topic Re: fast food category? in Credit Cards

fast food category?

rosco75 — Mon, 05 Dec 2022 20:28:51 GMT

I cannot seem to find any data on which "categories" include fast food. I would assume dining, but fast food for some reason does not code as a restaraunt from my experience. And I also cannot seem to find data on cards when they say "...5% on a category that you choose" as they dont list the categories. Is this just a dining category that you have to hope codes correctly in order to use it? For example, like only eating at taco bell because its the only one that codes as dining? Im sure you get the point.

Re: fast food category?

wasCB14 — Mon, 05 Dec 2022 20:55:58 GMT

Lots of cards have one exception or another. Fast food is a separate category on US Bank Cash+. Some cards exclude or used to exclude foreign restaurants. I recall bakeries were added as a specific exclusion on one of my cards years ago (Citi Prestige maybe?). Then you have places that can blur the line between supermarket and restaurant, like delis. They may not provide their own seating, but there may be available seating in a nearby common area so they can potentially avoid having to charge sales tax (local/state laws permitting).

I take the approach of just running it all through Amex Gold (if they take Amex). I get 4x MRs on the vast majority of my dining dollars without caps or rotating categories. And if Amex thinks it's a supermarket instead of a restaurant, I get 4x on ($25k capped, USA only) supermarkets. Occasionally I might not get 4x on a purchase, but that's rare and generally for a small dollar amount.

Re: fast food category?

citymunky — Mon, 05 Dec 2022 21:21:49 GMT

With the Savor One fast food places are treated at dining and I received the 3% CB.

Re: fast food category?

dlister70 — Mon, 05 Dec 2022 21:44:55 GMT

As someone else mentioned, US Bank Cash+ has seperate categories for fast food (5%) and restaurants (2%) and sometimes it's hard to tell which rate you'll get. I went to one steak and shake and got the fast food rate, and went to a different steak and shake and it was a restaurant. I guess it all depends on how they set up the code when they first opened that location! I had to stop and think when ordering Dominos pizza as to whether I should use the fast food card or would it be a restaurant? Basically trial and error is the only way to know for sure.

The US Bank card is the only one that I've used before that seperated fast food from restaurants like that.

When Discover has their 5% quarter for restaurants, it includes fast food. The PNC Cash Cash Rewards Visa is 3% for "dining at restaurants" but includes fast food. Same with my Rural King Visa which is also 3% on restaurants but includes fast food.

I'd say if the card doesn't have a seperate category for fast food, then you should be covered with restaurants.

Re: fast food category?

Kforce — Mon, 05 Dec 2022 22:10:09 GMT

Bank of the West (3% Gas, Grocery, Restaurant)

Fast Food works.

Re: fast food category?

wasCB14 — Mon, 05 Dec 2022 22:13:42 GMT

@dlister70 wrote:
As someone else mentioned, US Bank Cash+ has seperate categories for fast food (5%) and restaurants (2%) and sometimes it's hard to tell which rate you'll get. I went to one steak and shake and got the fast food rate, and went to a different steak and shake and it was a restaurant. I guess it all depends on how they set up the code when they first opened that location! I had to stop and think when ordering Dominos pizza as to whether I should use the fast food card or would it be a restaurant? Basically trial and error is the only way to know for sure.

The US Bank card is the only one that I've used before that seperated fast food from restaurants like that.

When Discover has their 5% quarter for restaurants, it includes fast food. The PNC Cash Cash Rewards Visa is 3% for "dining at restaurants" but includes fast food. Same with my Rural King Visa which is also 3% on restaurants but includes fast food.

I'd say if the card doesn't have a seperate category for fast food, then you should be covered with restaurants.

And franchise arrangements (common in fast food and often used by S+S) increase the potential for inconsistent coding.

Re: fast food category?

Lou-natic — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 01:46:46 GMT

X1 card counts fast food as dining. Even taking straight cash back it works out to 2.1% vs just 2% if I use my FNBO card...haha

Re: fast food category?

Drifter73 — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 02:26:54 GMT

Looking at my citi custom cash statements for the last 4 months, I can see that all fast food (e.g. jack n the box, taco bell. Shlotzkys, burger king, McDonalds, etc..) is categorizing as restaurants in the 5% cb restaurants category.

For me, dedicating Citi CC 5% cb to restaurants and fast food for the same rewards (all dining) is a no brainer. I have other cards for different needed categories.

Maybe another citi CC holder can check their statements to confirm.

Re: fast food category?

Rockysocks — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 03:20:07 GMT

@Drifter73 wrote:
Looking at my citi custom cash statements for the last 4 months, I can see that all fast food (e.g. jack n the box, taco bell. Shlotzkys, burger king, McDonalds, etc..) is categorizing as restaurants in the 5% cb restaurants category.

For me, dedicating Citi CC 5% cb to restaurants and fast food for the same rewards (all dining) is a no brainer. I have other cards for different needed categories.

Maybe another citi CC holder can check their statements to confirm.

Citi CC is my continuous all restaurants card, including fast food. I've learned through trial and error across the last year though that mom-and-pop eateries, whether they serve a variety of things like sandwiches and treats, or just specialize in one thing like chocolates or donuts, are gonna probably code weird AND probably charge a card fee. Follow this unofficial golden rule with the CCC, and it'll solve like 85% of your coding issues. At least it did for me lol.

Re: fast food category?

yzerman — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 10:46:42 GMT

@rosco75 wrote:
I cannot seem to find any data on which "categories" include fast food. I would assume dining, but fast food for some reason does not code as a restaraunt from my experience. And I also cannot seem to find data on cards when they say "...5% on a category that you choose" as they dont list the categories. Is this just a dining category that you have to hope codes correctly in order to use it? For example, like only eating at taco bell because its the only one that codes as dining? Im sure you get the point.

I receive 3% cb on both my Savor one and Wells Fargo Autograph cards. The dining category on both include fast food as well as in restaurant dining.

Re: fast food category?

MileHigh96 — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 11:34:45 GMT

@citymunky wrote:
With the Savor One fast food places are treated at dining and I received the 3% CB.

Savor One will also code food trucks as dining. I've gotten 3% back on the couple of times I've bought food at a food truck.

Re: fast food category?

Hoben02 — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 15:36:43 GMT

try using the lookup tool in the awardwallet app. The only food places I've not gotten dining were when purchasing at a food faire, in that case I've been using a chase card and I've gotten them to give me dining rewards

Re: fast food category?

AlanGJP — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 16:00:48 GMT

@wasCB14 wrote:
I take the approach of just running it all through Amex Gold (if they take Amex). I get 4x MRs on the vast majority of my dining dollars without caps or rotating categories. And if Amex thinks it's a supermarket instead of a restaurant, I get 4x on ($25k capped, USA only) supermarkets. Occasionally I might not get 4x on a purchase, but that's rare and generally for a small dollar amount.

Yup, same deal here, it's just easier. Then (if you're after CB) cash out with Schwab @ 1.1cpp for a 4.4% effective CB on food spend.

As an aside: BILT has 3X on "dining" with no limits. Couple rent with food and you have another fairly decent no AF card.

"Dining: 3 rewards points (1 base point plus 2 bonus points) are earned per $1 spent on qualifying net purchases at retailers whose Merchant Code for Mastercard is classified as eating places and restaurants, drinking places, bakeries, or fast food restaurants (caterers, grocery stores, and other miscellaneous places that serve food or operate restaurants on their premises are not considered eating places and restaurants)."

Re: fast food category?

AlanGJP — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 16:03:35 GMT

@Lou-natic wrote:
X1 card counts fast food as dining. Even taking straight cash back it works out to 2.1% vs just 2% if I use my FNBO card...haha

I'm not sure how you're getting 2.1%? Unless you're above their normal 2X... (Did you refer someone?)

For most (including me) X1 is .7cpp for cash back, effectively 1.4cpp at 2X dining. If you want to redeem points at 1cpp, you'll need to spend it at one of their listed companies. Not ideal imo. I've been sitting on a TON of points because of their redemption options.

Re: fast food category?

Brian_Earl_Spilner — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 13:56:07 GMT

It's going to be trial and error, and even then it's not absolute. When they put in my neighborhood target it initially coded as grocery. After a few years it was corrected to match a normal target. Walmart will code differently depending on if you went to a regular one versus a supercenter. It's the same with fast food. Could code as fast food or restaurant. I use my gold because it will cover both regardless of how it's coded

Re: fast food category?

ptatohed — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 21:32:31 GMT

Why are we bumping a 2 year old thread? lol

For me, I've never had a problem with my cards treating fast food and restaurants as separate categories for reward purposes. But, I have to admit, I am a chain guy for both fast food and restaurants. McDs, Carl's Jr, Arby's, Taco Bell, Popeye's, ............... Chili's, Denny's, IHOP, Red Robbin, AppleBees,..........

Re: fast food category?

Brian_Earl_Spilner — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 21:38:54 GMT

@ptatohed wrote:
Why are we bumping a 2 year old thread? lol

For me, I've never had a problem with my cards treating fast food and restaurants as separate categories for reward purposes. But, I have to admit, I am a chain guy for both fast food and restaurants. McDs, Carl's Jr, Arby's, Taco Bell, Popeye's, ............... Chili's, Denny's, IHOP, Red Robbin, AppleBees,..........

That's a good question. It was showing in recent this morning and I replied. Didn't even look at the date. Not sure how the thread got bumped. 🤔