Best credit cards for dining and restaurants

Ranked by yearly value for someone who eats out a lot. Restaurant rewards on these cards range from about 3¢ to 6¢ per dollar once points are valued.

Based on $2,470/month spending: dining $700, groceries $500, hotels $80, flights $100, gas $150, streaming $40, everything else $900.

1. 1
   American Express Gold CardBig grocery and restaurant spenders

   Fee

   $325

   Bonus

   $900

   Year 1

   $1,989

   Yr 2+

   $1,089

2. 2
   Citi Strata Premier3x across five everyday categories for $95

   Fee

   $95

   Bonus

   $900

   Year 1

   $1,850

   Yr 2+

   $950

3. 3
   Chase Sapphire PreferredA first travel card that's easy to get value from

   Fee

   $95

   Bonus

   $1,125

   Year 1

   $1,902

   Yr 2+

   $777

4. 4
   Chase Sapphire ReserveFrequent travelers who'll use the $300 travel credit

   Fee

   $795

   Bonus

   $1,500

   Year 1

   $2,224

   Yr 2+

   $724

5. 5
   Hilton Honors SurpassHilton loyalists who want Gold status

   Fee

   $150

   Bonus

   $650

   Year 1

   $1,331

   Yr 2+

   $681

6. 6
   World of HyattHyatt fans — Hyatt points are worth more than most hotel points

   Fee

   $95

   Bonus

   $900

   Year 1

   $1,562

   Yr 2+

   $662

7. 7
   Capital One Savor Cash RewardsFood and fun spending with no annual fee

   Fee

   $0

   Bonus

   $200

   Year 1

   $794

   Yr 2+

   $594

8. 8
   Chase Freedom UnlimitedA no-fee everyday card with an easy bonus

   Fee

   $0

   Bonus

   $200

   Year 1

   $771

   Yr 2+

   $571

9. 9
   Chase Freedom FlexPeople happy to activate 5% categories each quarter

   Fee

   $0

   Bonus

   $200

   Year 1

   $764

   Yr 2+

   $564

10. 10
    Costco Anywhere VisaCostco members — 2% at Costco, and it works in Costco warehouses (Visa only)

    Fee

    $0

    Bonus

    —

    Year 1

    $562

    Yr 2+

    $562

11. 11
    Wells Fargo AutographThe best no-fee card for travel and dining categories

    Fee

    $0

    Bonus

    $200

    Year 1

    $753

    Yr 2+

    $553

12. 12
    Wells Fargo Autograph JourneyHigh rates on hotels and flights booked direct

    Fee

    $95

    Bonus

    $600

    Year 1

    $1,089

    Yr 2+

    $489

13. 13
    Bank of America Customized Cash RewardsPicking your own 3% category — change it monthly

    Fee

    $0

    Bonus

    $200

    Year 1

    $656

    Yr 2+

    $456

How we rank

Ledger adds up each card's sign-up bonus, the rewards it earns on the spending above (respecting caps), and a realistic share of its credits, then subtracts the annual fee. Points are valued at our estimates — in the calculator you can switch to cash-out (≈1¢) or transfer-partner (≈2¢) values, add the cards you already have, and see which new card adds the most.

Updated Oct 30, 2026.