Is the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards card worth it?

Who doesn’t enjoy eating and having a good time? By offering bonus cash back for dining, groceries and many entertainment purchases, the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card rewards you the most for these purchases. Despite great cash back and no annual fee, it’s still only one among many cash back credit cards on the market, and it isn’t right for everyone. Let’s take a closer look at this card and see if it’s right for you.

Great foodie rewards

If you’re a foodie, then you can’t go wrong with the Capital One SavorOne. It offers 3% cash back at both restaurants and grocery stores, so you earn great rewards whether you eat in or go out. There’s no limit to the rewards you can earn, and your cash back never expires.

In addition to strong rewards value, this card also gives you access to exciting events and experiences, often with presale or first access. For example, cardholders received access to the New York City Wine & Food Festival, presented by Capital One. Cardholders could order tickets before the general public and received special pricing on Grand Tasting Tickets and access to exclusive cardholder-only events with premier chefs.

Capital One SavorOne cardholders also get special access to the Taste America tour presented by the James Beard Foundation. Another great foodie event, this year-long series takes place in 20 cities across the U.S. Cardholders can get presale tickets for benefit and pop-up dinners featuring all-star chefs and Raising the Bar cocktail parties with talented mixologists. There’s also an opportunity to purchase the Capital One Access Pass to Benefit Dinners, including special onsite perks.

SavorOne cardholders even get a complimentary concierge service offering personalized assistance in dining, entertainment and travel – 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Long-term value

Beyond the benefits specifically designed for foodies, the Capital One SavorOne offers many additional features with excellent long-term value. First, new cardholders will receive a one-time $200 cash bonus after spending $500 on new purchases within three months of account opening.

This card offers 3% cash back on dining and grocery purchases, as well as on entertainment and streaming services. Qualifying entertainment purchases include ticket purchases made at movie theaters, tourist attractions, amusement parks, aquariums and zoos – as well as tickets for concerts, sports and theatrical events. Eligible streaming purchases include music and video services. You receive 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Another benefit is extended warranty protection on eligible items purchased with your credit card. You also receive access to Capital One Shopping, an online shopping tool that automatically applies available coupon codes to your order.

When it comes time to redeem your rewards, you can get cash back in the form of a check or a statement credit. You can also redeem rewards through PayPal or with Amazon. And rewards never expire so long as your account is open and in good standing.

There’s no annual fee for this card, so it doesn’t cost you anything to keep it. And unlike many cards, there are no foreign transaction fees imposed on purchases made outside the U.S., so this is a great card for international travel.

The SavorOne card also comes with 15 months of 0% intro APR on new purchases (followed by its regular APR of 15.24% to 25.24% variable). This will give you time to pay off your purchases before you begin to accrue interest charges.

Is the SavorOne Cash Rewards card good for me?

The SavorOne has a lot going for it, including unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores, plus 1% on all other purchases. If you have excellent credit, you’re most likely to get approved for this card and can enjoy the rewards without the temptation to overspend just to snag more rewards.

If you typically carry a balance, though, this may not be the best card for you. That’s because most reward cards have higher interest rates than similar cards that don’t offer rewards. If you know you’ll be carrying a large balance month to month, then you’ll likely want to look for a different card with a 0% APR offer on balance transfers or a lower APR in general.

Card options

Two of the biggest competitors of the SavorOne may be two other Capital One cards in the Savor family. First, there’s the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards for Good Credit, which is a bare-bones version of the SavorOne. This card offers the same cash back rewards, but isn’t eligible for the bonus cash for new accounts or the 0% APR promotional financing on new purchases. It also has a higher standard interest rate of 26.99% variable APR.

The other competing version is the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card*. Where the SavorOne offers 3% cash back on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, this card offers 4% on those purchases, plus the same 3% cash back on groceries. The Savor card also offers a one-time $300 cash bonus after you spend $3,000 on new purchases within three months of account opening. However, this card has a $95 annual fee.

Bottom line

If you’re a foodie – or just someone who spends significantly on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores – then the Capital One SavorOne is worth considering. By offering a $200 cash bonus (after spending $500 in the first three months), 3% cash back on popular categories of purchases and an intro period of interest-free financing, the SavorOne is a tough offer to beat.

*All information about the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by CreditCards.com and has not been reviewed by the issuer. Capital One Savor Credit Card is no longer available through CreditCards.com.