Best Credit Cards for Groceries (2026)
The best credit cards for supermarkets and grocery stores. Earn 3-6% back on every grocery trip with no-fee and premium options ranked by rewards rate, bonus value, and annual cap.
Quick Verdict
Best grocery rate: Amex Blue Cash Preferred — 6% at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6K/yr), $0/yr
Best for foodies: American Express Gold Card — 4x groceries + 4x restaurants, $250/yr
Best no annual fee: Capital One SavorOne — 3% groceries + dining + entertainment, $0/yr
Why a Dedicated Grocery Card Matters
The average American household spends over $5,700 per year at grocery stores. On a generic 1% card, that earns $57. On a 6% grocery card like the Amex Blue Cash Preferred, the same spending earns $342 (on the first $6,000). That is a $285 difference from a single spending category.
Groceries are the most consistent spending category for most households. Unlike travel or entertainment, you buy groceries every week regardless of season or budget cuts. A card that maximizes grocery rewards delivers value on autopilot without any effort.
For churners, grocery spending is also a reliable way to meet minimum spend requirements on new cards. You are spending this money anyway — you might as well route it through a card that earns a sign-up bonus or top-tier rewards rate.
1. Amex Blue Cash Preferred — Best Grocery Rewards Rate
The Amex Blue Cash Preferred earns the highest grocery rate of any major credit card: 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases. At that cap, you earn $360 in grocery rewards alone. After $6,000, the rate drops to 1%.
The card also earns 6% on select U.S. streaming subscriptions and 3% on transit (including taxis, rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, and buses). The $0 annual fee pays for itself if you spend at least $3,200 per year at supermarkets compared to a no-fee 3% alternative.
Important limitation: Amex defines "U.S. supermarkets" narrowly. Costco, Walmart, Target, and warehouse clubs do not count. This card is for traditional grocery stores like Kroger, Safeway, Publix, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, and similar chains.
One caveat for churners: the Amex lifetime rule means you can only earn the welcome bonus once per card. Make sure this is your first application.
2. American Express Gold Card — Best for Groceries + Dining
The American Express Gold Card earns 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per year — a much higher cap than the Blue Cash Preferred. If you spend more than $6,000 per year on groceries, the Gold's higher cap provides more total rewards.
The Gold also earns 4x at restaurants worldwide, making it the best single card for all food spending. Membership Rewards points transfer 1:1 to airlines like Delta, ANA, and Singapore Airlines, where premium cabin awards can be worth 3-5 cents per point — significantly more than the 1 cent per point from cash back.
The trade-off is the $250 annual fee. If you value Membership Rewards at 2 cents each, you need about $3,125 in combined grocery and dining spending to break even on the fee. Most households exceed this easily.
3. Amex Blue Cash Everyday — Best No-Fee Grocery Card (Amex)
The Amex Blue Cash Everyday earns 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year with no annual fee. It also earns 3% at U.S. gas stations and 3% on U.S. online retail purchases, making it a solid all-around daily spending card.
This is the right pick if you spend less than $3,200 per year on groceries (below the break-even vs. the Blue Cash Preferred) or if you simply don't want to pay an annual fee. At $5,000 in grocery spending, you earn $150 per year — not life-changing, but significantly better than a flat 1-2% card.
The same Amex supermarket exclusions apply: no Costco, Walmart, or Target. For those stores, pair this with a flat-rate card like the Wells Fargo Active Cash (2% on everything).
4. Capital One SavorOne — Best No-Fee All-Around Food Card
The Capital One SavorOne earns 3% cash back on groceries, dining, entertainment, and popular streaming services with no annual fee and no cap. The uncapped grocery rate makes it the best choice for high-spending households that exceed the Amex $6,000 annual cap.
Unlike the Amex cards, Capital One's grocery category is broader and may include some stores that Amex excludes. The SavorOne also has no foreign transaction fees, which is unusual for a no-annual-fee card.
The best pairing strategy: use the Amex Blue Cash Preferred for your first $6,000 in grocery spending (6%), then switch to the SavorOne for overflow (3% uncapped). This maximizes your total grocery rewards without overpaying on annual fees.
5. Citi Premier — Best Grocery Card with Transfer Partners
The Citi Premier earns 3x ThankYou points at supermarkets, restaurants, gas stations, air travel, and hotels with no caps. ThankYou points transfer 1:1 to airline partners including Turkish Airlines (Star Alliance), JetBlue, and Qatar Airways, where premium cabin awards can yield 3+ cents per point.
The Citi Premier covers more bonus categories than most grocery cards. If you want a single card that earns 3x on groceries, dining, gas, and travel without juggling multiple cards, this is the simplest option. The $95 annual fee is reasonable for the breadth of bonus categories.
For churners, Citi's application rules are more lenient than Chase's 5/24 rule. Check the full breakdown in our credit card application rules guide.
6. Bank of America Customized Cash — Best Flexible Category Pick
The Bank of America Customized Cash lets you choose one category to earn 3% cash back (up to $2,500 in combined purchases per quarter). Grocery stores/wholesale clubs is one of the available categories. It also earns 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs by default.
The key advantage: BofA's "grocery" category includes wholesale clubs like Costco and Sam's Club, which Amex excludes. If you do most of your shopping at warehouse stores, this card fills a gap that other grocery cards miss.
Bank of America Preferred Rewards members get a boost: 25-75% more rewards depending on your combined BofA/Merrill balances. At the Platinum level ($100K+), the 3% becomes 5.25% on your chosen category.
Best Grocery Card Pairings
No single card is perfect for all grocery spending. The best approach is pairing two cards to cover gaps. Here are the top combinations:
Maximum cash back:
Amex Blue Cash Preferred (6% on first $6K) + Capital One SavorOne (3% on overflow). Earns $360 + uncapped 3% on everything above $6K. Total annual fee: $95.
Maximum points value:
Amex Gold (4x groceries + 4x dining) + transfer partners for premium awards. Best for travelers who redeem points for flights worth 3-5 cents each.
Zero annual fees:
Amex Blue Cash Everyday (3% at supermarkets) + BofA Customized Cash (2-3% at warehouse clubs). Covers traditional grocery stores and Costco/Sam's Club with $0 in fees.
For more card pairing strategies, see our best cards to pair together guide.
Common Grocery Card Mistakes
- Assuming all stores code as grocery. Walmart, Costco, and Target usually do not code as supermarkets for Amex cards. Test with a small purchase first.
- Ignoring the annual cap. The Blue Cash Preferred's 6% drops to 1% after $6,000. If you spend $10,000 at supermarkets, the effective rate is only 3.8%.
- Paying the annual fee when you shouldn't. If you spend less than $3,200/year at supermarkets, the no-fee Blue Cash Everyday earns more after accounting for the Blue Cash Preferred's $95 fee.
- Using a generic 2% card at the grocery store. If groceries are your biggest spending category, even a free 3% card earns 50% more than a flat 2% card.
Frequently Asked Questions
What credit card gives the highest rewards at grocery stores?
The American Express Blue Cash Preferred earns 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, the highest grocery rate among major credit cards. After $6,000, it drops to 1%. If you spend more than $6,000 per year on groceries, pairing it with a second grocery card like the Capital One SavorOne (3% uncapped) covers the overflow.
Is the Amex Blue Cash Preferred worth the annual fee for groceries?
Yes, if you spend at least $3,100 per year at U.S. supermarkets. At 6% back, that earns $186 in grocery rewards — enough to offset the $95 annual fee. Most households spend $5,000-$8,000 per year on groceries, making the card a net positive. The break-even vs. a no-fee 3% card is about $3,167 per year in grocery spending.
What is the best no-annual-fee card for groceries?
The American Express Blue Cash Everyday earns 3% at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000/year) with no annual fee. The Capital One SavorOne also earns 3% on groceries with no fee and no cap. The Blue Cash Everyday is better if you also want 3% at gas stations; the SavorOne is better if you want 3% on dining and entertainment too.
Does Costco and Walmart count as grocery for credit card rewards?
It depends on the store and card issuer. Costco and Walmart Supercenters typically code as warehouse clubs or general merchandise, not grocery stores. Most grocery bonus categories do NOT include warehouse clubs. However, standalone grocery sections at Target and some Walmart Neighborhood Markets may code as grocery. Amex specifically excludes Costco, Walmart, and Target from their supermarket category.
Can I use multiple credit cards for groceries?
Yes, and it is a smart strategy. Use a high-rate card like the Amex Blue Cash Preferred (6%) for your first $6,000 in grocery spending, then switch to an uncapped 3% card like the Capital One SavorOne for the rest. Some churners also rotate through new cards to earn sign-up bonuses while meeting minimum spend at grocery stores, since groceries are a predictable spending category.
Do grocery rewards cards work with Instacart and other delivery services?
Instacart purchases sometimes code as grocery, but it depends on the merchant and card issuer. Orders from specific stores through Instacart may code under that store's merchant category. However, some issuers code all Instacart transactions as a single merchant category that may not qualify for grocery bonuses. Check your statement after a small test purchase to confirm.