Best Credit Card for Dollar General in 2026
Dollar General is classified under MCC 5311 (Department Stores). The best card for Dollar General purchases is the Shopper Cash Rewards ($95/yr annual fee), earning 3x on department stores — an effective return of 3.00%.
Does Dollar General accept Mastercard? Yes — Dollar General accepts Mastercard, Visa, American Express, and Discover at all locations, including in-store and mobile app payments.
If you frequently shop at Dollar General, it's worth looking into cards that offer higher rewards for department store spending. Many cash-back cards in the Shopper category give you up to 3x points here.
Load your gift cards through Dollar General's kiosks to get extra rewards on the transaction fee.
Spending Math
If you spend $200 a month at Dollar General with a card offering 3x Shopper Cash Rewards, you'd earn $6 per month or $72 annually. A basic 1% cash-back card would only net you $2 a month or $24 yearly.
Dollar General purchases are classified under MCC 5311 (Department Stores).
MCC Details for Dollar General
Best Credit Cards for Dollar General (2026)
How Dollar General Codes on Your Statement
When you pay at Dollar General at their locations, your card issuer sees MCC 5311 in the transaction data. This code tells your bank that the purchase was made at a department stores merchant. Bonus reward rates on your card apply based on this MCC — not the merchant name itself.
If your card earns bonus points on "department stores" purchases, Dollar General transactions will qualify — even if your card terms only mention a category name and not Dollar General specifically. The key is that the MCC matches your card's bonus category definition.
You can verify the MCC on any Dollar General 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 5311 qualifies for bonus rewards.
Bonus Category Match — Dollar General
About MCC 5311: Department Stores
Merchant Category Code 5311 is assigned by card networks (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover) to classify businesses in the Department Stores industry. Issuers use MCCs to determine which transactions qualify for bonus reward rates. When a merchant is assigned MCC 5311, all qualifying card programs that include department stores as a bonus category will apply the elevated earn rate.
The Retail 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 Department Stores merchants: Bealls, Belk, Bloomingdale's.
What You Could Earn at Dollar General
Spending $200/month at Dollar General with the Shopper Cash Rewards (3x on department stores) earns approximately $72/year in rewards. A basic 1% card earns $24 on the same spending. After the $95 annual fee, that is $-23 more per year.