If you want to master the art of earning credit card rewards, there’s one essential rule you need to follow: Never spend extra money on your quest for points or cash back.
Instead, successful credit card reward hacking consists of earning points, miles or cash back from purchases you’d need to make anyway. There are credit cards that offer higher rewards for another common expense: grocery shopping.
| Rewards Credit Cards for Groceries |
| Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express Grocery Store Rewards: Earn 6% cash back per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets, up to $6,000 each year (then 1%) Annual Fee: $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 |
| American Express® Gold Card Welcome Bonus: Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at U.S. grocery stores, up to $25,000 each year (then 1X points) Annual Fee: $250 |
| Citi Premier® Card Grocery Store Rewards: Earn 3X ThankYou Points per $1 spent at grocery stores* Annual Fee: $95 |
| Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi Grocery Store Rewards: Earn 2% back on purchases from Costco and Costco.com Annual Fee: $0‡ |
| Citi Rewards+® Card Grocery Store Rewards: Earn 2X ThankYou Points per $1 spent at grocery stores* Annual Fee: $0 |
| Citi® Double Cash Card Grocery Store Rewards: Earn 2% back on spending, including grocery store purchases Annual Fee: $0 |
| Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card Grocery Store Rewards: Earn 3% back on grocery store purchases* Annual Fee: $0 APR: 17.99% – 27.99% (Variable) |
| Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card Grocery Store Rewards: Earn 2X miles per $1 spent, including grocery stores* Annual Fee: $95 APR: 18.99% – 26.99% (Variable) |
| Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card Grocery Store Rewards: Earn 2% cash rewards on spending, including grocery store purchases Annual Fee: $0 | Rates and Fees |
* Grocery store benefit excludes Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs) | ‡ Active Costco membership required
>>Review the methodology our finance experts use to evaluate credit cards and determine the best offers from our credit card partners, or skip to the most frequently asked questions about grocery store rewards.
Best Credit Cards for Buying Groceries From Our Partners
According to the USDA, the cost of feeding a family of four a nutritious diet can run between $565 to $1,286 per month. If you use the right grocery store rewards credit card to pay for those purchases (and pay off your full balance each month), you could enjoy some valuable perks.
We’ve rounded up the best rewards credit cards for groceries from our partners to help you earn rewards every time you swipe at the supermarket.
Citi Premier® Card
Offer Details
Why We Like It
Secure application on issuer’s website.
Annual Fee: $95
Bonus: 80,000 ThankYou Points ⓘ
APR: Variable APR Between 18.99% – 26.99%
Rewards Rate: 1X-3X ThankYou Points ⓘ
Terms and restrictions apply
More Details: The Citi Premier Card, from our partner Citi, is worth considering if you’re looking for a travel credit card, but don’t want to pay a huge annual fee. The Citi Premier Card offers new cardholders a sign-up bonus of 80,000 ThankYou Points after spending $4,000 during the first three months of account opening.
Additionally, this Citi credit card offers a range of incentives, such as bonus points, gift cards and deals with retail partners. Best of all, you’ll get more value when you redeem points for flights, and potentially even better value when you transfer points to Citi’s travel partners.
Read our full review of the Citi Premier Card.
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
Offer Details
Why We Like It
Secure application on issuer’s website.
Annual Fee: $0 (active Costco membership required)
Bonus: None
APR: Variable APR of 18.24%
Rewards Rate: 1%-4% Cash Back ⓘ
Terms and restrictions apply
The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi, one of our partners, is a credit card made exclusively for Costco members. It comes with 4% cash back on up to $7,000 in annual gas purchases and EV charging purchases (and then 1% after), 3% back on restaurant and travel purchases, 2% back at Costco and Costco.com and 1% on other purchases.
One unique feature of the Costco Anywhere Visa Card is how you get your cash back. While most credit cards give you a monthly credit or a credit when you hit a certain rewards level, the Costco Anywhere Visa Card offers an annual rewards credit for all of your cash back earned. Also, this co-branded Citi credit card doesn’t have an annual fee, but you will need to be an active Costco member to enjoy its benefits.
Citi Rewards+® Card
Offer Details
Why We Like It
Secure application on issuer’s website.
Annual Fee: $0
Bonus: 20,000 ThankYou Points ⓘ
APR: Variable APR Between 16.49% – 26.49% After Intro 0% APR Period ⓘ
Rewards Rate: 1X-5X ThankYou Points ⓘ
Terms and restrictions apply
Citi Rewards+ Card, from our partner Citi, is a cash-back rewards credit card with no annual fee. The card includes unique features, including a round-up to the next 10 Thank You Points on any purchase and 10% back on redemptions. New cardholders can earn 20,000 bonus ThankYou Points after spending $1,500 in the first three months of the account opening date for a limited time. Additionally, new cardholders earn 5x ThankYou points per dollar spent at restaurants up to $6,000 in the first 12 months (then the points-per-dollar ratio becomes 1:1 thereafter).
When shopping with the Citi Rewards+ Card, you’ll earn 2x ThankYou Points per dollar spent at supermarkets and gas stations up to $6,000 in annual purchases. That means you can earn up to 12,000 points per year from these bonus category purchases. Any other purchases beyond $6,000 earn the card’s regular rewards rate of 1x point per dollar. Read our full review of the Citi Rewards+ Card.
Citi® Double Cash Card
Offer Details
Why We Like It
Secure application on issuer’s website.
Annual Fee: $0
Bonus: $200 ⓘ
APR: Variable APR Between 16.99% – 26.99% After Intro 0% APR Period ⓘ
Rewards Rate: 2% Cash Back
Terms and restrictions apply
More Details: For a limited time, the Citi Double Cash Card is offering a $200 cash bonus after spending $1,500 in the first 6 months of opening the account. This cash-back card also comes with a competitive 18-month, 0% APR introductory balance transfer offer for new cardholders. After which, you’ll pay a variable APR based on your creditworthiness on any unpaid balances.
Read our full review of the Citi Double Cash Card.
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
Offer Details
Why We Like It
Secure application on issuer’s website.
Annual Fee: $0
Bonus: $200 ⓘ
APR: Variable APR Between 17.99% – 27.99% After Intro 0% APR Period ⓘ
Rewards Rate: 1%-5% Cash Back
Terms and restrictions apply
The Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card is an absolute cash-back powerhouse. It awards 3% cash back for every dollar spent at restaurants, grocery stores, entertainment venues and eligible streaming services, including Netflix, Disney+ and Hulu. Additionally, it awards 5% cash back for every dollar spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 1% back on all other purchases. That’s a lot of value for a cash-back credit card with no annual fee.
New Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card users can earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after spending $500 on the credit card in the first three months of account opening. You also won’t pay any interest on purchases or balance transfers for the first 15 months. A 3% balance transfer fee applies. (A variable APR of 17.99% – 27.99% applies at the conclusion of this 15-month period). Read our full review of the Capital One Savor One Card.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Offer Details
Why We Like It
Secure application on issuer’s website.
Annual Fee: $95
Bonus: 75,000 Miles
APR: Variable APR Between 18.99% – 26.99%
Rewards Rate: 2X-5X Miles
Terms and restrictions apply
More Details: The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers a lot of value to beginner and expert travelers alike. This travel rewards credit card’s big upfront sign-up bonus and high ongoing rewards rate aren’t easy to beat, making it a solid option for a large audience.
You’ll also get a lot of flexibility when it comes time to redeem your travel rewards including access to booking travel through Capital One and a long list of transfer partners (both hotels and airlines). Similarly, with no foreign transaction fees, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is ideal for people who regularly make international purchases.
Read our full review of the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
Offer Details
Why We Like It
Secure application on issuer’s website.
Annual Fee: $0
Bonus: Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus ⓘ
APR: 17.99%, 22.99%, or 27.99% variable APR after low intro APR period.
Rewards Rate: 2% cash rewards on purchases
More Details: Many rewards credit cards tempt you with bonus rewards for specific purchases, but with the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card (Rates and Fees), you simply receive a 2% cash rewards on purchases. There’s no need to register for anything, and there is no annual fee to carry this credit card in your wallet.
Plus, you now get up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft when you pay your monthly cell phone bill with your eligible Wells Fargo card. (subject to a $25 deductible).
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card applicants can earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $1,000 on the card within the first three months of account opening. Additionally, new accounts receive a 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers (17.99%, 22.99%, or 27.99% variable APR after low intro APR period). Qualifying balance transfers must be made within 120 days of account opening. Read our full review of the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card.
Best American Express Credit Cards for Buying Groceries
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Offer Details
Why We Like It
Secure application on issuer’s website.
Annual Fee: $0 Intro Annual Fee for the first year, then $95
Welcome Bonus: $250 ⓘ
Intro APR: 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 12 months ⓘ
APR: 16.99% – 27.99% Variable
Rewards Rate: 1%-6% Cash Back ⓘ
Terms and restrictions apply
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is designed to help on-the-go households maximize cash-back earnings. While this card carries an annual fee after the first year, which is rare for a cash-back product, large families that spend heavily on gas and groceries will most likely spend enough to offset the $95 annual fee.
The card earns 6% back at U.S. supermarkets, up to $6,000 each calendar year (then 1%) and 6% back on select U.S. streaming services. You’ll also earn 3% back on fuel purchases at U.S. gas stations and 3% on transit expenses, including parking, tolls, bus fare and more. All other eligible spending earns 1% cash back.
New cardholders have the opportunity to earn a welcome bonus of $250 once they spend $3,000 with the card during their first six months of card membership. Learn more with our full review of the The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express.
American Express® Gold Card
Offer Details
Why We Like It
Secure application on issuer’s website.
Annual Fee: $250
Welcome Bonus: 60,000 Membership Rewards® points ⓘ
APR: Variable APR
Rewards Rate: 1-4X Points ⓘ
Terms and restrictions apply
The American Express® Gold Card is a foodie’s dream come true. This appetizing credit card awards 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide, including eligible takeout and delivery services in the U.S., and 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 each calendar year (then 1%). You’ll also earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly through airlines or amextravel.com, and 1X point per dollar on all other purchases.
While the $250 annual fee may seem out of reach for many households, when you consider that this credit card also offers $120 annual Uber Cash credits (valid for both rideshare and meal delivery) and $120 in annual dining credits for select merchants including Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations — families who use these services will undoubtedly offset the recurring cost of card membership.
Plus, the generous welcome bonus will go along way towards booking that next family vacation. Read our full review of the American Express® Gold Card to learn more about its benefits and costs.
Methodology
We chose our best rewards credit cards based on the total value they offer to cardholders through ongoing rewards, sign-up bonuses, 0% APR promotions and other perks. We also broke the cards down into clear categories that highlight features that credit card users are typically interested in — for example, premium travel vs. general travel, flat rewards vs. tiered rewards, and so on.
While some cards charge annual fees, we only picked ones that make it easy to make up for them with the value they provide. Before you apply, though, take some time to compare these cards with other top credit card offers to make sure you get the best fit for you.
Best Credit Cards for Groceries and Supermarkets FAQ
How Do Grocery Rewards Credit Cards Work?
Most grocery rewards credit cards provide cash back, points or miles on purchases made at grocery stores, supermarkets and even online grocery spending. In general credit cards that offer accelerated rewards earning for groceries will award cardholders additional rewards every time they make purchases at a retailer that codes as a grocery store.
Do Credit Cards Earn Rewards in Grocery Stores Outside of the U.S.?
It depends on the credit card issuer. American Express typically only provides bonus rewards for purchases made at U.S. supermarkets. However, Chase and Capital One will generally award accelerated earnings to purchases at worldwide grocery stores. Check with your credit card issuer for specific details.
Can You Get a Grocery Rewards Credit Card With Bad Credit?
Each credit card will have its own qualifying credit score requirement. In many cases, you’ll need a credit score of 670 or higher to qualify for a rewards credit card. Applicants with bad credit will most likely have a difficult time getting approved, but people with fair credit (FICO 580 to 669) or poor credit (300 to 579) may qualify for a secured credit card that offers points or cash back on all purchases, including groceries.
How Can You Earn Rewards on Groceries With Credit Cards?
Some travel and cash-back credit cards offer higher-than average rewards when you make purchases at supermarkets and grocery stores. Earning rewards for buying groceries is as easy as shopping at your local supermarket and paying with your credit card.
What Is a Grocery Rewards Credit Card
A grocery rewards credit card is the same as a rewards credit card that offers accelerated rewards earning for spending at grocery stores and supermarkets. Rewards vary by card issuer and a card user’s spending habits.