"What is the best credit card for restaurants in Canada?"

"The best credit card for restaurant spending in Canada depends on whether you want cash back or points. For cash back: the Simplii Financial Cash Back Visa earns 4% cash back on restaurant, bar, and food delivery spending ($0 annual fee, first $5,000/year then 0.5%). For points: the American Express Cobalt earns 5x Amex MR on dining and eligible food delivery ($155/year, transferable to Aeroplan, Avios, and Flying Blue). The Scotiabank Gold American Express earns 6x Scene+ on dining ($120/year) — the highest dining earn rate in Canada among mainstream cards."

"Does the Scotiabank Gold Amex earn on food delivery in Canada?"

"Yes. The Scotiabank Gold American Express earns 6x Scene+ on eligible dining, which typically includes restaurant spending, bars, and food delivery services like DoorDash, SkipTheDishes, and Uber Eats. The 6x rate applies broadly across the dining merchant category. Verify with Scotiabank for specific merchant coding, as some delivery platform transactions may code differently. At 6x Scene+ with 1¢/point, this is a 6% return on food delivery — one of the highest in Canada."

"Is there a no-fee credit card with high dining cash back in Canada?"

"Yes. The Simplii Financial Cash Back Visa earns 4% cash back on restaurant, bar, and coffee shop spending with no annual fee — on the first $5,000 in annual dining spend (0.5% after). This is one of the highest dining cash back rates available with no annual fee in Canada. The Home Trust Preferred Visa earns 1% on all purchases including dining with no annual fee and no FX surcharge — useful for dining while travelling internationally."

"Does food delivery earn bonus points on Canadian credit cards?"

"Many Canadian credit cards extend their restaurant dining category to food delivery apps, but it depends on the card and how the merchant codes the transaction. The Amex Cobalt (5x MR on dining) and Scotiabank Gold Amex (6x Scene+ on dining) typically earn at their elevated rates on DoorDash, SkipTheDishes, and Uber Eats transactions. Verify with your specific card issuer, as merchant coding for delivery platforms can differ from sit-down restaurant coding."

"Amex Cobalt vs Scotiabank Gold Amex for dining — which is better?"

"The Scotiabank Gold Amex earns 6x Scene+ on dining (6% at 1¢/point, $120/year fee). The Amex Cobalt earns 5x Amex MR on dining (5x transferable to Aeroplan at up to 4.5¢/point = potentially 22.5% in premium cabin value, $155/year fee). For straightforward point accumulation with fixed value, Scotia Gold wins (6x vs 5x). For maximum aspirational travel value, Amex Cobalt wins — Amex MR points transferred to Aeroplan can be worth 3–4.5¢ each in business class, making the 5x earn potentially worth 15–22¢ per dining dollar."

Best Credit Cards for Dining in Canada 2026

Dining is one of the most rewarded credit card categories in Canada — cards targeting restaurant and food delivery spending routinely offer 4–6% back in cash or points value. The right card depends on whether you prioritise cash back or aspirational travel rewards.

Best Dining Credit Cards at a Glance

Card	Annual Fee	Dining Earn Rate	Best For
Scotiabank Gold American Express	$120	6x Scene+	Best points earn on dining
American Express Cobalt Card	$155	5x Amex MR	Best aspirational travel value from dining
Simplii Financial Cash Back Visa	$0	4% cash back	Best no-fee cash back on dining
Scotiabank Momentum Visa Infinite	$120	4% cash back	Cash back; combo with grocery
BMO eclipse Visa Infinite	$120	5x BMO Rewards	BMO Rewards ecosystem
TD Cash Back Visa Infinite	$120	3% cash back	TD banking customers

Top Dining Cards Reviewed

1. Scotiabank Gold American Express — Highest Dining Earn Rate ($120/year)

6x Scene+ on eligible dining (restaurants, bars, food delivery including DoorDash, SkipTheDishes, and Uber Eats). At 1¢ per Scene+ point, that is a 6% return on every dining dollar.

Additional benefits:

No foreign transaction fee — ideal for international dining
5x Scene+ on eligible grocery, entertainment, and streaming
3x Scene+ on eligible gas and transit

Annual dining earn example: $500/month dining × 6x × 12 months = 36,000 Scene+/year = $360 in Scene+ travel and entertainment value.

Best for: Canadians who want the highest dining earn rate in a single card with no FX fees and solid grocery earn.

2. American Express Cobalt Card — Best Aspirational Value from Dining ($155/year)

5x Amex Membership Rewards on dining and eligible food delivery. Amex MR points transfer 1:1 to Aeroplan, Avios, and Flying Blue — and at Aeroplan business class redemptions can be worth 3–4.5¢ each.

Maximum dining value calculation:

5x Amex MR per dining dollar
Transferred to Aeroplan at 1:1 = 5 Aeroplan points per dining dollar
Aeroplan business class redemption: 3.5¢/point (conservative estimate)
Effective return: 5 × 3.5¢ = 17.5% per dining dollar in premium cabin value

Best for: Canadians building toward business class travel through everyday dining and grocery spending.

3. Simplii Financial Cash Back Visa — Best No-Fee Dining Card ($0/year)

4% cash back on restaurant, bar, and coffee shop spending — no annual fee, on the first $5,000 of annual dining spend per year. After $5,000, earns 0.5% on dining (and 1.5% on gas/groceries throughout).

This is the highest dining cash back rate available with no annual fee in Canada. Ideal for:

Cardholders who want straightforward cash back without paying an annual fee
Simplii Financial banking customers
Second cards for dining when the primary card has weak dining earn

4. BMO eclipse Visa Infinite — Best in BMO Rewards Ecosystem ($120/year)

Earns 5x BMO Rewards on dining (plus grocery, gas, transit, and drugstores). BMO Rewards points are worth approximately 0.5–0.67¢ each in the travel portal — making 5x BMO Rewards worth roughly 2.5–3.35% in travel value per dining dollar.

Points vs. Cash Back for Dining: Which Is Better?

Strategy	Card	Earn	Dining Return (Approx.)
Maximum cash back, no fee	Simplii Cash Back Visa	4% cash	4%
Maximum cash back, paid	Scotiabank Gold Amex	6x Scene+	6% (at 1¢/pt)
Maximum aspirational value	Amex Cobalt	5x Amex MR	17–22% (Aeroplan biz class)
Points flexibility	Amex Gold Rewards	4x Amex MR	14–18% (Aeroplan biz class)

For pure cash back: Scotiabank Gold Amex (6x Scene+ = 6%) wins if you’re willing to pay $120.

For travel aspirations: Amex Cobalt (5x Amex MR → Aeroplan business class) delivers the highest ceiling value — but requires learning the Aeroplan redemption system.

Food Delivery and Credit Cards

Most top dining cards extend their elevated earn to food delivery apps:

DoorDash: Typically earns as restaurant/dining on Amex Cobalt, Scotia Gold Amex
SkipTheDishes: Similar coding to DoorDash
Uber Eats: Often earns as dining; Amex Cobalt has specific Uber partnerships in some markets

Merchant coding can vary. Verify with your card issuer if a specific delivery platform earns at the elevated rate.

Dining Credit Cards FAQ

Best card for restaurants in Canada? Scotiabank Gold Amex (6x Scene+ = 6%, $120/year), Amex Cobalt (5x Amex MR, $155/year), or Simplii Cash Back Visa (4% cash back, no fee).

Best no-fee dining card? Simplii Financial Cash Back Visa — 4% at restaurants, $0 annual fee.

Does food delivery earn dining points? Often yes — DoorDash, SkipTheDishes, and Uber Eats typically code as dining on top cards. Verify with your issuer.

Scotiabank Gold Amex or Amex Cobalt for dining? Scotia Gold: 6x = 6% (simpler, fixed Scene+ value). Amex Cobalt: 5x MR but transferable to Aeroplan for potential 17–22% in premium cabin value. Cobalt wins for aspirational travel; Scotia Gold wins for simplicity.

Card details current as of June 2026. Earn rates and annual fees subject to change. Verify with the issuer before applying. See our Advertiser Disclosure.