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The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
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How to ensure you earn bonus points for grocery purchases
Madison Blancaflor is the managing editor for TPG's content operations team. She focuses on helping TPG's broader editorial team bring news, features and advice to readers. She has nearly six years of experience covering the credit cards and travel industries.
When Ryan worked as a TPG credit cards writer, he oversaw refreshes of card reviews and card offer stories. He enjoyed racking up cash back and helping readers maximize their points and miles for their next big trip.
also contributed to this story
March 15, 2025 • 10 min read
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Quick summary
Selecting a card for grocery purchases requires understanding how each issuer defines eligible merchants, as definitions vary widely.
Some issuers restrict bonuses to traditional supermarkets, while others may include specialty stores, wholesale clubs or exclude superstores like Walmart and Target.
Grocery delivery services may be coded differently, sometimes allowing purchases from typically excluded merchants to qualify for bonuses.
Terms and merchant coding can change, so verifying with a small purchase is recommended if unsure.
What to consider
Bonus eligibility depends on how a merchant is classified, not the specific items purchased.
Warehouse clubs and superstores are often excluded, except by select issuers who may include them in grocery categories.
Online and delivery service purchases may or may not qualify, depending on how the transaction is coded by the merchant.
What you'll learn in the article
Detailed breakdowns of how major issuers define grocery categories and which types of stores or purchases typically qualify for bonus rewards.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
One of the most important factors in choosing the right credit card is comparing bonus categories to see which fits your spending habits.
This process can be confusing since issuers each have their own definitions for what falls under a particular category. For example, take the bonus category of groceries. Some issuers label the category as U.S. supermarkets, while others call it grocery stores. Is there a difference?
Unfortunately, yes. Each issuer with cards that offer this bonus category has its own unique parameters, which can make figuring out exactly which purchases will earn rewards with each card a guessing game. The bonus is typically determined by where you shop, not by what you buy.
Let's walk through some of the definitions and differences in the grocery bonus category.
American Express cards
First, Let’s examine the various Amex cards with a bonus category for grocery spending.
“U.S. supermarkets”
American Express has several cards that earn rewards on grocery shopping, and the category is listed as “U.S. supermarkets.” Amex has a standardized list of what stores generally trigger the bonus category across its cards.
According to Amex, this category encompasses stores that offer “a wide variety of food and household products such as meat, fresh produce, dairy, canned and packaged goods, household cleaners, pharmacy products and pet supplies.” Examples of eligible merchants include:
ALDI
FreshDirect
Gelson's
Hy-Vee
Kings Food Markets
Meijer
ShopRite
Smart & Final
Stop & Shop
Trader Joe's
Vons
Whole Foods
Winn-Dixie
This category excludes specialty stores (such as fish markets and wine shops), superstores (such as Target® and Walmart®) and warehouse clubs (such as BJ’s Wholesale Club).
However, as we’ll explain later, there’s still a way to shop at some of these merchants and trigger the bonus for “U.S. supermarkets.”
TOM WERNER/GETTY IMAGES
The list provided by Amex isn’t exhaustive. I’ve used my American Express® Gold Card at my local Harris Teeter, for example, and it has always coded as a supermarket purchase. If you shop at a supermarket chain similar to those on the Amex list, you’ll still likely score bonus rewards with your eligible Amex card.
Amex cards that offer rewards at U.S. supermarkets:
American Express Gold Card — 4 points per dollar spent on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar after that.
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express — 6% cash back on groceries at U.S. supermarkets up to $6,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1% (Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit and at Amazon.com checkout).
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express — 3% cash back on groceries at U.S. supermarkets up to $6,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1% (Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit and at Amazon.com checkout).
The information for the Amex EveryDay card and the Amex EveryDay Preferred card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Bank of America classifies grocery stores much like Capital One but with some notable additions.
“Grocery stores”
According to Bank of America, the following purchases are included in its grocery store category:
Grocery stores/supermarkets
Wholesale clubs
Meat and seafood stores
Candy, nut or confection stores
Dairy stores
Bakeries
Excluded from this bonus category are superstores and smaller stores (like drugstores) that sell groceries and other products
Bonus rewards on your candy cravings? Yes, please.
As for wholesale clubs, Bank of America is the only issuer that includes them in its grocery rewards category.
That’s a huge and notable exception, as wholesale clubs typically sell far more than just typical groceries. That means you could easily score bonus rewards from Bank of America on things such as clothing, furniture or even computers and tablets.
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Bank of America only has one card that offers rewards at grocery stores:
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card — 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs on the first $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club purchases each quarter, then earn 1%. Plus, if you're a BofA Rewards™ member, you can earn up to 75% more cash back.
Capital One has only two cards that offer grocery stores as a specific bonus category, and the qualifications are different from those of Amex. Let’s take a look.
“Grocery stores”
According to Capital One, the grocery stores category includes:
Supermarkets
Specialty markets
Dairy product stores
Meat lockers
Freezers
Exclusions explicitly mentioned on Capital One’s website are superstores like Walmart and Target.
JOE RAEDLE/GETTY IMAGES
Capital One offers a bit more flexibility when it comes to what earns rewards in this category.
Unlike Amex, you can score cash back on smaller specialty stores. I like to use a local butcher shop, which never codes as a supermarket (predictably) for Amex. The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card, though, will count it as a grocery store for bonus rewards.
Capital One cards that offer rewards at grocery stores:
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card earns 3% cash back (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target)
Chase does not include superstores or warehouse clubs in the “grocery store” bonus category. Here's the full list of what Chase says doesn’t count:
Walmart
Target
Larger stores that sell a wide variety of goods and groceries, such as warehouse clubs and discount stores and some smaller merchants, such as drugstores and merchants that specialize in only a few grocery items
Purchases made at gas stations operated by merchants who also operate grocery stores
Delivery service merchants, unless the merchant has set up such purchases to be classified in the grocery stores category
Chase cards that offer rewards at grocery stores:
Chase doesn’t have any cards that have a permanent grocery store bonus category, but it has two cards that give you a way to earn on groceries:
Chase Freedom Flex® (see ) — 5% back on quarterly rotating categories with activation (up to $1,500 per quarter in spending; then 1%), which sometimes includes grocery stores.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see ) — 3 points per dollar spent on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and Wholesale clubs).
Citi has two cards that offer rewards at grocery stores and supermarkets, though the following purchases are excluded from this category:
"General merchandise/discount superstores; freezer/meat locker provisioners; dairy product stores; miscellaneous food/convenience stores; drugstores; warehouse/wholesale clubs; specialty food markets; bakeries; candy, nut, and confectionery stores; and meal kit delivery services. Purchases made at online supermarkets or with grocery delivery services do not qualify if the merchant does not classify itself as a supermarket by using the supermarket merchant code."
Citi cards that offer rewards at supermarkets/grocery stores
Citi Custom Cash® Card* - 5% back on a category of your choice (up to $500 spent each billing cycle; then 1%)
*The information for the Citi Custom Cash has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Costco (A notable exception is Bank of America cards)
B.J.’s (A notable exception is Bank of America cards)
Sam’s Club (A notable exception is Bank of America cards)
Grocery delivery services
There are a handful of grocery delivery services out there that partner with merchants. For instance, Instacart delivers groceries from thousands of local grocery stores. Most issuers, like Amex and Chase, code Instacart orders as groceries/supermarkets.
DENVER POST
That means even though you’re purchasing from a merchant like Costco, which is typically excluded from category bonuses (except for Bank of America), you should still be able to earn a bonus if you go through Instacart or another delivery service.
This isn’t an exhaustive survey of every card that offers rewards on grocery spending, but it does give you an idea of what the top issuers consider eligible purchases for their food-shopping bonus category.
It’s helpful when issuers publish detailed terms and conditions for what will or won’t count toward a certain bonus category, but sometimes it’s still a guessing game. If you’re not 100% certain a particular merchant will earn rewards with your card, try it out with a small transaction if you don't want to risk missing out on rewards because a purchase didn't code as expected.
