Dining Cards guides

A dining credit card earns a higher reward rate at restaurants, and it is for you if eating out or takeout is one of your biggest regular expenses. Many dining cards also earn extra at grocery stores or on entertainment, so they can cover much of your everyday spending.

What counts as dining depends on the merchant category code the business uses. Restaurants, bars and cafes usually qualify, food delivery counts with some issuers, and a restaurant inside a hotel or stadium may code as something else. Compare the reward rate on dining against your yearly restaurant spending, then check the annual fee, any spending caps, and what the rewards are worth when you redeem them. A no-annual-fee card can come out ahead if you spend a moderate amount.

Read the best credit cards for dining and restaurants. For examples, compare the no-annual-fee Capital One Savor and U.S. Bank Altitude Go with the American Express Gold Card, which charges an annual fee.