Do you love eating out, getting take out or both? Are you planning on checking out one of Canada’s Best New Restaurants? Maybe you don’t like to cook and rely wholly on what you can go out and get? If that’s the case then this list is for you. A look at the top 10 credit cards in Canada for dining and eating out. These cards will provide you with the biggest returns on purchases made at your favourite restaurants, fast food joints, coffee shops and in most cases, dining delivery services like SkipTheDishes and DoorDash as well.
We list the cards in order of the best earn to burn rates but also take into account flexibility when redeeming those hard earned points. That’s why you see a card like the Scotia Gold American Express Card being ranked higher than the MBNA Rewards World Elite Mastercard, even though the latter can provide better returns.
1. American Express Cobalt® Card
Canada’s #1 Overall Travel Rewards Card and #2 Cash Back Credit Card, the American Express Cobalt Card is a must for every Canadian’s wallet. We could write a whole encyclopedia section on it but we won’t. Just trust us that with its 5x points earning on eats and drinks (restaurants, fast food, cafes, bars and even groceries) you won’t be disappointed with this card as you will come out with no less than a 5% return.
You can earn those 5 points per dollar spent on up to $2,500 in spending per month in the eats & drinks category. That category alone could net you 150,000 points per year which translates to $1,500 in any travel any time reward value, $1,500 statement credit (cash back value), 150,000 Aeroplan Points and so on!
Value (return on spending) of the 5 points per dollar earned on dining:
- Any travel any time redemption: 5%
- Fixed points for travel redemption: 7.5% to 10%
- Use points for purchases (cash back): 5%
- Conversion to Aeroplan, British Airways, Air France/KLM: 7.5% to 30%+
- Conversion to Marriott: 6% to 20%+
Click here to learn more and/or apply for the American Express Cobalt Card.
Recommended reading: American Express Cobalt™ Card Confirmed Multiplier Locations
2. Scotia Gold American Express Card
Canada’s #1 Travel Points Credit Card is a beast when it comes to earning points with up to 6 points per dollar up for grabs. For dining, the card earns 5 Scene+ points per dollar spent with a hefty $50,000 annual cap on all its accelerated category spending. Technically speaking you can earn more points on dining over the course of a year with the Scotia Gold American Express Card than on the Cobalt Card with that higher $50,000 cap but the Cobalt Card beats this card on the redemption side of things.
On redemption side, the Scotia Gold American Express card’s any travel any time rewards and cash redemptions at Scene+ partners match the value of the Cobalt card. However, any other redemption options like cash back statement credits and the card loses value plus it has no option to convert points to other programs like the Cobalt Card.
With all that said if you only want to redeem for travel that you book your own way and want a card that also has no foreign transaction fees, this is the card for you.
Value (return on spending) of the 5 points per dollar earned on dining:
- Any travel any time redemption: 5%
- Scene+ partner redemption (Grocery stores, dining, Cineplex, Home Hardware): 5%
- Scotia Points for Credit (cash back): 3.33% to 3.49%
Click here to learn more and/or apply for the Scotia Gold American Express Card.
Recommended reading: Scotiabank Gold American Express Card Review
3. MBNA Rewards World Elite® Mastercard®
The MBNA Rewards World Elite Mastercard is considered the third and final Points Earning Machine card after the Cobalt Card and the Scotia Gold Amex. It earns 5 points per dollar spent on restaurant purchases and it also has a hefty $50,000 annual cap just for dining!
With this card you could earn more points annually than the Cobalt or Scotia Gold Amex card but it only matches them in terms of value if you choose to redeem for travel via MBNA Rewards. And the reviews are mixed about MBNA travel so you are giving up some flexibility here against the first two cards. And just like the Scotia card, the other redemption options like cash back sees the card lose value and it has no conversion options.
This card also provides an annual birthday of 10% bonus points on the points you earned over the previous 12 months up to 15,000 bonus points in total.
Value (return on spending) of the 5 points per dollar earned on dining:
- Travel redemption via MBNA Rewards: 5% (with the annual birthday bonus 5.5%)
- Use points for other purchases (cash back): 4.15% (with the annual birthday bonus ~4.57%)
Click here to learn more and/or apply for the MBNA Rewards World Elite Mastercard
Recommended reading: MBNA Rewards Confirmed Multiplier Locations
4. National Bank of Canada World Elite® Mastercard®
The National Bank of World Elite Mastercard is another true 5x points earning card but it has a convoluted spending cap rule so we here at Rewards Canada don’t give it “Points Earning Machine” status. This card earns 5 points per dollar spent on restaurant purchases which is the same as the trio of cards before it however the 5x points is limited to first $2,500 of overall spending on the card each month.
By overall, we mean gross spending which means any and all purchases count towards that $2,500 cap. For example, if you need to go buy a new washer and dryer and spend $2,000 to do so, that will only leave you with $500 to be able to earn 5x on for restaurant and groceries that month.
On redemption side, the NBC World Elite Mastercard matches the value of the first three cards when you redeem the points via their À la carte Travel Agency. However, any other redemption options like any travel at any time rewards and cash back statement credits and the card loses value plus it has no option to convert points to other programs like the Cobalt Card.
Value (return on spending) of the 5 points per dollar earned on dining:
- Travel redemption via À la carte Travel Agency: 5%
- Any travel any time redemption: 4.17% to 4.55%
- Use points for other purchases (cash back): 2%
Click here to learn more and/or apply for the National Bank of Canada World Elite Mastercard
5. Desjardins Odyssey Visa Infinite Privilege
Moving into the top 10 is a card that is not as well known outside of Quebec and that is the Desjardins Odyssey Visa Infinite Privilege. This ultra premium card is a good option for those who spend a lot on dining such as those who take clients out for lots of lunches and dinners or for those who frequently eat at very expensive high end restaurants. It earns 4% back in BONUSDOLLARS on restaurant purchases with no annual cap.
One Desjardins BONUSDOLLARS is equal to C$1 when redeemed for travel, statement credits, gift cards and so on.
Value (return on spending) of the 4% BONUSDOLLARS earned on dining:
- Travel, Cash back etc: 4%
Click here to learn more and/or apply for the Desjardins Odyssey Visa Infinite Privilege Card
6. The Platinum Card from American Express
Canada’s #1 Ultra Premium Card provides a middle of the road earn rate 2 points per dollar on dining but it has one big advantage for big spenders. There is no cap on the dining spend. If you are a high roller and spend an immense amount of money on dining, and I mean those restaurants where you easily spend four figures for just one meal many times over during the course of a year this is the card to do it with.
On top of the points earning Platinum Card members receive numerous exclusive dining offers throughout the year and the card is also part of Amex’s Global Dining Collection which provides special perks.
On the redemption side the card has all the same redemption options as the Cobalt Card.
Value (return on spending) of the 2 points per dollar earned on dining:
- Any travel anytime redemption: 2%
- Fixed points for travel redemption: 3% to 4%
- Use points for purchases (cash back): 2%
- Conversion to Aeroplan: 3% to 12%+
- Conversion to Marriott: 2.4% to 8%
Click here to learn more and/or apply for The Platinum Card from American Express.
Recommended reading: The Platinum Card from American Express Review
7: Simplii Financial Cash Back Visa Card
This cash back Visa card from CIBC’s Simplii Financial offshoot earns a very respectable 4% cash back on dining purchases†. But one has to be aware that the 4% is capped at $5,000 in spending per year.
If you know you won’t spend more than that per year this card is a Top 10 contender, not to mention it is only one of two no fee cards on this list. However, if you do eat out a lot it won’t take long to eat up (pun intended) that $5,000 annual cap which means this card will drop down the list as it will only earn 0.5% on any dining spend after that cap is reached.
Value (return on spending) of the 4% cash back earned on dining:
- Cash back: 4%†
Click here to learn more and/or apply for the Simplii Financial Cash Back Visa Card.
Recommended reading: Simplii Financial Cash Back Visa Card review
† Terms and conditions apply. Click ‘Apply Now’ for complete details.This offer is not available for residents of Quebec
‡ “Purchase” means any Transaction other than a Cash Advance, Balance Transfer or Convenience Cheque. “Cash” means a Cash Advance, Balance Transfer and Convenience Cheque. Interest rates may change from time to time.
8. BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card
BMO’s eclipse Visa cards take 8th and 9th spots in the list. These cards earn 5 points per dollar spent on dining however these aren’t true 5x points cards as you have to take their redemption options into account. See below for what we mean. For the Visa Infinite version the 5x points is capped at a nice $50,000 per year across all the 5x points categories which include groceries, dining, gas and transit. If you add a supplementary card you’ll get a 10% boost on points earned which will bring the redemption value up.
Value (return on spending) of the 5 points per dollar earned on dining:
- Any travel anytime redemption: 3.34% (with the supplementary card bonus 3.67%)
- Cash back redemption for BMO investment products: 3.34% (with the supplementary card bonus 3.67%)
- Cask back redemption as a statement credit: 2.5% (with the supplementary card bonus 2.75%)
Click here to learn more and/or apply for the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card
Recommended reading: BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card Review
9. BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* Card
Just like it’s premium sibling, this Ultra Premium card earns 5 points per dollar spent on dining however just like the above in our eyes it isn’t a true 5x points cards since the redemption value isn’t worth 5%. With this version of the card the 5x points is capped at a big $100,000 per year across all the 5x points categories which include groceries, dining, drugstore purchases, gas and travel. If you add a supplementary card you’ll get a 25% boost on points earned which will bring the redemption value up.
Value (return on spending) of the 5 points per dollar earned on dining:
- Any travel anytime redemption: 3.34% (with the supplementary card bonus 4.17%)
- Cash back redemption for BMO investment products: 3.34% (with the supplementary card bonus 4.17%)
- Cask back redemption as a statement credit: 2.5% (with the supplementary card bonus 3.13%)
Click here to learn more and/or apply for the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* Card
Recommended reading: BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege * Card Review
10. CIBC Costco Mastercard
The relatively new CIBC Costco Mastercard has retained the accelerated earn rate on dining that its predecessor the Capital One Mastercard exclusively for Costco members had. That earn rate is 3% cash back on all dining with no annual cap. The cash back comes in the form of a Costco gift certificate every January.
Value (return on spending) of the 3% cash back earned on dining:
- Cash back in the form of a Costco Gift Certificate: 3%
Click here to learn more about the CIBC Costco Mastercard
Honourable Mention: American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card
All of the Ultra Premium Aeroplan co-brand cards have dining spend accelerators but the highest of them is on Amex’s Aeroplan Reserve Card and it deserves a mention. The card earns 2 Aeroplan points per dollar spent on dining and we value Aeroplan points at a minimum of 1.5 cents each thus giving this card an equivalent return on spending of no less than 3%. That’s should be your minimum though as with the Aeroplan program you can easily redeem for much more value – from 2 to 6 cents per point or even more!
Value (return on spending) of the 2 Aeroplan points per dollar earned on dining:
- Aeroplan flight award redemption: 3% to 12%+
Click here to learn more and/or apply for the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card
Recommend reading: Which credit card earns the most Aeroplan Points?
Honourable Mention: Air France KLM World Elite MasterCard® powered by Brim Financial
Another airline card with a dining spend accelerators is the Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard and it also deserves a mention. The card earns 2 Flying Blue Miles per dollar spent on dining and we value Flying Blue miles at a minimum of 1.5 cents each thus giving this card an equivalent return on spending of no less than 3%. That’s should be your minimum though as with the Flying Blue program you can easily redeem for much more value – from 2 to 6 cents per point or even more!
Value (return on spending) of the 2 Flying Blue Miles per dollar earned on dining:
- Flying Blue flight reward redemption: 3% to 12%+
Click here to learn more and/or apply for the Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard
Honourable Mention: Rogers Red World Elite Mastercard
The Rogers Red World Elite Mastercard receives an honourable mention for those who are Rogers/Shaw/Fido customers. Those of you who are and choose to get this card will earn 2% cash back on all dining. However, when you choose to redeem your cash back rewards towards Rogers/Shaw/Fido purchases (services, products etc.) they’ll give you 50% extra rewards which means the 2% becomes 3% and now this card competes with the lower half of the top 10 cards above!
Value (return on spending) of the 2% cash back earned on dining:
- Cash back: 2% to 3%
Click here to learn more and/or apply for the Rogers Red World Elite Mastercard.
Wrapping it up
There you have it, the Top 10 Credit Cards for dining and eating out in Canada. I do want to say this is just a snapshot of what these cards provide in regards to dining, in most cases you should also look at the rest of the earn rates, look at all the redemption options and also the insurance and benefits these cards have. However if you are focused on the dine only and want to maximize your rewards on eating out you’ll definitely want one or more of these cards in your wallet.