Remember when you had to grab that dog-eared paper takeout menu pinned to the door of your fridge and call to order your favorite pizza? Me neither. These days, there are more food delivery options to choose from than dipping sauces for those chicken nuggets you’re already planning to order after reading this.
And when you do, you’ll likely pay — and tip — with plastic. Handing out cash? That’s so 2019.
The best credit cards for food delivery offer hefty rewards and generous perks that will satisfy your appetite and help keep your budget in line. The right card for you will depend on your lifestyle, foodie habits and how you want to redeem the points or cash back you earn.
[Read: Best Credit Cards.]
How to Choose a Card for Food Delivery
“Some cards will offer benefits specific to certain brands, while others will offer bonus rewards for all food delivery services,” says credit card expert and writer Jason Steele. If you’re super loyal to a specific brand, signing up for its card can be a no-brainer. However, you should also consider other credit card categories where you can earn rewards and make sure you’re not leaving money on the table.
Credit card and travel expert and writer Stephanie Zito recommends looking past the one delivery meal you’ll save money on and consider your cash back or rewards strategy as a whole.
“Do you just want to save money and get cash back on the money you’re spending by ordering in? Do you want to save on delivery fees and get discounts for your DoorDash or Uber Eats?” she asks. “Or do you want to leverage all the money you’re spending on takeout to max out the points you could redeem to pay for your next vacation?”
Defining your rewards goal will help you narrow down which card will be right for you, she says.
Delivery Specific vs. General Rewards Cards
Some of the cards on our list offer generous rewards and benefits exclusively for using a specific delivery service — such as Instacart or DoorDash — while others deliver points or cash back and statement credits across multiple categories.
“The benefit of merchant-specific credit cards will often be higher rewards and better benefits,” Steele says. General rewards cards, on the other hand, might offer fewer points or cash back on certain delivery services, but level up their value by serving higher rewards or perks in other categories.
“A delivery-specific card would most likely be a great option for a college student who orders in multiple nights a week, the office worker who relies on daily DoorDash for lunch delivered to their desk or the avid Instacarter who hasn’t been in a grocery store since 2020,” Zito says. “If you just opt for the convenience of delivery now and again, you’d be better off with a card that helps you meet other goals and throws you a delivery credit here and there to offset a monthly ordering-in splurge.”
[Read: Best Dining Credit Cards.]
Best Card for DoorDash: DoorDash Rewards Mastercard
If you use DoorDash frequently, the DoorDash Rewards Mastercard® might be right for you. The card comes with plenty of DoorDash benefits and charges no annual fee.
Top rewards and benefits for DoorDash enthusiasts:
— A free year of DashPass, which usually costs $96 annually, upon approval and every year that you spend at least $10,000 on the card — the DashPass subscription comes with $0 delivery fees and other exclusive discounts.
— 4% unlimited cash back on DoorDash and Caviar orders — this benefit applies to every type of order, including restaurants and groceries.
— 2% on purchases from grocery stores, including online orders
If you’re looking for a general rewards card that offers DoorDash perks, consider the Chase Sapphire Reserve® card. It offers a free year of DashPass, and cardholders will also get a $5 monthly in-app credit through Jan. 31, 2025. You’ll receive up to $10 off each calendar month at checkout on two grocery, convenience or other nonrestaurant orders on DoorDash. Just make sure this card aligns with your budget and lifestyle, as it charges a $550 annual fee.
A more budget-friendly alternative is the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, which also offers a free year of DashPass. Cardholders will get $10 off each calendar month at checkout on one grocery, convenience or other nonrestaurant order on DoorDash. The card’s annual fee is $95.
Best Card for Instacart: Instacart Mastercard
If you’ve long bid adieu to in-person grocery shopping and embraced Instacart, you may like the Instacart Mastercard®. The card offers elevated cash back on Instacart purchases, with a welcome statement credit to boot. This card charges no annual fee.
Top rewards and benefits for Instacart enthusiasts:
— 5% cash back on Instacart purchases
— 2% cash back at restaurants, including restaurant orders on Instacart powered by Uber Eats
— One free year of delivery and a $100 Instacart credit upon approval
Best Card for Grubhub: American Express Gold Card
The American Express® Gold Card is a foodie favorite — but it’s especially rewarding if you like to order from Grubhub. While the card comes with a $325 annual fee, it more than pays for itself if you maximize all of its rewards and benefits. (See Rates & Fees)
Top rewards and benefits for Grubhub enthusiasts:
— Four Membership Rewards points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., on up to $50,000 in purchases per year
— $120 dining statement credit ($10 per month) when you use your Gold Card on Grubhub
Best Card for Uber Eats: The Platinum Card from American Express
If you order through Uber Eats regularly, The Platinum Card® from American Express offers Uber Cash, which you can use on Uber Eats orders. The Platinum card’s monthly Uber Cash credit is hefty, but so is the card’s $695 annual fee. (See Rates & Fees)
Top benefit for Uber Eats delivery enthusiasts:
— $200 yearly Uber credit ($15 per month and a $20 bonus in December), which can be used toward Uber Eats purchases
A cheaper alternative is the American Express® Gold Card, which is also rewarding for Uber Eats lovers. Cardholders receive a yearly $120 Uber Cash credit ($10 per month) that can be used on Uber Eats orders. While the Uber Cash credit is less than what’s offered by the Platinum card, the $325 annual fee may make it more appealing. (See Rates & Fees)
Best Card for Amazon Delivery Services: Prime Visa Credit Card
If you frequently order groceries from Whole Foods, the Prime Visa Credit Card has generous cash back rewards in store for you — including a welcome bonus in the form of an Amazon gift card. And while you must have a Prime membership ($139 per year) the Prime Visa Credit Card charges no annual fee.
Top rewards and benefits for Amazon enthusiasts:
— 5% cash back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market, including deliveries placed through Amazon food delivery services
— 2% cash back at restaurants, including takeout and delivery
— $100 Amazon gift card instantly loaded into your Amazon account upon approval
Best Card for Grocery Delivery: Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express
If most of your food deliveries come from your favorite grocery stores, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is right up your alley. No other card offers more cash back on supermarket purchases. This card is perfect for homebodies who enjoy ordering in while binge-watching TV; it also offers cash back on select streaming services. The card charges a $0 annual fee for the first year, then $95. (See Rates & Fees)
Top rewards and benefits for grocery delivery enthusiasts:
— 6% cash back up to $6,000 per year in purchases at U.S. supermarkets
— 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
— $84 Disney Bundle credit ($7 per month), Membership required.
[Read: Best Grocery Credit Cards.]
Best Card for Meal Kit Delivery: Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card
If you love cooking at home but the idea of grocery shopping or going down TikTok rabbit holes looking for the perfect recipe makes you want to skip dinner, a card that charges no annual fee and offers generous cash back on meal kit subscriptions might be your jam. Enter the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card.
This card offers extra cash back on a category of your choice, including online shopping — where your favorite meal kit websites reside. You’ll also earn 2% back at grocery stores, including online orders made through delivery services, for those days you’re feeling creative in the kitchen.
Top rewards and benefits for meal kit delivery enthusiasts:
— 3% cash back on a category of your choice, including online shopping for the first $2,500 in combined purchases each quarter, then 1% back
— 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs for the first $2,500 in combined purchases each quarter, then 1% back
— If you’re a Bank of America Preferred Rewards member, your 3% choice category could increase to 3.75% to 5.25% cash back, and the 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs could increase to 2.5% to 3.5% cash back, depending on your level of membership.
Best Card for Takeout: U.S. Bank Altitude Go Visa Signature Card
If you’re not loyal to any delivery service, but order takeout frequently, the U.S. Bank Altitude Go Visa Signature Card delivers chef’s kiss cash back at no cost. This no-annual-fee card serves elevated points on takeout and restaurant deliveries that can be applied to third-party meal delivery services, such as DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub and Seamless. Cardholders will also earn extra points at grocery stores, including grocery delivery. Homebodies will also appreciate the annual credit bonus on streaming services like Netflix, Apple TV+, Spotify and more.
Top rewards and benefits for takeout enthusiasts:
— Four points per dollar on takeout and restaurant delivery
— Two points per dollar on streaming services and at grocery stores, including grocery delivery
— $15 annual streaming credit
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Best Credit Cards for Food Delivery originally appeared on usnews.com
