Whether it's lunch or a weekend on the town with friends, heading to your favorite coffee shop or restaurant is one of the simple joys in life. But dining out adds up fast, easily making it one of the biggest expenses for many Americans. Why not get rewarded for all that spending by using the right credit cards?
There are hundreds of cards to pick from, but they're not created equally: Some are better than others when it comes time to pay the bill at the restaurant. The best credit cards for dining out will help you earn points to fuel your future travels, getting you a return of 3x (or higher) points for every dollar you spend on dinner or come with monthly credit that will help you save on your next meal – and some cards are good for both.
Let's dive into our roundup of the top credit cards to swipe next time you're eating out.
Best Credit Cards to Earn Points at Restaurants
Foodies can easily rack up valuable credit card points every time they dine out and transfer those rewards to airline and hotel programs to get outsized value when booking travel. With several great cards from banks like American Express, Capital One, Chase, Citi, and evenWells Fargo to choose from, there's likely a perfect option for you and your spending habits.
Thrifty Tip: No matter which card you're using, you could be earning valuable Bilt points – on top of your credit card rewards – through Bilt Neighborhood Dining.
American Express® Gold Card
The *amex gold* tops our list as one of the best all-around travel cards out there. And the points you'll earn when eating are a big reason why: Cardholders earn 4x Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 per year, then 1x).
From five-star Michelin restaurants to your favorite fast food spots or simply stopping for coffee, you'll earn 4x points for every dollar you spend (on up to $50,000 each year, then 1x).
Want to cook at home instead of eating out? The Amex Gold Card also earns 4x points per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year, then 1x), making it a go-to for buying groceries at home, too. Both categories make the Amex Gold a mainstay for travelers looking to pile up more Amex Membership Rewards points, which are incredibly valuable for booking flights on the cheap.
You'll also get up to $120 per year in dining credits to spend at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Buffalo Wild Wings, Wonder, and Five Guys, an annual up to $84 Dunkin' credit, up to $100 in Resy credits, and up to $120 annually in Uber cash to use on both Uber rides and Uber Eats.
With the exception of the Resy credit, which is doled out semi-annually in two $50 installments, these statement credits are given out in $10 monthly increments and any amount you don't use at the end of the month will be forfeited. To get your monthly Uber Cash, just add your Gold Card to your Uber account, and you'll automatically receive a $10 credit for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S.
Maximizing these credits alone will cover all your $325 annual fee and then some. These credits and bonus categories are a big reason why we feel the card is easily worth the $325 annual fee.
Welcome bonus offer: bonus_miles_full
Annual fee: annual_fees (see rates and fees).
Learn more about the *amex gold*
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
The *chase sapphire preferred* is one of the best travel credit cards to get started with points and miles. And you'll earn plenty of them when paying for dinner.
You'll earn 3x points per dollar spent on dining, gas and EV charging, vacation rentals, online grocery purchases (excluding big box stores like Target and Walmart), and select streaming services.
On top of the card's 3x categories, it also earns 2x Ultimate Rewards points for all travel expenses (airfare, hotels, parking, Uber, etc.). There's even an annual $100 Chase Travel℠ hotel credit, up to $120 credit for TSA PreCheck®, Global Entry, or NEXUS, and a complimentary year of Apple TV (enroll by Dec. 31, 2026).
All that for an incredibly reasonable annual fee of only $95 a year. It might lack the premium travel benefits of the *chase sapphire reserve*, but you'll make up for that with a much smaller annual fee.
Thrifty Tip: Need help deciding which Sapphire Card is right for you? Check our guide comparing the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Sapphire Reserve cards!
Welcome bonus offer: bonus_miles_full
Annual fee: $95
Learn more about the *csp*.
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
Don't want to shell out hundreds of dollars in annual fees? The *Capital One Savor* is one of the best no-annual-fee cards out there, earning an impressive 3% cash back on dining, at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Target and Walmart), entertainment, and select streaming services. You'll also earn 5% cash back on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, plus 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Best of all, it comes with a respectable bonus offer: For a limited time, get a $100 credit for flights, stays, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel during your first cardholder year. Plus, bonus_miles_full
Welcome bonus offer: bonus_miles_full
Annual fee: $0
Learn more about the *Capital One Savor*.
Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Card
The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Visa® Card is Wells Fargo's first true crack at a travel rewards card designed for frequent travelers.
With a small but mighty list of transfer partners (so far) and strong bonus categories where you can earn even more points on your spending, the Autography Journey card is worth paying attention to.
The card is perhaps the most well-rounded on this list, earning 3x points on dining and travel, plus 5x points on hotels, and 4x points on airfare.
The Autograph Journey's $95 annual fee is partially offset with an annual $50 airline credit that will be automatically applied to your first airfare purchase each year. On top of all that, the card comes with additional travel protections like lost luggage reimbursement, trip cancellation coverage, roadside assistance, and even cellular telephone protection.
Welcome Offer: Earn a 60,000-point bonus after spending $4,000 in the first three months of card membership.
Annual Fee: $95
All information about the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Card has been collected independently by Thrifty Traveler and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
Learn more about the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Visa® Card (for full disclosure, this is not an affiliate link).
Best Credit Cards to Save More on Dining
Beyond earning points, some travel credit cards also come with statement credits where you'll get money back on restaurant purchases. Aside from the Amex Gold card's monthly Uber Cash and dining credits we already mentioned, here are three other cards with perks that will save you money the next time you eat out.
American Express Platinum Card®
With a big “refresh” last summer, the *amex platinum* quietly became a solid choice for dining out … at least a handful of times per year.
In exchange for the card's new annual_fees annual fee (see rates & fees), Amex added a slew of credits to help justify the price hike. One such credit is for dining out at U.S. Resy restaurants: Platinum cardholders now get up to $100 in statement credits each quarter (for up to $400 each year) for dining purchases at more than 10,000 U.S. Resy-partner restaurants.
American Express acquired the restaurant reservation platform Resy back in 2019 and has been slowly integrating these credits into its card lineup. The bank first introduced Resy statement credits when it refreshed the suite of Delta SkyMiles cards early last year, and then added similar credits to the Amex Gold after completing a similar card refresh a couple of years back.
You'll need to enroll online in your Amex account before dining at one of these restaurants. And like most Amex credits, this is a use-it-or-lose-it benefit. If you don't spend the full $100 in each quarter, it won't roll over to the next.
Beyond using this big Resy credit, the Amex Platinum isn't generally a great option for dining out, as you'll only earn 1x points on those purchases. You'll be better off turning to another card on this list for your day-to-day dining purchases.
Welcome offer: bonus_miles_full
Annual fee: annual_fees (see rates & fees)
Learn more about *amex platinum*.
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
The new-look *chase sapphire reserve* now comes with up to $150 in statement credits from January through June and again from July through December, for a maximum of $300 annually, for dining at restaurants that are part of our “Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables.” And since the card earns 3x points at restaurants worldwide, it's also a good one to swipe anytime you're eating out.
The downside of this new credit? It's not nearly as easy to use as Amex's Resy credits.
You'll mostly find eligible restaurants in major cities like New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles, but even some mid-sized cities like Charleston, Minneapolis, Nashville, Denver, and more – but even then, there might only be a handful of restaurants where you can use it. The good news is that since these restaurants skew higher end, you should have no trouble using your semi-annual $150 credit up in one fell swoop … or over multiple visits.
In addition to this dining credit, the Sapphire Reserve now comes packed with north of $3,000 in annual value – Chase's words, not mine – and a long list of travel perks like lounge access and elite status. The reality is, most travelers won't come close to getting that kind of money back out of the card, but even if you only use two of the Sapphire Reserve's statement credits, you can still come out ahead on the annual fee.
Welcome offer: bonus_miles_full
Annual fee: annual_fees
Learn more about the *chase sapphire reserve*.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
Delta and American Express made some big changes to the suite of SkyMiles cards a couple of years back – and in the process, turned a couple of cards into solid options for dining. With the annual fee of the *delta reserve card* rising by $100, Amex added up to $240 in annual statement credits for Resy restaurants, doled out in $20 monthly increments.
To take advantage of this new credit you don't have to pay through Resy – or even make a reservation, for that matter. Instead, the restaurant just needs to be affiliated and available to book through Resy. Simply enroll in this benefit online in your Amex account and then use your Delta Reserve card to pay when the bill comes – that's all it takes.
If you're a loyal Delta flyer who lives in (or frequents) the over 200 cities where Resy restaurants are located, this credit could easily make the Delta Reserve's $650 annual fee (see rates & fees) much more manageable.
In addition to the monthly dining credit, you'll also get a $200 Delta Stays credit, $120 rideshare credit, and an up to $120 statement credit for TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry to offset the annual fee, on top of other travel perks like free checked bags, priority boarding, an annual Delta companion certificate, Delta Sky Club® access, and more.
Welcome offer: bonus_miles_full
Annual fee: annual_fees (see rates & fees)
Learn more about the *delta reserve card*.
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
Like its more premium sibling, the annual fee of the *delta skymiles platinum card* also went up by $100, but Amex added up to $120 annually in Resy statement credits, doled out in $10 monthly increments.
These credits work the same: Simply enroll online and then pay the bill at a participating Resy restaurant with your Delta Platinum card and you'll get $10 back on your statement. These credits don't roll over so be sure to use them up every month to take full advantage of the benefit.
While you get less Resy credit than the Delta Reserve, you'll earn more SkyMiles on those purchases. The Delta Platinum card earns 2x Delta SkyMiles per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.) and U.S. supermarkets.
This is your best option for saving and earning on dining with a Delta SkyMiles credit card.
Welcome Offer: bonus_miles_full
Annual fee: annual_fees (See rates & fees)
Learn more about the *delta skymiles platinum card*.
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
Believe it or not, the *bonvoy brilliant* is a valuable option for more than just hotel stays. Foodies who hold the Bonvoy Brilliant card will get up to $300 in dining credits each year, doled out in monthly $25 statement credits. And unlike the dining credits on other Amex cards, there aren't any hoops to jump through with this one. Simply use your Bonvoy Brilliant card to pay the bill at any restaurant and you'll automatically get a statement credit for up to $25.
Plus, you'll earn 3x points at restaurants worldwide with the Bonvoy Brilliant.
This is the perfect way to bring down the card's hefty $650 annual fee (see rates & fees). But that's as long as you remember to use it each month – any unused credits won't roll over.
The Bonvoy Brilliant card also earns 3x points at restaurants worldwide. Plus, you get travel perks like complimentary Marriott Bonvoy® Platinum Elite status, 25 elite night credit boost, Priority Pass™ Select membership, $120 statement credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®, and a valuable free night certificate each year you renew your card.
This was a card I just picked up with plans to convert the bonus into airline miles. Don't be like me and sleep on the Bonvoy Brilliant card!
Welcome Offer Bonus: bonus_miles_full
Annual fee: annual_fees
Learn more about the card_name
Bottom Line
Spending a lot on dining out, ordering in, or even just on groceries for cooking at home? Maximize each dollar you spend by putting the bill on one of these credit cards. Whether you're focused on earning points or saving on dining, there's a perfect card out there for you.
No love for the Resy platinum?