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If you spend a lot on restaurants (dining out and takeout), then it’s time to maximize your spending on those purchases! The list below includes our favorite cash back cards for restaurants.

At CashFreely, we are all about maximizing cash back in the least amount of time. The #1 way to do this is through great signup bonus offers that lead to lots of cash back in the first few months of getting a new card. Most people will earn way more cash back in one signup bonus compared to the ongoing cash back they earn with everyday purchases. For our top-ranked offers, go to this page.

That said, let’s talk about our picks for the best cash back cards for restaurants.

A few extra notes: In general, the spending category of dining and restaurants includes fast food, fine dining, delivery and takeout, coffee shops, and bars. Some cards have no foreign transaction fees and earn the same cash back internationally. While others will only earn extra cash back for dining and restaurants based in the U.S. Some cards offer higher earning in several categories, but only apply the bonus earning for the top 2-3 spending categories each month. Lastly, some cards have a cap on how much you can earn on dining before it drops down to 1%. In summary, make sure to read our notes and the fine print to know what the terms are.

Curious about our favorite cards for gas and groceries? We’ve got you covered:

Best Cash Back Cards for Gas Purchases

Best Cash Back Cards for Groceries

Our Picks: Best Cash Back Cards for Restaurants

Citi Premier® Card

Earning rate on restaurant spending: 3x ThankYou® points (which is 3% cash back equivalent)
Notes: Also earns 3x on gas and groceries.
Annual Fee: $95

Citi Premier® Card   ($600 Cash Value)
60,000 Citi ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months. Limited time offer -- earn a total of 10X ThankYou® Points hotel and car rentals bookings on the Citi Travel portal through June 30, 2024. Note: Read new application rule carefully regarding "48 months." An excellent secret cash back card with a great signup bonus and awesome 3x (3% cash back) spending categories. This card is comparable to the Chase Sapphire Preferred, but with better spending categories.

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Earning rate on restaurant spending: 3% cash back
Annual Fee: $0

Chase Freedom Unlimited®   ($300 Cash)
Special Offer: Additional 1.5% cash back (first year only, up to $20,000) With this offer, you'll now earn a total of 4.5x on dining (including takeout and eligible delivery services), 4.5x on drugstores, 6.5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, and 3x on everything else for the first year, up to $20,000. This special offer is best for those who have a healthy amount of monthly spending on dining and general expenses.

Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

Earning rate on restaurant spending: 3% cash back
Annual Fee: $0

$200 after you spend $500 in the first 3 months. Very solid cash back card with a bonus and no annual fee. Very attractive 3% on dining, entertainment, streaming services and grocery stores (excluding superstores - e.g. Walmart and Target). The ability to convert this earning to Capital One miles is a great idea if you have a Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.

Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi

Earning rate on restaurant spending: 3% cash back
Annual Fee: $0

Excellent card for cash back. A great value cash back card for Costco fans that also earns 3 to 4% on certain categories.

Citi Custom Cash® Card

Earning rate on restaurant spending: up to 5% cash back (depends on other spending)
Notes:
This card offers 5% cash back in the category in which you spend the most each billing cycle, for up to $500 of spending; Restaurants is one of the included categories eligible for 5% cash back.
Annual Fee: $0

Citi Custom Cash® Card   ($200 Cash)
$200 after you spend $1,500 in the first 6 months. Great card for lower spenders who want to max out 5% cash back on one specific spending category (no more than $500 per month). See terms for eligible spending categories.

US Bank Altitude GO

Earning rate on restaurant spending: 4x points (4% cash back equivalent)
Notes:
You can cash out points at a rate of 1 cent per point as a statement credit or deposit into a US Bank account. There is a 2,500 point redemption minimum. e.g. 50,000 points converts to $500 cash.
Annual Fee: $0

20,000 US Bank Altitude Points after you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months. A nice card for US Bank fans who can maximize everyday purchases on dining and food delivery while also getting a signup bonus. No annual fee and no foreign transaction fees.

Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card

Earning rate on restaurant spending: 3% cash back in your choice of categories, and restaurants is one of those categories
Notes: You must choose restaurants as your 3% category. Earn 3% and 2% cash back on the first $2,500 in combined purchases each quarter in the choice category, and at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, then earn unlimited 1% thereafter.
Annual Fee: $0

$200 after you spend $1,000 in the first 90 days This no-fee card is good for those who want flexibility in cash back rewards.

Bottom line

If you’re new to the world of cash back credit cards, then you may be wondering what all the hype is about. Or, maybe you’ve dipped a toe into the cash back rewards world but feel you have a lot still to learn. Getting your first card to maximize a major monthly expense is a great start. Of course, getting started is much easier with us.

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