Guide
Best credit card for dining and takeout (2026)
Amex Gold leads with 4× Membership Rewards at restaurants worldwide. Chase Sapphire Preferred earns 3× on dining and pairs well if you book travel through Chase. For cash-back simplicity, Freedom Unlimited offers 3% on dining with no annual fee.
Quick comparison
| Card | Best for | Earn rate | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amex Gold | Restaurants worldwide | 4× points | $250 |
| Sapphire Preferred | Dining + Chase travel | 3× points | $95 |
| Freedom Unlimited | No-fee dining | 3% cash back | $0 |
Why most people pick the wrong card
Most people default to the same card at checkout — usually the one on top in their wallet. That habit quietly costs hundreds of dollars a year when another card in your stack earns 3×, 4×, or even 6× on the same purchase.
How Pikt routes smarter than guesswork
Pikt links the cards you already carry, weighs your offers and category earn rates, and tells you the best card to use — with a plain-English explanation and dollar estimate for every purchase. Pikt Checkout names your best card before you click pay. You still pay with your own card. Coming next: Pikt Nearby will name your best card on your lock screen when you're ready to pay in stores. Starbucks, DoorDash, and sit-down restaurants code differently — Pikt finds the highest earner for each merchant.
Frequently asked questions
- Does fast food count as dining?
- Usually yes — most fast food merchants code as restaurants. Some convenience stores with prepared food may not.
- Do food delivery apps earn dining bonuses?
- Often yes when charged through DoorDash, Uber Eats, or Grubhub — but the merchant code can vary by restaurant.
$49 at Blue Bottle → Amex Gold earns $3.88 (+$3.39 vs default card)
See your personal best cards
Generic advice assumes average spend. Tell us what you spend on, how you redeem, and which cards you carry — we'll name the best one you already hold for each area.
Where does your money go?
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