While most rewards credit cards in Canada have bonuses for common spending categories like groceries, gas, and transportation, relatively few allow you to earn back for your spending on restaurants. We’ve compiled a list of the best cards for restaurants and dining out.
Overall best credit card for restaurants in Canada
5x the points on eligible eats and drinks in Canada, including groceries and food delivery. Spend cap applies.
3x the points on eligible streaming subscriptions in Canada
2x the points on eligible ride shares, transit & gas in Canada
1x additional point on eligible hotel and car rental bookings via American Express Travel Online
1x point for every $1 in Card purchases everywhere else
$100 USD up to $100 USD hotel credit to use on amenities when charged to the room for a stay of 2 or more consecutive nights through The Hotel Collection from American Express Travel
The American Express Cobalt® Card is an excellent all-around rewards credit card that benefits Canadians with a penchant for spending money on food regularly. In addition to earning five points for every $1 every time you swipe in an eligible restaurant, you also get the same number of points when you spend at eligible grocery stores, bars, cafes, and on food delivery (applicable only to purchases made in Canada).
When it comes time to trade in your rewards, Amex points are worth $0.01 each when redeemed against any eligible purchase you’ve made with the card, including restaurant bills. The annual fee is a high-ish $155.88 ($12.99 monthly fee), but you can make up for that with the introductory offer. In your first year as a new Cobalt Cardmember, you can earn 1,250 Membership Rewards® points for each monthly billing period in which you spend $750 in net purchases on your Card. This could add up to 15,000 points in a year. That’s up to $150 towards a weekend getaway or concert tickets. Conditions apply.
6x Scene+ points on every $1 you spend at Sobeys, Safeway, Freshco, Foodland and more
5x Scene+ points for every $1 you spend on dining, food delivery and other eligible grocery stores. Includes popular food delivery and food subscriptions.
5x Scene+ points for every $1 you spend in Canada eligible entertainment purposes. Includes movies, theatre and ticket agency stores.
3x Scene+ points for every $1 CAD you spend in Canada on eligible gas and daily transit options. Includes ride shares, buses, subway, taxis and more.
3x Scene+ points for every $1 CAD you spend in Canada on eligible select streaming services.
1x Scene+ point for every $1 spent on all other eligible everyday purchases.
$120 Annual Fee
$29 for each supplementary card
20.99% Purchase APR
22.99% Cash Advance APR
22.99% Balance Transfer Rate
0.00% Foreign Transaction Fee
Very Good Recommended Credit Score
Welcome Offer
Ends Jul 1, 2024
Earn up to $650* in value in the first 12 months, including up to 40,000 bonus Scene+ points.
If you spend frequently on restaurants and travel or shop internationally, then the Scotiabank Gold American Express® is an excellent choice. You can earn 5X Scene+ points for every $1 CAD you spend when dining at restaurants, fast food joints, or eligible bars. You’ll also earn the same rate on food delivery services, food subscriptions such as Hello Fresh and groceries. If you want to splurge on both dinner and a movie, Scotiabank also gives you 5X Scene+ points for every $1 CAD on eligible entertainment purchases, including movie and theatre tickets. You’ll also earn 6X Scene+ points for each $1 CAD charged to your account on all eligible purchases at Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland, FreshCo, Voilà by Sobeys, Voilà by IGA and a bunch more eligible grocers.¹
Scene+ points are worth up to $0.01 each, depending on what you’re redeeming them on. When you’ve earned enough you can redeem them for things like air travel, purchases of merchandise at eligible retailers, gift cards, or credits to your statement balance.
Besides offering points, this credit card also waives foreign transaction fees on international purchases. Foreign transaction fees usually add 2.5% to every international transaction, so waiving this fee can add up to significant savings if you make international transactions regularly. International dining bills unfortunately will not earn at at the 5 points per $1 rate—they’ll earn at 1 point per $1 instead. But the foreign transaction fee waiver nonetheless makes this one of the best dining cards for those who travel abroad frequently.
Earn rate: Earn 6X Scene+™ points on every $1 CAD you spend in Canada at Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo, Foodland, and more eligible grocers.¹ Earn 5X the Scene+™ points for every $1 CAD spent on other eligible grocery stores, restaurants, fast food, and drinking establishments (including food delivery and food subscription services), as well as on eligible entertainment purchases (movies, theatre, and ticket agencies). Plus, you’ll get 3X the Scene+™ points for every $1 CAD spent on eligible gas, daily transit, and eligible select streaming purchases, and 1X point per $1 spent on every other purchase with no cap on this base earn rate.
Additional perks: Travel insurance, car rental insurance, purchase security, discounted Priority Pass membership, 25% off at AVIS and Budget car rentals, etc.
¹ Conditions Apply. Visit here for the Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card to learn more.
5x the points for every $1 spent on groceries, gas, dining in and out and transit.*
10% Earn 10% more points when you add an authorized user to your account.*
$50 annual lifestyle credit to spend however you want*
$120 Annual Fee
One Hundred And Twenty - annual fee waived in the first year
20.99% Purchase APR
23.99% Cash Advance APR
21.99% for Quebec residents
23.99% Balance Transfer Rate
Very Good Recommended Credit Score
$60,000 Required Annual Personal Income
$100,000 Required Annual Household Income
Welcome Offer
Ends May 31, 2024
Get up to 60,000 points worth $400 in travel rewards, a $50 lifestyle credit and the $120 annual fee waived in the first year - that's a $570 value in your first year!*
Offering a hefty five BMO Rewards points for every $1 spent on dining out or ordering in, the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* has an excellent rewards scheme. Additionally, you’ll also get the same rate at bars, grocery stores, drugstores, and on gas and transit (applicable only to purchases in Canada). Another unique perk via Visa Infinite is the dining experiences you’ll have access to as an extra reward, such as multi-course meals with wine pairings delivered to your home or spending an evening with chefs.
One hundred and fifty BMO Rewards points can be redeemed for $1 in travel or investments into BMO accounts, which works out to a rate of $0.0067 per point. Points can also be redeemed as a statement credit or for merchandise, though the points will be worth less for those redemptions.
On top of that, this credit card offers other great perks, including a $50 annual statement credit, mobile device insurance, and you can boost your earn rate by 10% when you add a secondary cardholder to your account. If you want to add even more lucrative rewards like priority airport lounge and security passes, luxury hotel access and more, and are willing to pay a higher fee, check out the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* credit card.
Additional perks: $50 annual lifestyle credit, supplementary cards boost earn rate, mobile device insurance, travel insurance, access to Visa Infinite exclusive dining invites
If you are looking for a credit card that will allow you to earn on dining out without having to pay a hefty annual fee, then look no further than the Tangerine Money-Back Card. It’s free of charge and still has a decent earn rate for restaurants. The way this credit card works is that you, the cardholder, get to choose two or three spending categories in which you’ll earn 2% back. Once you have selected restaurants as one of your money back categories, you will earn 2% on every $1 spent on dining with no limits—a huge advantage over many other credit cards. Another reason why we love the Tangerine Money-Back Card is that you will see those money back rewards in your account every month, you don’t need to wait a year to see your rewards.
Earn rate: 2% cash back on restaurants, bars, cafes, food delivery, groceries, and transportation (in Canada and abroad), and 0.5% cash back on everything else
Additional perks: No foreign exchange fees and one free international ATM withdraw per month
Annual fee: $84 (or $9/month)
If you’ve had trouble managing your credit in the past, you may want to stay away from credit cards altogether. In this case, a prepaid card like the KOHO Extra credit card is a good choice that still allows you to earn cash back on restaurant spending. You’ll get 2% cash back when using KOHO Extra at restaurants, cafes, bars, on food delivery, and at both small or larger chain grocery stores. The 2% cash back also applies to transportation, including ride shares like Uber or Lyft. You’ll get up to an extra 6% cash back at partnered merchants.
It’s also important to keep in mind that KOHO Extra requires you to deposit money before you spend it, so there is no way to overspend.
The Platinum Card® from American Express may technically earn fewer points per $1 on eligible dining and food delivery in Canada with its earn rate than some of the other cards listed above, at two points per $1 spent; but keep in mind that all the points it earns can be transferred into Aeroplan points at a 1:1 ratio.
And The Platinum Card®’s premium dining benefits don’t stop at its earn rate. Platinum and Centurion cardholders have exclusive access to the Global Dining Collection, which offers reservations for international eateries at the vanguard of haute cuisine, and intimate dining events with the world’s most respected gourmet chefs. Additionally, enjoy a $200 Annual Dining Credit at some of Canada’s best restaurants.
Earn rate: Earn 2 points for every $1 in Card purchases on eligible dining and food delivery in Canada, 2 points for every $1 in Card purchases on eligible travel, and 1 point for every $1 in all other Card purchases
Additional perks: Curated dining experiences; enjoy complimentary benefits that offer an average value of $600 USD at over 1,500 extraordinary properties worldwide when you book Fine Hotels + Resorts; Toronto Pearson airport benefits; Platinum Concierge service; comprehensive travel insurance; free access to airport lounges; $200 CAD Annual Travel Credit
Comparing the best credit cards for restaurants in Canada
Earn rate of two points for every $1 in Card purchases on eligible dining and food delivery in Canada
$799
Conclusion
Whether in restaurants, through meal subscription services, or via delivery, dining out is an essential part of our lives. And outside of more traditional rewards credit cards in Canada, if you’re looking for a credit card that rewards this type of spending with points or cash back, our choices above cover a broad spectrum of options – even one that isn’t a credit card at all. Whether you are looking for a no-fee card, a low-interest card, or a high-earning card, one of the choices above will suit your needs.
Yes! Although many of the credit cards listed above allow you to earn rewards points that can be redeemed for travel and merchandise, KOHO Extra lets you earn 2% cash back on all restaurant spending.
Do I have to pay an annual fee to earn rewards from restaurant spending or dining out?
No. While most rewards credit cards require you to pay an annual fee, the Tangerine Money-Back Card does not have a yearly fee. The rewards you can earn with this credit card are slightly lower than the fee-based cards, so it’s essential to consider your spending habits when deciding which credit card is best for you.
What constitutes a restaurant for most rewards credit cards?
Most credit cards use merchant category codes to classify your spending into rewards categories. You can check your vendor’s merchant category code online in advance of your purchase, but this process can be onerous. A quicker method to keep track of which establishments qualify for rewards is to monitor your credit card statement, which will show the purchases that qualify for rewards or cashback.
American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, (I/we) may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.
Jordann Brown is a freelance personal finance writer whose areas of expertise include debt management, homeownership and budgeting. She is based in Halifax and has written for publications including The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, and CBC.
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