Best cards for food delivery and meal kit subscriptions
by
Darren Banks
-
January 11, 2021
Credit cards for foodies are the latest trend, with more and more rewards programs and additional card benefits catering to both dining in and eating out. Restaurant and grocery bonus categories are becoming commonplace â letting cardholders rack up a few extra points or cash back on those purchases.
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But what about those who prefer to order delivery? If you like to take advantage of popular food delivery services like DoorDash or Uber Eats or simplify cooking with a meal kit subscription, there are plenty of credit card rewards and benefits you can leverage to save a little money.
Finding the best card for your favorite services
Finding the best card for your favorite food delivery or meal kit service depends on a variety of factors, including the cardâs yearly credits, special perks or rewards rate. For example, many dining cards offer bonuses that are tailored to a specific delivery service, as a monthly Uber credit.
See Related: Food delivery perks on luxury travel cards
For meal kit services, matching rewards is a little more complicated. You could opt for a rewarding grocery card, as many meal kit brands are now partnered with major supermarkets â so you can buy them in the store.
merchant category code that qualifies for a point or cash back bonus. You can test it by making a small charge to your card and seeing what rewards you earn.
Online shopping rewards, on the other hand, are much more flexible. They apply to both web and app purchases, so whether your order from your phone or computer, you can rack up bonus points or cash back.
See Related: Make the most of an online shopping bonus category
Best cards by delivery service or meal kit subscription
With all this in mind, here are some of our favorite cards for some of the most popular food delivery and meal kit subscription services.
Delivery service
Card
Rewards rate
Why we like it
DoorDash
Chase Sapphire Reserve
10 points per dollar on Lyft purchases (through March 2022)
3 points per dollar on travel and restaurants (excluding purchases covered by $300 travel credit)
1 point per dollar on general purchases
Generous rate on dining purchases
Receive a yearly statement credit for DoorDash purchases ($60 in 2020 and $60 in 2021)
Get at least one free year of DashPass when you enroll with your card (activate by Dec. 31, 2021)
Uber Eats
The Platinum Card® from American Express
10 points per dollar on eligible purchases at U.S. gas stations and U.S. supermarkets, on up to $15,000 in combined purchases, during the first 6 months of card membership
5 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel
5 points per dollar on eligible hotels booked with amextravel.com
1 point per dollar on general purchases
Terms apply
Get up to $200 in Uber credits per year ($15 per month, plus an extra $20 in December), which can be applied to Uber Eats
Automatic Uber VIP membership (where available) without ride requirements
Instacart
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
8% cash back on Vivid Seats tickets (through Jan. 2022)
4% cash back on dining and entertainment
2% cash back at grocery stores
1% cash back on all other purchases
Top-tier cash back on restaurant delivery, including most delivery services
Grocery bonus category includes eligible grocery delivery services, including Instacart
As a Mastercard, offers complimentary a 2-month Instacart Express membership if enrolled before Mar. 31, 2021
Grubhub/Seamless/Boxed/Instacart
American Express® Gold Card
4 points per dollar at restaurants worldwide
4 points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases per year, then 1 point)
3 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or amextravel.com
1 point per dollar on other purchases
Terms apply
Enroll to receive up to $10 in statement credits per month (up to $120 per year) to use at participating restaurants, including Grubhub, Seamless and Boxed
Excellent rewards on grocery delivery services, such as Instacart
HelloFresh
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 in purchases per year, then 1%)
6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on transit purchases
1% cash back on general purchases
Terms apply
Generous rate on U.S. supermarket purchases (HelloFresh meal kits are sold in supermarkets such as H-E-B and Giant Food) and eligible grocery delivery services, such as Instacart
Unlimited 3% cash back on delivery purchases from ride-share services, like Uber and Lyft
Home Chef
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%)
2% cash back at U.S. gas stations and select U.S. department stores
1% cash back general purchases
Terms apply
Generous rate on U.S. supermarket purchases (Home Chef meal kits are sold in select Kroger locations)
Other delivery services
Bank of America® Cash Rewards credit card
3% cash back on a category of choice (gas, online shopping, dining, travel, drugstores or home improvements and furnishings)
2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs
$2,500 combined limit on 2% and 3% categories each quarter
1% cash back on other purchases
Generous rate on online shopping purchases (if you select it as your 3% category) and good rate at grocery stores
Can swap choice 3% category monthly to account for different delivery services. For instance, the dining category rewards Grubhub purchases and the travel category rewards ride share purchases from services like Uber
If you donât have a delivery service you prefer â or if you like to switch back and forth based on restaurant availability â a card with rewards on online shopping is your best bet.
Bottom line
Ordering food can be expensive, but using the right rewards card can help you alleviate some of that cost by racking up points or cash back. With some cards, you might even get a few extras that cover your next couple of meals.
