back on eligible purchases. However, there are no rewards for grocery spending outside the app, and the Instacart+ membership is a one-time thing.

Best Credit Cards for Groceries Guide

For many families, the grocery bill is one of their largest expenses. In fact, approximately 30.6% of income in low-income households goes toward groceries, according to the USDA. Having a credit card that can help lower that cost, even if by a small amount, could be of huge help.

However, there are some factors to consider when choosing the card that will deliver on that. Read on to learn more.

What is a credit card for groceries?

A grocery credit card offers high rewards when buying groceries, sometimes specified as supermarkets, wholesale clubs or other types of grocery stores, depending on the merchant category code (MCC) that the store uses.

How do credit cards for groceries work?

Credit cards that offer higher rewards for groceries work just like any other credit card. Their main difference is that they offer a higher reward rate on grocery purchases, whether online or in-store, and at different types of stores.

How to choose a credit card for groceries

Choosing a credit card for groceries can be a bit more complicated than a card that has a groceries bonus category. There are more factors that come into play, especially when considering your own lifestyle and spending habits.

Where you shop

When it comes to grocery rewards, where you shop is, arguably, the most important factor to consider. Many cards are very specific regarding this; some exclude superstores such as Walmart and Target, as well as wholesale clubs like Sam’s and Costco.

Supermarkets. Dedicated supermarkets or grocery stores are the most common type of store that will qualify for grocery rewards. It will normally offer the highest rate as well, from 3% to 6% cash back among grocery-inclined cards.

Superstores. Superstores such as Target® and Walmart are a great one-stop shop for many, especially for families trying to make a more efficient use of their time. However, these stores are usually excluded from grocery categories. If those are the stores where you prefer to shop, find a card that explicitly rewards or includes them, a co-branded card or a card with a high base rate, such as 2% on all purchases, to take advantage of all your shopping.

Wholesale clubs. Wholesale clubs, such as Sam’s and Costco Wholesale, are also frequently excluded from grocery rewards. If you have a big family or a small business and mostly shop at wholesale clubs, you might want a co-branded credit card from the store itself, or dig deeper to see which cards offer high rewards at these types of stores.

How much you spend

The card you choose will also depend largely on your personal finances and how much you actually spend on groceries. Many cards will cap their high reward rate at a certain amount — if you have a large household of four or more people, these caps could impact your rewards. These could vary, but some frequent caps could be $500 a month, $1,500 per quarter or $6,000 a year.

Also, consider if getting a dedicated grocery-shopping card is worth it in your particular situation. If you eat out far more than what you cook, one of our best credit cards for restaurants could make more sense. The same goes for other expenses that could be higher on a monthly or yearly basis. The best credit cards, however, could reward you for all of it.

Rewards

The main differentiator between cards aimed at grocery shopping is, simply put, the rate and type of rewards. Some cards will give you cash back, some will give you points you can then redeem for cash, statement credits or gift cards. Keep in mind, however, that the value of one point can vary depending on the credit card issuer.

Consider other benefits, as well, such as complimentary memberships to delivery services and adjacent spending categories such as dining, drugstores or gas stations.

How We Chose the Best Credit Cards for Groceries

Rewards

The rate of rewards given on groceries was the main factor considered in this list, whether it be points or cash back rewards.

Bonus rewards

Other than grocery rewards, we looked at other categories in which the cards delivered high cash back or points, especially if they were related to food, such as dining or delivery services.

Other benefits

Rewards don’t just come in the form of points, but can be statement credits, complimentary memberships and, very important, insurance coverage. We took those into account, especially when two cards were similar when it came to their grocery shopping benefits.

Fees

Rewards are only good if you actually have net gain from them, so we looked at annual fees to determine if they were worth the price.

Summary of Money's Best Credit Cards for Groceries of 2023

• Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express — Best Cash-Back Credit Card for Groceries
• American Express® Gold Card — Best Card for Groceries and Dining
• Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card — Best No-Annual-Fee Credit Card for Groceries
• Sam’s Club® Mastercard® — Best Wholesale Club Credit Card
• Costco Anywhere Visa® Credit Card by Citi — Best Wholesale Club Card Runner-up
• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card — Best Credit Card for Online and Delivery Groceries
• U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards® Visa Signature® Card — Best for Superstores
• Other credit cards for groceries we considered

 

To see rates and fees for the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, please visit this link. Terms apply.

To see rates and fees for the American Express® Gold Card, please visit this link. Terms apply.

To see rates and fees for the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, please visit this link. Terms apply.

* Insurance disclosures for American Express Cards on this page:

Trip Delay Insurance: Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

Global Assist Hotline: Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.

Extended Warranty, Purchase Protection, Baggage Insurance Plan: Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance: Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.