Best Credit Card for Benihana in 2026
Benihana is classified under MCC 5812 (Eating places and Restaurants). The best card for Benihana purchases is the Ink Business Cash (no annual fee), earning 5x on eating places and restaurants — an effective return of 10.25%.
Does Benihana accept Mastercard? Yes — Benihana accepts Mastercard, Visa, American Express, and Discover at all locations, including in-store and mobile app payments.
MCC 5812 covers restaurants like Benihana, making it a key category for dining rewards enthusiasts who want to maximize their points and miles.
Maximize rewards by timing your visits to coincide with days when Benihana offers special promotions or loyalty discounts.
Spending Math
If you spend $200 at Benihana monthly with the Hilton Honors Aspire card earning 7x points, that's $14 per month or $168 annually. A standard 1% cash back card would earn just $2 a month and $24 yearly.
Benihana purchases are classified under MCC 5812 (Eating places and Restaurants).
MCC Details for Benihana
Best Credit Cards for Benihana (2026)
How Benihana Codes on Your Statement
When you pay at Benihana at their locations, your card issuer sees MCC 5812 in the transaction data. This code tells your bank that the purchase was made at a eating places and restaurants merchant. Bonus reward rates on your card apply based on this MCC — not the merchant name itself.
If your card earns bonus points on "eating places and restaurants" purchases, Benihana transactions will qualify — even if your card terms only mention a category name and not Benihana specifically. The key is that the MCC matches your card's bonus category definition.
You can verify the MCC on any Benihana transaction by checking your card's mobile app or statement. Some issuers display the merchant category alongside the transaction details. For the most accurate information, contact your card issuer's customer service and ask whether MCC 5812 qualifies for bonus rewards.
Bonus Category Match — Benihana
About MCC 5812: Eating places and Restaurants
Merchant Category Code 5812 is assigned by card networks (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover) to classify businesses in the Eating places and Restaurants industry. Issuers use MCCs to determine which transactions qualify for bonus reward rates. When a merchant is assigned MCC 5812, all qualifying card programs that include eating places and restaurants as a bonus category will apply the elevated earn rate.
The Dining industry group encompasses several related MCCs. Not all merchants in a similar business will share the same MCC — for example, a grocery store inside a warehouse club may code as wholesale ({"5300"}) rather than grocery ({"5411"}). Always verify with your issuer if you're unsure whether a specific merchant qualifies for bonus rewards on your card.
Other Eating places and Restaurants merchants: Acapulco Restaurant, Another Broken Egg, Applebee's.
What You Could Earn at Benihana
Spending $200/month at Benihana with the Ink Business Cash (5x on eating places and restaurants) earns approximately $120/year in rewards. A basic 1% card earns $24 on the same spending. That is $96 more per year with no annual fee.
Prefer no annual fee? The Custom Cash earns 5x at Benihana merchants, earning $120/year with no annual fee.