Credit Cards That Pay The Highest Cash Back on Groceries

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In the latest inflation data, the cost of groceries increased by 1.1.% in June 2024 compared to June 2023. Saving money at the supermarket continues to be a priority. One way to save money is to use a credit card that offers excellent cash back on groceries.

These cards give you a percentage back on what you spend, thus saving you money. Some credit cards, as you’ll see below, pay enhanced rewards for purchases at grocery stores. With that in mind, here are our two favorite grocery rewards credit cards, followed by our complete list of the best cards for groceries.

Our Favorite Grocery Rewards Cash Back Cards

While we track over 40 credit cards that pay 2% or more cash back at the supermarket, we have two favorites.

The first is the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express. It pays 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 in spending annually, then 1% (Terms Apply). It does come with an annual fee after the first year (See Rates & Fees). If you take advantage of its other elevated rewards categories such as on streaming and U.S. gas stations, it’s well worth it in our opinion.

Our second favorite is the no-annual fee Citi Custom Cash® Card. It pays 5% cash back on the first $500 spent each month on your top eligible spend category. So you could use this for groceries. There’s no sign-up each month like other rotating category cards require. And if you happen to spend more one month in another eligible category, Citi automatically applies the 5% to that higher spending category.

You can check out our side-by-side comparison of these two cards here.

Best Credit Cards for Cash Back on Groceries

We define the “best” grocery store rewards credit cards as those that pay 2% or more cash back on groceries. This includes cards with a grocery bonus category and cards that pay a flat 2% or more on every purchase. As long-time readers know, we are focused on cold, hard cash.

Please Help: If you know of a card we should add to the list, please let us know!

*The estimated annual cash back rewards on groceries assume the cardholder spends $500 a month at grocery stores. Remember that some cards have spending caps on elevated rewards, and some are limited to or exclude select grocery stores. Some points and miles cards may offer a higher travel value than cash value.

Details on Grocery Store Rewards Cards

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express–6% Cash Back

The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is arguably the best-known grocery store credit card. It pays 6% cash back on the first $6,000 in U.S. supermarket purchases each year, then 1%. You’ll also earn 6% back on select U.S. streaming services and 3% at U.S. gas stations. The cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or on Amazon.com at checkout. There is an annual fee, but the cash back should more than make up for it.

There’s also a welcome bonus: Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.

Important: Superstores and warehouse clubs are not considered supermarkets. So if you buy your groceries at Costco, Target, or Walmart, you won’t earn the 6% cash back.

Rewards:

• Welcome Offer: Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
• 0% Intro APR: 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 19.24% - 29.99%
• Annual Fee: $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.

*Terms Apply

Read our Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express Review

Citi Custom Cash® Card

The Citi Custom Cash® Card is a good choice if you want 5% cash back but don’t want to keep track of rotating categories. You simply get 5% cash back in whatever category you spend the most money in, without having to change every month. So, you can conceivably get 5% cash back on grocery store purchases all the time. There is a cap of $500 a month, though.

Rewards:

• Welcome Offer: Earn $200 in cash back after you spend $1500 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.
• 0% Intro APR: Get 0% on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months After that, your rate will be 19.24% - 29.24% variable, depending on creditworthiness.
• Annual Fee: $0

Read our Citi Custom Cash® Card Review

Prime Visa–5% Cash Back

We shop at Whole Foods, so the Prime Visa is an important part of our cash back strategy. You get 5% cash back at Whole Foods (no spending cap) and at Amazon. There’s also no annual fee, although Amazon Prime membership is required.

Rewards:

• Welcome Offer: Prime members can get a $200 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval for a limited time only.
• 0% Intro APR: N/A
• Annual Fee: $0

Read our Prime Visa Review

Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express is the best no-fee (see Rates & Fees) Amex grocery store credit card. You earn 3% cash back on up to $6,000 a year in U.S. supermarket purchases, then 1%. The cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or on Amazon.com at checkout. You can also earn a welcome bonus.

Rewards:

• Welcome Offer: Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
• 0% Intro APR: Balance Transfer is back! Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months from the date of account opening. After that, 19.24% - 29.99% variable APR.
• Annual Fee: $0

*Terms Apply

Read our Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express Review

American Express® Gold Card

While most think of the American Express® Gold Card as a dining and travel card, it also pays 4x Membership Rewards points on groceries. And while spending is capped, it’s much higher than the Blue Cash Preferred cap. You can earn 4x points on up to $25,000 a year in U.S. supermarket purchases.

Rewards:

• Welcome Offer: 60,000 points + earn up to $100 back 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.
• 0% Intro APR: N/A
• Annual Fee: $325

*Terms Apply

Read our American Express® Gold Card Review

Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card pays 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), dining, entertainment, and streaming services. There’s also a welcome bonus and no annual fee.

Rewards:

• Welcome Offer: $200 Cash Back after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
• 0% Intro APR: 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% - 29.99% variable APR after that; 3% fee on the amounts transferred within the first 15 months.
• Annual Fee: $0

Read our Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card Review

TD Cash Credit Card

The TD Cash Credit Card pays 2% cash back on groceries, and 3% cash back on dining, including takeout and delivery orders when you open your card. After that, you choose whatever categories you want to earn 3% and 2% cash back. All other purchases earn 1% cash back, and there’s no annual fee.

There’s also a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months months.

Rewards:

• Welcome Offer: Earn $150 Cash Back when you spend $1,000 within the first 90 days after account opening
• 0% Intro APR: get 0% APR on Balance Transfers for 15 months billing cycles after account opening
• Annual Fee: None

Read our Review

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a great cash back card. While it doesn’t offer an enhanced reward rate for grocery store purchases, it could easily serve as a single card for all purchases, including groceries.

The card also offers an excellent welcome bonus.

Rewards:

• Welcome Offer: Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases.
• 0% Intro APR: Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
• Annual Fee: $0

Read our Chase Freedom Unlimited® Review

Chase Freedom Flex®–5% Cash Back

The Chase Freedom Flex® is one of the best all-around cash back credit cards. In terms of groceries, it offers up to 5% cash back in rotating categories that change each quarter (capped at $1,500 in purchases). These rotating categories may include grocery store purchases. The card also offers a signup bonus.

Rewards:

• Welcome Offer: Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• 0% Intro APR: 0% Intro APR for 15 months months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49%–29.24%.
• Annual Fee: $0

Read our Chase Freedom Flex® Review

PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card

PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card offers 3x points at supermarkets, and unlike many other cards, it includes Walmart and Target purchases. There’s a lot to like about this card: a small welcome bonus, great rewards, 0% on balance transfers, and no annual fee.

Rewards:

• Welcome Offer: 15,000 Bonus Points when you spend $1,500 in first 90 days
• 0% APR: Get 0% APR on balance transfers for 12 months.
• Annual Fee: No Annual Fee

Read our PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card Review

Instacart Mastercard® 

Instacart Mastercard® gets you a free year of Instacart (subject to automatic renewal), a $100 Instacart credit, plus 5% cash back on Instacart purchases. If you use Instacart to make your life easier, this card is a great deal.

All information about Instacart Mastercard® has been collected independently by allCards.com. Instacart Mastercard® is no longer available through allCards.com.

Rewards:  

• Welcome Offer:  Best Offer: Get a free year of Instacart+ and a $100 Instacart credit automatically upon approval. Membership auto-renews. Terms apply.
• 0% APR: None
• Annual Fee:  $0

Store Brand Credit Cards

If you shop for groceries at specific stores, the store-branded credit cards often offer excellent rewards. I already mentioned the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature above. It earns 5% cash back on purchases at Whole Foods.

Here are some other store-specific cards to consider.

Target RedCard: The Target RedCard pays 5% cashback on Target purchases in the store and online. The 5% even applies to purchases at Starbucks in Target stores. The card comes as either a credit card or a debit card. The debit card version made our list of the best prepaid cards.

Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi: the Costco Anywhere Visa^® Card by Citi pays 2% cash back on all purchases at Costco and Costco Online. Frankly, as a grocery store credit card, it’s mediocre. The problem is that many of the other cards listed above don’t pay the enhanced rewards on groceries purchased at Costco or other wholesale clubs. As such, it can be your best bet on Costco. On the brighter side, it pays 4% cash back on gas and 3% back on restaurants and eligible travel purchases.

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