The best business credit cards for dining come with high reward/cash back earn rates on dining and possibly other categories. Some of the top ones charge no annual fees or foreign transaction fees.
If dining accounts for a noticeable portion of your business expenses, getting a dining business credit card might work well for you. While you typically stand to earn higher points or cash back when you use these cards to make payments at restaurants, the earn rate varies from one card to the next.
If your business travels entail using a particular group of hotels, you may benefit by getting a co-branded card. The top dining business credit cards that fit this bill include the American Express Hilton Honors Business Card and the American Express Marriott Bonvoy Business Card.
Some of the best business credit cards for dining come with no annual fees, and a few do away with foreign transaction fees as well. Other aspects that require your attention when selecting a card that works well for you include other bonus categories, APRs, welcome offers and added perks.
MoneyGeek’s Take: Top 5 Business Credit Cards for Dining
Quick Summary
Pay particular attention to the points/cash back earn rate that applies to dining and other categories. Depending on the features you’re after and the card you get, you might need to pay an annual fee. We account for these factors and others such as APRs, foreign transaction fees and welcome offers to arrive at our list of top five dining business credit cards. You can view more options further down the page.
American Express Hilton Honors Business Card
This business credit card is perfect for earning Hilton Honors points
Good-ExcellentCredit Needed
$95Annual Fee
3–12 Points per $1*Rewards Rate
12xRewards Rate at Hotels
6xRewards Rate on Gas
We love the American Express Hilton Honors Business Card not only because it offers a high reward rate for spending at Hilton properties, but for its reward rate that applies on other business-specific spending. It comes with a sizable welcome bonus too.
You get to earn 130,000 bonus points if you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first three months. An additional 50,000 bonus points come your way if you spend a total of $10,000 on purchases within the first six months.
Using this card at Hilton properties comes with 12x points. It offers 6x points for spending on wireless telephone service purchased directly from U.S. service providers, on flights booked with Amex Travel or directly with airlines, on car rentals booked directly through select companies, on U.S. purchases for shipping, at U.S. gas stations and at U.S. restaurants.
You qualify for a free reward night if you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year. If you spend $60,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year, you earn a second free reward night.
All cardholders get complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status, which comes with added perks such as daily food & beverage credit (at U.S. hotels) or continental breakfast (at non-U.S. hotels) and availability-based room upgrades.
Your linked Priority Pass Select membership brings with it 10 complimentary airport lounge visits each year. Not having to pay foreign transaction fees may lead to savings when you travel overseas. Other travel benefits include complimentary baggage insurance plan and car rental loss and damage insurance.
Extended warranty and purchase protection are in place to safeguard your business purchases. You may choose to get additional employee cards, and you also get access to different expense management tools.
Pros
Ability to earn considerable bonus points
High reward rates across multiple categories
Complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status
Spend-based free night rewards
No foreign transaction fees
Additional employee cards
Dedicated account manager
Integration with QuickBooks and year-end expense summaries
Cons
Annual fee of $95
Reward nights are spending-based
Reward nights expire after one year of issuance
Cash advance fee
Penalty APR may apply in case of late and returned payments
Earn 130,000 bonus points if you spend $2,000 on purchases within six months from account opening.
Earn 50,000 more bonus points if you spend $10,000 on purchases within six months from account opening.
Spending at properties within the Hilton portfolio comes with 12x points.
You get 6x points at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone service purchased directly from U.S. service providers, on U.S. purchases for shipping, on car rentals booked directly through select companies and on flights that you book through Amex Travel or directly with airlines.
You earn 3x points on all other purchases.
Any additional employee cards you get earn reward points as well.
If you spend $15,000 on purchases in a calendar year, you earn a free night reward.
If you spend a total of $60,000 on purchases in a calendar year, you earn an additional free night reward.
By enrolling into the Priority Pass Select program, you get 10 complimentary airport lounge visits each year.
Safeguard your travels and purchases through car rental loss and damage insurance, baggage insurance plan, purchase protection and extended warranty.
Disclaimer: Credit card offers are constantly changing. We work hard to stay updated with the latest information, but the offers listed on our site may no longer be available.
Excellent card for maximizing the rewards you earn while traveling
Good-ExcellentCredit Needed
$125Annual Fee
2–6 Points per $1*Rewards Rate
6xRewards Rate at Hotels
4xRewards Rate on TV, Phone, Internet Services
We love the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card because of its generous reward points system. For instance, when you spend money at participating Marriott properties, you earn 6 points per $1 spent. For specific spending categories, such as at restaurants and gas stations, you earn 4 points. Purchases that don't qualify for special reward rates still earn 2 points.
This card brings with it a host of Marriott-specific benefits. In addition to free rewards nights, for example, cardholders receive complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status and premium on-property internet access.
You may also benefit by using this card outside of the U.S., as it does not come with any overseas transaction fees.
Pros
Earn up to 6 points per $1
Redeem points for free Marriott nights, air travel or cab rentals
No blackout dates when you redeem points for free nights
No foreign transaction fees
No over-limit fees
Employee cards
Free night awards
Marriott-specific benefits
Travel and purchase covers
Cons
High annual fees
Penalty APR applies if you make a late payment
Mandatory service and resort charges might apply at some Marriott hotels when you redeem points for free nights
Become a Marriott Bonvoy Business member automatically.
Earn 6 points per $1 on eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels.
Earn 4 points per $1 on eligible purchases in the U.S. at gas stations, at restaurants, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from service providers and on shipping purchases.
Earn 2 points on all other eligible purchases.
Redeem points for free Marriott nights as well as for air travel and cab rentals through different travel partners.
Get a one free night award every year and qualify for another if your annual spending exceeds $60,000.
Get complimentary premium in-room internet access when you stay at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels.
Earn Elite night credits to get closer to the next level of your Marriott Bonvoy Elite status.
Pay no international transaction fees.
Benefit through intro offers for new cardholders.
Get baggage insurance, car rental loss and damage insurance, purchase protection and extended warranty.
Get employee cards and set individual spending limits.
Get access to a range of Amex offers.
Simplify accounting by designating account managers and getting year-end summaries.
Use Vendor Pay to improve cash flow.
Disclaimer: Credit card offers are constantly changing. We work hard to stay updated with the latest information, but the offers listed on our site may no longer be available.
An excellent no-annual-fee rewards card for Costco members
ExcellentCredit Needed
$0Annual Fee
1–4% Cash Back*Rewards Rate
4xRewards Rate on Gas
3xRewards Rate on Dining
We recommend the Citi Costco Anywhere Visa Business Card for small businesses that are Costco members and are looking for a no-annual-fee card. Category-based spending lets you earn up to 4% cash back. You may redeem the cash back you earn at Costco Warehouses across the U.S. This card also comes with a competitive APR for purchases.
Using this card when traveling outside of the U.S. makes sense as it does not charge any international transaction fees.
Purchases you make using this card receive cover through extended warranty as well as damage and theft purchase protection.
Cardholders may also use the Citi Entertainment and Citi Concierge services to good effect.
Pros
Pay no annual fees
Pay no foreign transaction fees
Earn 4% cash back on all gas purchases globally for up to $7,000 in spending per year, and 1% thereafter
Earn 3% cash back when spending at restaurants and on eligible travel purchases globally
Get 2% cash back on all non-gas related purchases at Costco and Costco.com
Get 1% cash back on all other purchases
Redeem cash back for cash or merchandise at Costco Warehouses across the U.S. and Puerto Rico
Competitive APR for purchases
Fraud early warning to safeguard your account
Extended warranty and damage and theft purchase protection to safeguard your purchases
Access to presale tickets and special events via Citi Entertainment
24/7 access to Citi Concierge
Cons
Need to be a Costco member to apply
Cash back provided as an annual credit card reward certificate at the close of the February billing cycle
Penalty APR applies in cases of returned and late payments
Cash advance fee
No complimentary travel coverage
$0 annual fee
Competitive APR for purchases
4% cash back on spending of up to $7,000 per year on all gas purchases globally, and 1% thereafter
3% cash back on spending at restaurants and on eligible travel purchases worldwide
All purchases at Costco and Costco.com (other than gas) come with 2% cash back
Spending across all other categories gets you 1% cash back
Redeem earned cash back for merchandise or cash at any Costco warehouse in the U.S. and Puerto Rico
No foreign transaction fees
Complimentary extended warranty and damage and theft purchase protection
Complimentary access to Citi Concierge and Citi Entertainment
Fraud early warning in case of suspicious activity
Disclaimer: Credit card offers are constantly changing. We work hard to stay updated with the latest information, but the offers listed on our site may no longer be available.
Fantastic card for earning rewards on office supplies
Good-ExcellentCredit Needed
$0Annual Fee
1–5% Cash Back*Rewards Rate
5xRewards Rate on TV, Phone, Internet Services
2xRewards Rate on Dining
We love the no-annual-fee Ink Business Cash Credit Card because it lets you earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent per year when you shop at office supply stores as well as for your phone, internet and cable subscriptions. Spending at gas stations and restaurants comes with up to2% cash back. All other purchases give you 1% cash back.
Redeeming your rewards through the Chase Ultimate Rewards program is simple. You may redeem your rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel, merchandise and more.
Cardholders stand to earn an introductory $750 bonus if they spend at least $7,500 in the first three months. An intro 0% APR offer applies on purchases for the first 12 months.
Additional employee cards come at no extra cost. All cards linked to the primary account benefit through fraud and purchase protection.
You may also look forward to simplified business accounting by integrating your credit card account with your bookkeeping software.
Pros
No annual fees
Generous introductory cash back and APR offers
Redeem points for cash, travel, gift cards and more
Points don't expire for the life of the account
Free employee cards
Complimentary purchase and travel protection
Cons
Foreign transaction fees
Balance transfer and cash advance fees
Get a $750 cash back bonus if you spend $7,500 on purchases in the first three months
Benefit through a 0% intro APR offer on purchases for the first 12 months
Pay no annual fees for as long as your account remains active
Get 5% cash back on the first $25,000 you spend on purchases at office supply stores, as well as on internet, cable and phone services every year
Get 2% cash back on the first $25,000 you spend on purchases at restaurants and gas stations every year
Get 1% cash back on all other purchases
Your rewards remain valid for as long as you keep using your card
Set individual spending limits for employee cards
All cardholders get access to extended warranty, purchase protection, baggage insurance, car rental loss and damage insurance and roadside dispatch
Fraud protection safeguards you against fraudulent transactions
Disclaimer: Credit card offers are constantly changing. We work hard to stay updated with the latest information, but the offers listed on our site may no longer be available.
Excellent card for earning unlimited rewards through employee spending
ExcellentCredit Needed
$150Annual Fee
2% Cash BackRewards Rate
2xRewards Rate on Gas
2xRewards Rate on Groceries
The Capital One Spark Cash Plus Card is ideal for businesses that wish to earn unlimited cash back as it offers 2% cash back on all purchases. It also comes with a sizeable early spend bonus offer through which you can earn up to a $1,000 cash bonus - $500 once you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months, and $500 once you spend $50,000 in the first 6 months.
$500 if you spend $5,000 in the first three months, and an additional $500 once you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months, and $2,500 once you spend $50,000 in the first 6 months of account opening.
Employee cards come at no extra cost. Setting up automatic payments and recurring transactions is possible. You get access to different expense management tools. This card comes with no foreign transaction fees. It charges an annual fee of $150.
Pros
Early spend bonus offer
2% cash back for each purchase with no restrictions on categories or spending limits
No monthly APR
Reward points have no expiration date
No fees for foreign transactions and over-limit spending
AutoPay available to pre-schedule payments
Cons
Annual fee of $150
APR penalty of 2.99% if you’re unable to pay your entire balance at the end of each month
Requires you to spend at least $200,000 to avail of the $200 annual cash bonus
The early spend bonus is paid in two tiers: $500 after spending $5,000 within the first three months and an additional $500 when you spend $50,000 within the first six months.
The annual fee is $150.
If employee cards are linked, all earn unlimited 2% reward points.
You can use reward points to buy gift cards or to pay for previous purchases.
You can get an emergency card replacement and a cash advance if your card is lost or stolen.
You can download purchase records in various formats such as Excel, QuickBooks and Quicken.
You can download year-end summaries for budgeting and tax-related purposes.
Disclaimer: Credit card offers are constantly changing. We work hard to stay updated with the latest information, but the offers listed on our site may no longer be available.
The corresponding dining business card comparison table lets you check APRs, reward rates and annual fees of other good dining business credit cards quickly and easily.
Great no preset spending limit card with flexible payback methods
1.5% Cash Back
$250
Good-Excellent
MONEYGEEK EXPERT TIP
It pays to know the value of the rewards that you're earning on your spending. While one card may have a higher bonus multiplier, if its points are worth significantly less, you may be earning lower rewards than if you picked a different card. -- Lee Huffman, credit card expert at BaldThoughts.com.
About Our Rankings
MoneyGeek experts monitor existing business credit cards for dining and also keep an eye out for new cards that enter this segment. Each month, they select the best business cards from this category by comparing them across parameters such as reward/cash back rates, annual fees, APRs, foreign transaction fees, welcome offers and added benefits.
Top Rating Criteria for Business Cards
APR (Avg Value)
Rewards Rate on Dining
Annual Fee
How to Compare Business Credit Cards & Intro Offers
There are multiple dining business credit cards to choose from, which is why it’s important to pay attention to different aspects before making a selection.
1
Rewards/cash back rate
Reward/cash back rates for dining and other bonus categories vary based on the card you get. For example, the Amex Hilton Honors Business Card offers 6x points for spending at U.S. restaurants, and this changes to 4x points with the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Business Card. The Citi Costco Anywhere Visa Business Card, on the other hand, offers 3% cash back when you spend at restaurants worldwide.
2
Annual fee
Depending on the features you’re after, you might need to pay an annual fee. If you're paying an annual fee, make sure that the additional spending rewards and benefits justify the extra cost. Examples of dining business credit cards with no annual fees include the Citi Costco Anywhere Visa Business Card and the Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card.
3
APR
Even the best business credit cards for dining usually come with higher APRs than cards that offer no rewards or cash back. As a result, consider getting a business card with a low APR if you plan to maintain revolving balances in your account.
4
Welcome offer
Most of the top dining business credit cards give you the ability to earn time- and spend-based welcome bonuses. For instance, the Capital One Spark Cash Plus Card comes with an early spend bonus offer that gives you the ability to earn $500 by spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months, and an additional $500 once you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months, and $2,500 once you spend $50,000 in the first 6 months of account opening.
5
Co-branded or not
If your business favors using a particular group of hotels or airlines, you may want to consider getting a co-branded card that offers rewards/cash back on dining. These cards offer specific perks for that brand, such as automatic or accelerated elite status, that make the card worthwhile. Examples of such cards include the Amex Hilton Honors Business Card, the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Business Card, the Amex Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Card and the Chase United Business Card.
6
Foreign transaction fee
If you plan to use your credit card outside of the U.S., think about getting one that charges no foreign transaction fees. Otherwise, you may be charged up to 3% extra on each international transaction. The top dining business credit cards that do away with this fee include the Costco Anywhere Visa Business Card, the Hilton Honors Business Card, the Marriott Bonvoy Business Card and the Capital One Spark Cash Plus Card.
7
Added perks
Access to different expense management tools is fairly common with the top dining business credit cards. Other card-specific features and benefits on offer include $0 fraud liability, purchase protection, extended warranty, loyalty program membership status upgrades and travel insurance coverage.
Rajiv Baniwal has been writing about different financial topics for over 15 years. Meticulous in his research, he makes sure he provides accurate and up-to-date information. His areas of expertise include mortgages, personal loans, credit cards, insurance and international money transfers.
*Rates, fees or bonuses may vary or include specific stipulations. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting/last updated date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired. We recommend visiting the card issuer’s website for the most up-to-date information available. Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analyses and recommendations are the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. Advertiser Disclosure: MoneyGeek has partnered with CardRatings.com and CreditCards.com for our coverage of credit card products. MoneyGeek, CardRatings and CreditCards.com may receive a commission from card issuers. To ensure thorough comparisons and reviews, MoneyGeek features products from both paid partners and unaffiliated card issuers that are not paid partners.