Best Cashback Credit Cards for Dining (December 2024)

Choosing the right cashback credit card for dining can significantly enhance your spending power, especially if you frequently dine out or order takeout. This comprehensive analysis, based on a consensus of reputable sources, evaluates the top contenders, considering reward rates, annual fees, bonus categories, redemption options, and customer reviews to help you make an informed decision.

Top Recommendations

Based on a thorough review of multiple sources, including NerdWallet, Bankrate, The Points Guy, WalletHub, CreditCards.com, Yahoo Finance, and various user communities, the following cards consistently emerge as the best options for dining rewards:

1. Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
2. Chase Freedom Flex®
3. American Express® Gold Card
4. Citi Custom Cash® Card
5. U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card
6. Chase Freedom Unlimited®
7. Discover it® Cash Back
8. Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card
9. Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

Detailed Card Analysis

Here's a detailed breakdown of each card, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses:

1. Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card

• Reward Rates:
  • 4% cash back on dining, entertainment, and popular streaming services.
  • 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target).
  • 1% cash back on all other purchases.
  • 8% cash back on purchases made via the Capital One Entertainment ticketing platform.
  • 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
• Annual Fee: $95 (waived for the first year in some offers).
• Bonus Categories: Dining, entertainment, streaming services, and grocery stores.
• Redemption Options: Cash back can be redeemed as a statement credit, check, or gift card with no minimum redemption threshold.
• Additional Perks: No foreign transaction fees and access to exclusive dining and entertainment experiences through Capital One Entertainment.
• Customer Reviews: Highly praised for its generous dining rewards and straightforward redemption process. Some users note that the annual fee may not be worth it for those who don’t dine out frequently.
• Best For: High dining rewards and entertainment perks.

2. Chase Freedom Flex®

• Reward Rates:
  • 3% cash back on dining, including takeout and delivery.
  • 5% cash back on rotating quarterly categories (up to $1,500 in combined purchases, activation required).
  • 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
  • 1% cash back on all other purchases.
• Annual Fee: $0.
• Bonus Categories: Dining and rotating quarterly categories.
• Redemption Options: Cash back can be redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards for statement credits, travel, gift cards, or direct deposits. Points can also be transferred to Chase travel partners if paired with a premium Chase card.
• Additional Perks: 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, purchase protection, and extended warranty benefits.
• Customer Reviews: Praised for its versatility and no annual fee. Some users find the rotating categories cumbersome to track and activate.
• Best For: Rotating bonus categories and no annual fee.

3. American Express® Gold Card

• Reward Rates:
  • 4X Membership Rewards points at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S.
  • 4X Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year in purchases, then 1X).
  • 3X Membership Rewards points on flights booked directly with airlines or through amextravel.com.
  • 1X points on all other purchases.
• Annual Fee: $250.
• Bonus Categories: Dining and U.S. supermarkets.
• Redemption Options: Points can be redeemed for travel through the American Express Travel portal, transferred to airline and hotel partners, or used for statement credits, gift cards, and merchandise. High value when transferred to travel partners.
• Additional Perks: $120 dining credit (up to $10 per month at select restaurants and delivery services) and no foreign transaction fees.
• Customer Reviews: Loved for its high rewards rate on dining and premium perks. The $250 annual fee may not be worth it for casual diners.
• Best For: Foodies who spend heavily on dining and groceries, and frequent travelers.

4. Citi Custom Cash® Card

• Reward Rates:
  • 5% cash back on your top eligible spending category each billing cycle (up to $500 in purchases, then 1%).
  • 1% cash back on all other purchases.
• Annual Fee: $0.
• Bonus Categories: Automatically adjusts to your highest spending category each month, which can include dining.
• Redemption Options: Cash back is issued as Citi ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for statement credits, gift cards, or travel.
• Additional Perks: Automatically adjusts to your highest spending category, making it ideal for those who don’t want to track categories.
• Customer Reviews: Highly rated for its simplicity and automatic category adjustment. The $500 cap on the 5% category is a limitation for heavy spenders.
• Best For: Automatically maximizing rewards on dining.

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

• Reward Rates: 4 points per dollar on dining purchases, including takeout and delivery.
• Annual Fee: $0.
• Bonus Categories: Dining.
• Redemption Options: Points can be redeemed for travel, gift cards, or cash back, among other options.
• Customer Reviews: Users appreciate the high rewards rate on dining with no annual fee, making it a cost-effective option for those who spend significantly on dining.
• Best For: High dining rewards with no annual fee.

6. Chase Freedom Unlimited®

• Reward Rates:
  • 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
  • 3% cash back on dining, including restaurants and eligible delivery services.
  • 3% cash back on drugstore purchases.
  • 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
• Annual Fee: $0.
• Bonus Categories: Dining, travel booked through Chase, and drugstore purchases.
• Redemption Options: Cash back can be redeemed as a statement credit, direct deposit, or through Chase Ultimate Rewards for travel.
• Customer Reviews: Customers appreciate the straightforward reward structure and the absence of an annual fee. The 3% cash back on dining is often highlighted as a key benefit.
• Best For: Solid reward rate on dining and other fixed categories with no annual fee.

7. Discover it® Cash Back

• Reward Rates:
  • 5% cash back on rotating quarterly categories (up to $1,500 per quarter after activation).
  • 1% cash back on all other purchases.
• Annual Fee: $0.
• Bonus Categories: Rotating categories, which often include dining.
• Redemption Options: Cash back can be redeemed as a statement credit, direct deposit, or for gift cards. The card also offers a Cashback Match™ program, where Discover matches all the cash back earned at the end of the first year.
• Customer Reviews: Users love the first-year Cashback Match™ feature and no annual fee. Some find the rotating categories restrictive due to the quarterly activation requirement.
• Best For: Rotating categories with no annual fee.

8. Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card

• Reward Rates:
  • 3% cash back in a category of your choice (dining, gas, online shopping, travel, drugstores, or home improvement).
  • 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs.
  • 1% cash back on all other purchases.
• Annual Fee: $0.
• Bonus Categories: Customizable category of choice, including dining.
• Redemption Options: Cash back can be redeemed as a statement credit, direct deposit, or contribution to a Bank of America account. No minimum redemption threshold.
• Additional Perks: Preferred Rewards members can earn up to 75% more cash back.
• Customer Reviews: Appreciated for its flexibility and no annual fee. Some users note that the 3% category cap of $2,500 per quarter may limit rewards for high spenders.
• Best For: Flexible cashback categories.

9. Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

• Reward Rates: 3X points on dining and other categories such as travel, gas stations, and drugstores.
• Annual Fee: $0.
• Bonus Categories: Dining, travel, gas stations, and drugstores.
• Redemption Options: Points can be redeemed for cash back, travel, or other rewards.
• Customer Reviews: Users appreciate the broad range of 3X categories, making it a versatile option for various types of spending.
• Best For: Broad range of 3X categories including dining.

Key Factors to Consider

When choosing a dining cashback credit card, consider the following:

• Reward Categories: Look for cards offering bonus rewards specifically for dining/restaurants. Many top cards include additional categories like groceries and travel. Some offer rotating quarterly bonus categories.
• Redemption Flexibility: Cash back cards typically offer more flexible redemption options. Some cards allow points conversion to travel rewards. Consider whether you prefer straightforward cash back or want travel redemption options.
• Card Pairing Strategy: Experts recommend pairing restaurant cards with complementary category bonuses. Common complementary categories include groceries and travel. This maximizes overall reward potential across spending categories.
• Annual Fees: Annual fees vary significantly between cards. Evaluate whether the rewards justify the cost.
• Dining Restrictions: Some cards restrict rewards to specific types of dining establishments. Check the terms and conditions.
• Credit Score: Card approval typically requires good to excellent credit.

Final Ranking and Conclusion

Based on the analysis, here is a final ranking of the best cashback credit cards for dining:

1. Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best overall for dining and entertainment due to its high cashback rate and broad category rewards.
2. American Express® Gold Card: Best for foodies and high spenders who can leverage Membership Rewards points for travel.
3. Chase Freedom Flex®: Best for flexibility and no annual fee, with rotating bonus categories.
4. Citi Custom Cash® Card: Best for automatic bonus rewards on your top spending category.
5. U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card: Best for high dining rewards with no annual fee.
6. Chase Freedom Unlimited®: Best for a solid reward rate on dining and other fixed categories with no annual fee.
7. Discover it® Cash Back: Best for rotating categories with no annual fee and a first-year cashback match.
8. Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for flexible cashback categories.
9. Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card: Best for a broad range of 3X categories including dining.

The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card stands out as the top choice for dining due to its high 4% cashback rate and broad entertainment category rewards. However, the American Express® Gold Card is ideal for those who spend heavily on dining and groceries and can leverage Membership Rewards points for travel. For budget-conscious users, the Chase Freedom Flex®, U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card, and Discover it® Cash Back offer excellent rewards without an annual fee. The Citi Custom Cash® Card is a great option for those who want a simple way to earn high cash back on dining without needing to track rotating categories. The Chase Freedom Unlimited® provides a straightforward 3% on dining with no annual fee, while the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card offers flexibility in choosing your bonus category. The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card provides a broad range of 3X categories, making it a versatile option.

Choose a card that aligns with your spending habits and redemption preferences for maximum value. Remember to verify current terms and conditions directly with card issuers before applying, as these can change frequently.