Best Credit Card for First Watch in 2026
First Watch is classified under MCC 5812 (Eating places and Restaurants). The best card for First Watch purchases is the Ink Business Cash (no annual fee), earning 5x on eating places and restaurants — an effective return of 10.25%.
Does First Watch accept Mastercard? Yes — First Watch accepts Mastercard, Visa, American Express, and Discover at all locations, including in-store and mobile app payments.
The MCC code 5812 for First Watch is crucial for dining rewards enthusiasts, especially those using cards with enhanced earning categories like the Hilton Honors Aspire Card.
To maximize your rewards, sync your First Watch visits with promotional periods where the Hilton Honors Aspire Card offers even higher point multipliers.
Spending Math
If you drop $200 a month at First Watch, the Hilton Honors Aspire Card's 7x points would give you $14 per month or $168 annually. Compare that to just $24 yearly from a standard 1% cashback card.
First Watch purchases are classified under MCC 5812 (Eating places and Restaurants).
MCC Details for First Watch
Best Credit Cards for First Watch (2026)
How First Watch Codes on Your Statement
When you pay at First Watch 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, First Watch transactions will qualify — even if your card terms only mention a category name and not First Watch specifically. The key is that the MCC matches your card's bonus category definition.
You can verify the MCC on any First Watch 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 — First Watch
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 First Watch
Spending $200/month at First Watch 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 First Watch merchants, earning $120/year with no annual fee.