Best Restaurant Rewards Cards

stan_the_man · ‎05-02-2011

After doing some searches for the best restaurant rewards cards, it seems like it has been almost two years since there has been a thread here in the forums on this topic.

I'm looking for cards that provide the equivalent (cash or points) of at least 2% year round.

When posting a suggestion, please include the card name, issuer, cash-back rate, whether it's in cash or points, the minimum rewards threshold, whether or not there is an annual fee (and if there is, how much it is) and other other info you feel is necessary. So here goes...

TrueEarnings Card
American Express
3% on restaurants
Cash rewards, no tiers, annual cash back via statement credit with no minimum
No annual fee*
Card is only available to Costco members (Costco has an annual membership fee). Other cash-back rates are 3% on gas, 2% on travel, and 1% everywhere else.

Citi Forward
Citibank
5 points per $1 on restaurants (3.2% for cash, up to 3.6% for mortgage and student loan "rebates")
Points rewards, no tiers, redeem points at anytime but $25-$50 minimum applies
No annual fee

rocketsfan85 · ‎05-07-2011

Chase Ink also has 3 percent on dining. It does seem that Citi Forward might be the best card for dining with its 5 points per dollar at restaurants and it also gives 5 points per dollar at fast food places as well. According to nerdwallet, the best way to get rewards from the Citi Thank You points is to wait until the points hit 10,000 and then redeem it for gift cards or for 100 dollars cash back.

shiftomnimega · ‎05-08-2011

The only other two honorable mentions:

Cap1 Sony Card gives 3 points for dining and movies. However, Sony's redemption options are much worse than Thank You Rewards.

PenFed Amex currently gives 5 points for dining. However, this is always promotional and this particular promotion ends in August.

athensguy · ‎05-08-2011

I am currently converting my Citi ThankYou to a Forward. My Discover More and Citi Dividend cards have had promotions on restaurants, so when that's available, the rewards are better than ThankYou points.