The Best Credit Cards For Restaurant Rewards

The mounting pressures of modern life are grinding our gears. As the cost and availability of housing, education, and health care continue their meteoric and unchallenged ascent, our levels of stress, debt, anxiety, and depression are enjoying a concomitant rise as well. Given the dystopian future we can see coming but seem powerless to prevent, is it any wonder that spending at restaurants, particularly amongst millennials, has grown so robustly in recent years?

With dining out being one of the few relatively accessible pleasures left, is it any wonder that Generation Debt is particularly drawn to this form of temporary escapism? Unlike the pundits, we inherently recognize that skipping the proverbial avocado toast isn’t going to do much to help us afford a mortgage, so why not eat out and live a little? Of course, the fact that few of us have the time or energy to prepare decent food likely plays a role as well.

So long as we’re spending so much on dining, shouldn’t we be looking out for credit cards that reward us for the restaurant spending we were going to do anyway?

Let’s explore the business and personal credit cards that reward you for dining out at your local eatery.

Best Business Credit Cards For Dining Out

Blue Business Plus Credit Card from American Express

The Blue Business Plus is another Amex business card offering a nice rewards-earning rate on dining. It also offers an introductory 0% APR longer than that of just about any other business credit card.

With Amex’s Blue Business Plus card, you’ll get 2X Membership Rewards points on your first $50K in purchases per year (1x points thereafter) with no category restrictions. While dining purchases aren’t singled out for special rewards here, Amex Membership Rewards points are both valuable and transferrable to Amex’s airline and hotel partners, so your restaurant expenditures will be amply rewarded.

In addition, the card’s introductory 0% APR period of 15 months is extraordinary for a leading business credit card, so consider that if you’re looking to get a card that will let you pay off large expenses over time without hitting you with interest charges. This intro APR applies to both purchases and balance transfers, provided you make your balance transfer within 60 days of opening your account.

Hilton Honors Card from American Express

Here’s a credit card for the business owner who loves two things: dining out and staying at Hilton hotels.

Along with 7X points on all spending at Hilton properties, the Hilton Honors card offers an eye-popping 5X Hilton Honors points on spending on US restaurants as well as US supermarkets and gas stations. Of course, while earning 5X points on dining is great, these points can only be redeemed for Hilton hotel-related rewards (like free hotel night stays) and select events. However, if your business has you traveling frequently and you’re a Hilton loyalist (or you wouldn’t mind becoming a Hilton loyalist), this restuarant reward card might just be for you.

The card also comes with an impressive bonus offer of 75,000 Hilton Honors points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in your first 3 months.

Best Personal Credit Cards For Dining Out

Uber Visa Card

The Uber Visa card is a great credit card for going out and having fun, so as long as those things are still allowed, the Uber Visa merits a closer look.

With the Uber Visa, you’ll earn 4% back on all your dining purchases — an outstanding earning rate for a card with no annual fee. This 4% rate applies to your UberEATS order as well as all bar purchases, so if you’re looking for a card that rewards drinking, the Uber Visa should be right up your alley! However, for some reason, spending on Uber rides only earns you 2% back.

Your points are worth 1 cent apiece and can be redeemed for cash, Uber Cash, or gift cards.

Chase Sapphire Reserve

The Chase Sapphire Reserve is best known for its spiffy travel benefits, but the card offers some great travel rewards as well.

The card offers an unlimited 3X points on your dining purchases, and because your point value increases by 50% when you redeem your points for travel through Chase’s travel portal, your rewards rate on your dining purchases will be 4.5% when you put your points toward travel, thus making the Chase Sapphire Reserve a great choice for the traveling diner.

Sadly, these outstanding rewards come at a big price. The card’s annual fee is $450.

American Express Gold Card

The American Express Gold card is another high-end credit card offering very generous rewards for your dining purchases.

With the Amex Gold card, not only will you earn an unlimited 4X points on your restaurant purchases, but you’ll also earn 4X points on your first $25K per year on purchases at US supermarkets. The Amex Gold card gives great rewards for all manners of food purchases — foodies take note!

Of course, you’ll have to buy a lot of food to earn enough rewards to offset the card’s $250 annual fee.

Capital One Savor Cash Rewards

Want some great restaurant rewards without paying a three-digit annual fee? The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards card might be for you.

The Savor Cash Rewards card offers 4% cash back on dining and entertainment with no limits on the amount of cash back you can earn at the 4% rate. You’ll also get 2% cash back at grocery stores. Truly, this card’s food rewards are something to “savor.” Thank you, thank you; I’ll be here all week.

The card carries a $95 annual fee. However, that fee is waived for the first year.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re running your own business or working for one, the daily grind can be a real bummer. If you’re looking for a credit card that rewards you for getting out of the office and entering Feast Mode, check out the credit cards we’ve listed here.

Still feeling out the credit card scene? Check out these helpful links and get informed!

• Using personal cards for business
• Best business credit cards
• Best free credit score sites
• Top Restaurant Payroll Software For Businesses