Data study · updated October 12, 2026 from our live card catalog

The grocery gap

27 of 27 credit cards with a grocery bonus earn less at Walmart and Target, and 26 of 27 earn less (or can't be used at all) at Costco — yet those three stores take a big slice of what Americans spend on food.

Why it happens

Card bonuses follow the store's category code, not what you put in the cart. Supermarkets code as grocery stores; Walmart and Target code as superstores, and Costco and Sam's Club as warehouse clubs. Walmart alone captured about 21% of U.S. grocery spending and Costco about 8% in the year to September 2025, according to Numerator data reported by Chain Store Age. Costco adds one more catch: its U.S. warehouses take only Visa credit cards, so 20 of the 27 cards below can't be used there at all.

Average at supermarkets

3.0%

Same cards at Walmart & Target

1.2%

Can't be used at Costco

20 of 27

Every grocery-bonus card, store by store

Card	Supermarkets	Walmart & Target	Costco
American Express® Gold Card · $325/yr	8.0%	2.0%	Not accepted
American Express® Blue Cash Preferred® Card · $95/yr	6.0%	1.0%	Not accepted
Citi Strata Premier℠ Card · $95/yr	5.7%	1.9%	Not accepted
Wyndham Rewards Earner® Plus Card · $75/yr	4.4%	1.1%	1.1%
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express · no fee	3.0%	1.0%	Not accepted
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card · $39/yr	3.0%	1.0%	Not accepted
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card · $150/yr	3.0%	1.5%	Not accepted
Navy Federal More Rewards American Express® Card · no fee	3.0%	1.0%	Not accepted
Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card · no fee	3.0%	1.0%	Not accepted
Citi Strata℠ Card · no fee	3.0%	1.0%	Not accepted
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card · no fee	3.0%	1.0%	Not accepted
Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card · no fee	3.0%	1.0%	Not accepted
Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card · $250/yr	2.8%	1.4%	1.4%
Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card · $250/yr	2.8%	1.4%	Not accepted
JetBlue Plus Card · $99/yr	2.6%	1.3%	Not accepted
PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card · no fee	2.5%	0.9%	0.9%
Hilton Honors American Express Card · no fee	2.5%	1.5%	Not accepted
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card · $150/yr	2.5%	1.5%	Not accepted
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card · $150/yr	2.2%	1.1%	Not accepted
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card · $350/yr	2.2%	1.1%	Not accepted
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card · $95/yr	2.1%	1.4%	1.4%
U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card · no fee	2.0%	1.0%	1.0%
AT&T Points Plus® Card from Citi · no fee	2.0%	1.0%	Not accepted
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card · no fee	2.0%	1.0%	2.0%
Barclays View™ Mastercard® · no fee	2.0%	1.0%	Not accepted
IHG One Rewards Credit Card · no fee	1.5%	1.0%	Not accepted
Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card · no fee	1.4%	0.7%	0.7%

Rates are effective value per dollar: cash back at face value, points at cash value unless the card itself unlocks transfer partners. Fixed bonuses only — rotating 5% categories and choose-your-category cards are left out; caps apply.

How to close the gap

Walmart & Target: Bilt Palladium Card (4.0%), Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (3.7%), Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (3.7%). Full ranking →

Costco (Visa only): Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (3.7%), Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (3.7%), Robinhood Gold Card (3.0%). Costco answer →

Or skip the guesswork: add your cards and type the store — we'll tell you which of yours to use.