The best credit cards for food delivery and ride sharing offer a host of benefits, including generous cash-back rewards, free annual memberships, and annual credits on these services. While food delivery and ride sharing credit cards can have some downsides — like high annual fees, in some cases — the positives might outweigh the negatives for those that often order delivery or use ridesharing.
Depending on which type of service you use, the process of claiming your earned rewards can be quick and easy. Often, it’s as simple as linking the eligible credit card to your account.
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What Are Rewards Credit Cards?
Rewards credit cards offer benefits in exchange for every dollar you spend on the card, typically as cash back, points, or airline miles. You can then redeem the credit card rewards you’ve earned in a variety of ways, such as in the form of a check, a statement credit, travel perks, or gift cards.
While not all rewards credit cards have annual fees, those with higher annual fees tend to offer more generous benefits. Further, rewards credit cards generally have higher annual percentage rates (APR) than more basic credit cards. This makes it all the more important to adhere to the credit card rule of avoiding carrying a balance when possible.
In general, you’ll need a good or excellent credit score (meaning 670+) to qualify for the top rewards credit cards.
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How Do Food Delivery Benefits Work?
The way food delivery benefits typically work is that a credit card provider partners with a popular food delivery service. Then, cardholders receive certain credit card benefits, such as free memberships, higher points accrual when using the service, or statement credits on food deliveries.
Which services are paired with your card and the benefits you receive will depend on the credit card provider. In some cases, rewards include a higher rate of cash-back rewards in more general categories, such as takeout or dining. Check your credit card’s website to see what — if any — food delivery benefits are available to you.
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How Do Ride Sharing Benefits Work?
Ride sharing benefits are fairly similar to food delivery benefits. Credit card providers partner with ride sharing services to provide benefits for certain credit cards they offer. For instance, there are Lyft credit cards and Uber credit cards that offer perks with those ride sharing services.
Those benefits may come in the form of higher point accruals, statement credits, and free subscriptions. Some cards also offer these benefits in the form of more generic travel credits or cash-back rewards, which may apply to ride sharing services.
Pros and Cons of Using Credit Cards for Food Delivery
Using a credit card for food delivery can have its pros and cons, depending on the credit card you’re using and your own spending habits. Here are some of the advantages and drawbacks of food delivery credit cards to consider:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Higher rewards rates for food-related spending | Could carry high annual fees, which might not be worthwhile for occasional users |
| Can cover membership fees for a period of time | May have a higher purchase APR |
| May offer general dining credits | Can tempt cardholders to spend more on takeout due to card’s benefits |
Pros and Cons of Using Credit Cards for Rideshare Expenses
Are you thinking about a ride sharing credit card? Here are some pros and cons to consider for these cards:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Higher rewards rates on rideshare spending | Can place limits or deadlines on offers or rewards redemptions |
| May offer travel credits that can apply to rideshare costs | May have high annual fees |
| Often provide nice benefits across-the-board, such as travel insurance | Could be limited to earning rewards or credits with a particular service |
Activating Your Credit Card Offers
Each credit card is different, but activating your offers shouldn’t be too difficult. In some cases, it’s as simple as signing up for the relevant service and linking your credit card to it.
In other cases, you might have to manually activate offers on the service’s app or website. Usually, if your card includes a free membership, it must be manually activated.
Keep in mind that food delivery and ride sharing credit cards often run promotions, and these do expire. For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve previously included a Lyft Pink membership, but that offer expired in early 2022. However, this card also includes one free year of DoorDash’s DashPass, which is good until the end of 2024.
Using a Credit Card for Food Delivery
Using a credit card for food delivery is a simple process. The first thing you’ll want to do is to create an account on the app, which should only take a couple of minutes. Likewise, add your credit card if you have not already done so.
If you already have an account, you may want to make your rewards credit card the default payment method to take advantage of discounts and rewards. Also make sure to activate any free memberships that might be available to you.
Then, you can search restaurants on the food delivery app, either using your address or your smartphone’s location. These apps often have food categories to make your search a little bit easier.
Once you find something that sounds good, you can add items to your cart and check out. Since you have already added your rewards credit card, use it as your payment method to take advantage of those rewards. And if you use your credit card frequently, it can help you earn your credit card welcome bonus.
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Using a Credit Card for Ride Sharing
Using a credit card for ride sharing will follow all of the same principles as using one for food delivery. Make sure you add your rewards credit card and activate your membership if one is available.
The biggest difference when using a credit card for ride sharing is the process of booking the ride itself. Generally, you book a ride by specifying the pick-up and drop-off locations; ride sharing apps can usually use your smartphone’s location as the pickup.
The app will then find a driver for you and give you the chance to select or change your payment method. If you have a rewards credit card, make sure it appears as the payment method. If it doesn’t, select it before confirming your ride. Once you do that, you’re all set.
The Takeaway
Food delivery credit cards and ride sharing credit cards can offer a slew of perks, including cash-back rewards, statement credits, and free memberships for a few months or even a year. Credit card owners can take advantage of these rewards when hailing a ride or ordering food through a delivery app.
If you want these perks and more, the cash-back rewards credit card from SoFi is a strong contender. It offers perks for both ride sharing and food delivery through World Elite Mastercard® Benefits. This includes Lyft $5 monthly credits and a three-month free trial of DashPass.
FAQ
What is credit card dining?
Credit cards can offer a variety of perks when you spend on dining. That could include high cash-back rates when eating at restaurants or ordering delivery. Other credit cards come with free memberships for delivery apps for a set time period or a statement credit for orders.
Are the best cards for rideshare expenses also the best cards for food delivery?
Some credit cards that are the best for rideshare can also be the best for food delivery. However, some credit cards work well for ridesharing because they are travel credit cards, and this may not carry over to food delivery.
Do rideshares count as travel for credit cards?
It depends on the credit card. Some credit cards consider rideshares as travel and will let you earn a higher cash-back rate when booking a ride, for example. However, you should check the details of your card to be sure, as each card is different.
Photo credit: iStock/RgStudio
1See Rewards Details at SoFi.com/card/rewards.
Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.
Disclaimer: Many factors affect your credit scores and the interest rates you may receive. SoFi is not a Credit Repair Organization as defined under federal or state law, including the Credit Repair Organizations Act. SoFi does not provide “credit repair” services or advice or assistance regarding “rebuilding” or “improving” your credit record, credit history, or credit rating. For details, see the FTC’s website .
The SoFi Credit Card is issued by SoFi Bank, N.A. pursuant to license by Mastercard® International Incorporated and can be used everywhere Mastercard is accepted. Mastercard is a registered trademark, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated.
SoFi cardholders earn 2% unlimited cash back rewards when redeemed to save, invest, a statement credit, or pay down eligible SoFi debt.
Third-Party Brand Mentions: No brands, products, or companies mentioned are affiliated with SoFi, nor do they endorse or sponsor this article. Third-party trademarks referenced herein are property of their respective owners.
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