Best Credit Cards for Restaurants

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From business meetings at luxury restaurants, to the quick breakfast at a fast food place when there’s little time, the best credit cards for restaurants can reward you for all of it.

This type of card typically offers high reward rates for restaurant purchases, along with additional perks for foodies and those looking for the best dining experiences.

Take a look at our guide and top choices to see which card fits your habits the best.

Our Top Picks for the Best Credit Cards for Restaurants

Our top picks are listed in alphabetical order.

• American Express® Gold Card — Best Premium Credit Card for Restaurants
• Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card — Best for a Night Out
• Chase Freedom Unlimited® — Best with No Annual Fee
• Chase Sapphire Reserve® — Best for Fine Dining
• DoorDash Rewards Mastercard® — Best for Delivery
• IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card — Best Hotel Card for Dining
• U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card — Best for Fast Food
• Other credit cards we considered

Best Credit Cards for Restaurants Reviews

(Terms apply. Click here for rates and fees.)

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Why we chose it: The American Express® Gold Card offers some of the highest rewards for dining of any credit card out there and these can be in the form of points, statement credits and/or additional offers.

The American Express® Gold Card is well known for its rewards, especially in the dining category. It offers:

• 4x Membership Rewards® points at restaurants worldwide
• 4x points at U.S. supermarkets in up to $25,000 in purchases a year (1x thereafter)
• 3x points on flights purchased directly from airlines or through AmexTravel.com
• 2x points on prepaid hotels
• 1x point per $1 on all other eligible purchases
• Terms apply

As good as 4x points on restaurants are, this card’s food-related benefits don’t stop there.

It also offers a $120 dining credit, divided into $10 monthly credits, when you use it to pay at certain qualifying restaurants and services, including GrubHub and The Cheesecake Factory, among others. (Enrollment is required.)

Cardholders can also get up to $120 in Uber Cash when the American Express® Gold Card is added to the Uber app. The benefit is divided into $10 monthly credits, which can be used on UberEats orders as well as Uber rides within the U.S.

The $325 annual fee is quite high when compared to other dining credit cards, but the dining credit and Uber Cash make up for it almost entirely, essentially making the points on dining and groceries net gains. If your habits match these benefits, it might be worth it.

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Why we chose it: The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card specializes in dining and entertainment, offering high rewards and VIP-style benefits.

As its name suggests, the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card is tailor-made for foodies, and its rewards show it. However, there are some extra rewards that make it an excellent choice for hanging out with friends, date nights and much more:

• 8% back on tickets through Capital One Entertainment

• 5% back on hotels and rental cars through Capital One Travel (Terms apply)

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

• 3% back on entertainment, including theaters, sporting events, concerts and more

• 3% back on select streaming services

• 1% back on all other eligible purchases

As other Capital One cards, it also includes Capital One Dining, which provides exclusive access to certain fine dining events, priority reservations for restaurants and more.

With its 3% on all dining, the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards is already a competitive card in the category, but with all its other rewards and benefits, it’s an excellent choice for overall fun and dining experiences.

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Why we chose it: In addition to its base 3% cash back rate on dining, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers excellent travel rewards and a solid insurance package.

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® doesn’t charge an annual fee, yet it offers a wide variety of rewards and overall benefits:

• 5% back on travel through Chase Travel℠, including flights, hotels and rental cars

• 3% back on dining purchases, including eligible delivery and takeout

• 3% back at drugstores

• 1.5% back on all other eligible purchases

Also, you’ll earn an additional 1.5% on each category during the first year of card membership or up to the first $20,000 spent.

Second, it offers a complimentary three-month DashPass membership, which waives the delivery fee, has exclusive offers regularly and more.

Finally, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® has a broad suite of insurance services, which can come in handy when traveling. It does have a 3% foreign transaction fee, however, so you’ll want to take a different card with you if you’re traveling internationally.

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Why we chose it: The Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers cardholders a large variety of fine dining experiences, from priority reservations to exclusive events, as well as 10x points when paying for these Chase Dining perks.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is one of the best-known premium cards out there, mainly when it comes to travel. However, it offers a variety of rewards when it comes to dining out. You can earn:

• 10x points on hotels and car rentals through Chase Travel℠ after you spend the first $300 on travel purchases

• 10x points on Chase Dining℠ purchases made through Ultimate Rewards®

• 5x points on airfare through Chase Travel℠ after spending $300 on travel purchases

• 3x points on worldwide travel after qualifying for the $300 annual travel credit

• 3x points on dining, including delivery and takeout

• 1x point on all other qualifying purchases

The card’s main draw when it comes to dining is its high 10x points on Chase Dining℠ purchases. The Chase Dining℠ portal serves as a guide to high-end restaurants, through which you can book reservations, get access to exclusive events with world renowned chefs and more. Getting 10x for those purchases is the cherry on top.

If the $550 annual fee is too much, you can have access to some Chase Dining℠ features and benefits through other cards, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred®, for a much lower price. Do note, however, that you’ll miss out on the 10x points and on some exclusive events reserved to Chase Sapphire Reserve® cardholders.

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Why we chose it: With the DoorDash Rewards Mastercard®, avid food delivery users can save a lot of money by getting a complimentary DashPass membership and very high 4% cash back on DoorDash orders.

It’s the future and DoorDash has its own credit card, providing high cash back rewards on delivery and other spending categories:

• 4% back on DoorDash and food delivery app Caviar purchases
• 3% back when buying directly from restaurants
• 2% back on purchases at grocery stores
• 1% back on all other eligible purchases

As you can see, high rewards are not limited to DoorDash, but include Caviar, a food delivery app that, depending on the area, could offer more exclusive and diverse restaurants. You also earn 3% when buying directly from restaurants, a pretty competitive rate in the dining category.

This card also offers a complimentary DashPass membership the first year (a $96 value), and then each following year after you spend at least $10,000. DashPass membership offers valuable benefits such as no delivery fee, reduced service fees, 5% back as DoorDash credits and more.

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Why we chose it: The card_name offers an ultra high 5x points on dining, along with a complimentary one-year DashPass membership and excellent hotel perks — all for a low annual fee when compared to cards with similar rewards.

The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card offers exceptional value for its $99 annual fee, with high rewards for hotel purchases as well as other spending categories:

• Up to 26x total points at IHG® Hotels and Resorts (10x points with the card, 10x points for being an IHG® Rewards member, 6x points from IHG® with Platinum Elite Status, which is granted by the card. Terms and conditions apply.)

• 5x points on dining

• 5x points on travel and gas stations

• 3x points on all other purchases

Offering 5x points on dining, in addition to travel and gas, this card accrues a great deal of points that could go towards free nights or upgrades at IHG® properties worldwide. It also offers a full year of DashPass, which waives the delivery fee for DoorDash orders, among other perks.

As expected from a hotel card, it also offers plenty of hotel and travel-related rewards. For example, it offers one free night every anniversary year (one of the very few that do in its price category), automatic Platinum Elite Status as an IHG® Premier cardmember and a statement credit of up to $100 every four years as reimbursement for TSA PreCheck®, Global Entry or NEXUS fees when you pay those with the card — all while accruing high points on one of traveling’s most fun adventures: eating.

Why we chose it: This card by U.S. Bank offers 5% on two categories of your choice from a pre-established list, which includes fast food restaurants.

On the surface, the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card doesn’t seem like a specialized dining card (it isn’t), but when used strategically, it can really pay off for those who do most of their eating on the go.

The card offers 5% on two categories of your choice from a list that includes: fast food, home utilities, TV, internet, select streaming services, department stores, cell phone bills, electronics stores and more.

Here’s the overall breakdown of rewards:

• 5% on two categories of your choice up to $2,000 in combined purchases each quarter
• 2% on a category of your choice from groceries, restaurants and gas stations
• 1% on all other eligible purchases

By choosing the 5% on fast food, you’ll earn one of the highest reward rates on any type of dining among cash back credit cards. You could also choose to earn 2% on regular restaurants or grocery stores, which makes this card a solid choice very good for overall food expenses.

Keep in mind you have to choose the categories each quarter so you don’t miss out on the rewards.

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

Other Credit Cards for Restaurants We Considered

Citi Custom Cash® Card

When used strategically, the Citi Custom Cash® Card can yield 5% on dining as it rewards your most used eligible categories, and restaurants is one of them. If it becomes your designated “going out to eat” card, its earning rate on restaurants will be 5%, up until the first $500 spent each billing cycle. However, if you spend more than that or plan to use it for other spending, this might not be the best card for you.

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

Citi Premier® Card

The Citi Premier® Card offers a competitive 3x points on dining, as well as on travel, gas stations and supermarkets for when your favorite restaurant is way too full. Its $95 annual fee, however, is too high for the rewards rate.

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

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(Terms apply. Click here for rates and fees.)

Intro APR: intro_apr_rate,intro_apr_duration │ Regular APR: reg_apr,reg_apr_type│ Annual Fee: annual_fees

This hotel card by American Express offers a lot of value, including a pretty high 4X points on worldwide restaurants and an annual free night after spending $15,000 on your Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card in a calendar year (terms apply). It’s the caps on the reward rates (after the first $15,000 spent on both restaurants and U.S. supermarkets, the rate drops to 2X) that kept it off our top picks.

U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card

This card’s 4x points on restaurants, fast food and bars is comparatively high, especially for a credit card without an annual fee. It's a solid option for dining, but it does fall short on other categories when compared to some of our top picks.

All information about the U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card has been collected independently by Money.com.

Best Credit Cards for Restaurants Guide

If you dine out a lot, whether it’s because of a busy lifestyle, an active nightlife or just love to discover food, a credit card that can reward you for all those expenses is essential.

Here are some factors to take into consideration when looking for a card that focuses on restaurant perks and rewards.

What is a credit card for restaurants?

The best credit cards for restaurants are credit cards that yield high rewards on dining. This could be at sit-in restaurants, cafes, bars, as well as takeout and food delivery services. Some cards will offer points or cash back for dining or provide statement credits for eating at specific restaurants.

Premium cards — that is, cards that charge high annual fees — will also offer benefits such as delivery service memberships, priority reservations, access to exclusive restaurants or even VIP events.

How do credit cards for restaurants work?

These are regular credit cards with fees, APR and a monthly billing cycle. Their peculiarity is that they offer high rewards for dining or some additional perks such as VIP access to high-end restaurants.

Points or cash back are automatically added to your account, given that the restaurant’s merchant category code is registered as such. Statement credits or other benefits might require enrollment, depending on the credit card issuer and the particular offer.

How to choose a credit card for restaurants

While the idea is similar, not all credit cards that specialize in dining are made the same. There are some factors that you should take into account when choosing one.

Analyze your dining habits

Around 56% of Americans dine out multiple times a week. If you’re one of them, having a credit card that’ll help you rack up reward points is convenient and could save you some money in the long run.

Also, consider the type of dining you enjoy. If you eat mostly at fast food restaurants, a simple no annual fee card that has a fixed rewards program might be good enough. If, on the other hand, you enjoy fine dining, a program like Chase Dining could provide you with exclusive access to fine dining restaurants and events.

If you don’t actually dine out that much, you could consider a credit card that provides more rewards on grocery purchases — granted, many credit cards share both benefits — or other general categories such as gas and utilities.

Takeout and delivery

Although it sounds obvious, this is a big factor to consider when choosing a credit card for dining. Some credit cards explicitly exclude takeout and delivery services from their rewards categories, but some of the best cards can even reward you more for it.

If you order a lot of delivery, make sure to apply for a card that includes it in its program. Moreover, you can get cards that provide special benefits for these services. Some Chase cards, for example, provide complimentary DashPass membership.

Consider other benefits

Depending on why you want a credit card for restaurants, you need to also analyze the card’s other categories and benefits to determine whether it’ll be your day-to-day card or you just want it to complement other cards you have. Here are some factors to take into account.

• Additional categories. If this will be your main card, you want it to reward your everyday purchases as well. Consider whether it provides high reward rates on other categories such as groceries, gas, utilities or travel, as well as the card’s base rate on every other purchase you make. On the other hand, if you want this card to be only for dining and going out, prioritize its rewards on restaurants and delivery services.

• Foreign transaction fee. One of traveling’s main activities is eating. If your plans include leaving the U.S. frequently, then your dining card should reward you for trying out new foods instead of charging you a 3% foreign transaction fee for it.

• Travel perks. As mentioned above, travel and dining go hand in hand, so if you want your card to cover all those bases, make sure you pick one that offers travel-related benefits such as higher rewards when booking travel, rental insurance or even TSA PreCheck® statement credits. Some of the best travel credit cards reward dining as well, so make sure to check those out.

• Entertainment. As with travel, nights out don’t just include restaurants, but might include ball games, concerts and more. A card that rewards you for entertainment purchases or gives you priority access to tickets will make the weekends even better overall.

Latest News in Credit Cards for Restaurants

• If you plan to redeem all your points or cash back on travel, make sure to read our article Credit Card Experts Swear by This Secret Strategy to Get the Best Travel Reward Deals to get some tips on how to maximize your rewards.

• If your credit card debt continues to rise, there are ways to improve your situation. Read our guide on How to Negotiate Credit Card Debt.
• Delivery services can raise the price of your lunch by a significant amount. If you order a lot of Uber Eats, These Credit Cards Just Started Offering 10% Cash Back on Uber and Uber Eats

How We Chose the Best Credit Cards for Restaurants

• Rewards. Arguably, the main factor when picking the best credit cards for restaurants is the rewards they offer for dining, including takeout and delivery. However, cards with high reward rates on additional categories got some bonus points.

• Additional dining perks. Other than rewards, additional perks such as statement credits, complimentary memberships, priority booking and more were crucial in our selection process.

• Fees. Annual fees could seriously impact how much money cardholders save or lose with their credit cards. Foreign transaction fees were also an important factor, as dining is a big part of traveling.

• Benefits. We also compared the benefits not necessarily involving dining, such as insurance, travel-related perks and more.

Summary of Money's Best Credit Cards for Restaurants

• American Express® Gold Card — Best Premium Credit Card for Restaurants
• Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card — Best for a Night Out
• Chase Freedom Unlimited® — Best with No Annual Fee
• Chase Sapphire Reserve® — Best for Fine Dining
• DoorDash Rewards Mastercard® — Best for Delivery
• IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card — Best Hotel Card for Dining
• U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card — Best for Fast Food
• Other credit cards we considered

Money.com has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Money.com and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.

To see rates and fees for the American Express® Gold Card, 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.