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Groceries are a huge expense for most families, even the biggest expense in many cases. This makes them a prime opportunity to earn credit card rewards and pay yourself back on some of your spending (which we could all use right about now).
Earning anything on grocery purchases is better than nothing, but some credit cards reserve their best rewards rates for these transactions.
For example, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express offers its highest cash back rate on U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases, after that 1%) and on select U.S. streaming services, with its second-best rate on U.S. gas stations and transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more). The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card, on the other hand, provides the same elevated rate on grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services. For cards with categories that change (either because you can change them or the card does it for you), we recommend the Citi Custom Cash® Card, Chase Freedom Flex®, and Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card.
Learn more about what each of the best credit cards for groceries has to offer.
How we rate products
To choose the best credit cards for grocery spending, we considered rewards credit cards that earn elevated rates on spending at grocery stores and/or supermarkets. We favored cards with no annual fees in our analysis but included some picks with lower annual fees when justified by the earning potential.
When evaluating each grocery credit card, we considered:
- Earning rates on grocery store purchases and other categories, when applicable
- How a card defines grocery stores or what “counts” as groceries
- Spending limits to earn the maximum cash back rates
- Ease of accessing the best rates (i.e., whether offers need to be manually activated or not)
- Redemption methods/flexibility
- Annual fees
We did not include all possible credit cards in our research, but we did analyze the options we feel are the best fit for as many of our readers as possible.
Compare the best credit cards for groceries
| Credit Card | Rewards Rate | Welcome Bonus | Intro APR | Regular APR | Annual Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2025 award winner
Best for Groceries
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Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express 5.0
|
1% - 6%
Cash back
|
$250
Statement credit
|
Balance Transfer:
0%, 12 months
Purchases:
0%, 12 months
|
19.74% - 28.74% Variable
|
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, $95 per year thereafter
|
|
2025 award winner
Best for 0% Intro APR and Rewards
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Apply Now
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card 4.9
|
1% - 8%
Cash Back
|
$200 Cash Bonus + $100 Capital One Travel credit
|
Balance Transfer:
0%, 12 months
Purchases:
0%, 12 months
|
18.99% - 28.99% (Variable)
|
$0
|
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Chase Freedom Flex® 4.7
|
1% - 5%
Cash Back
|
$200
Bonus
|
Balance Transfer:
0%, 15 months
Purchases:
0%, 15 months
|
18.49% - 27.99% Variable
|
$0
|
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Apply Now
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card 4.5
|
1% - 6%
Cash back
|
$200
|
Balance Transfer:
0%, 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days
Purchases:
0%, 15 billing cycles
|
17.74% - 27.74% Variable
|
$0
|
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
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- High cashback rates at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations, eligible transit, and U.S. streaming subscriptions (cash back is in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit)
- Introductory APR for purchases and balance transfers
- Up to $10 monthly statement credit toward an eligible Disney bundle subscription (subject to auto renewal; enrollment required)
With the Amex Blue Cash Preferred, you can earn up to 6% cash back on U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases, after that 1%) and on select U.S. streaming services. This is one of the most generous cashback rates we've seen for supermarket spending, and the definition of "groceries" is similarly appealing.
- ALDI
- FreshDirect
- Gelson's
- Hy-Vee
- Kings Food Markets
- Meijer
- ShopRite
- Smart & Final
- Stop & Shop
- Trader Joe's
- Vons
- Whole Foods
- Winn-Dixie
The card's annual fee is a downside we won't ignore, but the potential rewards significantly outweigh its cost. If you were to only spend $5,000 at U.S. supermarkets and not use it for anything else, you'd earn $300 in cashback rewards (in the form of statement credits) each year.
We'd recommend the Blue Cash Preferred card for those who spend a lot on groceries and want to redeem their rewards for statement credits. Bonus if you pay for a lot of U.S. streaming services.
However, if you do most of your shopping at specialty shops or superstores, steer clear. Groceries purchased at Amazon, Walmart, Target, or warehouse stores aren't eligible for the 6% cashback rate.
- Wide range of U.S. supermarkets qualify for elevated cash back
- Intro APR offers on purchase and balance transfers
- $0 intro annual fee for the first year, $95 per year thereafter annual fee
- $6,000 annual spending cap on 6% cash back
Learn more or read our full Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express review.
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
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- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn $300 in welcome bonuses. Enjoy a $100 credit to use towards flights, stays and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel during your first cardholder year. Plus, earn a $200 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
- $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
- Earn unlimited 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, plus 1% on all other purchases
- Earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
- Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus cash back won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how much you can earn
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months; 18.99% - 28.99% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
The $0-annual-fee Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card offers 3% cash back on grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, and there is no limit to how much you can earn. If you spend $5,000 on groceries in a year, you could earn $150 in bonus cash back. That's significantly less than you'd earn with the Blue Cash Preferred, but we'd argue that the Savor's rewards and redemption options are less limiting. You can redeem your cash back for statement credits or checks, gift cards, purchases, travel, and more.
This card is my go-to for all food-related spending. My partner and I both check out at the grocery store with our Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card and use it when ordering take-out or visiting restaurants, and it earns me more cash back each year than many of my other credit cards. If a lot of your spending goes toward keeping your pantry stocked and your stomach happy each month, I strongly suggest this one.
You typically need good-to-excellent credit to qualify, so the Savor card isn't for everyone. However, this recommended credit range is typical for many of the best cash back credit cards.
- $0 annual fee
- Intro APR offers on purchase and balance transfers
- No spending cap on 3% cash back
- Doesn't earn the highest cash back rate possible on groceries
Read our full Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card review.
Chase Freedom Flex®
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- Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
- 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter!
- 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more
- 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
- 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 18.49%-27.99%.
- No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Flex® card
- Keep tabs on your credit health - Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, real-time alerts, and more.
- Member FDIC
The Chase Freedom Flex® is another $0-annual-fee grocery card with rotating categories, like the Citi Custom Cash. Unlike the Citi Custom Cash, though, the Chase Freedom Flex® earns 3% cash back on drugstores all the time, in addition to providing the possibility to earn bonus cash back at eligible grocery stores if that comes around as a quarterly category.
Because this is a Chase cash back card, you'll earn rewards in the form of Chase Ultimate Rewards points. These are often hailed as some of the most valuable rewards points out there, especially when you redeem them for travel through the Chase Travel℠ portal.
I'd feel confident this would be the best card for anyone who splits their spending between drug stores (like CVS and Walgreens) and grocery stores, but it's an especially great choice for anyone with other Chase credit cards as you can increase the value of your points by transferring them to the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve® for a potential points boost through Chase Travel. Learn more about how to pair Chase Freedom and Sapphire cards.
- $0 annual fee
- Earn highest rate on category of your choice plus travel purchased through Chase Travel
- Intro APR offers on purchase and balance transfers
- $1,500 quarterly spending cap on 5% cash back
- Need to remember to activate quarterly categories yourself
- Rotating categories won't always be a fit for your spending
Read our full Chase Freedom Flex® review.
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card
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- New offer! Earn 6% cash back for the first year in the category of your choice: gas and EV charging stations; online shopping, including cable, internet, phone plans and streaming; dining; travel; drug stores and pharmacies; or home improvement and furnishings. You’ll automatically earn 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. After the first year from account opening, you’ll earn 3% cash back on purchases in your choice category.
- Earn 6% 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. After the 3% first-year bonus offer ends, you will earn 3% and 2% cash back on these purchases up to the quarterly maximum.
- $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
- With the Bank of America Preferred Rewards® program, members can earn 25%-75% more cash back on every purchase. That means the 3% choice category could go up to 3.75%-5.25%. The Preferred Rewards bonus is not applied to the 3% first-year bonus.
- No annual fee and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
- 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 17.74% - 27.74% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%. Balance transfers may not be used to pay any account provided by Bank of America.
- Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
- This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
Last but not least for grocery credit cards, we've identified the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card as one of the best options because it's more customizable than most, in addition to including more retailers in its categories. Once per month, you can choose from:
- Online shopping
- Gas
- Dining
- Travel
- Drugstores
- Home improvement and furnishings
One category in particular, online shopping, is relatively rare among cash back cards, and it's the reason we'd choose this card for anyone who likes to make a lot of their grocery purchases online. Plus, the card earns 2% on grocery stores and wholesale clubs (on the first $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club purchases each quarter) all the time. This time, Walmart counts for online shopping, and wholesale clubs like Costco are included in the 2% bucket. All in all, this card defines its categories more favorably than others.
The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card also allows you to earn 6% cash back for the first year in the category of your choice, 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, and unlimited 1% on all other purchases. After the first year from account opening, you'll earn 3% cash back on purchases in your choice category. Earn 6% 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. After the 3% first-year bonus offer ends, you will earn 3% and 2% cash back on these purchases up to the quarterly maximum.
We wouldn't pick this card for you if you aren't prepared to do a bit of strategizing. You'll have to be diligent about making sure your chosen category reflects your actual spending.
- $0 annual fee
- Intro APR offers on purchase and balance transfers
- Need to remember to activate quarterly categories yourself
- Doesn't earn the highest cash back rate possible on groceries
Learn more or read our full Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card review.
Best cards for buying groceries at specific stores
Target Circle Card
If you do most of your grocery shopping at Target, signing up for the Target Circle Card may be a good choice. You'll get $50 in Circle Rewards when you spend $50 on your Circle Credit Card within the first 60 days following approval.. If you spent $5,703 on groceries each year, you'd save $285.15 with the Target Circle Card. That's a great offer from a credit card without an annual fee.
The card does charge a higher-than-average APR (annual percentage rate), so make sure you pay off your balance in full each month to avoid costly interest fees. Plus, the card is a store card, meaning it can only be used at Target stores and Target.com. But because it's a store card, you may be more likely to qualify for it than other cards. The Target Circle Card requires you to have a "fair" credit score.
Check out our full Target Circle Card review.
Prime Visa
Is shopping on Amazon one of your spending habits? If you buy groceries at Whole Foods Market, with AmazonFresh, or with Amazon Prime Pantry, consider the Prime Visa.
Cardholders can 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. There's no cap on how much you can earn, so if you spent $5,703 on groceries at Whole Foods, you'd earn $285.15 in rewards. Those are excellent rewards for a card with no annual fee.
If you are not an Amazon Prime Member, there is also the option of the Amazon Visa, but it only earns 3% on Amazon.com, Whole Foods Market, and Chase Travel purchases.
Check out our full Prime Visa review.
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
If you have a big family or like to shop at Costco, the Costco Anywhere Visa card may be for you. You'll earn 2% cash back on Costco and Costco.com purchases. If you spend $8,000 per year on groceries, that means you'll earn $160 in rewards.
You'll also earn:
- 5% cash back rewards on gas at Costco and earn 4% cash back on other eligible gas and electric vehicle (EV) charging purchases for the first $7,000 combined spend per year, and then 1% thereafter
- 3% cash back on restaurants and eligible travel purchases
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
Unlike most store-branded credit cards, the Costco Anywhere Visa card has strict credit requirements; your credit score will need to be in the "excellent" range to qualify.
And while it has no annual fee, you should be aware that you'll need to have a Costco membership to apply. A basic membership costs $65 per year.
Check out our full Costco Anywhere Visa card review.
What's considered a "grocery store?"
When thinking about which card is best for you, it's important to remember how companies typically define a "grocery store" as "supermarket purchases." In most cases, companies consider grocery stores to be supermarkets that primarily sell food, such as Giant Food, SuperFresh, Whole Foods, or Winn-Dixie.
Wholesale clubs and superstores, like Target or Walmart, don't usually count as grocery stores, but this is not a hard-and-fast rule. For example, a Walmart might be considered a grocery store depending on the grocery offerings it has. As always, read the details on your particular card before creating your spending plan.
FAQs
What is the best credit card for grocery shopping?
The best credit card for grocery shopping depends on where you shop and how much you spend. Overall, though, the Blue Cash Preferred Card by American Express has one of the highest earning rates at 6% on U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases, after that 1%) and on select U.S. streaming services.
If you spend more than $10,000 per year on groceries, you could be better off with the American Express® Gold Card, which earns 4X points at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year, after that 1X).
Is Walmart considered a grocery store for credit cards?
Walmart is not usually considered a grocery store by most credit card issuers. It's often considered a supercenter, but you might discover this designation can vary depending on the setup and offerings of your particular Walmart location.
Is Costco considered a grocery store for credit cards?
No, Costco is not considered a grocery store by most credit card issuers. It's considered a wholesale club.
Bottom line
Putting food on the table is likely one of your biggest expenses as a family. However, finding the best cashback credit cards for buying groceries can help you earn valuable rewards and even discounts, softening the impact on your budget — and saving you money on food.
Consider the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card, Citi Custom Cash® Card, Chase Freedom Flex®, and Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card to earn cash back on grocery spending. We chose these as the best grocery cards because they offer better earning rates on groceries and supermarkets than most other cards, with flexible redemption options and other perks such as welcome and intro APR offers.
By using the best rewards credit cards for groceries wisely, you can maximize your rewards without carrying a balance.
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Current Offer
Earn a $250 statement credit after spending $3,000 on eligible purchases in the first 6 months
Annual Fee
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, $95 per year thereafter
Rewards Rate
6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases, after that 1%) and on select U.S. streaming services, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more), and 1% cash back on other eligible purchases (cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit and at Amazon.com checkout)