Credit Cards Rewards Credit Cards

6 Best Credit Cards for Grocery Shopping

Written by Aliyyah Camp

Credit card hacking can be complicated once you consider all the factors involved – researching credit card offers, keeping track of rewards, and meeting spending requirements. Credit card hacking is also usually reserved for people with high credit scores who can qualify for the best credit cards. Fortunately, when it comes to simple rewards, there are credit cards that deliver without the fuss. Credit cards that offer rewards for grocery shopping are great because they give the everyday consumer a chance to earn cash back, or points in other forms, for spending they do each month. Here are six best credit cards for grocery shopping:

American Express Blue Cash Preferred

The American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card is a front-runner when it comes to rewards for grocery shopping. The card offers 6% cash back on spending at US grocery stores up to $6,000. That’s a total of $360 in cash back. After $6,000 in spending, the cash back rewards drop to 1%. So if you spend over $500 per month on groceries, you can earn even more than $360 cash back in a year.

Other key features of the American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card include:

  • 3% cashback at gas stations and select department stores
  • 1% cashback on all other purchases
  • Cash back can be redeemed for statement credit
  • $250 sign-up bonus after $1,000 spending in first three months
  • 0% introductory APR for 12 months
  • $95 annual fee

American Express Blue Cash Everyday

The American Express Blue Cash Everyday Card is a good choice for a grocery shopping credit card if you don’t want to pay the annual fee that comes with the Preferred version. This credit card offers 3% cash back on spending at US grocery stores up to $6,000. That’s a total of $180 in cash back. After $6,000 in spending, the cash back rewards drop to 1%.

Other key features of the American Express Blue Cash Everyday Card include:

  • 2% cashback at gas stations and select department stores
  • 1% cashback on all other purchases
  • Cash back can be redeemed for statement credit
  • $150 sign-up bonus after $500 spending in first three months
  • 0% introductory APR for 12 months
  • No annual fee

American Express Hilton HHonors

If you’re interested in scoring free hotel stays, the American Express Hilton HHonors Card is a compelling option. It offers five points for each dollar spent at grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations. If you spend $6,000 on groceries per year, you would earn 30,000 points on this card. To put that number into perspective, a free night at a Hilton hotel can range from 5,000 points to 95,000 points depending on the category level of the property. Most Hilton properties are mid-range (levels 4 to 6) and are worth about 30,000 points per night.

Other key features of the American Express Hilton HHonors Card include:

  • 7 points for spending at participating Hilton hotels
  • 3 points on all other purchases
  • Earn 500 points when you use your card to book online and pay for a stay at a Hilton hotel
  • 50,000 points sign-up bonus when you spend $750 within the first three months
  • No annual fee

American Express Hilton HHonors Surpass

If you like the idea of earning points to be redeemed for hotel stays at Hilton properties, there’s an advanced version of the American Express Hilton HHonors Card. The American Express Hilton HHonors Surpass Card is superior in terms of the rewards rates. You’ll earn six points for each dollar spent at grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations. This means you’ll be able to rack up points for free hotel stays more quickly.

Other key features of the American Express Hilton HHonors Surpass Card include:

  • 12 points for spending at participating Hilton hotels
  • 3 points on all other purchases
  • Earn 500 points when you use your card to book online and pay for a stay at a Hilton hotel
  • 75,000 points sign-up bonus when you spend $3,000 within the first three months
  • $75 annual fee

BankAmericard Cash Rewards

The BankAmericard Cash Rewards Card features easy-to-earn grocery shopping rewards. You’ll earn 2% cash back on spending at grocery stores and wholesale clubs. That’s $120 in yearly cash back if you spend $6,000 on groceries.

Other key features of the BankAmericard Cash Rewards Card include:

  • 3% cash back on gas
  • 1% cash back on all other purchases
  • Quarterly spend limit of $2,500 for rewards
  • $100 sign-up bonus when you spend $500 within the first three months
  • No annual fee

Amazon Prime Rewards

If you’re an avid Amazon.com shopper and use their AmazonFresh grocery delivery service, the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card could be a good option for you. You’ll need to maintain an Amazon Prime membership to be eligible for the 5% points on Amazon.com purchases, otherwise you’ll earn 3% points. Every 100 points is equal to $1 towards your Amazon.com purchase when redeemed.

Other key features of the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card include:

  • 2% points back at restaurants, gas stations, and drugstores
  • 1% points back on all other purchases
  • $70 Amazon.com gift card awarded immediately upon credit approval
  • No annual fee

Final Thoughts

Everyone buys food. Whether you’re living alone and only buying food for one or feeding an entire family, groceries are likely a major monthly expense. These six credit cards are worth considering if you’d like to earn rewards for the grocery shopping you already do. It’s important to fully understand the terms and conditions of the cards before signing up. For example, some credit cards exclude warehouse clubs from their grocery spending rewards category while others include it. If you do most of your grocery shopping at warehouse clubs, you’ll want to make sure the credit card you choose includes that in its grocery spending rewards category.

About the author

Aliyyah Camp

Aliyyah Camp is a personal finance writer who specializes in writing about ways to save money, make money, build credit, and invest. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Communication from the University of Pennsylvania.

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