Essential expenses like groceries can add up quickly — especially if you live with a partner or have a family. If you’re spending triple figures at the supermarket every year, it pays to have a credit card that earns bonus rewards on groceries. That’s because your grocery spend alone can translate to thousands of points that can help you swing a free flight, hundreds of dollars in cash back rewards, and more.
In this guide, we list the top six credit cards that are best for maximizing your trips to the grocery store. We’ll assume you spend roughly $300 per month (or $3,600 annually) at the supermarket to help you understand how much in rewards you can collect from groceries alone. Of course, you should adjust these figures to how you see fit with your monthly budget.
What’s Ahead:
Best credit cards for groceries
- Best overall: American Express® Gold Card
- Runner-up: Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
- Best for grocery delivery and meal kit purchases: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- Best for earning travel rewards: Citi Premier® Card
- Best for no annual fee: Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
- Best for wholesale shopping: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Best overall grocery store credit card: American Express® Gold Card
- APR: See Pay Over Time APR
- Annual fee: $250
- Grocery rewards: 4x points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, on up to $25,000 per calendar year (then 1x point per dollar)
- Estimated return on grocery spend: 7.2%
At the top of our list is the American Express® Gold Card — and for good reason. Although the $250 annual fee may seem expensive, the Amex Gold is easily the most rewarding card for groceries, as cardholders earn 4x points per dollar on purchases at U.S. supermarkets, up to the first $25,000 spent per year.
Since Amex Membership Rewards® points are worth 1.8 cents on average toward travel, Amex Gold cardholders earn a staggering 7.2% return on groceries.
($3,600/year * 4x points * 0.018 value / $3,600)
In a year, you can rack up 14,400 Membership Rewards® points on your grocery store purchases, which is worth about $259.20 (or more) toward travel. That can effectively wipe out the cost of the annual fee, and that’s way before you consider the other excellent perks of the card:
- 4x points per dollar on restaurants worldwide, 3x points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or through amextravel.com, and 1x point per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
- Up to $120 annual Uber Cash. You’ll receive $10 in Uber Cash each month, valid toward UberEats orders or Uber rides in the U.S.
- Up to $120 annual dining credit. You’ll receive $10 in statement credits toward eligible dining partners, including Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar, and select Shake Shack locations.
The only downside to the Amex Gold Card is that the 4x earning rate only applies to purchases spent at U.S. supermarkets. While you won’t be charged with foreign transaction fees with this card, for all of your grocery store trips while you’re traveling abroad, you may want to consider using a different card.
Read more: Amex Gold vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Which is right for you?
Runner-up: Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
- APR: 16.99% – 27.99% (Variable)
- Annual fee: $95
- Grocery rewards: 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets — but only on the first $6,000 spent annually, then 1% cash back
- Estimated return on grocery spend: 6%
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express offers a whopping 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on the first $6,000 spent annually, then 1% cash back. If your monthly grocery budget falls under the maximum limit (roughly about $500 per month), you could earn $360 in cash back rewards from your grocery spend every year.
Unfortunately, you’ll only earn bonus points at supermarkets in the U.S., and warehouse clubs and superstores like Target and Walmart are also excluded. Still, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express remains one of the best cash back options for groceries with a fantastic 6% return.
Additionally, cardholders earn 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions and 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on transit purchases.
Read more: Amex Blue Cash Preferred® review: Earn more cash back on groceries and gas
Other best credit cards for groceries
Best for grocery delivery and meal kit purchases: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- APR: 20.74% - 27.74% Variable
- Annual fee: $95
- Grocery rewards: 3x points per dollar on online grocery services
- Estimated return on grocery spend: 5.1%
Throughout the pandemic, grocery delivery services (such as FreshDirect and Instacart) and meal kit delivery boxes (like Blue Apron and HelloFresh) have become incredibly popular. If you spend the bulk of your supermarket spend through these services, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card specifically offers an unlimited 3x points per dollar on online grocery store purchases — but excludes purchases at Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs.
Since Chase Ultimate Rewards® points are worth 1.7 cents per point, that’s like securing a 5.1% return on online grocery purchases. With an estimated $300 monthly spend in online grocery services, you could earn 10,800 points annually, worth about $184 toward travel.
Not to mention, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card also offers 5x points on travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x points on dining and select streaming services, and 1x point per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
Apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or read our full review.
Best for earning travel rewards: Citi Premier® Card
- APR: 20.99% - 28.99% (Variable)
- Annual fee: $95
- Grocery rewards: 3x unlimited points per dollar on supermarkets
- Estimated return on grocery spend: 4.8%
If you’re chasing after travel rewards, the Citi Premier® Card is an outstanding pick for just $95 per year. You’ll earn 3x bonus points on airline and hotel purchases, as well as at supermarkets (excluding warehouse stores), gas stations, and restaurants, with 1x points on all other purchases.
When redeeming your rewards for travel, Citi ThankYou® points are worth about 1.6 cents each. With an estimated 900 points earned per month, or 10,800 points per year, you will have accrued about $173 in credit card rewards.
Apply for the Citi Premier® Card or read our full review.
Card info has been collected by MoneyUnder30 to help consumers better compare cards. The financial institution did not provide or approve card details.Best for no annual fee: Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
- APR: 19.74% - 29.74% (Variable)
- Annual fee: $0
- Grocery rewards: 3% unlimited cash back at grocery stores (excludes superstores like Walmart® and Target®)
- Estimated return on grocery spend: 3%
The Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card is one of our favorite no annual fee cash back cards. Cardholders earn an unlimited 3% cash back at grocery stores, which include supermarkets (both in the U.S. and internationally), meat locker, freezer, and dairy product stores, and specialty markets. However, you won’t earn bonus points at superstores like Target or Walmart.
With an estimated $300 monthly spend on groceries, you would earn $108 in cash back rewards with the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card. In addition to earning bonus points at grocery stores, cardholders receive 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, and popular streaming services, and 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
Finally, this card waives all foreign transaction fees on purchases made outside of the U.S.
Apply for the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card.
Best for wholesale shopping: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- APR: 20.74% - 28.74% (Variable)
- Annual fee: $95
- Grocery rewards: 2x miles per dollar on all eligible purchases
- Estimated return on grocery spend: 2%
Suppose your grocery spend is mostly at warehouse clubs like Costco or Sam’s Club or even at big-box stores like Target or Walmart. Unfortunately, many credit cards that offer bonus rewards on groceries (including the ones listed above) will specifically exclude spend at these retailers.
If that’s the case, you may want to consider applying for a credit card that rewards you for all general spend. The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a terrific option, as it earns an unlimited 5x miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 2x miles per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
With an estimated $300 monthly grocery budget, you would accrue 600 miles per month, or roughly 7,200 miles per year, that you can redeem for travel, gift cards, cash back, and more.
For the utmost simplicity, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a great card for groceries, no matter which supermarket you shop at.
Apply for the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card or read our full review.
Summary
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to picking the right credit card for groceries. While some cards can offer up to a 7.8% return on groceries, you’ll first need to evaluate where you do the bulk of your shopping.
If most of your grocery shopping is at a warehouse club, you might want to consider a card that offers bonus points on all general spend instead.
Meanwhile, large families may justify paying an annual fee to get a higher return on supermarket spend, while others may want to open a card with no annual fee.
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