Looking for the best Credit Cards for Restaurants in Canada? The right choice depends on your spending, annual fees and the benefits you will actually use.
Compare the 8 cards in our selection below. Interested in a card? Click Read review to read our full analysis.
on TD's website
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 | |||
| $191.88 | |||
| $120 | |||
| $0 | |||
| $150 | |||
| $0 | |||
| $120 | |||
| $799 |
With Milesopedia, take advantage of an exclusive offer: your first-year annual fees are refunded with the National Bank World Elite Mastercard. This offer is exclusively available on the Milesopedia network, from June 30 to November 4, 2026.
The National Bank World Elite Mastercard is the best Mastercard credit card offered by NBC.
With this card, you earn up to 5 points per dollar on your purchases:
And since it’s an NBC mycredit Mastercard, you can use it at Costco.
With this card, you have access to a $150 annual travel credit that you can use in any of these categories:
What’s more, you can enjoy access to DragonPass airport lounges and unlimited access to the National Bank Lounge at Montreal-Trudeau.
Finally, Milesopedia has named the National Bank World Elite Mastercard as the Best Travel Credit Card in 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026.
on National Bank's website
The American Express Cobalt® Card is the best credit card from American Express, whether you want points for travel or cash back.
American Express Cobalt® Card welcome offer
The welcome bonus is paid out monthly over your first 12 months. You earn 1,250 Membership Rewards points for each monthly billing period in which you charge $750 in net purchases to your card, in any category (1X, 2X, 3X or 5X). That adds up to 15,000 Membership Rewards points over the year, a welcome offer we value at $255.
Earning the full bonus means $9,000 in net purchases spread across 12 monthly billing periods. This offer rewards steady monthly spending rather than one large purchase.
You can use these points as statement credits on everyday or travel purchases, at the same rate either way: 1,000 points = $10.
You can also transfer them to Aeroplan, Avios (British Airways and Qatar Airways), Flying Blue, Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors. With the full welcome bonus, that is a choice between:
If hotel points are what you are after, our ultimate guide to Marriott Bonvoy and our complete map of Marriott Bonvoy hotels by category show what those points can actually buy.
American Express Cobalt® Card benefits
Here is what the card gives you, starting with the benefits cardholders use most.
To see how it compares with the rest of the line-up, read our round-up of the best credit cards from American Express in Canada.
The 5X categories and where they apply
The 5X rate is the reason most people carry this card. In Canada it covers four kinds of merchants:
The 2X rate covers gas stations such as Esso, Shell and Petro-Canada, along with public transit and ride sharing.
With the American Express Cobalt® Card, you earn between 1 and 5 points per dollar:
| Category | Points per dollar |
| Grocery (Metro, IGA, Sobeys, Super C, etc.) | 5 |
| Home food delivery | 5 |
| Restaurants and bars | 5 |
| Convenience stores | 5 |
| Streaming services | 3 |
| Service station | 2 |
| Transport | 2 |
| Travel | 1 |
| Other | 1 |
That works out to a 1 to 5% return on those purchases. For example, if you spend $1,000 per month across groceries, restaurants and food delivery, you earn $50 back per month, or $600 per year from that category alone. Transfer the points to a program such as Aeroplan instead and the return can be higher.
You can also stack these categories with the hundreds of stores that offer 5x points.
American Express Cobalt® Card insurance coverage
The card comes with a broad insurance package. The amounts below are the coverage limits; conditions, age limits and exclusions are set out in the certificate of insurance linked in the Insurance section above.
Travel insurance
Rental car insurance
Theft and damage coverage is included for a rental car with an MSRP, for its model year, of up to $85,000 excluding all taxes, for rentals of up to 48 days. To use it, decline the Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) or any similar option from the rental company and charge the full rental to your card. There is no cost for this coverage, and it replaces the daily insurance the rental company charges, usually $16 to $23 per day.
Mobile device insurance
Your device is covered for up to $1,000 per occurrence when it is charged to the card, for up to two years from the date of purchase. The payout is based on the depreciated value of the device, which falls by 2% of the purchase price for every completed month, less a 10% deductible. Theft and accidental damage coverage starts on the 91st day after purchase, because the first 90 days are covered by purchase protection.
Purchase protection and extended warranty
Eligible items charged to your card are insured against accidental physical damage or theft for 90 days from the purchase date, up to $1,000 per occurrence for all items combined. The card also extends the original manufacturer’s warranty by up to one additional year on eligible items, with indemnification limited to $10,000 per insured item and $25,000 per Cardmember per policy year for all items combined.
American Express Cobalt® Card fees
Because the fee is billed monthly rather than in one annual charge, you can stop and restart the cost in step with how much you are actually using the card.
on American Express's website
Apply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card offers an excellent welcome bonus.
Until November 1, 2026, you can earn up to 50,000 bonus Scene+ points, broken down as follows:
This represents a value of up to $500 for travel (including Airbnb).
With the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card, you earn 6 points per dollar spent at Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland, FreshCo, Voilà by Sobeys, Voilà par IGA, Voilà by Safeway, Chalo! grocery stores. FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, IGA West, Les Marchés Tradition, Rachelle Béry and Co-Op.
Also, you earn 5 points per dollar for:
And 3 points per dollar on gas, transit and streaming services purchases.
You can redeem your points on travel purchases (flights, hotels, all-inclusive and even Airbnb). You can also use your points as cash back rewards with Scene+.
The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card also offers no foreign transaction fees, excellent insurance for your travel or purchases, concierge service, exclusive American Express benefits like the Front of the Line program.
on Scotiabank's website
Exclusive offer (until October 12, 2026): $149 annual fee waived for the first year, plus $100 cash back after $1,500 in eligible purchases within the first 3 months.
The Neo World Elite® Mastercard – Shop & Dine offers some of the highest cash back rates in the country for dining and shopping. Earn 5% cash back every time you dine out or order takeout, and 3% on in-store purchases, with 1% everywhere else.
Benefit from comprehensive insurance including extended warranty, purchase protection and travel insurance, as well as a DragonPass membership for airport lounges around the world.
Combined with additional cash back at over 10,000 Neo partners and an instant credit limit of up to $30,000, this is a card designed for those who spend at restaurants and in stores.
Purchases on Amazon and at warehouse stores are not eligible for the shopping rate. Travel insurance is not available to Quebec residents. DragonPass membership is included; fees apply for each lounge visit.
on Neo Financial's website
The Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express®* Card is the best credit card for the self-employed, professionals and small business owners who travel.
With this welcome offer, you can earn up to 80,000 Marriott Bonvoy Points:
It’s a card we recommend you keep, because each year at renewal, you’ll get an Annual Free Night Award for up to 35,000 points, plus 15 Elite nights per year, counting towards your Marriott Bonvoy Elite status.
With this Card, you earn 5 points per dollar for all your spending at Marriott Bonvoy establishments, and you can earn 3 points per dollar for :
And 2 points per dollar on all other purchases.
Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.
on American Express's website
Apply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
The BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card is one of the best Visa Infinite rewards credit cards in Canada. Its welcome offer lets you earn up to 70,000 BMO Rewards points, for a total value of up to $1,150*.
It also includes a monthly statement credit for streaming services, an annual $50 lifestyle credit, and no annual fee for the first year (a $120 value)*.
With the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card, you also get:
on BMO's website
With the MBNA Rewards World Elite® Mastercard®, you can earn 5 points per dollar of purchases for:
Everywhere else, you will get 1 point per dollar.
Enough to make the MBNA Rewards World Elite Mastercard the best MBNA credit card for restaurants, groceries, digital media, subscriptions and household utilities.
Knowing that Mastercard recognizes Walmart Supercenters as grocery stores, this is the best credit card for Walmart customers!
Plus, depending on your province of residence, you’ll get a welcome bonus of between 20,000 and 30,000 points, a value of $200 to $300!
And each year, you will receive Birthday Bonus Points equal to 10% of the total number of Points the Account earned in the 12 months before the month of your birthday, to a maximum Birthday Bonus each year of 15,000 Points.
on MBNA's website
The Platinum Card® is the best premium card in Canada for travellers.
With this welcome offer, you can earn up to 100,000 Membership Rewards® points:
With this Card, you get:
You can use your Membership Rewards® points in many ways:
For example, with this welcome offer, if you decide to transfer your Membership Rewards® points to a partner loyalty program, you could earn up to:
With this card, you also have advantages for your travels:
Last but not least, The Platinum Card® offers a wide range of insurance coverage: rental car theft and damage, $500,000 travel accident, emergency medical expenses (out-of-province or out-of-country), lost or stolen baggage, flight delays and misdirected baggage, hotel or motel burglary, Purchase Protection, Purchase Security.
Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.
on American Express's website
Apply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
