Best Credit Card for Panera Bread in 2026
Panera Bread is classified under MCC 5812 (Eating places and Restaurants). The best card for Panera Bread purchases is the Ink Business Cash (no annual fee), earning 5x on eating places and restaurants — an effective return of 10.25%.
Does Panera Bread accept Mastercard? Yes — Panera Bread accepts Mastercard, Visa, American Express, and Discover at all locations, including in-store and mobile app payments.
If you're a frequent Panera Bread visitor, this MCC is key for maximizing your rewards, especially if you carry cards from the dining category like the Hilton Honors Aspire.
Take advantage of double points days and special promotions for even bigger savings.
Spending Math
Spending $200 per month at Panera with the Hilton Honors Aspire card nets you $14 in rewards monthly or $168 annually. Compare that to a paltry $24 yearly on a standard 1% cash-back card.
Panera Bread purchases are classified under MCC 5812 (Eating places and Restaurants).
MCC Details for Panera Bread
Best Credit Cards for Panera Bread (2026)
How Panera Bread Codes on Your Statement
When you pay at Panera Bread 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, Panera Bread transactions will qualify — even if your card terms only mention a category name and not Panera Bread specifically. The key is that the MCC matches your card's bonus category definition.
You can verify the MCC on any Panera Bread 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 — Panera Bread
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 Panera Bread
Spending $200/month at Panera Bread 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 Panera Bread merchants, earning $120/year with no annual fee.