Whether you're on your lunch break or planning an outing with your friends on the weekend, heading to your favorite coffee shop or restaurant is one of the simple joys in life. But heading to the restaurant (or ordering takeout) adds up fast … into one of the biggest expenses for many Americans. Why not get rewarded for all that spending by using the right credit cards?
There are hundreds of travel credit cards to pick from, but they're not created equally: Some are clearly better than others when it comes time to pay the bill at the restaurant. The best credit cards for dining out will help you get more cash back or points to fuel your future travels, getting a return of 3x (or higher) for every dollar you spend on dinner.
Let's dive into our roundup of the top credit cards to use to pay for your next meal.
The American Express Gold Card
The *amex gold* tops our list as one of the best all-around travel cards out there. And the points you'll earn when eating are a big reason why.
Cardholders earn an unlimited 4x Membership Rewards points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide. From five-star Michelin restaurants to your favorite fast food spots or simply stopping for coffee, you'll earn 4x points for every dollar you spend. It's one of the biggest expenses for average Americans – especially the younger crowd.
Want to cook at home instead of eating out? The Amex Gold Card also earns 4x points per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 each year (1x points thereafter), making this card a go-to for buying groceries at home, too.
Both categories make the Amex Gold a mainstay for travelers looking to pile up more Amex Membership Rewards points, which are incredibly valuable for booking flights on the cheap.
The card also offers a monthly $10 dining credit for charges at GrubHub, The Cheesecake Factory, Wine.com, Goldbelly, Milk Bar, and participating Shake Shack locations, and an additional monthly $10 Uber Cash, with an annual benefit of $120 in Uber Cash on the Amex Gold Card. Just be sure to add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S.
These benefits are a big reason I hold the card and feel that it's easily worth the $250 annual fee.
- Welcome bonus offer: bonus_miles_full
- Earn 4x points at restaurants & U.S. Supermarkets (up to $25,000 annually then 1x)
- Up to $120 annual dining credit ($10 per month)
- Up to $120 in Uber Cash ($10 per month)
- Annual fee: $250 (see rates & fees)
Learn more about the *amex gold*
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
The *chase sapphire preferred* is one of the best travel credit cards to get started with points and miles. And you'll earn plenty of them when paying for dinner.
You'll earn 3x Chase Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent at all restaurants worldwide.
On top of the extra Ultimate Rewards points for dining, the card also earns 2x Ultimate Rewards points for all travel expenses (airfare, hotels, parking, Uber, etc.). There's even a $50 annual hotel credit available when you book a hotel stay through the Chase travel portal.
All that for an incredibly reasonable annual fee of only $95 a year. It might lack the premium travel benefits of the *chase sapphire reserve*, but it comes with the same welcome bonus – and an identical 3x points per dollar on dining.
Thrifty Tip: Need help deciding which Sapphire Card is right for you? Check our guide comparing the Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Sapphire Reserve cards!
- Welcome bonus offer: bonus_miles_full
- Earn 3x points on dining
- Earn 2x points on travel purchases
- Earn 5x points on travel purchased through the Chase Travel Portal, excluding hotel purchases that qualify for the $50 annual hotel credit
- Up to $50 annual hotel credit for Chase Ultimate Rewards portal bookings
- Annual fee: $95
Learn more about the *csp*.
The Citi Premier Card
The *citi premier* is another great card with a low annual fee that can help you earn more points.
You earn 3x ThankYou Points for everyday spending at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, and on air travel. With an annual fee of just $95 a year, this is a powerful card to have in your wallet if you're planning to dine out or go to the grocery store to cook dinner.
One thing that sets this card apart from others on this list? You'll earn 3x points at gas stations as well.
When you're booking travel, airfare and hotel purchases also earn 3x points … or even more: Hotel and car rentals booked through the Citi Travel portal earn 10x points through June 30, 2024.
This is a card you might want to consider having in your wallet to earn more points on almost all your everyday spending.
- Welcome bonus offer: bonus_miles_full
- Earn 3x points at restaurants and supermarkets
- Earn 3x points at gas stations
- Earn 3x points on airfare and hotel booking
- Up to $100 annual hotel credit for Citi Travel portal hotel booking of at least $500
- Annual fee: $95
Learn more about the *citi premier*.
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
One of hottest travel cards on the market, the *venture x*, earns you 2x Venture Miles per dollar spent on every purchase.
While that's fewer points than other cards on your list, that makes the Venture X a go-to “one and done” card to earn double points whether you're dining out, at the movies, paying bills, and … well, everything. There's no need to carry multiple credit cards and remember which ones to use to maximize your spending: Just throw down your Venture X Card and you're good.
Thrifty Tip: Get 50% off on handmade coffees and other beverages when paying with your Venture X (or another Capital One card) at Capital One Cafes.
If you're planning travel, you could earn up to 10x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through the Capital One Travel portal. You'll earn 5x miles on flights booked through the portal.
Yes, it has a hefty annual fee of $395. However, that fee basically pays for itself with a ton of travel benefits like an up to $100 TSA PreCheck and Global Entry credit, $300 annual travel credit, and 10,000 Venture Mile anniversary bonus.
- Welcome bonus offer: bonus_miles_full
- Earn 2x miles per dollar on every purchase
- Earn 10x miles on hotels & rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Earn 5x miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
- $300 annual travel credit
- $100 TSA PreCheck and Global Entry credit
- 10,000 Venture Mile anniversary bonus
- Annual fee: $395
Learn more about the *venture x*.
Savor Rewards from Capital One
If earning credit card points isn't at the top of your list, a cashback card like the *cap1_savor* could help you save money on dining and trips to the supermarket with bonus cash back, instead.
The card earns 3% cashback on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services, and grocery store purchases (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target). And unlike other cards on this list, this one comes with a $0 annual fee.
With a 3% return on the above categories, you're basically getting a 3% discount – in the form of direct deposit cash or statement credit. That makes this card a wise choice if you simply want to save on dinner or at the grocery store.
Plus, it gets better if you're booking Uber rides or ordering Uber eats: You get 10% cashback on your purchases through the app with your Savor Rewards card.
It's a great card to consider keeping on its own … but also to pair with a travel card like the *venture x* , allowing you to pool cashback from your Savor Card and turn them into Venture miles.
Though it might be a cashback card, it comes with travel perks, too. For starters, you won't pay foreign transaction fees – a rarity for a card with no annual fee.
This card also earns 5% cashback on hotel and rental car bookings on the Capital One Travel portal.
- Welcome bonus offer: bonus_miles_full
- Earn 3% cashback on dining and grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target)
- Earn 3% cashback on entertainment and popular streaming services
- Earn 5% cashback on hotel and rental cars booked through the Capital One Travel portal
- Earn 8% cashback on Capital One Entertainment purchases
- Annual fee: $0
Learn more about the card_name
Bottom Line
Spending a lot on dining out, ordering in, or even cooking at home? Maximize each dollar you spend by putting the bill on one of these credit cards.
Whether you value points and miles or the simplicity of earning cash back, using the right credit card at restaurants, takeout, and groceries can help you get the most out of your spending.