Capital One Savor cards compete with top grocery cards

The Bank of America content was last updated on March 8, 2021.

With a generous rewards rate on dining purchases and large sign-up bonuses, the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card has been an eye-catching favorite among foodies. However, the card can also be a great choice for those who eat at home, since it includes bonus cash back on grocery store purchases. Though the 2 percent cash back you’ll earn at grocery stores is not quite as flashy as the 4 percent earned on dining, the Savor card is still a competitive choice for grocery spending.

For cardholders who don’t want to pay an annual fee, the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card also offers 2 percent cash back at grocery stores.  

Capital One Savor cards: At a glance

	Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card	Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
Rewards rate	8% cash back on tickets at Vivid Seats through May 2020 4% cash back on dining and entertainment 2% cash back at grocery stores 1% cash back on other purchases	3% cash back on dining and entertainment 2% cash back at grocery stores 1% cash back on other purchases
Sign-up bonus	$300 if you spend $3,000 in first 3 months	$150 if you spend $500 in first 3 months
Annual fee	$95	$0
Average yearly rewards value ($1,325 monthly spend)	$389	$305

Comparing Savor cards to other grocery cards

If you are just looking for a grocery credit card – and dining rewards are less important – several other credit cards boast a higher rewards rate on grocery store purchases. When compared to the SavorOne, both the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express and the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express can potentially earn more in rewards each year.  

However, the competitive earning rates on the Savor card means it has a better average yearly rewards value than either of these options, despite a lower rate on groceries.

	Rewards rate	Annual fee	Average yearly rewards value ($1,325 monthly spend)
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express	6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 in purchases per year, then 1%) 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations 3% cash back on transit 1% cash back on general purchases Terms apply	$95 (waived for the first year)	$370
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express	3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%) 2% cash back at U.S. gas stations and select U.S. department stores 1% cash back general purchases Terms apply	$0	$310

Other than the high-earning Blue Cash cards, most grocery cards offer the same 2 percent back as the Savor cards.

	Rewards rate	Annual fee	Average yearly rewards value ($1,325 monthly spend)
Bank of America® Cash Rewards credit card	3% cash back on a category of choice (gas, online shopping, dining, travel, drug stores or home improvements and furnishings) 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs $2,500 combined limit on 2% and 3% categories each quarter 1% cash back on other purchases	$0	$325
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi	4% cash back eligible gas purchases (first $7,000 in purchases, 1% thereafter) 3% cash back restaurant and eligible travel purchases 2% cash back Costco purchases 1% cash back general purchases	No annual fee with your paid Costco membership ($60)	$292
U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® Card	5% cash back on 2 categories of your choice ($2,000 purchase limit per quarter) 2% cash back on your choice of one everyday category, such as gas stations or grocery stores 1% cash back on other purchases	$0	$265

As far as average yearly rewards value, the Capital One Savor card offers the best potential value among top grocery cards. However, it doesn’t include the best rate you can find if you are just using it for grocery purchases.

Comparing Savor cards to grocery and dining cards

A unique feature of both Capital One Savor cards is that they offer bonus cash back for dining and groceries, making it a top choice among foodies. Not many cards include both of these categories, and even fewer offer such competitive rates on both kinds of food purchases.

One exception is the Bank of America Cash Rewards credit card, which lets users choose their own bonus category to earn 3 percent cash back in. One of the available options is dining, making the card valuable for all kinds of food purchases. When you choose this option, the card’s rewards rate looks very similar to the SavorOne. However, the Bank of America card has a purchase cap on combined 2 and 3 percent category earnings each quarter ($2,500) and the SavorOne does not.

Another card that offers bonus rewards on both dining and grocery shopping is the American Express® Gold Card, which offers an exceptional rewards rate at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets. However, the annual fee is much higher than the Savor card, and you’ll earn Membership Rewards points instead of cash back.

	Rewards rate	Annual fee	Average yearly rewards value ($1,325 monthly spend)
American Express® Gold Card	4 points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, and on Uber Eats purchases 4 points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases per year, then 1 point per dollar) 3 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or amextravel.com 1 point per dollar on other purchases Terms apply	$250	$682

While the Gold card can be a valuable choice for frequent travelers, the annual fee is too pricey for many cardholders.

Bottom line

When you are searching for a good card for grocery purchases, don’t discount the Capital One Savor and SavorOne. While they might not offer the highest grocery bonuses you can find, the other perks make them a valuable choice for grocery shopping – especially if you also dine out often.