Why your grocery card earns nothing at Costco
Why doesn't my 6% U.S. supermarket card earn the bonus at Costco?
Scenario
Wallet: Blue Cash Preferred (6% at U.S. supermarkets, 1% elsewhere), Citi Double Cash (2% catch-all).
Costco codes as a wholesale club, not a supermarket.
- Merchant
- Costco Wholesale
- Purchase category
- Wholesale clubs
- Amount
- $250.00
Card options
| Card | Earns | Cash-equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Citi Double CashBest card | 2% · Cash back | $5.00 |
| Blue Cash Preferred | 1% (no supermarket bonus) · Cash back | $2.50 |
Result
Swipe Citi Double Cash. The 6% grocery bonus doesn't apply at a wholesale club, so the flat 2% card actually earns more. The store's category, not the product, decides the bonus.
Illustrative scenario with sample wallets and values. Pikt is a personal-project preview; reward rates and point valuations are estimates that change over time. See the methodology.