The Ultimate Guide: Ranking the Best Dining Credit Cards of 2025

Hey friends, what's up? Phillip here with Points of Phillip, and today we're diving deep into something we all love: food! Specifically, we're going to break down the best dining credit cards of 2025. I've got cards from almost every major bank in my wallet (sorry, Wells Fargo!), so I've got a lot of experience to share.

We'll start with an honorable mention, then count down my top picks, ranked by how much I value their points and perks. Let's get to it!

Honorable Mention: The Hilton Aspire Card

Kicking things off with an honorable mention is the Hilton Aspire card. This is a solid travel card with excellent protections and some insane perks that genuinely make travel easier. For an annual fee of $550, it nets you:

• Hilton Diamond status: This is a game-changer for upgrades, late checkout, and more.

• $400 in Hilton Resort credits.

• $200 in airline credits.

• National Executive status: Through Diamond status, you can upgrade your National Car Rental status for nicer cars at cool airports.

When it comes to dining, it earns a respectable 7x Hilton points. While 7x sounds huge, remember you're earning Hilton points. If you typically transfer Membership Rewards (MR) points to Hilton (at a 1:2 ratio), a card earning 4x MR on dining would effectively earn 8x Hilton points. So, if you're aiming for Hilton stays, using a card that earns strong MR points on dining might be a better strategy. Still, for its overall travel multipliers and dining earn, it earns its honorable mention.

My Top Dining Card Picks for 2025

Now, for the main event! Here’s my personal ranking of the best dining cards in my wallet.

#4: Capital One SavorOne (Cash Rewards Credit Card)

My least favorite dining card (but still on the list!) is the Capital One SavorOne. I genuinely love Capital One for its no foreign transaction fees and Mastercard acceptance globally – it’s always in my travel wallet when I go overseas.

• Annual Fee: $0

• Earning Rate: 3% cash back on dining.

• Superpower: If you also hold a Capital One Venture, Venture X, or VentureOne card, you can convert that 3% cash back into 3x Venture Miles.

The reason it lands at number four is primarily due to Capital One's transfer partners. While great for international travel, they aren't always the best for domestic flights. So, if your travel plans are uncertain or lean domestic, this might not be your absolute best choice. However, for a no-annual-fee card with no foreign transaction fees, 3% back (or 3x miles) on dining is still very solid.

#3: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Coming in at number three is the Chase Sapphire Preferred. My wife and I snagged this during a 100,000-point signup bonus last spring, which was incredibly valuable.

• Annual Fee: $95

• Earning Rate:

  • 3x Chase Ultimate Rewards points on dining.

  • 3x on online groceries, streaming, and select other categories.

  • 5x on travel booked through the Chase Travel Portal.

• Why it's great: Chase Ultimate Rewards points are fantastic, especially with transfer partners like United and Hyatt, which consistently offer great value.

The only reason it’s not higher on my list is that while its dining bonus is excellent, the "online grocery" category can be a bit niche, making it slightly less versatile for everyday enhanced spending compared to some other cards.

Need Help Optimizing Your Wallet?

Before we dive into my top two, a quick note: if you're looking at this list and wondering which card is best for you, I offer credit card consultations! Whether it's a mini-session for smaller questions or a full consultation to design your ideal wallet, we can work together to figure out your strategy. I even offer travel consultations to help you book those dream trips with points and miles. Check the link in the description below!

#2: American Express Gold Card

This might surprise some of you, but the American Express Gold card takes the number two spot. I truly love this card, and it has consistently delivered value for the two years I’ve had it.

• Annual Fee: $250 (Correction: Philip states $325 in the audio but it's $250. I'll use the current correct AF).

• Credits (and the "work" involved):

  • $10/month dining credit (GrubHub, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Cheesecake Factory, Five Guys).

  • $10/month Uber Cash (Uber rides or Uber Eats).

  • $50 every six months for Resy (easily redeemed).

  • $7/month ($84/year) in Dunkin' credits (via linked card offers).

• Earning Rate: 4x Membership Rewards points on dining and U.S. grocery purchases (up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x).

The reason it's number two and not number one, despite its incredible 4x earning rate, is twofold: the annual fee effectively requires you to actively use its credits to offset it, and some of Amex's transfer partners are becoming less valuable (e.g., Cathay Pacific is leaving). It's an amazing card, but there's one that edges it out for me this year.

#1: Citi Strata Premier Card

And my top dining card for 2025 is the Citi Strata Premier! This card has earned its place in my wallet and I'm incredibly excited about it.

• Annual Fee: $95

• Key Perk: $100 hotel credit (requires spending $500 through the Citi Travel Portal).

• Earning Rate: 3x Citi ThankYou Points on:

  • Dining

  • Gas

  • Groceries

  • General Travel

This card can truly be a "one-stop shop" for a significant portion of your spending. But more importantly, it earns Citi ThankYou Points, which, despite having one of the "dumbest names" in points and miles, are incredibly powerful.

• American Airlines Transfer: You get 3x American Airlines points back on these categories, which is huge!

• IHG/I Prefer Transfer: A 1:4 transfer ratio to I Prefer (IHG's loyalty program)! This means a 50,000-point room (which could be $400-500/night) costs only 12,500 Citi ThankYou Points. That beats Chase with Hyatt and Amex with Hilton for value.

• Full Transfer Partner Access: For just a $95 annual fee, you get access to all of Citi's excellent transfer partners, including Air France, Virgin Atlantic, Avianca LifeMiles, and more. This opens up amazing international business class opportunities and domestic flights on JetBlue or American Airlines.

While it doesn't earn 4x like the Amex Gold, the sheer versatility of its 3x categories and the incredible value offered by Citi ThankYou Points and their transfer partners (especially American Airlines and IHG) makes the Citi Strata Premiere my top dining card for someone looking for simplicity and powerful travel redemptions.

So, there you have it – my breakdown of the best dining cards for 2025. I know I've said some potentially controversial things, and I'd love to hear your thoughts! Am I off base? Which card do you use for dining? Let me know in the comment section below, and let's keep this conversation going online!