Best credit cards for a restaurant (September 2026)
Updated September 27, 2026 from verified card data.
This is what Perko's ranking produces for a restaurant with this spend - groceries: 1000; gas: 500; dining: 400; other: 2500 monthly (business: the restaurant: wholesale $25,000/mo, utilities $3,000/mo, other $12,000/mo) - and these goals: family trips to Mexico on Southwest. Every figure comes from verified card terms and the same engine that builds individual reports; the cards are ranked by what they add on this spend, the spend plan sequences them under the issuer rules we track, and a card that reaches a named program but loses on the numbers is listed, not recommended. Your own numbers will move every line.
- the restaurant: Sapphire Preferred for Business adds about $9,505 a year on this spend
- personal: Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card adds about $1,057 a year on this spend
Run it on your numbers - it takes a minute and your report is free.
the restaurant
Sapphire Preferred for Business
Adds about $9,505 a year after its $95 fee.
With transfer bonuses timed: about $4,800 to $6,720 more a year, moving these points to Marriott Bonvoy during a bonus window (recorded 9 times in the last two years). Perko Pro tells you when one opens.
Show the other cards we checked (4)
| Card | Adds / yr | Year one | Fee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sapphire Preferred for Business bonus offer unconfirmed - excluded from year-one figure; current public offer observed Sep 14 Apply / learn more | $9,505 | $9,505 | $95 | |
| Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business bonus offer unconfirmed - excluded from year-one figure; outside your ecosystem - listed for comparison Apply / learn more | $17,760 | $17,760 | $0 | |
| Capital One Venture Business Credit Card current public offer observed Sep 21; outside your ecosystem - listed for comparison Apply / learn more | $17,665 | $20,440 | $95 | |
| American Express Blue Business Plus Credit Card current public offer observed Sep 21; outside your ecosystem - listed for comparison Apply / learn more | $10,600 | $10,900 | $0 | |
| British Airways Accelerating Business Card (medium confidence) outside your ecosystem - listed for comparison | $9,690 | $10,110 | $250 |
Your personal spending
Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card
Adds about $1,057 a year after its $95 fee; $2,557 in the first year with the welcome bonus.
With transfer bonuses timed: about $580 to $810 more a year, moving these points to Marriott Bonvoy during a bonus window (recorded 9 times in the last two years). Perko Pro tells you when one opens.
Show the other cards we checked (4)
| Card | Adds / yr | Year one | Fee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card current public offer observed Sep 21 Apply / learn more | $1,057 | $2,557 | $95 | |
| Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card outside your ecosystem - listed for comparison Apply / learn more | $1,859 | $3,246 | $95 | |
| American Express Gold Card (medium confidence) current public offer observed Sep 14; outside your ecosystem - listed for comparison Apply / learn more | $1,739 | $3,739 | $325 | |
| Citi Strata Premier Card (medium confidence) current public offer observed Sep 21; outside your ecosystem - listed for comparison Apply / learn more | $1,503 | $2,763 | $95 | |
| Wells Fargo Autograph Card current public offer observed Sep 21; outside your ecosystem - listed for comparison Apply / learn more | $1,190 | $1,510 | $0 |
Your timeline
Open these in this order. Why more than one card: no single card earns its top rate on everything you spend, each new card brings its own welcome bonus, and every application lands on one credit file, so they are spaced out to keep approvals likely.
- Now: Sapphire Preferred for Business for the restaurant - welcome bonus after $5,000 of spending within 3 months. Apply
- Month 4: Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card - welcome bonus after $5,000 of spending within 3 months. Apply
Perko emails you when each step comes due, after checking the card is still available, and Perko Pro adds transfer-bonus alerts on the points these cards earn. Pro is free during the preview.
Your spend plan
Computed from the same rates, caps and valuations as the ranking. Order and timing follow the issuer rules we track; confirm current terms when you apply.
Routing - the restaurant
| Spend | Card | When |
|---|---|---|
| other ($40,000/mo) | Sapphire Preferred for Business at 1x | Now - month 12 |
Bonus - Sapphire Preferred for Business: $5,000 in 3 months; your routed spend (about $40,000/mo) gets there in month 1
Routing - personal
| Spend | Card | When |
|---|---|---|
| other ($2,500/mo) | Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card at 1x | Month 4 - month 12 |
| groceries ($1,000/mo) | Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card at 1x | Month 4 - month 12 |
| gas ($500/mo) | Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card at 1x | Month 4 - month 12 |
| dining ($400/mo) | Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card at 2x | Month 4 - month 12 |
Bonus - Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card: $5,000 in 3 months; your routed spend (about $4,400/mo) gets there in month 2
Your points should live in Chase Ultimate Rewards
It is the most effective currency for what you want to do: it books United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Marriott Bonvoy directly, and it earns well on your spend. Native means a currency books any seat that airline sells; partner-only means just the award seats an airline releases to its partners, which are scarce in business class.
| Ecosystem | Reaches | Best cards earn / yr |
|---|---|---|
| Chase Ultimate Rewards your ecosystem | United Airlines: native Southwest Airlines: native Marriott Bonvoy: 1:1 - bonuses 8 time(s) in 24 months, up to 70% | $10,562 |
| Amex Membership Rewards | United Airlines: partner Southwest Airlines: no route Marriott Bonvoy: 1:1 | $20,939 |
| Capital One miles | United Airlines: partner Southwest Airlines: no route Marriott Bonvoy: no route | $19,619 |
| Cash back | no transfers, no windows to watch; every dollar is a dollar | $10,656 |
Amex Membership Rewards would earn about $10,377 a year more on your spend, but it reaches United Airlines only through partner saver seats; Southwest Airlines: no route.
Every route we checked
- Chase Ultimate Rewards → Southwest Rapid Rewards, 1:1
- Chase Ultimate Rewards → Marriott Bonvoy, 1:1
- Capital One Miles → Southwest Airlines: not reachable
- Capital One Miles → Marriott Bonvoy: not reachable
- Amex Membership Rewards → Southwest Airlines: not reachable
- Amex Membership Rewards → Marriott Bonvoy, 1:1
- British Airways Club Avios → Southwest Airlines: not reachable
- British Airways Club Avios → Marriott Bonvoy: not reachable
- Citi ThankYou → Southwest Airlines: not reachable
- Citi ThankYou → Marriott Bonvoy: not reachable
- Wells Fargo Rewards → Southwest Airlines: not reachable
- Wells Fargo Rewards → Marriott Bonvoy: not reachable
- Southwest Airlines: transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards (usually instant, occasionally a day), book on the program's own site; a economy round trip is roughly 60,000 points per traveler in most programs; price the exact award before you transfer. Transfer only once the award is confirmed bookable - points do not come back.
- Marriott Bonvoy: transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards (usually 1-3 days), book on the program's own site; a hotel night runs anywhere from a few thousand to 100,000+ points - price the exact stay before you transfer. Transfer only once the award is confirmed bookable - points do not come back.
Run it on your numbers - it takes a minute and your report is free.