Which credit card is best for restaurant owners?

If you’re a restaurant owner, you will need to get a card that rewards general purchases more than restaurant purchases because your food distributor vendors will almost certainly not fall into the “restaurants” category. The best cards are the Capital One Spark Miles card, Capital One Venture X Business card, Amex Business Platinum card, Ink Business Unlimited card, Capital One Spark Cash Plus card, Ink Business Premier card, and Capital One Spark Miles Select card.

Can I use my personal credit card for my restaurant business?

It’s probably not a good idea. You should probably get a business credit card in the name of your business so you can properly separate business and personal expenses for accounting and bookkeeping.

How do I apply for a credit card for my restaurant business?

It’s pretty simple to do so; first, determine the legal structure of your business, whether it’s an LLC or corporation. Then, compile key information surrounding your business, including annual revenue numbers and your EIN. After that, use all of that information to apply for your business credit card.

Do restaurants need business credit cards?

You technically don’t need a business credit card as a restaurant — you can conduct all of your business through bank account transfers and wire transfers. But you’d seriously be missing out on hundreds of thousands of dollars in the long run, so why wouldn’t you start using a business credit card?

7 Best Business Credit Cards for Restaurant Owners [2024]

Updated: October 23, 2024, 8:26am CDT

Edited by:

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What To Look For in a Business Credit Card for Restaurant Owners
The 7 Best Business Cards for Restaurant Owners
Final Thoughts

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If you’re a restaurant owner, in our opinion you should absolutely make sure you’re earning rewards from your credit card purchases. The restaurant business is a notoriously low-margin business, so every single dollar you can get back will make a difference.

Let’s get into it!

What To Look For in a Business Credit Card for Restaurant Owners

The vast majority of your expenses as a restaurant owner will probably be from food distributors or wholesale companies. You might spend a few dollars here and there on gasoline, electronics, or office supplies, but you’re probably going to be allocating almost all of your budget to food distributors and wholesale companies.

Restaurants also spend a ton of money every single month, so you’ll need to look for a card with either a high credit limit or no preset spending limit at all.

Purchase protection and extended warranty probably aren’t all that important for perishable food purchases — but you’ll need to find a suitable credit card where you can make large purchases at companies like Sysco and US Foods for maximum rewards.

The 7 Best Business Cards for Restaurant Owners

There’s an enormous difference between the types of purchases restaurant owners make to buy food at scale versus the types of purchases consumers make when dining out at a restaurant.

For this reason, it doesn’t make sense for a restaurant owner to get a business card that rewards restaurant or grocery spending.

Instead, you’ll need to get cards that offer the best general rewards. Here are our picks:

Card Summary

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Card	Welcome Bonus and Annual Fee	Benefits for Restaurant Owners
Capital One Spark Miles for BusinessInformation collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One.	50,000 miles Capital One Spark Miles for Business Earn a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles – equal to $500 in travel – once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. Annual fee of $0 intro for the first year, $95 after that	2x miles on all purchases No-additional-fee employee cards
Capital One Venture X Business CardInformation collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One.	150,000 miles Capital One Venture X Business Card Earn 150,000 bonus miles once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months from account opening Annual fee of $395 (rates & fees)	2x miles on all purchases No preset spending limit No-additional-fee employee cards
The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express	ELEVATED OFFER150,000 points The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Annual fee of $695 (rates & fees)	1.5x points on eligible purchases in key business categories and on eligible purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else (up to $2 million per calendar year) No preset spending limit* Access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges
Ink Business Unlimited^® Credit Card	$750 Ink Business Unlimited^® Credit Card Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Annual fee of $0	1.5% cash-back on all purchases 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; variable 17.99% - 23.99% thereafter No-additional-fee employee cards
Capital One Spark Cash Plus CardInformation collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One.	Up to $4,000+ Capital One Spark Cash Plus Card $2,000 cash back once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months. Earn an additional $2,000 cash bonus for every $500K spent during the first year. Annual fee of $150	2% cash-back on all purchases No preset spending limit No-additional-fee employee cards
Ink Business Premier^® Credit Card	$1,000 Ink Business Premier^® Credit Card Earn $1,000 bonus cash-back after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Annual fee of $195	2% cash-back on all purchases 2.5% cash-back on all purchases of $5,000 or more No preset spending limit No-additional-fee employee cards
Capital One Spark Miles Select for BusinessInformation collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One.	50,000 miles Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business Earn a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. Annual fee of $0	1.5x miles on all purchases No-additional-fee employee cards

Capital One Spark Miles for Business

U.P. Rating

The Capital One Spark Miles card is a low-annual-fee business card that earns 2x transferable miles on every dollar you spend. (Information collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One.)

Capital One Spark Miles for Business

The Capital One Spark Miles card is a low-annual-fee business card that earns 2x transferable miles on every dollar you spend. (Information collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One.)

Welcome OfferEarn a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles – equal to $500 in travel – once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
50,000 miles

UP's Bonus Valuation*:
$900

Annual Fee

$0 intro for the first year, $95 after that

APR

25.74% Variable

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Capital One Spark Miles for Business is a great option for business owners looking for an uncomplicated rewards card that earns double miles on every purchase they make and offers access to transfer partners, all for a low annual fee.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Unlimited 2x miles per dollar spent on all purchases
5x miles per dollar spent on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars purchased through Capital One Travel
2 complimentary visits to a Capital One Lounge per year

Cons

Annual fee: $0 intro for the first year, $95 after that

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Earn a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles – equal to $500 in travel – once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
Earn unlimited 2X miles per dollar on every purchase, everywhere, no limits or category restrictions, and miles won’t expire for the life of the account
Unlimited 5X miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
Transfer your miles to 15+ travel loyalty programs
Redeem your miles instantly for any travel-related purchases, from flights and hotels to ride-sharing services
Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck^®
$0 intro annual fee for the first year; $95 after that
Free employee cards which also earn unlimited 2X miles per dollar from their purchases

Financial Snapshot

APR: 25.74% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

The Capital One Spark Miles card is our top-winning business card for restaurant owners. To start off, you’ll enjoy a welcome bonus offer after meeting a pretty low spending requirement.

The reason why we love this card is that you can earn up to 5x Capital One miles on purchases made on this card:

5x miles on hotel, vacation rental, and rental car bookings made through Capital One Travel
2x miles on other purchases

As a restaurant owner, earning 2x miles on all your purchases is a huge deal, and the rewards will add up quickly over time.

Additionally, the Capital One Spark Miles card comes with a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit, purchase protection, extended warranty, and more.

Plus, the Capital One Spark Miles card has no foreign transaction fees and no additional annual fees for employee cards.

Why We Like Earning Capital One Miles

Capital One miles are incredibly valuable — you can use your rewards to book some incredible luxury travel through Capital One’s transfer partners.

By our measures, 2x Capital One miles is equal to a 3.6% return on spending, which is fantastic.

You can also redeem Capital One miles for Capital One Travel bookings, Amazon.com purchases, gift cards, and statement credits, but you won’t get outsized value with these redemption methods.

Capital One Venture X Business Card

U.P. Rating

The Capital One Venture X Business card offers at least 2x miles on all purchases, and comes packed with premium perks.

Capital One Venture X Business Card

The Capital One Venture X Business card offers at least 2x miles on all purchases, and comes packed with premium perks.

Welcome OfferEarn 150,000 bonus miles once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months from account opening
150,000 miles

UP's Bonus Valuation*:
$2,700

Annual Fee

$395

APR

All charges made on this account are due and payable in full when you receive your periodic statement. The minimum payment due is the New Balance as indicated on your statement.

Why We Like This Card

The information regarding the Capital One Venture X Business card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

The Capital One Venture X Business card is a great all-around premium rewards card that helps you rack up miles on all of your business expenses.

From 2x miles per dollar on all purchases, airport lounge access, an annual travel credit, complimentary employee cards, and more, there is plenty to love about the Capital One Venture X Business card.

Pros & Cons

Pros

10x miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars purchased through Capital One Travel
5x miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals purchased through Capital One Travel
2x miles per dollar on all other purchases

Cons

$395 annual fee (rates and fees)
10x and 5x bonus categories are limited to Capital One Travel bookings

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Earn unlimited 2X miles per dollar on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
This card has no preset spending limit, so you get purchasing power that adapts to your spending needs. The annual fee on this card is $395
Earn 150,000 bonus miles once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months from account opening
Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
Earn unlimited 10X miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get the best prices on thousands of options
Every year, you’ll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Travel
Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
Skip the lines with up to a $120 statement credit on TSA PreCheck^® or Global Entry. Then enjoy unlimited complimentary access to Capital One Lounges and a network of 1,300+ lounges worldwide, including Priority Pass™ and Plaza Premium Group lounges
This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month
Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection

Financial Snapshot

APR: All charges made on this account are due and payable in full when you receive your periodic statement. The minimum payment due is the New Balance as indicated on your statement.
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

Another great card option is the Capital One Venture X Business card.

This terrific card earns the same 2x miles on almost all restaurant owner expenses, but it notably offers better benefits at a higher price tag.

Plus, the Capital One Venture X Business card also has no preset spending limit, making it easy for business owners to make large purchases without worrying about their card getting declined.

You can get up to 10x miles on purchases:

10x miles on hotels and car rentals purchased through Capital One Travel
5x miles on flights and vacation rentals purchased through Capital One Travel
2x miles on other purchases

So what’s the difference between the Capital One Spark Miles card and the Capital One Venture X Business card if you earn 2x miles on almost all of the purchases that restaurant owners make? The answer is benefits.

With the Capital One Venture X Business card, you’ll get complimentary airport lounge access to Capital One Lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and Priority Pass lounges, as well as a $300 Capital One Travel credit every anniversary year and an account anniversary bonus of 10,000 miles after every account anniversary year.

There’s also a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit, travel insurance, and cell phone protection, too.

You won’t find any foreign transaction fees or additional annual fees for employee cards.

Bottom Line: Capital One miles are earned on every purchase, with extra earnings in bonus categories. Although Capital One miles are not airline miles and cannot be used to book award flights directly, you can use the miles as a statement credit toward previous travel purchases, transfer miles to airline or hotel partners, or book travel directly with Capital One.

The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express

ELEVATED OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express

U.P. Rating

This card is ideal for business travelers who enjoy luxury travel and are looking for a card loaded with benefits!

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express

This card is ideal for business travelers who enjoy luxury travel and are looking for a card loaded with benefits!

Welcome OfferEarn 150,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
150,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:
$3,300

Annual Fee

$695

APR

18.74% - 27.74% Variable

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express is a premium travel rewards card tailored toward business owners who are frequent travelers with a high number of annual expenses.

When you factor in the large number of perks that the card offers like the best airport lounge access at over 1,400 lounges, along with tons of annual credits, it’s easy to see why this card can is a top option for frequent traveling business owners.

Pros & Cons

Pros

5x Membership Rewards points per $1 on flights and prepaid hotels at Amex Travel
Access to over 1,400 worldwide airport lounges as part of the American Express Global Lounge Collection
Get 50% more Membership Rewards points (1.5 points per $1) on eligible purchases in key business categories, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more (cap applies)

Cons

High annual fee of $695 (rates & fees)
Airline fee credit does not cover airfare, only incidentals like checked bags

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Welcome Offer: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
5X Membership Rewards^® points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases.
Earn 1.5X points (that’s an extra half point per dollar) on each eligible purchase at US construction material, hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more, on up to $2 million per Card Account per calendar year. Purchases eligible for multiple additional point bonuses will only receive the highest eligible bonus.
Unlock over $1,000 in statement credits on select purchases, including tech, recruiting and wireless in the first year of membership with the Business Platinum Card^®. Enrollment required. See how you can unlock over $1,000 annually in credits on select purchases with the Business Platinum Card^®, here.
$200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to the Card.
$199 CLEAR^® Plus Credit: Use your card and get up to $199 in statement credits per calendar year on your CLEAR^® Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use the Business Platinum Card^®.
The American Express Global Lounge Collection^® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market as of 03/2023.
$695 Annual Fee.
Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

APR: 18.74% - 27.74% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

Hot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a welcome bonus offer of up to 250k points with the Amex Business Platinum card. The current public offer is 150,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)

One of our favorite business cards for restaurant owners is the Amex Business Platinum card, which has an unbeatable list of luxury travel and business benefits.

Let’s start off with the welcome bonus offer (easily worth more than $2,000) and earning structure:

5x points on flights and prepaid hotels booked through AmexTravel.com
1.5x points on eligible purchases in key business categories and on eligible purchases of $5,000 or more (up to $2 million in purchases per calendar year)
1x points on other purchases

If you’re a restaurant owner, you’re probably routinely making large purchases of $5,000 or more, especially when working with distributors. That means you’ll probably earn 1.5x points!

The list of key business categories includes:

U.S. construction material and hardware suppliers
U.S. electronic goods retailers
U.S. software and cloud system providers
U.S. shipping providers

Additionally, those who have the Amex Business Platinum card enjoy access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection, which includes:

Centurion Lounges
Delta Sky Clubs (when flying Delta on the same day)
Escape Lounges — The Centurion Studio Partner
International American Express Centurion Lounges
Select Lufthansa Lounges (when flying Lufthansa Group on the same day)
Plaza Premium Lounges
Priority Pass lounges, upon enrollment
Select Virgin Clubhouses

The Amex Business Platinum card also gets you these extra luxury travel benefits:

Access to Fine Hotels & Resorts and The Hotel Collection
Complimentary Hilton Honors Gold and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status upon enrollment
Rental car elite status and benefits at Avis, Hertz, and National
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
Up to $200 airline fee credit
Up to $400 Dell credit
Up to $199 CLEAR^® Plus credit
Up to $360 Indeed credit
Up to $150 Adobe credit
35% airline bonus on eligible flights booked through AmexTravel.com via Pay With Points

Of course, this card has no preset spending limit*, superb travel insurance, QuickBooks integrations, purchase protection, extended warranty, cell phone protection, return protection, and no foreign transaction fees (rates & fees).

Why We Like Earning Amex Membership Rewards Points

The Amex Business Platinum card earns Amex Membership Rewards points, which are worth 2.2 cents each according to our valuations. That makes Amex points the most valuable type of transferrable points available.

And if you earn 1.5x points, that’s like earning a 3.3% return on spending, which is terrific. You can optimally leverage your Amex points by transferring your points to the American Express transfer partners to book luxury flights and hotels.

If you’re looking for other ways to use your points, you can also redeem Amex points for charity, statement credits, gift cards, and AmexTravel.com portal bookings. Just remember that you’ll get a majorly reduced redemption value when you use points in these ways.

Ink Business Unlimited^® Credit Card

U.P. Rating

The Ink Business Unlimited card is a stellar option for business owners looking for a no-fuss uncapped 1.5% cash-back card without an annual fee.

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

Ink Business Unlimited^® Credit Card

The Ink Business Unlimited card is a stellar option for business owners looking for a no-fuss uncapped 1.5% cash-back card without an annual fee.

Welcome OfferEarn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
$750

UP's Bonus Valuation*:
$750

Annual Fee

APR

0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; variable 17.99% - 23.99% thereafter

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

As a business owner, you likely keep pretty busy and probably prefer a credit card that just keeps things simple.

If so, the Ink Business Unlimited^® Credit Card might be just the card for you. From zero annual fee to a flat cash-back rate, the card is a no-frills option that you don’t have to think twice about.

Don’t forget too, 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; variable 17.99% - 23.99% thereafter

Pros & Cons

Pros

1.5% cash-back on all purchases
No annual fee
0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; variable 17.99% - 23.99% thereafter

Cons

3% foreign transaction fee

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business
No Annual Fee
Redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards^®.
Earn rewards faster with employee cards at no additional cost. Set individual spending limits for greater control.
Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases
With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases
Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

APR: 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; variable 17.99% - 23.99% thereafter
Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

The Ink Business Unlimited card is our next-best option, and this credit card earns streamlined cash-back rewards with the potential to convert your cash-back to transferrable points.

You can earn 1.5% cash back on all purchases, except for 5% cash back on Lyft purchases through March 31, 2025.

Your 1.5% cash-back rewards can be converted to 1.5x Ultimate Rewards points if you pair your Ink Business Unlimited card with an Ultimate Rewards credit card such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card or Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card.

By converting your 1.5% cash-back to 1.5x Ultimate Rewards points, you’ll get a return on spending of 3%.

The Ink Business Unlimited card boasts 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; variable 17.99% - 23.99% thereafter, primary rental car insurance, purchase protection, extended warranty, zero liability fraud protection, and no-additional fee employee cards.

Why We Like Earning Chase Ultimate Rewards Points

Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth 2.0 cents each, but it’s easy to get even better value than that if you use Chase’s transfer partners to book luxury airfare and hotel stays.

You can also use your Chase points for Chase Travel portal bookings, statement credits, gift cards, cash-back, Pay Yourself Back, Amazon.com purchases, and online shopping.

Capital One Spark Cash Plus Card

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Capital One Spark Cash Plus Card

U.P. Rating

The Capital One Spark Cash Plus card offers an unlimited 2% cash-back on all purchases and helpful features for business owners.

Capital One Spark Cash Plus Card

The Capital One Spark Cash Plus card offers an unlimited 2% cash-back on all purchases and helpful features for business owners.

Welcome Offer$2,000 cash back once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months. Earn an additional $2,000 cash bonus for every $500K spent during the first year.
Up to $4,000+

Annual Fee

$150

APR

N/A

Credit Recommended

Excellent (740-850)

Why We Like This Card

The information regarding the Capital One Spark Cash Plus Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

The Capital One Spark Cash Plus Card is great for business owners looking to improve their bottom line by earning 2% cash-back on all purchases without a high annual fee. Further, with no preset spending limit, the ability to get your $150 annual fee refunded every year you spend at least $150,000, and no-additional-fee employee cards, there is something that every business owner will love (rates & fees).

Pros & Cons

Pros

Unlimited 2% cash-back on all purchases
5% cash-back on hotels and rental cars purchased through Capital One Travel
No preset spending limit

Cons

$150 annual fee (rates & fees)

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Earn a one-time cash bonus of $2,000 once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months
Earn an additional $2,000 cash bonus for every $500K spent during the first year. You can earn this bonus multiple times over the course of year 1!
Earn unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
Enjoy purchasing power that adapts to your business. The Spark Cash Plus card has no preset spending limit, so it can adapt to your needs based on your spending behavior, payment history, credit profile and other factors
Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
Empower your teams to make business purchases while you earn rewards from their transactions with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
$150 annual fee – Spend $150,000 annually and Capital One will refund this fee every year
Spark Cash Plus has no APR because your balance is due in full every month
For businesses that need large spending capacity and want to maximize cash back

Financial Snapshot

APR: N/A
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

The Capital One Spark Cash Plus card is yet another one of Capital One’s best rewards cards for businesses, especially if you’re running a restaurant.

This card focuses on cash-back instead of points or miles, and you’ll also notice that this product has a welcome bonus offer, plus no preset spending limit.

You’ll earn up to 5% cash back on purchases:

5% cash-back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
2% cash-back on other purchases

Every year you spend at least $150,000, get your $150 annual fee refunded.

Other benefits include extended warranty, zero fraud liability, roadside assistance, no foreign transaction fees, and no additional fee employee cards.

Ink Business Premier^® Credit Card

U.P. Rating

Earn up to 5% cash-back for your business without complex bonus earning categories!

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

Ink Business Premier^® Credit Card

Earn up to 5% cash-back for your business without complex bonus earning categories!

Welcome OfferEarn $1,000 bonus cash-back after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
$1,000

UP's Bonus Valuation*:
$1,000

Annual Fee

$195

APR

Flex for Business Variable APR: 18.99% - 26.99%

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

Chase has introduced the Ink Business Premier^® Credit Card to its business credit card lineup. With straightforward cash-back earnings on everyday purchases and large expenses, tools to help you monitor your business, and multiple ways to redeem your rewards, this is a great card option to consider.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Earn 2.5% total cash-back on purchases of $5,000 or more
Earn 2% cash-back on all other business purchases
Unlimited 5% total cash-back on travel purchased through Chase Travel

Cons

$195 annual fee
Some purchases need to be paid in full each month and don’t qualify for Flex for Business APR

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Earn $1,000 bonus cash back after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Earn unlimited 2.5% total cash back on purchases of $5,000 or more and unlimited 2% cash back on all other business purchases.
Travel Benefits: Unlimited 5% total cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, No Foreign Transaction Fees and Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance.
The only business credit card with 2.5% cash back on every purchase of $5,000 or more.
Get the buying power you need to make large purchases, cover monthly expenses and help your business grow. While you must pay your Pay In Full balance each month, this card has built-in flexibility. The Flex for Business feature allows for qualifying purchases to be paid over time with interest.
Purchase with confidence with built-in protections like Fraud Protection, Zero Liability Protection, Purchase Protection, Cell Phone Protection, and Extended Warranty Protection.
There's no additional cost for employee cards. Monitor spend with digital tools like purchase alerts, set spending limits, reporting, and more.
Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

APR: Flex for Business Variable APR: 18.99% - 26.99%
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

The Ink Business Premier card is actually Chase’s response to the Capital One Spark Cash Plus card. It’s designed to reward those who spend a lot on their business and are looking for uncapped cash-back rewards.

At the moment, there’s a large welcome bonus offer for new cardholders. You’ll earn up to 5% cash-back:

5% cash-back on travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards
2.5% cash-back on every purchase of $5,000 or more
2% cash-back on all other purchases

The Ink Business Premier card takes your cash-back rewards a notch higher when compared to the Capital One Spark Cash Plus card’s 2% cash-back rewards.

This card is a “Pay in Full card,” which translates to a charge card.

Hot Tip: The rewards earned on the Ink Business Premier card cannot be converted to Ultimate Rewards points, which is unfortunate, but not unexpected.

Other crucial benefits offered to Ink Business Premier cardholders are primary auto rental collision damage waiver, trip cancellation/trip interruption insurance, purchase protection, extended warranty, cell phone insurance, roadside dispatch, and fraud protection.

No-additional fee employee cards are available, and there are no foreign transaction fees associated with using this card.

Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business

U.P. Rating

(Information collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One.)

Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business

(Information collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One.)

Welcome OfferEarn a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
50,000 miles

UP's Bonus Valuation*:
$900

Annual Fee

APR

18.49% - 24.49% Variable,

Why We Like This Card

The Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business is an excellent option for business owners looking for straightforward earning with no blackout dates, no seat restrictions, and no minimum when redeeming your miles.

Card Highlights

Earn a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
Get unlimited 1.5 miles on every purchase with your business credit card with no blackouts or seat restrictions, and no minimum to redeem.
Earn 5X miles on hotel and rental car bookings through Capital One Travel.
Use your miles on flights, hotels, vacation packages and more—you can even transfer miles to any of our 15+ travel partners.
We’ve got you covered with zero fraud liability if your card is lost or stolen. Plus, get automatic fraud alerts via text, email or phone call.

Financial Snapshot

APR: 18.49% - 24.49% Variable,
Foreign Transaction Fees:

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

The Capital One Spark Miles Select card is the final card we’ll be discussing. This card has a $0 annual fee but still earns worthwhile rewards to consider if you want to keep your costs as low as possible.

You can expect to earn according to the following structure:

5x miles on hotels and rental cars booked via Capital One Travel
1.5x miles on other purchases

The Capital One Spark Miles Select card has extended warranty, no foreign transaction fees, employee cards for no additional annual fees, and roadside assistance.

Final Thoughts

There you have it! The best cards for restaurant owners are probably not what you expected.

You might have expected to use credit cards that are best for restaurant purchases or groceries, but in reality, most of the vendors that restaurant owners use, like Sysco and US Foods, operate on a B2B basis.

And because these companies don’t code as restaurants or groceries, you’ll need to look for a card that offers outsized rewards on all business purchases. That’s where the recommendations in this guide come into play.

The Capital One Spark Miles card and Capital One Venture X Business card both lead the pack by offering 2x miles, which are worth a return on spending of 3.6%.

The Amex Business Platinum card can earn up to 1.5x points on certain purchases for restaurant owners, which is valued at around 3.3%, but the luxury benefits offered to these cardholders absolutely cannot be ignored.

The Ink Business Unlimited card, Ink Business Premier card, and Capital One Spark Cash Plus card all offer great cash-back rewards, as well.

Lastly, if you’re looking for absolutely no annual fees but want to be able to transfer your points to travel partners, consider the Capital One Spark Miles Select card.

*No Preset Spending Limit on American Express cards means your spending limit is flexible. Unlike a traditional card with a set limit, the amount you can spend adapts based on factors such as your purchase, payment, and credit history.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa^® or Mastercard^® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

For the extended warranty and purchase protection benefit of The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For the cell phone protection benefit of The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For the return protection benefit of The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.

The information regarding the Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Capital One Spark Cash Plus Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Capital One Venture X Business Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

Information regarding the Capital One Spark Miles for Business was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, click here.