SINGAPORE — Eating out has become a lifestyle in this city known for its diverse cuisine. However, with the cost of living steadily rising, foodies are always looking for ways to make their dining experience more cost-effective.
This is where using a credit card, especially one that offers food rewards, can be a useful tool to have. If you don’t like cooking at home, but don’t want eating out to burn a big hole in your pocket, choosing the right dining credit card can save you money as well as give you a variety of perks and benefits. It may also lead to of cashback, miles, or reward points.
But with so many credit cards offering a variety of dining perks, choosing the right card for your personal spending habits can be difficult. Here’s a list of top credit cards that will help you save money while enjoying Singapore’s best food scene.
Which is the best dining credit card in Singapore?
There is no one-size-fits-all credit card when it comes to food credit cards, as each individual’s spending preferences are different. To choose the best card, you’ll need to consider factors such as your spending habits, your restaurant and dining preferences, and your preferred perks. Each card has its own benefits, so choose the one that best suits your requirements.
Please note that credit card terms and promotions are current as of January 2024 and are subject to change by your credit card issuer.
1. OCBC 365 Credit Card
We live in an era where having food delivered to your doorstep is the norm, a modern twist on the term “dining out.” Whether you’re going out to a restaurant or ordering food delivered to your home, use the OCBC 365 credit card to earn 5% off every month on local and international meals, especially online food delivery with Deliveroo, Foodpanda, and GrabFood. Earn cashback. However, cardholders should note that the 5 percent rebate only applies to payments at merchants whose primary business activity is classified as “food and beverage.” For example, be careful if you dine at a bar, hotel, or country club, as their primary business activity may not qualify as “dining” and may disqualify you from receiving cash back. It will be. In addition to dining, OCBC 365 also grants cash back on transportation, utilities, groceries, and streaming services, making it a flexible card option for diners.
Minimum spend: To receive the 5% cashback rate on meals, you must spend a minimum of S$800 per calendar month (maximum is S$80). If you spend less than S$800, you only get a flat 0.25% cashback. Spend a minimum of S$1,600 per calendar month and your monthly cashback limit will increase to S$160.
Qualifications: Must be 21 years of age or older and have a minimum annual income of S$30,000 or above.
Annual fees and exemptions: S$196.20, waived for first two years.
Benefit limit: Cashback is capped at S$80 per calendar month with a minimum spend of S$800 or S$160 per calendar month with a minimum spend of S$1,600.
Perfect for: Dining and online food delivery.
2. POSB Everyday Card
The POSB Everyday Card is our top pick for the best credit card for online food delivery. Compared to OCBC 365, the POSB Everyday Card offers a higher cashback rate of up to 10% on online food deliveries, but a lower cashback rate of 3% on all other food and beverage expenses. However, GrabFood users are excluded as food delivery platforms are limited to Deliveroo and Foodpanda only. The monthly cashback limit you can earn on meal-related transactions is also quite low at S$15 per month. In addition to meals, this card also offers cash back on groceries, utilities, and shopping.
Minimum spend: There are no minimum spending requirements for the categories Groceries, Utilities, Shopping, and Fuel. However, a minimum spend of S$800 per calendar month is required to avail the rebates in the Dining and Online Shopping categories.
Qualifications: Must be 21 years of age or older and have a minimum annual income of S$30,000 or above.
Annual fees and exemptions: S$196.20, first year free.
Benefit limit: The dining and online shopping categories have a monthly cashback cap of S$15.
Perfect for: Online food delivery with Deliveroo and Foodpanda.
3. UOB Ladies Credit Card
If earning air miles on dining-related transactions is your preferred form of credit card rewards, the UOB Lady’s Card is for you. With this card you can choose from 7 different spending categories and earn her 15x UNI$, or 30 miles for every S$5 she spends in the selected category. This equates to 6 miles per dollar (mpd), making it one of the highest miles per dollar rate cards on the market. This card gives you the flexibility to choose where you want to maximize your benefits. Cardholders can only choose one category to earn benefits, but you’ll be happy to know that dining is one of the categories they can choose from. Finally, although the name of the card might not suggest it, men can also apply for the UOB Lady’s card.
Minimum spend: none.
Qualifications: Must be 21 years of age or older and have a minimum annual income of S$30,000 or above.
Annual fees and exemptions: S$196.20, free for first year.
Benefit limit: The maximum bonus points awarded from selected spending categories is S$1,000 per calendar month. You can only select one spending category. The card’s top entry, the UOB Lady’s Solitaire Credit Card, extends the bonus point limit to S$3,000 per calendar month for her and allows her to choose up to two categories. Once the cap is reached, the card reverts to earning a base 0.4 mpd rate.
Perfect for: Earn air miles on meal-related transactions.
4. American Express Platinum Credit Card
If you love fine dining but don’t want to break the bank, you might like the American Express Platinum Credit Card, which offers up to 50% off at select restaurants through Love @ Dining and Love @ Hotel members-only programs. not. Dining benefits are available at fine dining restaurants and bars at properties such as Alegria, Sky 22 and Sen of Japan, as well as hotels such as Resorts World Sentosa, St. Regis and Singapore Marriott Tan Plaza Hotel. If you need a drink to wash down your meal, the Chillax program has a list of bars island-wide, and members enjoy perks like a free welcome drink and his one-on-one free first drink. Overall, the American Express Platinum Card has a strong range of benefits, but it only offers 0.6% cash back on meals and other transactions.
Minimum spend: none.
Qualifications: Over 21 years old. Applications are open to customers who meet regulatory minimum income requirements and internal assessments.
Annual fees and exemptions: S$327.00, no exemption.
Benefit limit: none.
Perfect for: Fine cuisine.
promotion: First-time American Express applicants can receive a S$200 eCapitaVoucher by paying an annual fee and can meet a minimum spend of S$1,000 within the first month of card approval. Existing members who apply will receive a S$100 eCapitaVoucher. If you are among the first 2,000 successful applicants, you will be awarded an additional S$50 eCapitaVouchers. This offer is valid until February 28, 2024 for him.
5. Maybank Family and Friends Card
It’s not uncommon for Singaporean foodies to travel to neighboring Malaysia in search of great places to eat. If this sounds like you and you love receiving easy cashback rewards, take advantage of the Maybank Family and Friends Card’s generous 8% cashback per calendar month in five priority categories from a list of 10 options. The list includes dining and food delivery, grocery stores, pharmacies, entertainment, and transportation. In addition to her 5 categories selected, her 8% cashback also applies to all expenses paid in Malaysian Ringgit (RM), making it ideal for those who frequently visit the country is. Like the UOB Lady’s Card, it’s designed to suit your lifestyle, but with a Malaysian twist, it offers more categories to choose from and offers cashback instead of reward points.
Minimum spend: The minimum monthly spend is S$800. If the minimum spend is not met, or for all other spends above 10 categories, the cashback rate drops to 0.3%.
Qualifications: Must be 21 years of age or older and have a minimum annual income of S$30,000 or above.
Annual fees and exemptions: S$196.20, waived for first 3 years.
Benefit limit: The cashback limit is S$150 per calendar month or S$25 per category, including costs incurred in RM. Category selection is limited to 5 out of 10 and can only be changed once every 3 months.
Perfect for: Earn cashback on dining-related expenses with customers who enjoy dining in Malaysia.
promotion: A pair of American Tourister Linex 66/24 Luggage TSA, or AirPods (3rd generation) with Lightning charging case, or S$200 when you spend a minimum of S$600 each in the first two consecutive months after card authorization. Receive cashback. This offer is valid until January 31, 2024.
6. HSBC Revolution Credit Card
There are many points credit cards on the market, but when it comes to dining, the HSBC Revolution Credit Card has unique benefits. From dining and online food delivery to travel and groceries, we offer 10x points on online purchases and contactless payments. Rewards points can be used to offset credit card bills in the form of cash back, converted to miles, or redeemed for rewards. In addition, cardholders receive complimentary access to the Entertainer with HSBC app, which includes over 1,000 one-to-one global deals on dining, lifestyle and travel. A variety of eateries include Barossa Steak and Grill, Lokku Yakiniku, Paul Bakery and Siam Kitchen.
Minimum spend: none.
Qualifications: Must be 21 years of age or older and have a minimum annual income of S$30,000 or above.
Annual fees and exemptions: none.
Benefit limit: 10X Rewards Points on eligible payments are limited to 10,000 points or S$1,000 per calendar month, after which you will receive an unlimited number of 1X Rewards Points on every dollar spent.
Perfect for: Earn reward points on meal-related transactions.
promotion: New HSBC cardholders can choose between the Samsonite ZELTUS 69cm Spinner Exp with built-in scale (valued at S$680) or a welcome gift of S$150 cashback. This offer is valid until June 30, 2024.
Look out for promotions on meals and buffets with credit cards
Many credit card providers partner with well-known eateries to offer exclusive discounts or free food and drinks. These are usually offered as 1-for-1 deals, buffet promotions, free desserts, or welcome drinks. Examples include dining benefits from American Express’ Love @ Hotel and Love @ Dining programs, and Entertainer from the HSBC app.
Card issuers change their offers from time to time, so keep an eye out for these promotions whenever possible.
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