The dreaded, Sisyphean question many of us face daily: What’s for dinner?
Some days, you might already have the answer. But there are likely many days when you don’t, or simply have too much on your plate (pun intended) and need an easy solution.
With the right credit card in your wallet, you can actually save on lazy-day meals instead of forking over extra cash at the last minute. Think: fee-free delivery options, discounts on meal kits sent directly to your home and rewards stacked on top of these perks.
CNBC Select dives into a few popular credit card perks that help you save on low-effort meals, whether at home or dining out.
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Ordering food delivery: Chase Freedom Unlimited and Prime Visa
For many people, ordering food for delivery can be one of the least-stressful dinner options, but it can quickly get out of hand as fees pile up.
Thanks to a partnership between Chase and DoorDash, several Chase credit cards offer a complimentary membership to the food delivery service. The perk is available on some no-annual-fee Chase cards, with higher-tier Chase cards offering a longer membership term.
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® (see rates and fees) carries no annual fee and comes with a complimentary six-month DashPass membership (activate by Dec. 31, 2027). Plus, DashPass members receive up to $10 off quarterly on non-restaurant DoorDash orders. With this membership, you’ll get $0 delivery fees and reduced service fees on qualifying orders, and subscribers save an average of $4 to $5 per eligible order, according to DoorDash.
DashPass typically costs $9.99 per month. The Chase Freedom Unlimited’s six-month membership is worth about $60, and when you include the $40 in DoorDash credits for non-restaurant orders, that’s roughly $100 in value.
On top of the DoorDash perks, the Freedom Unlimited earns 3% cash back on dining at restaurants and on takeout and eligible delivery services (like DoorDash), meaning you can stack rewards on top of your initial membership savings.
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a no-annual-fee card that earns generous cash-back on everyday purchases and a lucrative welcome bonus.
- Valuable welcome bonus and high rewards rates
- Long intro APR for purchases and balance transfers
- No annual fee
- Has a foreign transaction fee
- Few rewarding ongoing benefits
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
- Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase TravelSM, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases.
- No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can use points to redeem for cash through an account statement credit or an electronic deposit into an eligible Chase account located in the United States!
- Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 18.24% – 27.74%.
- No annual fee – You won’t have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
- Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
- Member FDIC
Balance transfer fee
Intro fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, in the first 60 days. After that, either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Foreign transaction fee
3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars
If you’re one of the many people who have an Amazon Prime membership, you might be surprised to find out you qualify for a complimentary Grubhub+ membership (which typically costs $9.99 per month).
Similar to DashPass’ perks, members receive $0 delivery and lower service fees, which can quickly add up if you frequently order in. The best part? As long as you’re an Amazon Prime member, your complimentary membership never expires. According to Grubhub, individuals who place at least one Grubhub+ order per month for 12 months save an average of $336 a year.
If you already have an Amazon Prime membership, the Prime Visa (see rates and fees) can help you double up on rewards. It doesn’t charge an annual fee, comes with an automatic $150 Amazon gift card upon approval (exclusively for Prime members) and earns 2% cash back at restaurants, including some delivery and takeout services. You also earn 5% cash back at Whole Foods and Amazon Fresh (which can help you save for the days when your meal requires a little more effort).
The Prime Visa is only available to Amazon Prime members ($139 for an annual membership and $14.99 for a monthly membership) but is very rewarding for Amazon purchases.
- High rate of return at Amazon and Whole Foods
- Easy-to-earn welcome bonus
- Requires an Amazon Prime membership
- If you choose the promo APR you won’t earn rewards on those purchases
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Get a $150 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members
- Earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership
- Prime Card Bonus: Earn 10% back or more on a rotating selection of items and categories on Amazon.com with an eligible Prime membership
- Earn unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare)
- Earn unlimited 1% back on all other purchases
- No annual credit card fee
- No more waiting. Redeem daily rewards at Amazon.com as soon as the next day
- Member FDIC
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 4% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
Meal delivery services: Blue Cash Everyday
Meal kit delivery services saw an increase in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic and have stuck around as a solid option for easy home-cooked meals — without the additional hassle of hunting down recipes and ingredients.
Home Chef is one example, offering 20+ different meal kit options each week. The service lets you customize the type of protein you’d like in your dish for a number of its options, and standard meals start at $9.99 per serving.
If you have the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, you can get up to $15 in monthly statement credits when you purchase a Home Chef subscription with your card, which is up to $180 a year once you enroll (subject to auto-renewal).
Meal kits provide you with the directions and fully measured ingredients for several meals a week, making them a nice and easy middle ground between canned soup and a five-course meal. Unfortunately, these services are typically coded as “miscellaneous food stores” and won’t trigger the Blue Cash Everyday’s 3% cash back rate at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%). You will, however, earn at least 1% back.
*Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed for a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express has no annual fee and you may be eligible for bonus rewards on a wide range of common expenditures.
- Up to $264 in streaming service and meal kit credits every year (subject to auto renewal)
- High cash-back rates in popular spending categories
- No annual fee
- The best bonus cash-back categories are capped
- Has a foreign transaction fee
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Apply and find out your welcome offer. As High As $200 cash back* after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply, and if approved: 1. Find out your offer amount 2. Accept the Card with your offer 3. Spend $2,000 in 6 months 4. Receive the cash back. *Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed for a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
- No Annual Fee.
- Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months from the date of account opening. After that, your APR will be a variable APR of 19.49%-28.49%.
- Plan It®: Buy now, pay later with Plan It. Split purchases of $100 or more into equal monthly installments with a fixed fee so you don’t have the pressure of paying all at once. Simply select the purchase in your online account or the American Express® App to see your plan options. Plus, you’ll still earn rewards on purchases the way you usually do.
- Earn 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets, 3% cash back on U.S. online retail purchases, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations, on eligible purchases for each category on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%). Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit and at Amazon.com checkout.
- Get up to a $7 monthly statement credit after using your enrolled Blue Cash Everyday® Card for a subscription purchase, including a bundle subscription purchase, at DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com, or Stream.ESPN.com U.S. websites. Subject to auto-renewal.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Foreign transaction fee
2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars
Dining in and takeout: Amex Gold Card and Citi Custom Cash
If your idea of a lazy-day meal simply means you’re not the one cooking, there are plenty of cards that can help you save on your next restaurant order — whether you’re dining in or picking up takeout.
American Express Gold dining-related statement credits
| Value | Spitulations | |
| $120 Uber Cash on Gold | Get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction (up to $120 annually) * | You must have downloaded the latest version of the Uber App, and your eligible American Express Gold Card must be a method of payment in your Uber account. The Amex Benefit may only be used in the United States |
| $120 Dining Credit | Up to $10 in statement credits monthly at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com and Five Guys | Applies wen you pay with the American Express® Gold Card; enrollment required |
| $100 Resy Credit | Up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually (up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year) * | Must pay with your American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases; enrollment required |
| $84 Dunkin’ Credit | Up to $7 in monthly statement credits* | Applies once you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations; enrollment required |
*Enrollment required for Select benefits
The American Express Gold Card is great for earning valuable Membership Rewards® points at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets.
- You can earn $400+ in dining and rideshare credits every year (Enrollment required for select benefits mentioned)
- Exceptionally rewarding for eligible restaurant and U.S. supermarket purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
- Larger annual fee
- Credits are more complicated, you earn them monthly or semi-annually
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin’ Credit: With the $84 Dunkin’ Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Foreign transaction fee
If you eat out frequently but would prefer a credit card without an annual fee, consider the Citi Custom Cash® Card. The card earns 5% cash back on purchases in the category you spend the most in each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent (then 1%). With restaurants being one of the 10 different categories available, you could earn up to $25 per cycle when dining out, provided it’s where you spend the most.
Targeted credit card offers
The Citi Custom Cash® Card is an especially simple and rewarding cash back card because you’ll automatically earn bonus rewards where you spend the most.
- Offers a long intro APR on balance transfers
- Easy-to-earn welcome bonus
- No annual fee
- Bonus cash back categories are capped
- Charges a foreign transaction fee
Rewards
- Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter
- Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases
- Special Travel Offer: Earn an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2026
Balance transfer fee
5% of each balance transfer ($5 minimum)
Foreign transaction fee
One often-overlooked aspect of credit cards is targeted merchant offers, which typically feature discounts (like 10% or $5 off) on specific products or services. Many large card issuers offer their own portals with customized offers, including Amex Offers, Chase Offers, BankAmeriDeals®, Citi Merchant Offers and Capital One Offers.
These deals are personalized and vary by user, and there’s no additional cost to claim them. If you don’t happen to use them before they expire, there’s no harm done. You can typically view merchant offers in your issuer’s app or on its website.
Since merchant offers have to be activated before the transaction, it’s not a bad idea to browse your offers once a week, as they’re updated pretty frequently. That way, you can activate any offers you anticipate using and automatically get the benefit when you use your card.
Here’s an example of a Chase Offers page that showcases different deals, including $10 cash back on the first three payments at Green Chef, a meal delivery kit with organic ingredients, for total savings of $30. While it may not feel like you’re saving a ton in the moment, these little bits of savings add up over time.
Ryley Amond via Chase Mobile App
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