Best credit cards for restaurants and dining for December 2021

At one of the highest rewards rates for restaurants around, and with no annual fee, the U.S. Bank Altitude Go Visa Signature Card is a great choice for most people’s restaurant and dining expenditure. You’ll earn 4x points on takeout, food delivery and dining. At a value of $0.01 per point, this means you’re receiving 4% back. Restaurant spending isn’t the card’s only bonus category — you’ll also earn 2x points on grocery store and grocery delivery purchases, as well as streaming services and gas station purchases. 

You can also score a welcome bonus of 20,000 points (worth $200) when you spend $1,000 on eligible purchases in the first 90 days of card ownership. This is a great way to cover some extra meals out.

Though there is a $250 annual fee with this card, if you spend a lot of money on dining, takeout, and food in general, the outsized rewards will be worth it. The American Express Gold Card offers 4x points on your spending at US supermarkets (up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1x) and 4x points at restaurants, including takeout and delivery. The Points Guy values American Express points at $0.02, meaning you effectively receive 8% back on restaurants.

The card also comes with an Uber Eats Pass (enroll by Dec. 31; Uber Eats Pass will auto-bill starting 12 months from initial enrollment at the then-current monthly rate), up to $10 in Uber Cash each month to use for food delivery and rideshare in the US (card must be added to the Uber app to receive this benefit), and up to $10 in monthly dining statement credits for Grubhub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Boxed and participating Shake Shack locations. 

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card* is a top choice for date nights and other nights out on the town. That’s because this card has the unique pairing of 4% cash back on dining out and takeout, as well as entertainment and popular streaming services. So whether you’re having a date night out, romantic night in or a day out with friends, you’ll get the same cash back rewards. 

Additionally, you’ll get 8% cash back on any tickets you book through Vivid Seats (through January 2023). If you have a small budget for dining and entertainment and don’t want to pay the annual fee ($95) with this card, consider the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card*.

The Chase Freedom Unlimited offers 3% cash back on dining, plus at least 1.5% cash back on any other purchases, making it the best pick if you want to maximize rewards for dining and everyday spending. Plus, there’s no annual fee. 

A unique offer with this card right now is the complimentary DashPass subscription from DoorDash. As long as you activate by March 31, 2022, you can enjoy unlimited deliveries with a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees from thousands of restaurants for three months on qualifying food purchases. After that, you are automatically enrolled in DashPass at 50% off for the next nine months.

If your credit is fair or limited, it may be difficult to qualify for one of our above picks. But all hope is not lost — while most credit cards for fair or limited credit do not offer any rewards systems, the Petal 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa credit card, issued by WebBank, Member FDIC, does. There is no specific restaurant or dining category for rewards, but a blanket rewards rate of up to 1.5% cash back on eligible purchases has you covered. You earn 1% cash back on eligible purchases right away, and then another 0.5% after 12 on-time monthly payments.

How do you choose the right credit card for restaurants?

With so many excellent restaurant and dining credit cards on the market, it can be difficult to choose the best one for you. The fact is that many of the cards on our list offer comparable dining benefits, which means you may need to look a little closer at the rest of the terms and rewards.

Pay attention to whether there’s a limit on the dining rewards you can earn and see what combination of rewards and terms best fits your lifestyle and spending habits. Explore our other lists if you think you may be better off with one of the best credit cards for groceries, best credit cards for gas, best credit cards for travel, or overall best credit cards.

How do restaurant and dining cards work?

Restaurant and dining credit cards reward you for spending at certain food establishments. When you spend money at restaurants, on takeout or on food delivery (when applicable), you’ll earn an elevated rewards rate. Depending on the credit card company, you may be able to use your rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel, statement credits and other shopping. Some providers may offer a higher rewards rate on your points for certain redemption options.

As always, cash-back points are only worthwhile if you don’t overspend and pay off your balance in full each month. Otherwise, the interest and penalty fees you may accrue will offset your cash-back earnings and may end up costing you.

Can you earn rewards at bars with restaurant and dining cards?

Each credit card comes with different rules around what you can and cannot earn elevated rewards for. For example, some issuers only offer elevated rewards on money spent at actual restaurants, while others include takeout and delivery. Although bars are typically classified as restaurants, there may be a few instances where they are not.

For instance, some cards may allow you to earn points at bars if they are also dining establishments, while others may allow elevated rewards at all establishments, regardless of whether they serve food.