3 Best Credit Cards for Coffee Lovers
So here's the deal: I've been hanging out in coffee shops for over thirty years. From drinking coffee with friends, writing crappy poetry, to working barista shifts in the early years of my photography career.
My wife and I were even married in a coffee shop in 2005.
For the past thirteen years, I've run Americano Mondays, an online platform that tells the stories surrounding coffee culture through photo essays, short films, and interviews with coffee professionals.
So if you're like me, you love visiting coffee shops.
You may have a favorite barista or table you sit at while at your local spot. I usually look for a table in the corner or near a window to get that natural light. And to people watch - I mean, let's be honest here.
However, as more coffee shops transition to cashless, selecting the right credit card for your cafe purchases is more crucial than ever. Do you opt for a standard cash back card for easy value or a travel card for accumulating miles on your purchases?
Let's break down the three best cards to use while ordering your next latte.
These three credit cards range from a no-annual-fee cashback card, a mid-tier travel card, and a high-end card that offers numerous benefits but requires some effort on your part to offset a hefty annual fee.
NOTE: I have owned all three cards listed below, so my recommendations are based on personal experience with each one.
No Annual Fee, Cash Back Card: Capital One Savor
The Capital One Savor is the sleeper card of the three featured here today.
Best for: Individuals seeking a no-annual-fee card with solid cashback on dining, entertainment, and grocery purchases.
Rewards:
Unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services, grocery stores, and yes, coffee shops.
5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
1% cash back on all other purchases.
Pros:
No foreign transaction fees. I used this card on my trip to Hong Kong, unlike the last card on this list, because of its higher acceptance rate outside the US.
No annual fee. The Savor is the only card on this list that doesn't require the use of select benefits to offset the annual fee.
Cons:
Limited travel benefits beyond the cashback on Capital One Travel bookings.
The card processor is Mastercard, so even though it earns 3% at grocery stores, it is not accepted at big-box stores like Costco. Not a deal breaker, but with a family of four that spends far too much at Costco, I could only wish that I was getting 3% on my purchases there.
Superpower: If you hold one of Capital One's travel-focused cards, such as the Venture, Venture X, or Spark Miles card, you can convert the cash back earned on your Savor card to Capital One miles.
Both my wife and I own the Savor card, as well as the Venture X. We convert all our cash back to miles, since we value transfer benefits over the cash back option.
Why choose it? If you're looking for a straightforward, no-annual-fee card that offers solid cash back on dining (including coffee shops), entertainment, and groceries, the Capital One Savor is the one.
The Best Mid-Tier Dining Card with Solid Travel Benefits: Chase Sapphire Preferred
I'll never forget the day that my Chase Sapphire Preferred arrived in the mail. I applied for and received the card in May 2022, eighteen months into my debt paydown and credit rebuilding journey. The feel of the metal card in my hands and the benefits that it offered felt like a defining moment in my credit card journey.
Until that point, I was earning Ultimate Rewards points with my Freedom Unlimited and Ink Unlimited cards. Adding the Sapphire Preferred to my wallet allowed me to access the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal.
Best for: Travelers seeking elevated rewards at cafes and restaurants, as well as the ability to unlock Chase UR points and experience comprehensive travel benefits at an affordable annual fee.
Annual Fee: $95.00
Rewards:
X points on dining, including eligible delivery services and takeout. And COFFEE.
2X points on travel.
1X point on all other purchases.
Pros:
Points are transferable to multiple travel partners, offering flexibility.
Comprehensive travel and purchase protections.
Primary Rental Car coverage. (One of the most underrated features that Chase offers on the Sapphire and Ink Business line of cards. As someone who travels extensively for work, requiring numerous rental car purchases per year, this one feature has saved me hundreds, if not thousands, over the past few years.
Access to exclusive events and experiences. (We were able to access exclusive heated lounge benefits at an outdoor ice skating event in NYC by showing our Sapphire Preferred card.)
Cons:
The 3X on groceries is for online orders. (There are workarounds available via paying through select grocery store apps, but they are not as straightforward as the other cards mentioned here.)
Fewer bonus categories for earning points.
Why choose it? If you value flexible travel rewards and a robust set of travel protections at a reasonable annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is a solid choice.
Transparency: In June 2025, I upgraded to the Sapphire Reserve, their premium travel and lifestyle card. So I no longer hold the Sapphire Preferred. However, I still recommend the card for individuals who are open to moving up to an annual fee card and who want to maximize the benefits of holding a travel-focused card.
The Golden One to Rule Them All: American Express Gold
Story time: I held an early iteration of the American Express Gold card about fifteen years ago. I'm not sure why I had that card at the time, considering I wasn't a credit card enthusiast, and I don't recall having great credit at that point.
Yet somehow, I was rockin' both the AMEX Gold and Platinum without realizing what I had in my possession.
That said, I do recall using the Platinum to help purchase plane tickets for my wife and me to go to Hawaii in December 2012. Did I use points? Did I transfer them to an airline partner? I have no idea, but hey, I got us there and back.
Okay, that's enough of my history with American Express.
Let's discuss the 2025 version of the American Express Gold. A card that recently underwent some significant changes. The main change involved the annual fee, which increased from $250 to $325.00.
There were other changes - both good and bad - but let's focus on the 4X points you'll earn on your purchases at cafes, dining, and grocery stores. Not counting cards that offer elevated quarterly offers of 5% up to a set amount, the Gold card is still the card to beat. It is also one of the best cards for earning AMEX Membership Rewards points.
Annual Fee: $325.00
Best for: Individuals who spend a significant amount on dining and groceries and can utilize the card's additional benefits to offset the higher annual fee.
Rewards:
4X Membership Rewards® Points at restaurants, including takeout and delivery. And yes, that includes cafes as well.
4X Membership Rewards® Points at US supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year in purchases, then 1X).
3X Membership Rewards® Points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
1X Membership Rewards® Points on other purchases.
Pros:
High rewards rates on dining and US supermarket purchases.
You can transfer your points to various travel partners at a higher potential value.
$10.00 Monthly Uber and GrubHub credits.
$100.00 Resy credit, which can be used in $50.00 increments, twice per calendar year.
$7.00 Monthly Dunkin credit. I have two children, so you know we’re using this every month.
Cons:
The annual fee is higher compared to similar cards.
Some benefits require enrollment and may have specific terms and conditions. Additionally, the monthly credits are use it or lose it, and do not roll over into the next month. And trust me, there have been months where I forgot and made a last-day-of-the-month dinner purchase, so as not to lose out on that benefit.
