Food is the third-biggest expense for American households, which means if you’re not maximizing your cash-back rewards on groceries and dining out you could be missing out on a not-insignificant amount of money.
Welcome to Cheap Chow week! Food is more expensive than ever, and it may seem like your only cost-effective options are fast food or instant ramen. But it doesn’t have to be that way. This week we’ll be showing you how to buy, cook, and eat food in a fiscally effective manner, without sacrificing fun or flavor.
To that end, the best restaurant cards offer around two points per dollar spent, as Greg Johnson, credit card expert at Club Thrifty, told Credit Karma. But there are some that offer even more generous rewards.
Here are the best cards according to Credit Karma, NerdWallet and the Points Guy:
- Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card: Earn three percent cash back on eligible dining purchases (including Starbucks) and two percent back on groceries. Plus no foreign transaction fees if you’re a foodie on the go.
- Chase Sapphire Reserve: Earn three points on dining at restaurants. But watch out for the $450 annual fee. (The Chase Sapphire Preferred is also decent.)
- Costco Anywhere Card: Three percent back on dining and two percent back on all Costco purchases, plus four percent back on gas and one percent back on everything else. Ideal for those who do all their shopping at Costco, but there are better options on this list if you don’t.
- PNC Cash Rewards Card: You’ll earn three percent back on dining and two percent on groceries, plus four percent back at gas stations.
- Uber Visa Card: Earn four percent back on eligible dining purchases, which includes restaurants, bars, delivery from UberEATS and fast food joints. You’ll also get three percent back on certain hotel and airfare purchases, two percent back on eligible online purchases and one percent back on everything else.
There are obviously many considerations beyond dining points to take into consideration when applying for a credit card, and many of those listed above require good to great credit. But if you’re responsible with your money, then there are a ton of good options to choose from to maximize your cash back.
