The Best Credit Cards for Dining Out
This post contains references to products from our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. The content is not provided by the advertiser and any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any bank, card issuer, airline or hotel chain. Please visit our Advertiser Disclosure to view our partners, and for additional details.
At first glance, dining out would seem to be the opposite of frugality, as it is easy to spend enough in one meal at a restaurant as you could buying a week's worth of groceries. Yet frugal people like me have been able to turn this equation on its head by taking advantage of rewards points.
On a recent night out, I made my reservation with Open Table just before departing in order to receive points worth future dining credits. When I arrived, I presented a coupon from Restaurant.com that took $25 off my $35 bill. Finally, I paid for our meal with a credit card that earns double points at restaurants. On other occasions I have used coupons from the Entertainment Book and participated in many of the dining miles programs offered by the airlines. By using coupons and taking advantage of rewards, my dining budget can still come pretty close to what I would've spent on a home-cooked meal. (See also: Best Credit Cards for Groceries)
Restaurant Rewards Credit Cards
No matter what your situation, anyone can save money by using the ideal credit card to maximize the rewards they receive from their dining expenses. Just as with any reward credit card, cardholders must always pay their balances in full and on time in order to assure that interest payments do not overwhelm any rewards received.
Best Credit Cards for Dining Out at Restaurants
These are my picks for the top credit cards to use when dining out.
American Express® Gold Card
The American Express® Gold Card offers 4x Membership Rewards® Points at restaurants (plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.). Also earn 4x at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1x), 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com, and 1x points on other purchases. There are no foreign transaction fees. The annual fee is $250. Terms Apply. See Rates and Fees.
You can also get up to $120 ($10 each month) in Uber Cash each year by using your Gold card for Uber eats or Uber rides in the U.S. Terms Apply.
Welcome Offer: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
Click here to learn more and apply for the American Express® Gold Card today!
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card
The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card lets cardholders choose the category they want to apply the highest cash back on, and dining is one of them. Choose to get 3% cash back in one of six categories - dining, gas (including Electric Vehicle Charging (EVC) Stations), online shopping (including cable, streaming, internet and phone services), travel, drug stores, or home improvement/furnishings, and 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (for the first $2,500 in combined grocery/wholesale club/choice category purchases each quarter, then 1%). You can also change the category once a month. There is no annual fee.
Bonus offer: Earn $200 online cash rewards bonus after spending at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card
The Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card offers 1.5 points per $1 spent on every purchase. There is no limit to the points you can earn and no expiration date on the points. Redeeming points is easy - get a statement credit to pay for travel or dining purchases, such as flights, hotel stays, car and vacation rentals, baggage fees, and also at restaurants including takeout. Usually travel rewards cards are limited to redeeming their points only on travel related purchases, but this card includes dining. There is no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees.
Online bonus offer: Get 25,000 online bonus points if you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel or dining purchases.
Click here to learn more and apply for the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card today!
For rates and fees of the American Express Gold® Card, click here.
Without a doubt, most consumers will save money when they prepare their meals at home. Nevertheless, I find a frugal night out to be a needed respite from our family's normal routine of cooking and cleaning. By using all available coupons and discounts, and by choosing the best credit card to pay for your dining expenses, you can have affordable meals that ultimately lead to valuable rewards.
Like this article? Pin it!
Tagged: Credit Cards, Food and Drink, affordable restaurant dining, best credit cards, credit card rewards, dining out
Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
I like the Discover Card. I've been looking for a good credit that offers decent rewards with no annual fee. What would you guys recommend?
I would add the Visa Signature SonyCard from Capital One to this list. It offers 3X points on dining out and movies. No foreign transaction fees, no annual fee.
Also, whatever card you go with, if you register it with upromise.com and you get additional cash back at many restaurants. This cash back can be applied to a Sallie Mae student loan, 529 plan or just a regular savings account if you don't have any education related expenses.
Is the non-student version of the Citi Forward Card still available? I can't find it on the Citi website.
yes, discontinued in January 2013 I think
Thanks for sharing this information and this post! I'm mostly pleased with American Express, have been using it for years and I almost have no problems with it.
overlooked is the Costco (American Express) card - 2% on restaurants - cashback paid annually (bummer) plus, of course the Costco membership fee. But, too, the card does 3% on gas.
Just use the Fidelity Amex. Its 2% everywhere.
I agree , Fidelity American Express is the best general purpose card at 2% on every thing no exclusions. Plus it encourages you to invest the cash back to each even more money over time!
I still use the Citi Forward Card with 5x point for dining but he Simply Cash Business from Amex looks like a good one..3% back at restaurants.
U.S. Bank Cash+. 5% on restaurants if you choose restaurants+fast food as your two 5% categories.
U.S Bank has downgraded restaurants to 2% beginning 2015.
Amex Costco Card is definitely the best out there. 2% Cash back on restaurants no quarterly limit crap. Eat as much as you want as frequently as you want and you'll get 2% cash back. Just don't forget to exercise :)
The new Bravo card from Santander is 3% on all restaurant spend.
The Paypal Mastercard is offering 3X points on restaurants
I use to use the Costco Amex as my #1 card for restaurants and gas. I eat mostly all meals out. But since Sams Club came out with there new MasterCard which gives 5% on gas, 3% on travel and restaurants, and 1% on everything else. I switched. While I like Amex look and customer service better, the Sam's Mastercard has superior cash back rewards, and is my new favorite to use in restaurants and gas stations now. I hope Costco competes, however Mastercard is excepted everywhere and Amex is not..
Citi double Cash 2% everything
Discover it or Chase freedom sometimes has 5% on restaurants if you feel like dealing with rotating categories.
Many cards have 5% or more on groceries and work for restaurant gift cards. Using this method you are more likely to overspend or lose gift cards.
Great analysis but I would add, for the second quarter, to use the Chase Freedom card which gives you 5 x points for restaurants.
Chase AARP Visa is 3% on restaurants (and gas), with no limits and no annual fee. No AARP membership required.