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Rates and fees verified November 8, 2026.
Food is most families’ biggest card-spend bucket: groceries every week, plus restaurants, takeout and delivery. That makes the earn rate on food spending the single most important number on a card for many households — but watch the caps, because the headline rate often only applies up to a monthly or yearly limit, and drops sharply after that.
This list starts with the cards we’ve fully verified; more are added as verification completes.
See all eight cards side by side: Compare Credit Cards.
Best earner for food: American Express Cobalt
Annual fee: $191.88/yr. Earn: 5 pts/$1 on eats & drinks, including grocery stores, restaurants and delivery (first $2,500/mo of category spend, then 1 pt/$1). Foreign-transaction fee: 2.5%. Extended warranty: +1 year.
For food-heavy spenders who will actually use the points: the 5-point rate on eating and groceries is the highest food earn rate in this list. Note that American Express isn’t accepted everywhere — notably Loblaws-banner stores and Costco.
See this card at American Express
Best for warranty on food spend: National Bank World Elite Mastercard
Annual fee: $150/yr. Earn: 5 pts/$1 on groceries & restaurants while your groceries-and-restaurants spend on this card is $2,500 a month or less (2 pts/$1 above that). Extended warranty: triples the manufacturer’s warranty, up to +2 years. Foreign-transaction fee: 2.5%. Income requirement: $80,000 personal / $150,000 household.
For people who want top food earn on a Mastercard that is accepted almost everywhere, plus the best warranty in this list: the 5-point rate holds while your groceries-and-restaurants spend on this card is $2,500 a month or less, so check the cap against your food spending on this card, not your total spending.
See this card at National Bank
Best for straight cash back on food: Scotiabank Momentum Visa Infinite
Annual fee: $120/yr. Earn: 4% cash back on groceries (and recurring bills), first $25,000/yr combined, then 1%. Rent and tax payments earn 1% since October 22, 2026. Foreign-transaction fee: 2.5%. Income requirement: $60,000 personal / $100,000 household.
For people who want cash back instead of points: 4% on groceries is simple, spendable money, with the 4% rate applying to the first $25,000/yr of groceries and recurring bills combined.
How to choose
- Choose the American Express Cobalt for the maximum earn on food, if the stores you shop at take American Express.
- Choose the National Bank World Elite Mastercard if the warranty matters to you — it triples the manufacturer’s warranty, up to +2 years.
- Choose the Scotiabank Momentum Visa Infinite for straight cash back on groceries on a Visa.
General information only — not financial advice.