Groceries are one of the biggest recurring expenses for most households. The best credit cards for groceries turn that unavoidable spending into meaningful rewards—whether that’s cash back or flexible points for travel.
The right card depends on:
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How much you spend monthly on groceries
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Whether you prefer cash back or points
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Whether you shop at traditional grocery stores vs. wholesale clubs
Below are the best credit cards for groceries, ranked by earning power, ease of use, and real-world value.
1. American Express® Gold Card (Best Overall for Groceries)
American Express
The Amex Gold Card is one of the strongest grocery cards available if you’re open to earning points instead of cash back. It earns high rewards at U.S. supermarkets and is especially powerful when paired with airline transfer partners.
This card works best for people who consistently spend on groceries and dining and want premium upside without juggling multiple cards.
Best for
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High grocery spenders
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People who want points with travel flexibility
Pros
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Excellent grocery earning rate
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Highly valuable airline transfer partners
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Strong everyday spending categories
Cons
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Annual fee
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Best value requires travel redemptions
Link:
https://www.americanexpress.com/us/credit-cards/card/gold-card/
2. Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express (Best Cash Back for Families)
American Express
This card is built for households with significant grocery spending. It offers one of the highest cash-back rates available at U.S. supermarkets, making it extremely popular with families.
While there is an annual fee, many users earn far more in cash back than the fee costs—especially if groceries are a major monthly expense.
Best for
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Families
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Cash-back focused grocery spenders
Pros
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Very high grocery cash back
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Simple, predictable rewards
Cons
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Annual fee
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Spending caps apply
Link:
https://www.americanexpress.com/us/credit-cards/card/blue-cash-preferred/
3. Citi Custom Cash® Card (Best Flexible Grocery Card)
Citi
The Citi Custom Cash automatically rewards your highest spending category each month, which makes it ideal if groceries are consistently your top expense.
You don’t have to activate categories or track anything—just use the card for groceries and earn elevated cash back automatically.
Best for
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Simplicity seekers
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Moderate grocery spenders
Pros
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Automatic category optimization
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No annual fee
Cons
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Monthly spending cap
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Only one bonus category per month
Link:
https://www.citi.com/credit-cards/citi-custom-cash-credit-card
4. Chase Freedom Flex℠ (Best Hybrid Grocery Card)
Chase
Chase Freedom Flex combines rotating quarterly grocery bonuses with fixed bonus categories like dining and drugstores. This makes it a strong no-annual-fee option for people willing to manage categories.
When paired with a Chase Sapphire card, grocery cash back can convert into flexible Ultimate Rewards points.
Best for
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Category optimizers
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Chase ecosystem users
Pros
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No annual fee
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Strong bonus structure
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Flexible redemption when paired
Cons
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Requires category activation
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Grocery bonuses aren’t year-round
Link:
https://creditcards.chase.com/cash-back-credit-cards/freedom/flex
5. Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards (Best No-Fee Grocery + Dining Card)
Capital One
SavorOne is a well-rounded card for people who want solid grocery rewards without paying an annual fee. It also earns strongly on dining and entertainment, making it a great everyday card.
Best for
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No-fee grocery rewards
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Dining-heavy spenders
Pros
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No annual fee
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Strong everyday categories
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Easy redemptions
Cons
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Lower grocery rate than premium cards
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No travel transfer upside
Link:
https://www.capitalone.com/credit-cards/savorone/
6. Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards (Best for Bank Loyalists)
Bank of America
This card lets you choose groceries as your bonus category, which makes it very effective—especially if you qualify for Bank of America Preferred Rewards, which boosts earnings significantly.
Best for
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Bank of America customers
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People who want customizable rewards
Pros
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Choose groceries as bonus category
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No annual fee
Cons
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Spending caps
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Less competitive without Preferred Rewards
Link:
https://www.bankofamerica.com/credit-cards/products/cash-back-credit-card/
7. Discover it® Cash Back (Best Rotating Grocery Bonuses)
Discover
Discover it frequently features groceries as a rotating quarterly bonus category. When active, it can be extremely lucrative—especially in the first year with Discover’s cashback match.
Best for
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Beginners
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Category-focused users
Pros
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No annual fee
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Cashback match first year
Cons
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Grocery bonuses are seasonal
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Requires category activation
Link:
https://www.discover.com/credit-cards/cash-back/it-card.html
8. Wells Fargo Autograph® Card (Best Simple Grocery + Everyday Card)
Wells Fargo
While not a grocery-only powerhouse, Autograph earns points across multiple everyday categories and keeps things simple with no annual fee.
Best for
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Simplicity-focused users
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No-fee points earners
Pros
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No annual fee
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Broad everyday categories
Cons
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Lower grocery earning rate
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Limited transfer partners
Link:
https://www.wellsfargo.com/credit-cards/autograph/
What Counts as “Groceries” on Credit Cards?
Most grocery bonuses apply to:
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Supermarkets
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Local grocery stores
Usually excluded:
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Warehouse clubs (Costco, Sam’s Club)
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Superstores (Walmart, Target)
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Convenience stores
Always check issuer definitions before applying.
Final Takeaway: Best Credit Cards for Groceries
The best grocery credit card depends on how you spend and how you redeem:
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Best overall (points): Amex Gold
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Best cash back (families): Blue Cash Preferred
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Best no-fee option: Citi Custom Cash or SavorOne
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Best with bank loyalty: Bank of America Customized Cash
Used strategically, grocery rewards alone can return hundreds to thousands of dollars per year.