Along with offering one of the highest cash back rates on U.S. supermarket purchases, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express card earns cash back on other useful categories, like U.S. gas stations and transit, and comes with a valuable welcome offer.
If you have a large family to feed or you’re someone who prefers to cook at home instead of dining out, you likely spend a large amount on groceries each month. By using the right credit card, you can earn cash back or points on those purchases — which can help offset your monthly grocery bill.
When looking for the best grocery credit card, your goal should be to earn the highest rewards rate on grocery purchases without paying a high annual fee. If the card also lets you earn rewards in other popular spending categories, like gas, dining out and travel, that’s an added bonus.
Based on our research of cards available through LendingTree, as well as top cards offered by major issuers, these are our top picks for the best grocery rewards credit cards in 2023.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Grocery rewards: 6% cash back (on up to $6,000 per year at U.S. supermarkets)
Earn Earn 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more), 1% Cash Back on other purchases. Terms apply.
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is a well-rounded card with an exceptional cash back rate on U.S. supermarket purchases. The elevated rewards rate on select streaming services, U.S. gas station purchases and transit, as well as the intro APR on purchases make this card an even better deal. If you max out the $6,000 spend cap each year, you’ll get $360 in cash back rewards on U.S. supermarket spending alone — it’s a generous sum.
You can also earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months. However, there is a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.
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Grocery rewards: 5% (up to $500 if groceries is your top spending category each billing cycle)
This Citi Custom Cash® Card is best if you spend a lot on groceries, but also see your top spending categories change frequently.
The card automatically applies its elevated cash back rate to your highest spending category, unlike other cards that require you to manually enroll in bonus spending categories. So even if you don’t spend the most on groceries every month, you can still earn more cash back in other categories like restaurants, gas stations, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs and live entertainment.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Grocery rewards: 5% (if selected as a quarterly bonus category and up to $1,500 per quarter)
The Discover it® Cash Back lets you earn a generous rewards rate in categories that rotate quarterly — which sometimes includes grocery purchases.
This is a $0 annual fee credit card, which makes it a good choice if you want to earn rewards without paying for the privilege. And, as an added bonus, Discover will even double all the rewards you have earned after the first year.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Grocery rewards: 3% (on up to $6,000 per year on U.S. supermarket spending)
With the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, you’ll pay a $0 annual fee and earn a solid cash back rate on up to $6,000 spent at U.S. supermarkets per year.
The supermarket category includes supermarkets located within the U.S. that offer a wide variety of food and household products, such as meat, fresh produce, dairy, canned and packaged goods, household cleaners, pharmacy products and pet supplies.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Grocery rewards: 4x points (on up to $25,000 in purchases per year at U.S. supermarkets)
The American Express® Gold Card is ideal if you spend a lot at grocery stores each year, and on dining in general. But because the card requires a $325 annual fee, this card is best if you spend enough at U.S. supermarkets and restaurants each year to justify the annual fee. Further, you should also note the other benefits that help make up for the annual fee, including a dining credit worth up to $120 per year (up to $10 monthly, enrollment required).
If you maximize your earning potential at U.S. supermarkets by spending $25,000 on those purchases each year, you’ll net 100,000 Membership Rewards points, which are worth $1,000 in airfare booked through the American Express travel portal.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Grocery rewards: 3%
The Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card is a good choice for people who want to earn a high cash back rewards rate on dining and entertainment on top of groceries. Unfortunately, Target and Walmart are excluded from that high cash back rate — but it is still valuable for frequent grocery shoppers.
It has a $0 annual fee and lets you earn earn $200 cash back after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here. Apply Now
Grocery rewards: 5% at Whole Foods and Amazon Fresh (with eligible Prime membership)
The Prime Visa is a $0-annual-fee card, offering a generous cash back rate to shoppers who make most of their grocery purchases at Amazon and Whole Foods. However, the card requires an Amazon Prime membership, which runs $139 per year or $69 a year for college students.
Rewards earned with this card are fairly flexible. You can redeem cash back toward Amazon purchases with no minimum amount required for redemption. Other options include transfers to a bank account, gift cards, travel or merchandise.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Grocery rewards: 2% at Costco and Costco.com
Earn 4% cash back on eligible gas and EV charging purchases for the first $7,000 per year and then 1% thereafter. 3% cash back on restaurants and eligible travel purchases. 2% cash back on all other purchases from Costco and Costco.com. 1% cash back on all other purchases..
If you’re a Costco member, the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi is an excellent choice — it offers a solid cash back rate on those purchases, as well as on eligible gas and EV charging purchases, restaurants and travel.
Just keep in mind that a Costco membership is required, and that’ll set you back a minimum of $60 per year. You should also be aware that rewards are only given out once per year when your February statement closes, and that the rewards certificate you earn can only be redeemed for Costco purchases or cash back at physical Costco stores.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Grocery rewards: 5%
Along with charging a $0 annual fee, the Instacart Mastercard® offers a high cash back rate on Instacart purchases.
Further, the card offers benefits like purchase protection against damage or theft, World Elite concierge services, extended warranties, baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, travel accident insurance and more.
| Credit Cards | Our Ratings | Welcome Offer | Rewards Rate | Regular APR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
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Winner
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Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months. | Earn 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more), 1% Cash Back on other purchases. Terms apply. | 18.74%-29.74% Variable | |
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Citi Custom Cash® Card
Apply Now
on Citibank's secure site Rates & Fees |
5% cash back
|
Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back. | Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. Also, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. Special Travel Offer: Earn an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2026. | 18.74% - 28.74% (Variable) |
Apply Now
on Citibank's secure site Rates & Fees |
|
Discover it® Cash Back*
|
Rotating categories
|
Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300. | 5% cash back at different places each quarter up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically | 18.74% - 27.74% Variable APR | |
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Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
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No annual fee
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Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months. | 3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%. 3% Cash Back on U.S. online retail purchases, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%. 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations, on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%. 1% cash back on other purchases. Terms apply. | 18.74%-29.74% Variable | |
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American Express® Gold Card
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Large grocery purchases
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Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible purchases made at restaurants worldwide within the first 6 months of Card Membership, up to $100 back. Limited time offer. Offer ends 11/6/24. | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants (on up to $50,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X), Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X). Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point on all other eligible purchases. Terms Apply | See Pay Over Time APR | |
|
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card*
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Groceries, dining and entertainment
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Earn $200 Cash Back after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening | 3% Cash Back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®); 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply); 8% Cash Back on Capital One Entertainment purchases; 1% Cash Back on all other purchases | 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable) | |
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Prime Visa
Apply Now
on Chase's secure site |
Whole Foods and Amazon
|
Get a $150 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members | Earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership, unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare), and unlimited 1% on all other purchases | 19.99%–28.74% Variable |
Apply Now
on Chase's secure site |
|
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi*
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Wholesale clubs
|
N/A | 4% cash back on eligible gas and EV charging purchases for the first $7,000 per year and then 1% thereafter. 3% cash back on restaurants and eligible travel purchases. 2% cash back on all other purchases from Costco and Costco.com. 1% cash back on all other purchases. | 19.99% - 27.99% (Variable) | |
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Instacart Mastercard®*
|
Instacart shoppers
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Get a $50 Instacart credit automatically upon approval. | Earn 5% cash back on Instacart app, Instacart.com and Chase Travel purchases, 2% cash back at restaurants, gas stations and on select streaming services and 1% cash back on all other purchases. | 19.74% - 28.49% Variable |
A grocery credit card is a type of rewards card that lets you earn an elevated rewards rate on eligible grocery store purchases. These cards typically offer anywhere from 2% to 6% back on grocery purchases, as well as bonus rewards in other popular spending categories, like gas and dining.
However, the amount you can earn at the higher rates is often limited to a specific amount each year. For example, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express lets you earn 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more), 1% Cash Back on other purchases. Terms apply.
Depending on the credit card, you may be able to redeem rewards for grocery and gas purchases, cash back, checks, statement credits, travel and more.
But while some grocery credit cards don’t charge annual fees, there are some merchants — like Amazon and Costco — that require a membership fee.
The types of purchases that qualify for bonus rewards will depend on the rewards credit card you sign up for.
For example, American Express credit cards specifically offer grocery rewards on U.S. supermarket purchases, but not on grocery purchases made overseas. The Instacart Mastercard®, on the other hand, only offers grocery rewards on purchases made through Instacart. Similarly, the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi only lets you earn grocery rewards on purchases made in Costco warehouse stores or on Costco.com. Further, some cards, like the Discover it Cash Back card, also prevent you from earning at Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs.
With all this in mind, you’ll want to read over the fine print and terms and conditions for cards you’re considering before you apply.
For the most part, though, grocery rewards can be earned on food and household purchases made at eligible, stand-alone stores.
Some types of purchases that usually don’t qualify for bonus rewards include:
As you compare the best grocery store cards, you’ll want to think about where you shop the most and how much you actually spend on food each year. The following factors are also worth mulling over as you search for the best credit card for groceries based on the way you shop.
Earning rate on grocery purchases. The earning rate on groceries should be one of your top considerations as you look over the best cards in this category. After all, grocery store spending is likely one of the categories you spend the most in year after year, so the rewards you earn on food spending can add up in a hurry. Ideally, you’ll find a grocery store card that offers the highest rate of rewards on the type of supermarket purchases you make, whether you shop in certain grocery stores regularly or do all of your grocery shopping online.
Earning rate on other purchases. You should also remember to look over the other earning categories each card offers, particularly if you want to use just one cash back credit card for all your spending. While earning bonus rewards at grocery stores is always nice, the best credit card for groceries may also offer bonus points at restaurants or gas stations, or on select streaming services. Even if you don’t spend a lot on your credit card each month, the bonus rewards you earn in other categories can still add up over time.
Annual fee. While most top grocery store cards don’t charge an annual fee, some do charge a fee in exchange for a higher rewards rate. Make sure you do the math to know if a card with an annual fee would leave you with a bigger rewards haul at the end of the year.
APR on purchases. Do you ever carry a balance on your card? If so, you may want to look at grocery store cards that offer 0% APR on purchases for a limited time. Some cards also offer the same introductory rate for balance transfers, which makes them a useful tool if you need to consolidate and pay down other debts. Just remember that, in either case, you’ll want to pay off your balance completely before the intro offer ends. If you fail to do so, your grocery store spending and other purchases will start racking up interest at the card’s regular variable APR.
Other benefits. Finally, check for other cardholder perks you may be interested in. These could include consumer protections like purchase protection or extended warranties or travel insurance perks.
While your earning rate will vary depending on your specific credit card and the stores where you do your grocery shopping, the credit cards on this list offer from 2% to 6% cash back on eligible purchases.
If you often buy groceries at superstores like Walmart or Target, you should know that your card might not categorize such spending as grocery store or supermarket purchases and, thus, your purchases won’t be eligible for an elevated rate on grocery shopping.
Whether or not Instacart shopping and similar purchases qualify for earning an elevated rate on grocery shopping will depend on your issuer. To be sure, contact customer service by calling the number on the back of your credit card.
Almost all major grocery store brands accept major credit cards like American Express, Discover, Mastercard and Visa — but you should still check with stores you shop at for their accepted payment methods before you choose a card.
In some cases, you may find that stores only accept certain types of credit cards. For example, Costco warehouse stores only accept Visa cards as payment along with debit cards, Costco gift cards, cash, eligible mobile wallets and several other options.
To see rates & fees for American Express cards mentioned on this page, visit the links provided below:
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
The information related to the Discover it® Cash Back, Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card, Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi and Instacart Mastercard® has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.
The content above is not provided by any issuer. Any opinions expressed are those of LendingTree alone and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any issuer. The offers and/or promotions mentioned above may have changed, expired, or are no longer available. Check the issuer's website for more details.
