Chase Ecosystem + a grocery card?

[VanderSnoot]

I generally rely on the Chase ecosystem, but groceries have been a bit of a hole for me. I spend about $7k a year (inflation); I don't shop often at Whole Foods, and most of my spend is in person not online. Is there a best option for groceries? What do other people primarily using Chase use?

For my personal calculus, I have the Green card, and Amex is offering me the Gold. The fee is steep, but I can use some of the Uber credits and some of the Resy credits (probably not every month unless I changed my habits). I will occasionally make use of their offers as well. But I wouldn't mind ditching the AF altogether. I also can use other cards (US Bank Cashplus; CFU and CFF combo; whatever happens with my old Discos after the merger).

[AndySoCal]

@VanderSnoot Look at Citibank's Custom Cash which groceries is one of their 5% cash back catagories.

[Varsity_Lu]

@VanderSnoot 

If you are already in with AmEx, get the Blue Cash Preferred. 6% grocery and streaming, and 3% gas. You'll probably get it with a soft pull. Annual fee is waived the first year and then you can downgrade it to Blue Cash Everyday. It's 3% grocery, gas, and online shopping, so you'll lose a little bit after the first year.

[redpat]

@VanderSnoot 
Just stick w/ chase so you don't have points all over the place.  CFU and CFF should be fine since $7k really shouldn't be that much of a game changer if you have CSP or CSR for transfer partners and get 2+  times.

Some do too much thinking about categories when in fact you may get diminishing returns having travel points and mixing cash back or working too many travel reward programs.

[Follower]

There are some recent threads about the Comenity AAA Daily Advantage Visa, which gives 5% on groceries (capped at $10,000 per year, which seems like it would easily fit your $7K threshold). Although a few areas are geofenced out of it. This may be easier to deal with than the aforementioned Citi Custom Cash and its $500 per billing cycle cap.

[VanderSnoot]

Thank you. I needed the reminder: sometimes more is less.

[Fenway2025]

I'm not sure what your main grocery store is, but I shop at Kroger and by adding my CSP to the Kroger Pay app, whenever I use the QR code to pay at self checkout or any of the checkout lanes Chase codes it as online grocery. Depending on where you shop groceries at, I would check and see if they have an app where you can add mobile payment.

Best of luck!

[mrks_]

I'm assuming you use your points for travel. Have you considered the Chase Aeroplan card? For a $95 annual fee it earns 3x Aeroplan points on groceries, but additionally it opens up using your Chase UR on Aeroplan's Pay Yourself Back which gives 1.25 cpp on travel booked directly. On top of that, Aeroplan gives a 10% transfer bonus, and Chase does an annual 20% transfer bonus. That's a 30% bonus with the 25% PYB, for a total of 1.625 cpp on your Chase points on up to 200k point per year. 

Here are the final multipliers:

CFF

- Rotating categories - 8.125%

CFU

- Drugstores - 4.875%
- Catchall - 2.4375%

CSP

- Dining - 5.0375%

- Online groceries - 5.0375%
- Streaming - 5.0375%

Aeroplan

- Groceries - 3.75%

[Debt-is-a-Scam]

Don't rely, diversify. I'd look into Amex or C1. Cash+ looks good too.

[Patient957]

Amex BCP is an obvious choice.  On your $7K spend, it will get you $420 back your first year and $325/yr thereafter.

Citi CC is also a decent option, but with the $6K cap, you will get less back than the BCP, unless you're willing to switch cards after you cap out, which is a hassle.  

I'd go with the BCP and keep it simple.

Edit to add: I just realized I'm assuming you're on team cash back.  If you're on team travel and wanting transferrable points currency, then obviously the BCP doesn't work, and you need a different option.