Groceries and gas are the two spending categories that hit every household every month. The average American household spends about $500/month on groceries and $150-200/month on gas. With the right card, that's $400-600+ per year back in your pocket.
Here are the best cards for each category, plus the best combo picks if you want one card for both.
Best for Groceries: Blue Cash Preferred from American Express
6% at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000/year in purchases, then 1%) $95 annual fee ($0 first year)
The Blue Cash Preferred has the highest grocery earn rate on any credit card. At 6% back on up to $6,000/year in grocery spending, you can earn $360/year in cash back on groceries alone. The $95 annual fee pays for itself if you spend just $1,583/year ($132/month) on groceries.
Also earns 6% on select U.S. streaming subscriptions and 3% on gas and transit.
The catch: The 6% only works at U.S. supermarkets, not warehouse clubs (Costco, Sam's Club) or superstores (Walmart, Target). If you mainly shop at Costco, this card won't help on groceries.
Best for: Families who spend $300-500/month at traditional supermarkets like Kroger, Publix, Safeway, or Whole Foods.
Best for Gas: Chase Freedom Flex
5% on rotating quarterly categories (frequently includes gas stations) $0 annual fee
The Freedom Flex doesn't always earn bonus rates on gas — it depends on the quarterly category rotation. But when gas is a category (which it is at least 1-2 quarters per year), you earn 5% back up to $1,500 in purchases that quarter. That's $75 back per quarter on gas.
Also permanently earns 3% on dining and drugstores, and 5% on Chase Travel.
The catch: You have to activate the category each quarter, and the $1,500 cap means heavy gas spenders max out quickly. When gas isn't a rotating category, you earn 1%.
Best for: People who pay attention to quarterly categories and want a no-fee card with gas upside.
Best Flat-Rate for Gas: Citi Strata Premier
3X on gas stations (no cap, no activation) $95 annual fee
The Citi Strata Premier earns 3X on gas every day of the year with no quarterly activation and no spending cap. It also earns 3X on restaurants, supermarkets, air travel, and hotels — making it one of the most broadly useful mid-tier cards for everyday spending.
Points transfer to 17+ airline and hotel partners, giving you roughly 1.5-2 cents per point in value. At 3X on gas with 1.5 cent/point value, that's effectively 4.5% back on gas.
Best for: Moderate-to-heavy gas spenders who also want a solid travel card for the same $95 fee.
Best Combo for Both: Amex Gold Card
4X on U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000/year) and 1X on gas $325 annual fee (effective ~$85-125 after credits)
Wait — the Amex Gold doesn't earn bonus rates on gas. So why is it here?
Because its 4X on groceries applies to a $25,000/year cap — four times the Blue Cash Preferred's $6,000 cap. For big grocery spenders, the higher cap means more total rewards. And the 4X on dining makes it the best single card for food spending overall.
For gas, pair it with a no-fee card like the Freedom Flex (5% rotating) or BofA Customized Cash (3% on your chosen category).
Best for: Households that spend $500+ per month on groceries and want maximum earn on food, with a separate card handling gas.
Best Budget Pick: Bank of America Customized Cash
3% in your chosen category (you pick: gas, online shopping, dining, travel, drug stores, or home improvement) $0 annual fee
The BofA Customized Cash lets you choose gas as your 3% category — permanently, no rotation, no activation. It also earns 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $2,500/quarter in combined choice + grocery spending).
If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards member (maintain $20K+ across BofA and Merrill accounts), the rates jump to 5.25% on your chosen category and 3.5% on groceries.
Best for: BofA customers who want a no-fee card with reliable 3% gas rewards. The Preferred Rewards boost makes it even better.
The Math: How Much Can You Save?
Assuming $500/month groceries and $175/month gas:
| Card | Grocery Earning | Gas Earning | Annual Value | Annual Fee | Net Value | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | Blue Cash Preferred | 6% ($360) | 3% ($63) | $423 | $95 | $328 | | Amex Gold (4X @ 1.5cpp) | $360 | $31.50 | $391 | ~$100 eff. | $291 | | Citi Strata Premier (3X @ 1.5cpp) | $270 | $94.50 | $364 | $95 | $269 | | Freedom Flex (gas Qs only) | $60 | ~$75 (2 Qs) | $135 | $0 | $135 | | BofA Customized (gas) | 2% ($120) | 3% ($63) | $183 | $0 | $183 |
The Blue Cash Preferred wins on pure grocery + gas math. The Amex Gold earns less on gas but more on dining and travel if those are part of your spending. The no-fee options earn less but cost nothing.
Two-Card Combos
If you want to maximize both categories, pair cards:
Best combo: Blue Cash Preferred (groceries, 6%) + Freedom Flex (gas, 5% rotating) or BofA Customized Cash (gas, 3% fixed). Total annual fee: $95. Estimated annual value on $500/mo groceries + $175/mo gas: $360-$435.
Premium combo: Amex Gold (groceries 4X + dining 4X) + Citi Strata Premier (gas 3X + travel 3X). Total annual fee: ~$195 effective. Covers groceries, dining, gas, and travel all at 3X-4X.
The Verdict
For groceries specifically, the Blue Cash Preferred at 6% is unbeatable. For gas, the Citi Strata Premier at 3X with no cap is the most consistent option, or the Freedom Flex at 5% if you don't mind quarterly rotation.
If you want one card for both: the Amex Gold covers groceries at 4X with a high cap, and you can pair a no-fee gas card alongside it. Two cards, all your food and fuel spending optimized, under $100/year in effective fees.