Best Cash Back Credit Cards for Groceries and Gas in 2024

Two spending categories eat up a huge chunk of the typical American household budget: groceries and gasoline. The USDA puts monthly food-at-home costs for a family of four at roughly $975 to $1,570, and AAA has tracked gas prices stubbornly hovering above $3.40 per gallon for much of 2024. With that kind of recurring expense, finding the best cash back credit cards for groceries and gas isn’t a minor financial tweak—it’s a strategy that can put $600 to $1,000 back in your pocket every year without changing your spending habits. Over my 15 years covering personal finance, I’ve seen too many consumers leave that money on the table simply because they hadn’t matched the right card to their real-world routines. If you’re new to maximizing rewards, our beginner’s guide to cash back credit cards is a great place to start.

This guide cuts through the noise. Instead of listing every card on the market, I’ll walk you through the top performers for these two high-priority categories, explain how to avoid cap traps and redemption pitfalls, and share the exact scenarios where a combo of cards beats a single-product approach. All details are current as of mid-2024, and I’ve personally used variations of nearly every card mentioned here.

Why Grocery and Gas Cash Back Matters Now

Inflation has cooled from its 2022 peak, but grocery and fuel prices remain elevated. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that food-at-home prices are still 25% higher than they were in early 2020, and gas, while less volatile, has settled into a higher baseline. A cash back card isn’t just a rebate—it’s a direct discount on where your budget gets squeezed hardest.

Yet the landscape has shifted. Several issuers have revamped their rewards structures, adding or removing bonus categories, adjusting spending caps, and introducing limited-time offers. For instance, American Express refreshed its Blue Cash lineup with new statement credit perks, while Citi and Bank of America quietly tweaked bonus tier qualifications. The cards you considered in 2022 may no longer be the best. That’s why this ranking focuses on 2024’s actual earning rates, caps, and welcome bonuses.

A common misstep is assuming that a flat 2% card covers everything well. A flat-rate card certainly simplifies life, but when you’re spending $600 a month on groceries and $200 on gas, a specialized cash back card earning 5% or 6% in those categories can nearly double your annual rewards. The difference becomes even starker if you pair cards strategically. Check out our deep dive on stacking credit card rewards for more advanced techniques.

What to Look for in the Best Cash Back Credit Cards for Groceries and Gas

Before diving into the specific recommendations, let’s outline the criteria that separate a great card from a mediocre one. The best cash back credit cards for groceries and gas share several hallmarks:

• High earn rates on the target categories – Ideally 3% to 6% cash back on groceries and 3% to 5% on gas. Anything below 3% is merely average and not worth an extra hard inquiry.
• Reasonable spending caps – Many elevated-rate cards impose a $6,000 annual limit on grocery purchases before the rate drops to 1%. If your household grocery bill exceeds $500 a month, that cap could be a deal-breaker, pushing you toward a card with a higher cap or no cap at all. Learn how annual fees vs. no-annual-fee cards affect your net rewards.
• Broad merchant coding – Grocery rewards should cover most supermarkets, but not always warehouse clubs (Costco, Sam’s Club) or specialty stores. Gas categories typically include stand-alone gas stations but often exclude warehouse-club pumps and superstores like Walmart. Know the fine print.
• Redemption flexibility – Direct deposit, statement credits, or deposit into a linked brokerage or checking account offer the most value. Some cards restrict redemption to a rewards portal with limited options.
• Annual fee justification – A $95 annual fee can be well worth it if the extra cash back earned overcomes the fee. For example, spending $6,000 on groceries at 6% back yields $360, and subtracting a $95 fee still leaves $265—more than most no-fee cards would generate on the same spend. You need to run the math for your actual spending.
• Sign-up bonus and ongoing ancillary perks – A welcome bonus can boost first-year returns significantly, and secondary benefits like return protection, extended warranty, or gas station purchase protections add tangible value.

With that framework in mind, here’s how the top contenders stack up.

The Best Cash Back Credit Cards for Groceries and Gas in 2024

I’ve ranked these based on a combination of earn rates, caps, fees, and real-world usability. All data is verified directly with issuers’ terms.

1. American Express Blue Cash Preferred® Card

• Groceries: 6% cash back on up to $6,000 per year in purchases at U.S. supermarkets (then 1%)
• Gas: 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations (no cap)
• Annual fee: $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95
• Welcome bonus: $250 statement credit after spending $3,000 in the first 6 months
• Other: 6% on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% on transit (including rideshares, parking, tolls)

For a family that maxes out the $6,000 grocery cap, that’s $360 in cash back on groceries alone—and the 3% on gas applies to every fill-up, with no limit. The first-year annual fee waiver makes it a no-brainer to try. In subsequent years, you’d need to spend at least $3,167 on groceries (at 6% vs. a baseline 3% no-fee card) to out-earn the fee, which most families easily surpass. Just be aware that superstores like Walmart and Target, and warehouse clubs, do not code as grocery. For a full breakdown, see our Blue Cash Preferred review.

Pros:

• Top-tier grocery earn rate
• No cap on gas or streaming bonuses
• $0 intro annual fee to test the value
• Solid welcome bonus and purchase protection

Cons:

• $95 annual fee after year one
• $6,000 grocery cap may pinch high-spending households
• Not accepted at all merchants (though U.S. acceptance is near 99% for card-present transactions)

2. Citi Custom Cash® Card

• Groceries (or gas): 5% cash back on your top eligible spending category each billing cycle, up to $500 spent per billing cycle (then 1%)
• Annual fee: $0
• Welcome bonus: $200 cash back after spending $1,500 in the first 6 months
• Other: 1% on all other purchases

This card’s unique auto-adapt feature makes it a powerful tool. You don’t pick the category ahead of time—the issuer automatically applies 5% to the category where you spent the most that month. If you use it only for groceries each month, you effectively get 5% back on up to $6,000 a year in grocery purchases (12 months × $500 cap). That’s $300 cash back with zero annual fee. But if you also want to cover gas, you could dedicate a second Custom Cash card to gas (Citi allows multiple Custom Cash cards, though you’ll need separate applications). With no annual fee, this card is a perfect addition to a multi-card strategy. Read our Citi Custom Cash deep dive for more usage tips.

Pros:

• No annual fee
• 5% in your chosen category each month—no category guessing
• Cap resets monthly, offering consistent rewards
• Flexible redemption via direct deposit, statement credit, or ThankYou points

Cons:

• $500 monthly spend cap restricts heavy users
• Only one category at 5% per billing cycle
• No elevated gas earning unless it’s your top category that month

3. Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card

• Groceries and gas (choice category): 3% cash back in a category you choose monthly (options include gas, online shopping, dining, travel, drugstores, or home improvement). Groceries aren’t one of the 3% choice categories—but the card also permanently pays 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs.
• Gas (if chosen as 3% category): 3% back (on up to $2,500 in combined 2%/3% category purchases per calendar quarter)
• Annual fee: $0
• Welcome bonus: $200 online cash rewards bonus after $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days
• Other: If you hold significant assets with Bank of America or Merrill Lynch, you get a Preferred Rewards bonus of 25% to 75% on rewards—meaning that 3% can morph into 3.75% to 5.25% on the chosen category, and 2% on groceries becomes 2.5% to 3.5%.

This card isn’t as straightforward as others, but for Bank of America loyalists, the Preferred Rewards booster transforms it into a monster. A Platinum Honors client gets 5.25% back on gas and 3.5% on groceries, with no annual fee. Even without the booster, picking gas as the 3% choice category gives you 3% on fuel plus 2% on groceries, all in one card. The quarterly cap ($2,500) is generous enough for most individuals. See how Preferred Rewards impacts your earning potential.

Pros:

• No annual fee
• Choice of 3% category each month—flexible
• Booster for Preferred Rewards members can elevate rates dramatically
• 2% on groceries and wholesale clubs adds baseline value
• Online shopping bonus category unique

Cons:

• 2% on groceries is below competition unless boosted
• Quarterly cap on combined 2%/3% earnings
• Preferred Rewards requires substantial balances ($20,000 to $100,000+)

4. Discover it® Cash Back (or Chase Freedom Flex®)

These rotating-category cards deserve mention together because they work similarly: 5% cash back on quarterly rotating bonus categories (on up to $1,500 in combined purchases per quarter) and 1% on everything else. Both have no annual fee.

• Discover it® Cash Back: One quarter per year typically features grocery stores, and another features gas stations (or wholesale clubs, which sell both). Discover matches all cash back earned at the end of your first year, effectively doubling your rewards. In 2024, Q2 is gas stations and electric vehicle charging, Q3 might be grocery (historical pattern). Check the current calendar.
• Chase Freedom Flex®: Also offers 5% on rotating categories, plus permanent 3% on dining and drugstores, and 5% on travel booked through Chase. In 2024, Q1 was grocery stores (excluding Walmart and Target), and Q3 (July-September) is gas stations and select EV charging. The catch? You must activate the categories each quarter.

Both cards cap quarterly bonus spend at $1,500, which works out to $500 a month, enough for many small households. For a year where groceries and gas each get two quarters, a single Freedom Flex card could yield $150 in 5% rewards on each category (assuming full cap each quarter), totaling $300 on $3,000 annual spend. Pairing this with the Blue Cash Preferred for groceries when the Flex isn’t in a grocery quarter creates a formidable no-fee combo. Learn more about rotating category card strategies.

Pros:

• 5% category rates with no annual fee
• Flexible category coverage throughout the year
• Discover’s first-year match essentially doubles rewards
• Freedom Flex earns transferable Ultimate Rewards points (worth more to Chase Sapphire cardholders)

Cons:

• You must remember to activate quarterly
• $1,500 cap per quarter may be limiting
• Outside bonus quarters, rates drop to 1%

5. Sam’s Club® Mastercard® or Costco Anywhere Visa® by Citi

If you do much of your grocery and gas shopping at warehouse clubs, these cards are tailored. Both earn 5% back on gas (with caveats) and have no annual fee beyond your club membership.

• Sam’s Club Mastercard: 5% cash back on gas at Sam’s Club and any U.S. gas station (up to $6,000 per year, then 1%), 3% on dining, 1% everywhere else. Groceries at Sam’s Club earn only 1%, but Sam’s Club already offers low markup on groceries.
• Costco Anywhere Visa: 4% cash back on eligible gas and EV charging worldwide (up to $7,000 per year, then 1%), 2% on Costco and Costco.com purchases, 1% elsewhere. Groceries outside Costco earn 1%, so it’s not a grocery card per se, but for Costco loyalists, the gas rewards are excellent.

These cards reward fuel purchases handsomely and include no extra card fee. The catch is that Costco cash back is issued as a certificate once per year, redeemable only at Costco, and Sam’s Club Mastercard rewards are loaded onto your membership card monthly. Both require active membership to earn and redeem rewards. If warehouse gas stations are your primary fill-up spots, these cards deserve a slot in your wallet. For a broader look at warehouse club credit cards and their hidden values, check our comparison.

Pros:

• Industry-leading gas cash back with no extra annual fee
• Generous gas caps ($6,000–$7,000 per year)
• Additional bonus categories (dining, Costco purchases)
• Membership already a sunk cost for regular shoppers

Cons:

• Grocery rewards limited to in-club purchases (2% at Costco, 1% at Sam’s)
• Redemption tied to club certificates or membership card
• Must maintain club membership

How to Build a Winning Grocery and Gas Cash Back Strategy

The right card—or combination of cards—depends on your monthly spending patterns. Here’s how to extract the most value.

• Know your numbers. Track at least three months of grocery and gas spending. If you spend more than $500 per month on groceries, the Blue Cash Preferred’s $95 fee is almost certainly justified. If you average less than $300, a no-fee card like the Citi Custom Cash may deliver the same or better net returns.
• Watch the caps. Cards like the Blue Cash Preferred cap grocery earnings at $6,000 annually. If you hit that in October, the rest of the year’s groceries earn just 1%. Have a backup card (like a 2% flat-rate card or a Custom Cash) to shift spending to once caps are reached.
• Pair a fixed-rate grocery card with a rotating gas card. For example, use the Blue Cash Preferred for groceries year-round, and the Discover it or Freedom Flex for gas during quarters when gas stations are a 5% bonus category. Off-quarters, the Blue Cash Preferred’s 3% on gas fills the gap seamlessly.
• Leverage warehouse club gas. If you fuel up primarily at Costco or Sam’s Club, the corresponding club card often beats general-purpose gas cards. But remember that outside those pumps, a standard 3%–5% card might earn more.
• Don’t sleep on sign-up bonuses. The $200–$250 welcome offers on many of these cards can effectively cover the first year’s annual fee or give you a head start on rewards. Treat them as part of the annual return, especially in year one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I get 6% cash back on groceries and gas with one card? No single card pays 6% on both. The American Express Blue Cash Preferred offers 6% on groceries (capped) and 3% on gas. For gas at 5%, consider the Sam’s Club Mastercard (up to $6,000/year) or rotating-category cards during gas quarters. Combining cards is the only way to achieve top-tier rates on both categories simultaneously.

Q: What counts as a "grocery store" for credit card rewards? Generally, U.S. supermarkets and smaller grocery stores where the primary business sells food and household staples. Warehouse clubs (Costco, Sam’s), superstores (Walmart, Target), and specialty food shops (butcher, baker) often do not code as grocery. Always check your issuer’s merchant category code details before relying on a grocery bonus.

Q: Is a $95 annual fee worth it for the Blue Cash Preferred? It depends on your grocery spending. The break-even point versus a no-fee 3% grocery card is $3,167 in annual grocery purchases. If you spend $500 a month ($6,000/year), you’ll earn $360 in grocery cash back—$265 after the fee, compared to $180 from a typical no-fee 3% card. That’s an $85 advantage, and the gas and streaming bonuses tilt it further in your favor.

Q: How do I avoid losing cash back when I hit a spending cap? Track your year-to-date spending in the card’s app or on a spreadsheet. When you approach the cap (e.g., $6,000 on Blue Cash Preferred groceries), switch that spending to a different card with no cap or a higher remaining cap—like a Citi Custom Cash or a 2% flat-rate card. Automating with a budget app that sends alerts can help.

Q: Are rotating-category cards reliable for gas and groceries every year? Historically, both Discover and Chase Freedom include gas stations and grocery stores as quarterly categories at least once a year, but exact quarters and caps vary. You must activate the bonus each quarter. If you want guaranteed year-round rewards, a fixed-rate card is more reliable; use rotating cards as a supplement.

Q: Can I use a warehouse club credit card without a membership? No. The Sam’s Club Mastercard and Costco Anywhere Visa require an active membership. If you drop your membership, the card may be closed. However, you can still use these cards at non-club merchants, but you’ll lose some benefits like extra cash back at the club itself.