The first time I came to the U.S., there were lots of differences I noticed right away between Americans and Europeans. The part that stuck out more than anything else were Americans’ eating habits – it wasn’t just the fact that they ate dessert for breakfast (Toaster Strudel, anyone?), but the fact that they dined out a lot; like way more than Europeans did. In fact, a couple of years ago I recall reading a report about how the average American family spends $2,668 per year dining out.
For those of us who collect rewards obsessively, this works out great: credit card companies offer generous bonuses for spending at restaurants and other dining establishments. If you find yourself eating out quite a bit, you’ll appreciate the following credit card spending bonuses:
Hilton HHonors Surpass Card from American Express – This card gives you 6 points for every dollar that you spend on dining out. If you spend the $2,668 annual average you’ll earn 16,008 points. A free night at the Hilton costs as little as 5,000 points. Add to that the up to 50,000 points you get just for signing up and you can vacation in luxury for free for over 15 nights in the next year.
Chase Freedom – Use this card during the quarters when they reward dining out the most and you can earn 5 points for the first $1500 you spend at dinner (the equivalent of 5% cash back). That’s 7500 points and $75 cash back (plus a $150 sign-up bonus) — more than enough excuse to spend a little more during the peak months.
Sapphire Reserve – 3 points per $1 = 8,004 points
Discover It Miles – 3 miles per $1 on all spending (during the first year only)
Chase Sapphire Preferred – 2 points per $1 = 5,336 points
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Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
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Earn 50,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $625 in travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards® Read Review » |
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Chase Hyatt Credit Card – 2 points per $1 = 5,336 points
IHG Rewards Club Select Credit Card – 2 points per $1 = 5,336 points
United MileagePlus Explorer Business Card – 2 points per $1 = 5,336 points
Marriott Rewards Premier Credit Card – 2 points per $1 = 5,336 points
So which credit card should the average American charge their $2,668 worth of dining to? I would generally recommend going with the currency that you’re earning the most miles with.
For example, if you’re stockpiling United miles, those extra 5,336 miles could be an easy way to top off your account. But you wouldn’t want to have 16,008 Hilton points lying around if you’re not going to redeem them or earn extra miles for a higher category award.
For an all-around best choice, I’d charge restaurant spending to either the Chase Sapphire Reserve, Sapphire Preferred, or Chase Freedom card. These credit cards earn at least the same number of points as the co-branded credit cards do and provide more redemption flexibility (and since Hyatt, IHG, United, and Marriott are all Ultimate Rewards transfer partners you get the same value).
Another great thing about charging dining spend to an Ultimate Rewards earning credit card is the fact that points can either be transferred to one of the many previously mentioned partners or they can be redeemed through the Ultimate Rewards Travel Portal. The Travel Portal offers incredible deals on travel and can often work out cheaper than transferring points to one hotel and airline partners. Points are worth 1.25 cents towards travel, but Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders receive an increased value of 1.5 cents per point.
Regardless of which credit card you choose, be sure to register it with a dining rewards program to earn even more points and miles.
[Image via Getty]