
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Dining credit card is a fantastic option for foodies and travelers alike. It offers a generous sign-up bonus of 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months.
The card's dining credit is a major perk, earning 2X points on dining and travel purchases. This means you'll rack up points quickly on your favorite restaurants and hotels.
One of the best things about the Chase Sapphire Preferred is its 25% points bonus when redeemed for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards. This can be a huge money-saver, especially for big trips.
What Counts
When dining out, you want to know what counts towards earning rewards with your Chase Sapphire Preferred card. Most places with sit-down eating qualify, including fast-food restaurants and fine-dining establishments.
The card's dining rewards category includes everything from casual eats to high-end dining. As long as the location has an appropriate merchant category code, you'll earn 3 points per $1 spent on each purchase.
Here are some specific places that count as dining for Chase Sapphire Preferred:
- Fast food restaurants
- Fine-dining establishments
- Cafés
- Food delivery services
- Bars and breweries
- Coffee shops
- College dining halls
However, some specific locations may not qualify, such as merchants located within facilities like malls, stadiums, or supermarkets.
Sapphire Preferred Card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is a top choice for dining enthusiasts. You'll earn 4% cash back on dining purchases with this card.
With the Chase Sapphire Preferred, you'll earn 2X Chase Ultimate Rewards points per $1 on travel and dining purchases. This means you'll earn 1,600 points per month just for dining out.
Here's a breakdown of the rewards you can expect from the Chase Sapphire Preferred card:
The 50,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points you can earn with the Chase Sapphire Preferred are worth $500 when redeemed for cash or a statement credit.
Sapphire Preferred
The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is an excellent choice for beginners who want to earn flexible rewards points. You can earn 50,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
These points are worth $500 when redeemed for cash or a statement credit. However, if you book travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal, your points are worth 1.25 cents each, making them worth $625 toward travel.
The card earns 2X Chase Ultimate Rewards points per $1 on travel and dining, and 1X points per $1 on all other purchases. You can also earn 4% cash back on dining, 4% on entertainment, 2% at grocery stores, and 1% on all other purchases.
Here's a breakdown of the points you can earn with the Chase Sapphire Preferred:
- 1,800 Chase Ultimate Rewards points per month (1,600 points for travel and dining + 200 points for entertainment)
- 21,600 Chase Ultimate Rewards points per year
These points can be redeemed for cash, travel, or transferred to Chase's airline and hotel partners at a 1:1 ratio. This flexibility makes the Chase Sapphire Preferred a top choice for beginners.
Sapphire Preferred First Friday Bonus: 3X Points
The Sapphire Preferred first Friday bonus is a great way to boost your points earnings. If you're a cardholder, you'll earn 3X points on dining every first Friday of the month.
This bonus is a nice addition to your points earnings, but it's worth noting that the Chase Freedom card pays out 5 points per $1 on dining this quarter.
To take advantage of this bonus, simply register your Sapphire card with a dining rewards program of your choice. Then, earn bonus points the next time you dine at a restaurant.
The dining rewards programs also offer "first dine" bonuses, which can go up to 1,500 points when you meet a first-spend spending requirement. This is usually around $25-50.
To meet this spend requirement, consider picking up a gift card from your favorite restaurant or coffee shop. Then, use it at a later time to rack up those bonus points.
Fast Food and Credit Card Eligibility
Fast food does count as a restaurant for credit cards that have dining as a bonus rewards category. All major credit card companies include fast food locations within their definition of a restaurant for rewards purposes.
American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, and Chase are among the credit card companies that count fast food restaurants as eligible for bonus rewards.
To earn bonus rewards, the fast food restaurant simply needs a merchant category code that properly reflects that it’s a restaurant.
Eligibility and Requirements
Fast food restaurants do count as dining establishments for credit cards that offer bonus rewards in the dining category. All major credit card companies, including American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, and Chase, include fast food locations in their definition of a restaurant for rewards purposes.
To earn bonus rewards at fast food restaurants, the location simply needs a merchant category code that properly reflects it's a restaurant. This means you can earn rewards at your favorite fast food joints.
However, if you're using the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, there's a catch. You need to prepay for your reservation through Chase Dining to earn the 10X point bonus. If you can't prepay, you'll still earn 3X points when you swipe your card at the restaurant.
What Does the Sapphire Reserve Include?
The Chase Sapphire Reserve dining rewards category is quite inclusive, covering most places that offer sit-down or eat-in dining. This means you'll earn 3 points per $1 spent on purchases from merchants classified as "dining/restaurants".
You'll even earn points on eligible delivery services and takeout, making it easy to rack up rewards on your favorite foods. Credit Improvement Tips are also available to help you make the most of your dining rewards.
Purchases from merchants that fit the "dining/restaurants" classification will give you the 3 points per $1 spent, making it a great way to earn rewards on your dining habits.
Dining Options
Chase Sapphire Preferred cardholders enjoy a range of dining options that can earn them rewards and benefits.
Dining at participating restaurants is a great way to earn 2X points on every dollar spent, which can be redeemed for travel, cash back, or other rewards.
Participating restaurants include popular chains like Cheesecake Factory, Outback Steakhouse, and Red Lobster.
Top Restaurant Picks
If you're a foodie or just love trying new restaurants, you're in luck. The Amex Business Gold card auto-selects the top 2 spend categories for 4x points, including restaurants.
You can earn 4x points on your restaurant bills with the Amex Business Gold card, with a point value of 1.4¢ and a per dollar spent value of 5.6¢.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve card offers 3x points on dining, including cafes, bars, and fast food restaurants, with a point value of 1.7¢ and a per dollar spent value of 5.1¢.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is another great option, earning 3x points on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out, with a point value of 1.6¢ and a per dollar spent value of 4.8¢.
Here are the top restaurant picks at a glance:
Value Depends on Location
The value of Chase Dining really depends on your location. If you live in a major city like Chicago, you'll have access to a wide range of restaurants and dining experiences.
Not all areas have the same level of dining options, though. In fact, the list of Chase Dining restaurants includes more than 4,000 options, but many of them are concentrated around major population centers.
If you're a Chase Sapphire cardholder living in a smaller town, you might only have access to one or two restaurants in a nearby city. For example, if you live in Berea, Kentucky, you'll have access to restaurants in Louisville.
It's worth noting that the search engine will direct you to the nearest venue, but it's not a guarantee that it'll be worth the drive.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Chase Sapphire Reserve 3X dining?
Chase Sapphire Reserve 3X dining earns you 3 points for every $1 spent at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services
How many points do you get for dining at restaurants Chase Sapphire Reserve?
For dining at restaurants, you earn 3 points per dollar spent on your Chase Sapphire Reserve card.
What benefits do you get with Chase Sapphire Preferred?
With Chase Sapphire Preferred, you'll enjoy 2x points on travel and dining, plus benefits like trip cancellation insurance, primary car rental coverage, and no foreign transaction fees. Discover more travel perks and rewards that make this card a top choice for travelers.
Sources
- https://wallethub.com/answers/cc/does-fast-food-count-as-dining-chase-sapphire-2140750902/
- https://www.pointchaser.com/deals/chase-sapphire-preferred-first-friday-bonus-earn-3-points-on-dining/
- https://millionmilesecrets.com/guides/capital-one-savor-vs-chase-sapphire-preferred/
- https://10xtravel.com/chase-dining-guide/
- https://pointsnav.com/spend-category/restaurants
Featured Images: pexels.com