Best Grocery Credit Cards in Canada
Grocery rewards vary a lot by where you shop — some cards pay their best rate only at specific banners, others exclude Costco or Walmart, and spending caps can limit what you actually earn. These picks are the cards we review that earn about 4% or more back on groceries, ranked by MoneyMint Score, which also weighs the fee, insurance and how easy the rewards are to use.
Short answer: The American Express Cobalt Card earns the most on groceries by our valuation: 5 Membership Rewards points per $1 on eats and drinks, including groceries (about 8.5% if you redeem for travel), on up to about $2,500 a month, for $191.88 a year. For straight cash back, the BMO CashBack World Elite (#3) pays 5% on the first $500 a month, with the $139 fee waived in year one, but needs $80,000 individual or $150,000 household income. If you shop at Sobeys, Safeway, IGA or FreshCo, the Scotiabank Gold American Express (#2) earns 6 Scene+ points per $1 there and 5 at other grocery stores. Card details last checked September 25, 2026 against issuer pages.
Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card
Earns up to 6 Scene+ points per $1 at Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo, Foodland and other Sobeys-family stores, with no foreign transaction fee. It ranks #2 in our list below.
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Our Picks, Ranked
among grocery cards
American Express Cobalt Card
Why it’s #1: Highest grocery rate (points). Membership Rewards points: 5X on eligible eats & drinks in Canada — confirmed to include groceries, restaurants, and food delivery — with combined…
Good for
- ✓Front Of The Line presale/reserved tickets for concerts, theatre, and events
- ✓The Hotel Collection perks for 2+ night stays booked via Amex Travel
Worth knowing
- !The ‘no annual fee’ framing is misleading — it’s billed monthly and totals $191.88/year…
- !No airport lounge access.
among grocery cards
Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card
Why it’s here: Best for Sobeys shoppers. 6x Scene+ points at Sobeys-family grocery stores; 5x other groceries/dining/food delivery/entertainment; 3x gas/transit/select streaming…
Good for
- ✓Discounted Priority Pass lounge membership
- ✓Travel medical insurance $1,000,000
Worth knowing
- !$120/yr fee with no universal first-year waiver (rebate only via an existing Scotiabank package)
- !Bonus categories cap at $50,000 combined spend/yr
among grocery cards
BMO CashBack World Elite Mastercard
Why it’s here: Highest grocery cash back. 5% cash back on groceries (up to $500/month), 4% on transit (up to $300/month), 3% on gas/EV charging (up to $300/month), 2% on recurring bills (up to $500/month)…
Good for
- ✓Tiered cash back up to 5% on groceries, with no cap on the 1% base rate
- ✓Cash back can be redeemed anytime for as little as $1
Worth knowing
- !High income requirement: $80,000 individual or $150,000 household
- !$139 annual fee after year one
among grocery cards
American Express SimplyCash Preferred Card
Why it’s here: Flat 4% at grocery stores. 4% cash back on eligible gas purchases at stand-alone gas stations in Canada; 4% cash back on eligible grocery purchases at stand-alone grocery stores in Canada…
Good for
- ✓Referral bonus — up to $750 in cash back per calendar year for approved referrals
- ✓American Express Experiences — presale/ticket access for concerts, theatre, and events
Worth knowing
- !Cash back is credited only once a year (September statement), not monthly.
- !The 4% gas/grocery rate applies only at stand-alone gas stations and grocery stores — Costco, superstores…
among grocery cards
Scotia Momentum® Visa Infinite +* Card
Why it’s here: 4% with generous caps. 4% cash back on groceries and recurring bills/subscriptions (combined $25,000/yr cap); 2% on gas, EV charging, transit, rideshare, food delivery…
Good for
- ✓Travel medical insurance up to $1,000,000
- ✓Trip cancellation ~$1,500/person
Worth knowing
- !$120/yr fee returns after the first year
- !4%/2% bonus rates cap at $25,000 per category per year, then drop to 1%
among grocery cards
CIBC Dividend Visa Infinite Card
Why it’s here: 4% on groceries and gas. 4% cash back on gas, EV charging, and groceries; 2% on transportation, dining, recurring bills, and travel booked through CIBC by Expedia; 1% on all other purchases.
Good for
- ✓Out-of-province/out-of-country emergency travel medical insurance up to $5,000,000…
- ✓Rental car collision/loss damage insurance, covering vehicles up to $85,000 MSRP for…
Worth knowing
- !$120 annual fee applies from year two onward, once the first-year rebate ends
- !2.5% foreign transaction fee on purchases made in a foreign currency, with no waiver available
among grocery cards
National Bank World Elite Mastercard
Why it’s here: 5x on groceries and dining. 5 points per $1 on groceries and restaurants (on the first $2,500 a month combined), up to $150 a year back on travel expenses such as parking, baggage fees and seat selection, and emergency medical and trip cancellation insurance. No current welcome offer; needs $80,000 personal or $150,000 household income.
Good for
- ✓Up to $150 a year in travel-expense reimbursements
- ✓Emergency medical, trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance
Worth knowing
- !No welcome offer currently
- !$80,000 individual / $150,000 household income requirement
Also Worth a Look
These three didn’t make our top seven on the MoneyMint Score, but each can beat it at the right store or if you don’t want to pay a fee.
PC Insiders World Elite MastercardAnnual fee: $120 a year (waived in year one)
40 PC Optimum points per $1 (about 4%) at Loblaw-family grocery stores such as Loblaws, No Frills and Real Canadian Superstore, and 10 points per $1 almost everywhere else. Needs $80,000 personal or $150,000 household income.
Scotiabank American Express CardAnnual fee: $0
3 Scene+ points per $1 at Sobeys, Safeway, IGA, FreshCo and other Sobeys-family stores, and 2 per $1 at other grocery stores and on dining, gas and transit. Amex isn’t accepted everywhere.
Triangle World Elite MastercardAnnual fee: $0
3% back in CT Money on groceries (on the first $12,000 a year, excluding Costco and Walmart) and 4% at Canadian Tire, Sport Chek and Mark’s. CT Money is worth the most at Triangle stores, and you need $80,000 personal or $150,000 household income.
All 7 at a Glance
Compare any cards side by side →| # | Card | Annual fee | Welcome bonus (est.) | Rewards | Grocery rate (est.) | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | American Express Cobalt Card | $191.88 | $255 | ~8.5% groceries | ~8.5% | 4.8 ★ | Apply |
| 2 | Scotiabank Gold American Express Card | $120 | $500 | ~5–6% groceries | ~5–6% | 4.7 ★ | Apply |
| 3 | BMO CashBack World Elite Mastercard | $139 (yr 1 waived) | $650 | ~5% groceries | ~5% | 4.6 ★ | Apply |
| 4 | American Express SimplyCash Preferred Card | $119.88 | $250 | ~4% groceries | ~4% | 4.0 ★ | Apply |
| 5 | Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite + Card | $120 (yr 1 waived) | $300 | ~4% groceries | ~4% | 4.0 ★ | Apply |
| 6 | CIBC Dividend Visa Infinite Card | $120 (yr 1 waived) | $200 | ~4% groceries | ~4% | 3.9 ★ | Apply |
| 7 | National Bank World Elite Mastercard | $150 | — | ~4.5% groceries | ~4.5% | 3.9 ★ | Apply |
Welcome bonus values use MoneyMint’s points valuations, not the issuer’s advertised “up to” figure. Rewards rates are estimated cash-equivalent values. Cards are ordered by MoneyMint Score. Star ratings on this page compare the cards shown here: the highest-scoring card gets 4.8 and the others are scaled to it, so a card’s review page, which compares it with its own group, can show a different rating. Methodology
What’s the Best Credit Card for Groceries in Canada?
By cash back, the BMO CashBack World Elite’s 5% (on the first $500 a month) is the highest we’ve found. By points, the Amex Cobalt’s 5X on eats and drinks, groceries included, is worth about 8.5% at our valuation if you redeem for travel. If you shop mainly at Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo or IGA, the Scotiabank Gold American Express earns 6x Scene+ points at those stores. Store-branded cards can also beat these at their own banners, such as the PC Insiders World Elite at Loblaw-family stores.
Do Grocery Rewards Apply at Costco or Walmart?
Often not. Most issuers decide what counts as a grocery store by the merchant’s category code, and several, including American Express, exclude superstores, wholesale clubs or general-merchandise stores from their grocery rate. Costco and Walmart purchases usually earn the card’s base rate instead. Read each card’s terms on which merchants qualify before assuming your regular store counts.
Is There a Cap on How Much I Can Earn on Groceries?
Yes, on nearly every card on this list. Caps range from a monthly limit (BMO’s $500 a month, the Cobalt’s roughly $2,500 a month of eats and drinks, National Bank’s $2,500 a month of groceries and restaurants) to annual ceilings (the Scotia Momentum’s $25,000 a year and the Amex SimplyCash Preferred’s combined $30,000 of spending). Past the cap, the rate drops to the card’s base rate, usually 1%.
Should I Pick a Card Based on My Regular Grocery Store?
Yes, especially for the banner-specific cards. If you already shop at Loblaws, Real Canadian Superstore, or No Frills, PC Insiders World Elite Mastercard’s 40-points-per-dollar rate at those specific stores is hard to beat. If your grocery spending is spread across different chains, a broader percentage-based card like BMO CashBack World Elite is more reliable.
Are There Any No-Fee Cards With Strong Grocery Rewards?
None of our seven ranked picks is free, but two of the cards under “Also worth a look” are, and both earn well on groceries. The Triangle World Elite pays 3% in CT Money on groceries (excluding Costco and Walmart, up to $12,000 a year), though it needs $80,000 personal income, and the Scotiabank American Express pays 3 Scene+ points per $1 at Sobeys-family stores and 2 at other grocery stores. Our no annual fee rankings cover more options.
Rates, fees and offers are as last verified by MoneyMint and may have changed — always confirm current terms on the issuer’s official page before applying. Some links on this page may be affiliate links, meaning MoneyMint could earn a commission if you apply through them, at no extra cost to you. This never affects which cards we feature or how we rank them. This is general information, not personalized financial advice. Where a card earns points, “estimated value” figures convert points to dollars using MoneyMint’s own point valuations — see our points value calculator.