Americans spend an average of $400–$600 per month on groceries — making it one of the most impactful categories to get right on your credit cards. A card earning 4–6% at supermarkets can easily return $200–$400 per year in rewards on that spend alone.
Here are the best credit cards for grocery purchases, ranked by the value they deliver.
Quick comparison
| Card | Grocery rate | Annual fee | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amex Blue Cash Preferred | 6% cash back | $95 | Cash back maximizers |
| Amex Gold | 4x points | $250 | Points maximizers |
| Capital One Savor | 3% cash back | $95 | Broad category cash back |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred | 1x points | $95 | Chase ecosystem (not groceries) |
| Citi Strata Premier | 3x points | $95 | Citi ThankYou points |
1. American Express Blue Cash Preferred — best cash back for groceries
The Blue Cash Preferred earns 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (on the first $6,000/year, then 1%) — the highest grocery rate of any widely available card. At $500/month in grocery spend, that's $360/year in cash back from this category alone before factoring in its 6% back on streaming and 3% back on U.S. gas stations and transit.
The $95 annual fee is covered many times over by the grocery earning rate for most households. There's also a $84/year Disney Bundle credit ($7/month) that offsets the fee further for subscribers.
What we like: 6% cash back at supermarkets is the strongest grocery rate available, period. Cash back is simple — no points programs to manage.
What to watch: The 6% rate is capped at $6,000 in annual spend (~$500/month). Heavy grocery spenders above that threshold may want a second card. Also, warehouse clubs (Costco, Sam's Club) and superstores (Walmart, Target) do not count as U.S. supermarkets — only traditional grocery chains qualify.
2. American Express Gold Card — best for points collectors
The Amex Gold earns 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000/year) — a far higher cap than the Blue Cash Preferred, and the best grocery earning rate for anyone who values transferable points.
At a conservative 1.8¢ per point via airline transfer partners, 4x on groceries is effectively 7.2% back — edging out the Blue Cash Preferred for households spending above $6,000/year at supermarkets or those who regularly fly on MR transfer partners.
The Gold also earns 4x at restaurants worldwide and 3x on flights, making it a strong all-around card rather than a single-category specialist.
What we like: Higher spending cap than the Blue Cash Preferred. MR points transfer to 20+ partners including Delta, Air France, and Hilton.
What to watch: The $250 annual fee is only justified if you use the $120 dining credit and $120 Uber Cash credit. Points are also worth less if you're not transferring to airline/hotel partners — statement credit redemptions net only ~0.6¢ per point.
3. Capital One Savor — best all-around cash back
The Capital One Savor earns 3% cash back at grocery stores alongside 3% at restaurants, entertainment, and streaming. It's not the top grocery card, but the combination of four everyday categories at 3% makes it an excellent everyday card for people who want one simple card.
No category caps or enrollment required — just 3% automatically on qualifying purchases.
What we like: Simple structure. 3% across four major spend categories covers most of what people actually buy. Capital One's grocery category also includes some stores (like Walmart Neighborhood Market) that Amex doesn't count as supermarkets.
What to watch: 3% lags the Blue Cash Preferred (6%) and Amex Gold (4x) specifically at grocery stores. Best as a pairing card or an all-in-one option rather than a dedicated grocery card.
4. Citi Strata Premier — best for Citi points collectors
The Citi Strata Premier earns 3x ThankYou points at grocery stores, along with 3x at restaurants, hotels, gas, and air travel — all for a $95 annual fee. It's the Citi equivalent of the Savor: broad, practical, and solid if you're building ThankYou points.
ThankYou points transfer to Air France/KLM Flying Blue, Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles, and Avianca LifeMiles — programs with some of the best redemption rates for international premium cabin flights.
What we like: Five 3x categories for $95 is strong value. Flying Blue and Turkish transfers unlock business class flights that are hard to book via Chase or Amex.
What to watch: The Citi transfer partner list is more limited than Amex or Chase for domestic travel. If you're primarily flying U.S. carriers, UR or MR points may stretch further.
What about Costco and Walmart?
Warehouse clubs (Costco, Sam's Club) and big-box retailers (Walmart, Target) have their own preferred cards:
- Costco Anywhere Visa (Citi) — 2% back on all Costco purchases. Only card accepted in-store.
- Target Circle Card — 5% back at Target stores and Target.com.
Neither counts as a "supermarket" on Amex, Chase, or Citi cards, so they won't earn elevated grocery rates. If you split spending between traditional grocery stores and warehouse clubs, you may want dedicated cards for each.
How to choose
Go with the Blue Cash Preferred if you want maximum cash back at grocery stores and spend up to $500/month. It's the highest-rate grocery card for cash back and requires zero points strategy.
Go with the Amex Gold if you spend more than $500/month on groceries or you're actively building points for airline or hotel redemptions. The $25,000/year cap and 4x rate is a better deal for high grocery spenders.
Go with the Capital One Savor if you want a single card that earns well across groceries, dining, and entertainment without managing multiple cards.
Go with the Citi Strata Premier if you're already in the Citi ecosystem and want to earn ThankYou points across everyday spending including groceries.
The bottom line
For most households, the Amex Blue Cash Preferred is the best grocery card — 6% cash back is hard to beat for straightforward value. If you're a points person, the Amex Gold's 4x at supermarkets likely delivers more per dollar once you factor in airline transfer values.
The two cards aren't mutually exclusive. Many people carry both the Gold (for grocery points + dining) and a Chase Sapphire card (for travel + Hyatt transfers), using each where it earns most.
Add your cards to PerkPulse to see exactly which one comes out ahead for your specific spending mix.