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Best Credit Cards for Restaurants and Dining Out

Best credit cards for restaurants in Canada

Jordann Brown Author

Updated Feb 21, 2025

Dining credit cards help you rack up points faster than you can say "seconds, please!

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Restaurant and dining cards save you money not just when dining out but when ordering takeout and delivery, too.

When it comes to making the most of your credit card rewards, picking the right card for your spending habits is key. For Canadians who love dining out, grabbing takeout, or ordering in, the right credit card can turn every bite into big rewards. Earn points on your favorite restaurants, food delivery apps, and coffee runs—all while enjoying the perks that come with it!

Many rewards credit cards offer bonuses for typical expenditure such as groceries, gas and transportation. However, only a handful provide cash back for restaurant expenses, making them among the picks on our best credit cards Canada list. This is a list of the top cards for those who frequently dine out.

3 best Canadian credit cards for dining and ordering takeout

Card

Welcome Offer

  • Why you can trust Money.ca's best dining credit cards in Canada list

    +

    Money.ca rates all credit cards on a numeric scale of 1 to 5 stars, with 1 being the lowest and 5 the highest rating, respectively. Money.ca’s proprietary scoring formulas break down the confusing language, complex points, rewards and earn rates to give you the real data that caters to your needs first, not ours.

    Our partnerships have no impact on our ratings, which are solely determined by the merits of each card. To learn more about how we researched and ranked these cards, read our full credit card review methodology.

Best overall 🏆

Overall best credit card for restaurants in Canada

up to 15,000 points

Welcome Bonus

$679.02

First Year Value

$529.02

Annual Value

Welcome Bonus: Earn up to 15,000 Membership Rewards® points* by earning 1,250 Membership Rewards® points for each monthly billing period in which you spend $750 on your Card in your first year as a new Cardmember. This could add up to 15,000 points in a year.*

Learn More Apply Now On American Express' Secure Site

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 5X 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/month), but you can make up for that with the introductory offer:

Welcome offer:

Earn up to 15,000 Membership Rewards® points* by earning 1,250 Membership Rewards® points for each monthly billing period in which you spend $750 on your Card in your first year as a new Cardmember. This could add up to 15,000 points in a year.*

That’s up to $150 towards your next weekend getaway.

*Current or former Cardmembers with this Card are not eligible for this offer. Other terms apply.

Disclosures:

  • Contact American Express for the most up-to-date referral bonus figures.

    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.

Best no FX fee

Best credit card for dining with no FX fee

up to $780 in value

Welcome Bonus

$1,382

First Year Value

$602

Annual Value

Welcome Bonus: up to $780* in value in the first 12 months, including up to 40,000 bonus Scene+ points Expires Jul 01, 2025

Learn More Apply Now On Scotiabank's Secure Site

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 1X 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 1 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.

Disclosures:

  • Conditions Apply. Visit here for the Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card to learn more.

    *See Card Provider's website and Card Application for complete card details, terms and current offers. Reasonable efforts are made to maintain accuracy of information.

Best fine dining

Best for fine dining experiences

up to 60,000 points

Welcome Bonus

$762.4

First Year Value

$262.4

Annual Value

Welcome Bonus: 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 anniversary!* Expires Jun 01, 2025

Learn More Apply Now On BMO's Secure Site

Offering a hefty 5 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.  

a $50 annual lifestyle credit to spend however you want*, 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.  

Disclosures:

  • BMO is not responsible for maintaining the content on this site. Please click on the Apply now link for the most up to date information.
Best no fee

Best credit card for dining with no annual fee

10% cash back

Welcome Bonus

$484

First Year Value

$384

Annual Value

Welcome Bonus: Get a bonus 10% cash back for the first 2 months – up to $100. Plus, a 1.95% promotional balance transfer interest rate for the first 6 months. Expires Apr 30, 2025

Learn More

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 earn2% 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.

Disclosures:

  • *Terms and Conditions apply
Best debit or prepaid

Best prepaid card for restaurants

$20 sign-up bonus

Welcome Bonus

$0

First Year Value

$0

Annual Value

Welcome Bonus: Get 30 days of free trial for any KOHO plan. Get a $20 sign-up bonus on your first $20 transaction.

Learn More Apply Now On Koho's Secure Site

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 1.5% cash back when using KOHO Extra at restaurants, cafes, bars, on food delivery, and at both small or larger chain grocery stores. The 1.5% cash back also applies to transportation, including ride shares like Uber or Lyft.

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.

Best Aeroplan

Best for earning Aeroplan points at restaurants

up to 100,000 points

Welcome Bonus

$931

First Year Value

$231

Annual Value

Welcome Bonus: Earn 70,000 Membership Rewards® points* after spending $10,000 on your Card within your first 3 months as a new Platinum® Cardmember.*

Learn More Apply Now On American Express' Secure Site

With the Platinum Card® from American Express you earn 2X points on dining and food delivery purchases in Canada.

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. Also you can enjoy the .

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.

Disclosures:

Contact American Express for the most up-to-date referral bonus figures.

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.

Compare our picks

🧇 Comparing the best credit cards for dining out and ordering food

Credit card Welcome bonus Earn rate Annual fee
American Express Cobalt® Card Earn up to 15,000 Membership Rewards® points* by earning 1,250 Membership Rewards® points for each monthly billing period in which you spend $750 on your Card in your first year as a new Cardmember. This could add up to 15,000 points in a year.* 5X points for every $1 spent on eligible eats and drinks in Canada, including groceries and food delivery $155.88 ($12.99/month)
Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card Earn up to $780* in value in the first 12 months, including up to 40,000 bonus Scene+ points. 5x Scene+ points for every $1 you spend on dining, food delivery, food subscriptions, other eligible grocery stores, and eligible entertainment purposes $120
BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* 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 anniversary!* 5x the points for every $1 spent on groceries, gas, dining in and out and transit* $120
Tangerine Money Back New cardholders get a bonus 10% cash back for the first 2 months – up to $100. Offer ends Apr. 30, 2025 2% restaurants (if selected as a special money-back category) $0
KOHO Extra N/A 1.5% cash back on groceries, eating & drinking, and transportation 144 $12 per month when you subscribe annually
The Platinum Card® Earn up to 100,000 Membership Rewards® points* – that’s up to $1,000 in value. Earn 2X points on eligible dining and food delivery purchases in Canada $799

Conditions Apply. Visit here for the Scotiabank Gold American Express® to learn more. *See Card Provider's website and Card Application for complete card details, terms and current offers. Reasonable efforts are made to maintain accuracy of information.

Conclusion

Conclusion

Whether it's enjoying meals at restaurants, subscribing to meal services, or ordering in, dining out plays a crucial role in our lives. Whether you prefer a card with no fees, low interest rates, or high rewards, one of the selections mentioned will meet your requirements. You can also check out our best rewards credit cards if you're looking for more perks.

FAQs

FAQs: Best Canadian credit cards for dining out and ordering in

  • Can I earn cash back when I spend at restaurants?

    +

    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 1.5% 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 Author

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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†Terms and Conditions apply.