Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card review: A foodie’s dream card

The Capital One SavorOne card is an excellent choice for foodies and entertainment enthusiasts who want unlimited 3% cash back in those categories without paying an annual fee, making it a top contender among cash back credit cards in 2024.

By Holly D. Johnson

Written by

Holly D. Johnson

Writer

Johnson has been a personal finance contributor for more than 10 years. She focuses on investing, banking products, credit cards and scoring and insurance.

Edited by Hanna Horvath

Written by

Hanna Horvath

Editor

Hanna Horvath is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and Bankrate's senior editor of content partnerships.

Updated May 16, 2024, 12:42 PM EDT

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The Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card is a great option for foodies and entertainment lovers who want unlimited cash back on dining and entertainment purchases with no annual fee.

While the SavorOne offers excellent rewards on dining, entertainment, and at grocery stores, its limitations make it less appealing if you’re looking for premium perks or a large welcome bonus.

But for those seeking a straightforward, no-annual-fee cash back card that rewards social spending, the SavorOne is hard to beat. Let's take a closer look.

Fox Money rating: 9.4/10

With lavish cash back rewards for dining, entertainment, and at grocery stores — plus a $0 annual fee — the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card is a top credit card for everyday spending.

Pros

Unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services, and grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target)
1% cash back on all other purchases
No annual fee
Introductory 0% APR offer
No foreign transaction fees
Cash back rewards never expire as long as the account remains open and in good standing
Flexibility to redeem rewards at any time and in any amount
Complimentary concierge service, extended warranty protection, travel accident insurance, and 24-hour travel assistance services

Cons

3% grocery store cash back does not include purchases at superstores like Walmart or Target, or wholesale clubs
1% cash back on non-bonus categories is lower than other cards
Not the best choice for those seeking premium travel perks or luxury benefits
May not provide the most value for those who don't spend significantly on dining, entertainment, and groceries each month
Lacks some benefits found on other cards, such as cell phone protection
3% balance transfer fee

Capital One SavorOne Rewards

Unlimited cash back on dining, entertainment, streaming, and at grocery stores

The main draw of the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards is its high cash back rate in popular everyday categories. You can earn an unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services, and grocery stores.

This is one of the best reward rates for these bonus categories, especially for a no annual fee card.

"Dining" broadly includes purchases at restaurants, cafes, bars, lounges, fast-food chains, and bakeries. "Entertainment" includes purchases like movies, plays, concerts, sporting events, tourist attractions, and more.

Earning bonus rewards across various purchases is valuable for those who spend significantly in these categories.

Earning 3% cash back at grocery stores is another valuable benefit, though it's important to note that this does not include purchases at superstores like Walmart or Target. Still, if you do the bulk of your grocery shopping at supermarkets, this is a great way to boost your cash back.

Elevated cash back on Capital One Entertainment and Uber

The SavorOne card also rewards certain types of purchases very handsomely. This includes Uber and Uber Eats purchases and spending through Capital One Entertainment or Capital One Travel.

If you book car rentals or hotels through Capital One Travel, you’ll earn 5% back, boosting the rewards you can earn on travel. Uber purchases earn a whopping 10% back — through Nov. 14, 2024 — and Capital One Entertainment purchases earn 8% back.

If you’re frequently riding with Uber, ordering delivery through Uber Eats, or buying tickets to concerts and sporting events, these categories could help maximize your cash back rewards.

Other rewards

The unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases is standard among cash back cards. While it's nice to have no limit on rewards in this base earning category, other cards offer a higher rate of up to 2% back on non-bonus spending.

Rewards can be redeemed for a statement credit, check, gift card, and more. Cash back earned with the SavorOne never expires if your account remains open and in good standing. The flexibility to redeem rewards anytime and in any amount is a plus.

Capital One SavorOne Credit Card Benefits

Another benefit of the SavorOne card is its 15-month 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers (regular variable APR of 19.99%-29.99% applies after).

An introductory APR offer this long can provide a lot of value for cardholders looking to pay off a large purchase or transfer a balance from a high-interest credit card. Just be aware that a 3% balance transfer fee applies.

The SavorOne Cash Rewards offers a few ancillary benefits through Capital One and Mastercard, including:

Complimentary concierge service
Extended warranty protection
Travel accident insurance
24-hour travel assistance services
Access to exclusive dining and entertainment experiences

While these perks aren't super flashy or valuable, they're nice and can come in handy when needed.

Downsides to the Capital One SavorOne rewards card

The Capital One SavorOne card does have a few notable downsides to consider.

Lower welcome bonus: This card offers a relatively lower welcome bonus of $200 cash back after spending $500 on purchases in the first 3 months. Other cash back cards offer bonuses of $250-$300 with the same or lower minimum spending requirement.

May not offer the best cash back rates for you: The SavorOne card offers the highest cash back on entertainment and Uber purchases. If you spend most on essentials like groceries or gas, you may be better off with a cash back card geared towards those categories.

Lacks some added benefits: The SavorOne also lacks some benefits on other cash back cards, such as cell phone protection and rideshare credits. If you value those perks, you may opt for a card that provides more lifestyle benefits.

If you love the bonus rewards with the SavorOne card but don't want to settle for earning 1% cash back on regular spending, consider pairing this card with one that earns 2% cash back on everything you buy. That way, you can use the SavorOne for bonus category spending and switch to your other card for everything else.

Alternatives to the Capital One SavorOne card

If you're looking for alternative cash back or rewards cards, here are a few to consider

	Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express	Chase Freedom Unlimited®	Citi Double Cash®	Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
Annual fee	$0 the first year, then $95. See rates and fees.	$0	$0	$95
Welcome bonus	$250 statement credit after spending $3,000 on purchases within six months	Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back	$200 after spending $1,500 on purchases within six months (fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back)	$300 after spending $3,000 on purchases within three months
Rewards	6% cash back on up to $6,000 spent at U.S. supermarkets each year (then 1%), 6% back on select U.S. streaming services, 3% back at U.S. gas stations and on transit, 1% cash back on other purchases	5% back on Lyft purchases (through March 2025) 5% cash back on travel through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on dining and drugstore purchases, 1.5% cash back on other purchases	2% cash back on all purchases — 1% when a purchase is made and another 1% when it's paid off	4% cash back on dining, entertainment, and popular streaming services, 3% cash back at grocery stores, 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases, 5% cash back on hotels and car rentals through Capital One Travel, 1% cash back on other purchases
Intro APR offer	0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months, then a variable APR of 19.24%-29.99%	0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, then a variable APR of 20.49%-29.24%	0% APR on balance transfers for 18 months, then a variable APR of 19.24%-29.24%	None

Is the Capital One SavorOne Card best for you?

If you're curious if the SavorOne Cash Rewards card is for you, you'll need to decide what you care about the most. This card is a good fit for:

Foodies who dine out frequently: This card offers an excellent rewards rate on dining and groceries, so it can be a smart choice for foodies of all types.
Those who stream and attend live entertainment: If you buy tickets to concerts or live events or are a regular Netflix user, this card's rewards rate could be a good fit.
Occasional travelers who want to avoid foreign transaction fees: If you travel overseas and don't want to pay foreign transaction fees, any credit card from Capital One could work.
Anyone wanting a no annual fee card with solid rewards: Those who want to earn cash back without paying an annual fee should consider this card alongside other no annual fee cards.

Conversely, this card is not the best choice if you want premium travel perks like airport lounge access or hotel elite status. The SavorOne is a cash back card, first and foremost, and offers no luxury travel benefits.

This card also may not be the best pick for those who don't spend much on dining and entertainment, as you won't get as much value out of the bonus categories. Likewise, if you do the bulk of your grocery shopping at superstores like Walmart or Target, you'll miss out on earning 3% back in that category.

How we rated this card

Every credit card review we publish has undergone a rigorous editorial process to ensure accuracy and objectivity.

We rate all credit cards on a 10-point system, with 10 being the highest possible score and 1 being the lowest possible score. We assess each card across several key factors, weighted based on what our research shows matters most to readers like you. Learn more about our methodology here.

Here are some of the factors that influenced this card’s overall score:

Rewards: The Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card excels in its rewards structure, offering unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services, and grocery stores. These categories align with the spending habits of many consumers, making it easy for cardholders to maximize their rewards.
Redemption flexibility: Cardholders can redeem cash back as a statement credit, check, or gift card without any minimum redemption amount. The fact that rewards never expire as long as the account remains open is a significant advantage.
Added benefits: While the SavorOne offers some valuable benefits, such as an introductory 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers, no foreign transaction fees, and various protections, it doesn't provide premium travel perks or certain benefits like cell phone protection that some other cards offer.
Annual fee: The absence of an annual fee is a major strength, making the card accessible to a wide range of users.
Welcome bonus: The welcome bonus of $200 cash back after spending $500 in the first 3 months is easily achievable for most cardholders.

The bottom line

The Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card is a top-notch option for foodies and entertainment lovers. The unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services, and groceries is extremely generous for a card with no annual fee and makes SavorOne stand out from the competition.

While it may lack the flashier perks of premium cards, the SavorOne delivers a lot of value through its high cash back earning rate, long introductory APR offer, and flexible redemption options. The fact that rewards never expire is also a huge plus.

Editorial disclosure: Opinions expressed are author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included in the post.

Meet the contributor:

Holly D. Johnson

Johnson has been a personal finance contributor for more than 10 years. She focuses on investing, banking products, credit cards and scoring and insurance.