The Best Credit Cards for Restaurants and Food Delivery – May 2026

Q: Which credit card earns the most points at restaurants in Canada?

The American Express Cobalt® Card tops the list with 5 points per dollar (a 5% return) at restaurants, bars and food delivery — the highest dining multiplier on the Canadian market. The Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card matches at 5 Scene+ points per dollar with no foreign transaction fees, ideal for travel. The National Bank World Elite Mastercard earns up to 5 points per dollar on combined groceries and restaurants. For Quebec residents, the MBNA Rewards World Elite® Mastercard® also delivers 5 points per dollar on dining. All four cards convert to roughly 5% back, which is hard to beat on this category.

Q: Do food delivery apps like Uber Eats and DoorDash count as restaurants?

It depends on how the merchant is coded. Uber Eats typically codes as MCC 5812 (eating places, restaurants), which earns the restaurant multiplier on most cards. The American Express Cobalt® Card explicitly includes "food delivery to your home" in its 5x category. DoorDash and SkipTheDishes usually also code as restaurants. The BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Card specifically lists food delivery and takeout in its 5x bonus category. If you order delivery often, check the merchant statement after your first transaction — if it codes as MCC 5811-5814, you're earning the bonus. If it codes as a marketplace (5499), you'll only get the base rate.

Q: Are there no-fee cards that still earn good rewards on dining?

Yes. The BMO eclipse rise Visa Card has no annual fee and earns 5 points per $2 (2.5%) on restaurants and takeout — the best no-fee dining rate in Canada. The Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card lets you choose 2% cash back on up to three categories, including restaurants and groceries, with no annual fee and no minimum spend. The Rogers Red Mastercard earns 1% on everything but pays double when you redeem against Rogers/Fido bills. None match a paid card's 5x earn rate, but the BMO eclipse rise comes closest at 2.5% with no fee, which beats almost every paid card's base rate.

Q: What MCC codes apply to restaurants and dining purchases?

Credit-card networks classify restaurants under MCC codes 5811 (caterers), 5812 (eating places & restaurants), 5813 (bars, cocktail lounges, taverns) and 5814 (fast food restaurants). Most premium dining cards trigger their bonus on all four codes. Coffee chains like Tim Hortons and Starbucks usually code as 5814. Hotel restaurants sometimes code as 7011 (lodging) when billed to the room — these will not earn the dining bonus on most cards. Prepared-food sections at grocery stores code as 5411 (grocery), so a card like the Cobalt that pays 5x on both groceries and restaurants doesn't care. Always check your statement to confirm coding.

Q: Should I prioritize a dining card for travel as well?

For US and international travel, look at the Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card — 5x on restaurants plus zero foreign transaction fees, saving you 2.5% on every overseas meal. For domestic dining only, the American Express Cobalt® Card wins on raw earn rate but charges 2.5% in foreign currency. The American Express Platinum Card® only pays 2x on dining but adds a $200 annual meal credit, Hilton Gold and Marriott Gold status, and lounge access — it's a travel card that happens to reward dining. Pick the Cobalt for Canadian dining, the Scotia Gold Amex for travel-heavy spenders.

Q: How much can I realistically earn per year with a top dining card?

The average Canadian household spends roughly $3,500-$4,500 per year on restaurants and food delivery (Statistics Canada). At 5 points per dollar on the Cobalt or Scotia Gold Amex, that's 17,500 to 22,500 points annually from dining alone — worth $175-$225 in cash redemptions or up to $400+ when transferred to Aeroplan or Marriott Bonvoy. Add 5x on groceries (Cobalt) and you can comfortably hit 50,000+ points per year on food spending. After the $156 Cobalt annual fee, your net return is still 4%+ — well above the 1-2% baseline of any flat-rate card.

Q: Can I stack a dining card with restaurant loyalty programs?

Yes — and you should. Programs like Scene+ let you earn at participating restaurants (Swiss Chalet, Harvey's, Montana's, East Side Mario's) on top of credit-card points. Pay with the Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card at a Scene+ restaurant and you collect 5 Scene+ points per dollar from the card plus 1 Scene+ point per dollar from the loyalty program — effectively 6%. Air Miles partners include several restaurant chains. Aeroplan eStore sometimes offers bonus miles for Uber Eats orders. Always link your loyalty number first, then pay with the highest-multiplier card. Double-dipping is the easiest way to push your effective return above 6%.

The Best Credit Cards for Restaurants and Food Delivery – May 2026

These cards are ideal if you have significant spending at restaurants, bars, or on food delivery.

The top five are:

American Express Cobalt^® Card: 5 points per dollar (5% return)
Scotiabank Gold American Express^® Card: 5 points per dollar (5% return)
MBNA Rewards World Elite^® Mastercard^®: 5 points per dollar (5% return)
National Bank’s World Elite Mastercard^®: 5 points per dollar (approximately 5% return)
BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card: 5 points per dollar (approximately 3.5% return)

Here is a table summarizing the different offers. For more details, read on or click on the name of a card.

Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card

The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card offers an excellent welcome bonus.

Until July 1, 2026, you can get up to 45,000 Scene+ points as a bonus, distributed as follows:

25,000 Scene+ points by spending $2,000 on the card within the first 3 months
20,000 Scene+ points by making $7,500 in purchases on the card in the first year

This represents a value of up to $450 for travel (including Airbnb).

With the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card, you earn 6 points per dollar spent at Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland, FreshCo, Voilà by Sobeys, Voilà par IGA, Voilà by Safeway, Chalo! grocery stores. FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, IGA West, Les Marchés Tradition, Rachelle Béry and Co-Op.

Also, you earn 5 points per dollar for:

Grocery stores
Restaurants
Entertainment centers

And 3 points per dollar on gas, transit and streaming services purchases.

You can redeem your points on travel purchases (flights, hotels, all-inclusive and even Airbnb). You can also use your points as cash back rewards with Scene+.

The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card also offers no foreign transaction fees, excellent insurance for your travel or purchases, concierge service, exclusive American Express benefits like the Front of the Line program.

American Express Cobalt® Card

The American Express Cobalt^® Card is the best credit card from American Express, whether you want points for travel or cash back.

The welcome bonus is distributed monthly for the first 12 months. You’ll earn 1,250 Membership Rewards points for every $750 in purchases charged to your card during the month (whether in the 1X, 2X, 3X or 5X category). That’s up to 15,000 Membership Rewards points.

You can easily use these points as statement credits for everyday or travel purchases. The value is the same for both: 1,000 points = $10.

Alternatively, transfer them to Aeroplan points, Avios (British Airways/Qatar Airways), Flying Blue, Marriott Bonvoy, or Hilton Honors.

For example, with this welcome offer, if you decide to transfer your Membership Rewards points to a partner loyalty program, you would have the choice of earning up to:

15,000 Aeroplan points
15,000 Avios points
15,000 Flying Blue Miles
18,000 Marriott Bonvoy points

With the American Express Cobalt^® Card, you can earn between 1 and 5 points per dollar:

Category	Points per dollar
Grocery (Métro, IGA, Sobeys, Super C, etc.)	5
Home food delivery	5
Restaurants and bars	5
Convenience stores	5
Streaming services	3
Service station	2
Transport	2
Travel	1
Other	1

This is a 1 to 5% return on all these purchases.

For example, if you spend $1,000 per month on groceries and/or restaurants and/or food delivery, you’ll earn $50 cash back per month, or $600 cash back per year with this card for this category of purchases!

And if you decide to transfer your points to other programs like Aeroplan, you could get even more value!

In addition, this card provides excellent insurance coverage: rental car theft and damage, baggage delay, lost or stolen baggage, flight delay, $250,000 travel accident, hotel or motel burglary, Mobile Device Insurance, Purchase Security, Purchase Protection Insurance.

Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.

National Bank World Elite Mastercard

With Milesopedia, enjoy an exclusive offer to get up to 50,000 points with the National Bank World Elite Mastercard. This offer is exclusively available through the Milesopedia network and allows you to quickly earn points by following these steps:

10,000 reward points upon enrollment in your credit card payment protection, for a minimum of 3 months of membership.
10,000 points when you make $5,000 in net purchases within the first 3 months.
20,000 points when you reach $20,000 in purchases within the first 12 months.
10,000 points when you combine your credit card with the opening of your first current account within 7 days of your credit card application.

The National Bank World Elite Mastercard is the best Mastercard credit card offered by NBC.

With this card, you earn up to 5 points per dollar on your purchases:

5 points per dollar for groceries and restaurants
2 points per dollar on gas and electric recharge purchases
2 points per dollar on recurring bills
2 points per dollar on À la carte Travel
1 point per dollar for all other purchases

And since it’s an NBC mycredit Mastercard, you can use it at Costco.

With this card, you have access to a $150 annual travel credit that you can use in any of these categories:

Airport parking
Baggage fees
Seat selection
Access to Airport Lounges
Flight upgrades

What’s more, you can enjoy access to DragonPass airport lounges and unlimited access to the National Bank Lounge at Montreal-Trudeau.

Finally, Milesopedia has named the National Bank World Elite Mastercard as the Best Travel Credit Card in 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026.

MBNA Rewards World Elite® Mastercard® (Quebec)

With the MBNA Rewards World Elite^® Mastercard^®, you can earn 5 points per dollar of purchases for:

Dining
Grocery purchases
Digital media purchases (Netflix, Spotify, etc.)
Memberships
Household utility purchases (electricity, etc.)

Everywhere else, you will get 1 point per dollar.

Enough to make the MBNA Rewards World Elite Mastercard the best MBNA credit card for restaurants, groceries, digital media, subscriptions and household utilities.

Knowing that Mastercard recognizes Walmart Supercenters as grocery stores, this is the best credit card for Walmart customers!

Plus, depending on your province of residence, you’ll get a welcome bonus of between 20,000 and 30,000 points, a value of $200 to $300!

And each year, you will receive Birthday Bonus Points equal to 10% of the total number of Points the Account earned in the 12 months before the month of your birthday, to a maximum Birthday Bonus each year of 15,000 Points.

BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card

By subscribing to our offer for the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card, you can receive an exclusive welcome offer of up to 80,000 BMO Rewards points, as well as a waiver of the $120 annual fee for the first year.*

In addition, you will benefit from a $50 annual lifestyle credit. You also have a monthly statement credit for streaming services for the first year.*

With the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card, you can earn 5 BMO Rewards points per dollar spent on:

groceries*
food delivery or takeout*
ridesharing*
public transit*
gas*

And 1 BMO Rewards point per dollar spent everywhere else. Plus, if you add a supplementary card to your account, you’ll earn 10% more points*.

You can use BMO Rewards points for travel (flights, hotels, car rentals, packages, etc.) or for rewards and gift cards on the BMO Rewards platform.

Finally, enjoy six months of Instacart+ membership and a monthly $10 Instacart credit when you sign up with your eligible BMO credit card*.

American Express Platinum Card®

The Platinum Card^® is the best Premium Card in Canada for travellers.

With this welcome offer, you can earn up to 100,000 Membership Rewards points:

70,000 points when you charge $10,000 in net purchases to your Card in the first 3 months after joining;
30,000 points if you make a purchase between 15 to 17 months after signing up.

With this Card, you get:

2 points per dollar for dining purchases
2 points per dollar on travel purchases
1 point per dollar for other purchases

You can use your Membership Rewards points in many ways:

Transfer points to airline partners: Aeroplan, Avios (British Airways / Qatar Airways), Flying Blue, Delta Skymiles, etc.
Transfer your points to hotel programs (Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy)
Redeem points for statement credits to offset any travel purchase charged to your Card (1,000 points = $10)
Redeem points for statement credits towards other purchases (1,000 points = $10)
And more!

For example, with this welcome offer, if you decide to transfer your Membership Rewards points to a partner loyalty program, you would have the choice of earning up to :

100,000 Aeroplan points
100,000 Avios
100,000 Flying Blue Miles
120,000 Marriott Bonvoy points

With this card, you also have advantages for your travels:

$200 Annual Travel Credit
An annual meal credit of $200
$100 NEXUS Card Statement Credit
Complimentary access for you and one additional guest to over 1,400 airport lounges in more than 130 countries
Hilton Honors Gold Elite status (complimentary breakfast at all Hilton hotels)
Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
Access to the Fine Hotels and Resorts program

Last but not least, the Platinum Card^® offers a wide range of insurance coverage: rental car theft and damage, $500,000 travel accident, emergency medical expenses (out-of-province or out-of-country), lost or stolen baggage, flight delays and misdirected baggage, hotel or motel burglary, Purchase Protection, Purchase Security.

Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.

BMO Ascend™ World Elite®* Mastercard®*

The BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard is one of the best World Elite Mastercard credit cards with travel points in Canada. With our exclusive welcome offer, you can earn up to 100,000 BMO Rewards points.

These points have a value of approximately $650 to $700, according to our estimate, and can be applied to your travel expenses.

Plus, there is no annual fee for the first year for the primary cardholder and additional cardholders.

You can also take advantage of a 0% introductory interest rate on balance transfers for 12 months, with a 2% balance transfer fee.

With the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard, you get:

5 points per dollar on eligible travel*
3 points per dollar on eligible dining, entertainment, and recurring bill payments*
1 point per dollar on all other purchases*

You can use BMO Rewards points for your travel (flights, hotels, car rentals, packages, etc.) or for rewards and gift cards on the BMO Rewards platform.

The card also offers:

4 complimentary airport lounge accesses per year via Mastercard Travel Pass provided by DragonPass*
comprehensive travel insurance, including emergency medical coverage up to $5 million for 21 days*

Finally, enjoy six months of Instacart+ membership and a $10 monthly Instacart credit when you sign up with your eligible BMO credit card.*

Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express®* Card

The Marriott Bonvoy^® Business American Express^®* Card is the best credit card for the self-employed, professionals and small business owners who travel.

With this welcome offer, you can get up to 80,000 Marriott Bonvoy points:

Get 70,000 points after charging a total of $5,000 to your Card in your first 3 months of Cardmembership.
Plus, earn 10,000 points when you spend $1,000 on your Card in your 13th month of Cardmembership

It’s a card we recommend you keep, because each year at renewal, you’ll get an Annual Free Night Award for up to 35,000 points, plus 15 Elite nights per year, counting towards your Marriott Bonvoy Elite status.

With this Card, you earn 5 points per dollar for all your spending at Marriott Bonvoy establishments, and you can earn 3 points per dollar for :

Gas
Dining
Travel

And 2 points per dollar on all other purchases.

Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.

BMO eclipse rise Visa* Card

The new BMO eclipse rise Visa* Card is a no-annual-fee credit card with travel points, requiring no minimum income.

With this offer, you can earn up to 25,000 points as a welcome bonus:

20,000 points after $1,500 in purchases in the first 3 months
2,500 points when you redeem 12,000 points with the Pay with Points option over a 12-month period
2,500 points when you pay the balance on time for 12 months

What’s more, you can benefit from an interest rate of 0.99% on balance transfers for nine months (a 2% balance transfer fee applies).

With the new BMO eclipse rise Visa* Card, you earn :

5 points for every two dollars spent on recurring bill payments
5 points for every two dollars spent at the grocery store
5 points for every two dollars spent at restaurant and for takeaway
1 point per two dollars of purchases for all other purchase categories

You can use BMO Rewards points for all travel purchases made through the agency or website of your choice (plane tickets, hotels, rental cars, all-inclusive packages, Airbnb, etc.) or for rewards and gift cards on the BMO Rewards platform.

The new BMO eclipse rise Visa* Card also offers:

Mobile Device Insurance
Purchase Protection
Extended warranty insurance

Finally, enjoy three months of Instacart+ membership and a $5 monthly Instacart credit when you sign up with your eligible BMO credit card.

Desjardins Cash Back World Elite Mastercard

The Desjardins Cash Back World Elite Mastercard is a credit card that offering cash back.

With this card, you can earn:

4% cash back on your grocery purchases
3% cash back on your restaurant, entertainment, and public transit purchases
1% cash back on your other purchases

Besides, this card offers insurance on your purchases:

90 days purchase insurance
One year extended warranty
Mobile Device Insurance

Frequently Asked Questions about credit cards for restaurants and food delivery

Here are frequently asked questions in the milesopedia community about credit cards for restaurants, dining and food delivery.

Which credit card earns the most points at restaurants in Canada?

The American Express Cobalt^® Card tops the list with 5 points per dollar (a 5% return) at restaurants, bars and food delivery — the highest dining multiplier on the Canadian market. The Scotiabank Gold American Express^® Card matches at 5 Scene+ points per dollar with no foreign transaction fees, ideal for travel. The National Bank World Elite Mastercard earns up to 5 points per dollar on combined groceries and restaurants. For Quebec residents, the MBNA Rewards World Elite^® Mastercard^® also delivers 5 points per dollar on dining. All four cards convert to roughly 5% back, which is hard to beat on this category.

Do food delivery apps like Uber Eats and DoorDash count as restaurants?

It depends on how the merchant is coded. Uber Eats typically codes as MCC 5812 (eating places, restaurants), which earns the restaurant multiplier on most cards. The American Express Cobalt^® Card explicitly includes “food delivery to your home” in its 5x category. DoorDash and SkipTheDishes usually also code as restaurants. The BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Card specifically lists food delivery and takeout in its 5x bonus category. If you order delivery often, check the merchant statement after your first transaction — if it codes as MCC 5811-5814, you’re earning the bonus. If it codes as a marketplace (5499), you’ll only get the base rate.

Are there no-fee cards that still earn good rewards on dining?

Yes. The BMO eclipse rise Visa Card has no annual fee and earns 5 points per $2 (2.5%) on restaurants and takeout — the best no-fee dining rate in Canada. The Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card lets you choose 2% cash back on up to three categories, including restaurants and groceries, with no annual fee and no minimum spend. The Rogers Red Mastercard earns 1% on everything but pays double when you redeem against Rogers/Fido bills. None match a paid card’s 5x earn rate, but the BMO eclipse rise comes closest at 2.5% with no fee, which beats almost every paid card’s base rate.

What MCC codes apply to restaurants and dining purchases?

Credit-card networks classify restaurants under MCC codes 5811 (caterers), 5812 (eating places & restaurants), 5813 (bars, cocktail lounges, taverns) and 5814 (fast food restaurants). Most premium dining cards trigger their bonus on all four codes. Coffee chains like Tim Hortons and Starbucks usually code as 5814. Hotel restaurants sometimes code as 7011 (lodging) when billed to the room — these will not earn the dining bonus on most cards. Prepared-food sections at grocery stores code as 5411 (grocery), so a card like the Cobalt that pays 5x on both groceries and restaurants doesn’t care. Always check your statement to confirm coding.

Should I prioritize a dining card for travel as well?

For US and international travel, look at the Scotiabank Gold American Express^® Card — 5x on restaurants plus zero foreign transaction fees, saving you 2.5% on every overseas meal. For domestic dining only, the American Express Cobalt^® Card wins on raw earn rate but charges 2.5% in foreign currency. The American Express Platinum Card^® only pays 2x on dining but adds a $200 annual meal credit, Hilton Gold and Marriott Gold status, and lounge access — it’s a travel card that happens to reward dining. Pick the Cobalt for Canadian dining, the Scotia Gold Amex for travel-heavy spenders.

How much can I realistically earn per year with a top dining card?

The average Canadian household spends roughly $3,500-$4,500 per year on restaurants and food delivery (Statistics Canada). At 5 points per dollar on the Cobalt or Scotia Gold Amex, that’s 17,500 to 22,500 points annually from dining alone — worth $175-$225 in cash redemptions or up to $400+ when transferred to Aeroplan or Marriott Bonvoy. Add 5x on groceries (Cobalt) and you can comfortably hit 50,000+ points per year on food spending. After the $156 Cobalt annual fee, your net return is still 4%+ — well above the 1-2% baseline of any flat-rate card.

Can I stack a dining card with restaurant loyalty programs?

Yes — and you should. Programs like Scene+ let you earn at participating restaurants (Swiss Chalet, Harvey’s, Montana’s, East Side Mario’s) on top of credit-card points. Pay with the Scotiabank Gold American Express^® Card at a Scene+ restaurant and you collect 5 Scene+ points per dollar from the card plus 1 Scene+ point per dollar from the loyalty program — effectively 6%. Air Miles partners include several restaurant chains. Aeroplan eStore sometimes offers bonus miles for Uber Eats orders. Always link your loyalty number first, then pay with the highest-multiplier card. Double-dipping is the easiest way to push your effective return above 6%.