Best Credit Cards for Groceries of 2026
For maximum grocery cash back, the American Express Blue Cash Preferred earns 6% at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year (then 1%), with a $95 annual fee (waived the first year). A family spending $400/month on groceries earns $288/year in grocery rewards alone — easily justifying the fee. For a no-fee option, the Amex Blue Cash Everyday earns 3% at U.S. supermarkets. Terms apply.
Apply Now →At a Glance
| # | Card / Product | Award | Annual Fee | Rewards Rate | APR Range | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express | Our Top Pick | $0 first year, then $95/year | — | — | Apply → |
| 2 | Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express | Also Excellent | $0 | — | — | Apply → |
| 3 | Citi Custom Cash® Card | Best Value | $0 | — | — | Apply → |
| 4 | Chase Freedom Flex® | Worth Considering | $0 | — | — | Apply → |
| 5 | Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card | Best for Dining + Groceries | $0 | 3% on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services, and grocery stores; 1% everywhere else | Verify current rate at capitalone.com | Apply → |
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
“6% at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000/yr). $95 fee (waived year 1). $300 bonus. 0% 12mo.”
What we like
- 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000/year) — highest rate in category
- 6% on 30+ streaming services including Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Spotify
- 3% at U.S. gas stations and on transit (rideshare, tolls, parking)
- $300 welcome bonus after $3,000 spend in first 6 months
- $120/year Disney Streaming Credit ($10/month) offsets most of $95 fee
- 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers
- $95 annual fee waived first year
Watch out for
- $6,000/year cap on 6% supermarket rate (then drops to 1%)
- Walmart, Target, Costco, Sam's Club don't qualify as supermarkets
- $95 annual fee after year 1 (requires sufficient grocery spending to justify)
- 2.7% foreign transaction fee — not for international use
- 1% on all other purchases is below some flat-rate cards
Rates as of April 10, 2026. Terms apply. Verify on issuer site.
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
“3% at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000/yr). 3% gas and online retail. $0 annual fee. $200 bonus. 0% 15mo.”
What we like
- No annual fee
- 3% at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. online retail, and U.S. gas stations
- $200 welcome bonus after $2,000 spend in 6 months
- 0% intro APR for 15 months
Watch out for
- Half the supermarket rate of Blue Cash Preferred (3% vs 6%)
- No streaming bonus category
- $6,000/year cap on 3% supermarket rate
Rates as of April 10, 2026. Terms apply. Verify on issuer site.
Citi Custom Cash® Card
“5% in your top category (auto). Groceries included. $0 annual fee. $200 bonus. 0% 15mo/18mo BT.”
What we like
- 5% automatically on top eligible category — no activation, no tracking
- No annual fee
- Broad eligible category list
Watch out for
- $500/month cap on 5% spending (much lower than Discover it's $1,500/quarter)
- 1% on all other spending — low base rate
- ThankYou Points ecosystem less intuitive than cash
Rates as of April 10, 2026. Terms apply. Verify on issuer site.
Chase Freedom Flex®
“5% rotating categories (incl. groceries in featured quarters). 3% dining/drugstores. $0 fee. $200 bonus. 0% 15mo.”
What we like
- 3% on dining and drugstores year-round (vs. Discover it's 1%)
- $200 welcome bonus after low $500 threshold
- 5% rotating categories
- No annual fee
- Transfers to Chase Sapphire for travel rewards
Watch out for
- 3% foreign transaction fee (vs. Discover it's 0%)
- Must activate rotating categories quarterly
- Best value requires Chase Sapphire pairing
Rates as of April 10, 2026. Terms apply. Verify on issuer site.
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
“Capital One Savor earns 3% on grocery stores, dining, and entertainment with no annual fee. Good alternative when American Express is not accepted at smaller retailers.”
What we like
- 3% cash back on streaming, dining, entertainment, and groceries with no annual fee
- $200 cash bonus after only $500 in purchases in first 3 months
- Cash back redeemable at any time with no minimum
- No foreign transaction fees
- No rotating categories or activation required
Watch out for
- 3% cap — Amex Blue Cash Preferred earns 6% on streaming if you want maximum rate
- 1% on everything else — no bonus categories beyond dining/entertainment/grocery/streaming
- APR varies — verify current rate at capitalone.com
Rates as of April 10, 2026. Terms apply. Verify on issuer site.
Credit Cards for Groceries of Buying Guide
Photo by DΛVΞ GΛRCIΛ / PexelsGrocery rewards credit cards can return 3–6% on supermarket spending — among the highest consistent reward rates available on any card category in 2026. The complexity is in the details: which retailers qualify as "supermarkets," whether the category has a spending cap, and whether the card's annual fee is offset by your actual grocery spending. A disciplined approach to grocery card selection can return $200–$500+ annually on a household's food spending.
What Counts as a Supermarket?
Credit card issuers use merchant category codes (MCCs) assigned by Visa and Mastercard to classify transactions. Traditional supermarkets (Kroger, Safeway, Publix, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Sprouts, Aldi, Wegmans, H-E-B) qualify for grocery bonus categories at virtually all issuers. The major exclusions are superstores and warehouse clubs: Walmart (MCC 5411 general merchandise), Target (5411), Costco, and Sam's Club are explicitly excluded from American Express grocery categories. Kroger-owned fuel centers at Kroger locations typically code as the same supermarket MCC as the main store and earn the grocery rate.
The Citi Custom Cash and some bank-specific cards use broader "grocery store" categories that may include some convenience stores with MCC 5411. If Walmart, Target, or Costco represent significant portions of your food spending, prioritize cards with broad category definitions — the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card allows you to select "online shopping" or "grocery" as your highest-earning category and accepts a wider range of retailers. See our no annual fee card guide for cards with the most flexible grocery categories.
Spending Caps and How They Work
The American Express Blue Cash Preferred's 6% grocery rate is capped at $6,000 in annual U.S. supermarket spending ($500/month) — after $6,000, the rate drops to 1%. A household spending $1,000/month at the supermarket would cap out by June and earn 1% for the rest of the year. At an average monthly spending of $1,000 — a typical household grocery budget — Blue Cash Preferred earns $360 (at 6%) plus $72 (at 1% for the final 6 months) for $432 total, minus the $95 annual fee, netting $337 annually. The no-fee Blue Cash Everyday earns 3% with no cap but earns $120 less on the uncapped portion for moderate spenders.
The Citi Custom Cash earns 5% on your top monthly spending category up to $500/month. For a household that consistently spends its most at grocery stores (and less than $500/month), this can be a strong no-fee alternative. But if grocery spending varies month to month or exceeds $500, a dedicated high-rate grocery card outperforms it for grocery spending specifically.
Annual Fee Breakeven Analysis
The Amex Blue Cash Preferred charges $95/year (waived the first year). To break even vs. the no-fee Blue Cash Everyday (3%): you need to earn $95 more from the premium card. The 6% vs. 3% differential earns $3 per $100 in grocery spending. To break even: $95 ÷ 0.03 = $3,167 in annual supermarket spending (~$264/month). Any household spending more than $264/month at supermarkets (virtually all households) benefits from the premium card financially.
For gas spending alongside groceries, the Blue Cash Preferred also earns 3% on U.S. gas stations. See our gas credit card guide to compare grocery + gas card combinations. The best strategy for high grocery + gas spenders may be a single premium card that covers both, rather than two separate category-optimized cards.
Delivery Services and Online Grocery
Online grocery orders (Instacart, Shipt, Amazon Fresh, Walmart+) don't always code as supermarket purchases. Instacart orders often code as the supermarket being ordered from (and earn the grocery rate), while third-party delivery apps may code differently. Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods orders through Amazon code as "Amazon," not supermarkets — the Amazon Prime Visa earns 5% on all Amazon purchases including Whole Foods (with Prime membership), making it superior to a grocery card for Whole Foods heavy shoppers. Test your delivery service's coding before optimizing — a single test transaction and checking the merchant category in your statement will confirm. Related: our online shopping card guide covers delivery apps specifically.
Watch Before You Buy
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best credit card for groceries?
Does Costco and Walmart count as a supermarket for credit card rewards?
Is the Amex Blue Cash Preferred worth the annual fee for groceries?
What credit card earns the most on online grocery orders?
Is a dedicated grocery credit card worth it if I use multiple stores?
How We Evaluate Financial Products
We compare financial products based on objective criteria: annual fees, APR ranges, rewards rates, sign-up bonuses, and key perks. We do not factor in issuer relationships or compensation when determining rankings. Products are ranked based on overall value for the target use case described on this page.
Rates and terms change frequently. We update these pages regularly, but always verify current rates directly on the issuer’s website before applying. APR ranges shown reflect the full possible range — your actual rate depends on your creditworthiness.
This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. We compare products; we do not advise on which product is right for your personal financial situation. Read our full methodology →