Best Credit Card for Starbucks in 2026
Starbucks is classified under MCC 5812 (Eating places and Restaurants). The best card for Starbucks purchases is the Ink Business Cash (no annual fee), earning 5x on eating places and restaurants — an effective return of 10.25%.
Does Starbucks accept Mastercard? Yes — Starbucks accepts Mastercard, Visa, American Express, and Discover at all locations, including in-store and mobile app payments.
Starbucks falls under the Eating Places category, making it a prime spot for rewards on dining-focused cards like those in the Hilton Honors Aspire program.
Opt for the Starbucks Rewards Visa or use the Chase Sapphire Preferred card linked to your Starbucks account for extra points on every cup.
Spending Math
If you spend $200 monthly at Starbucks, the Hilton Honors Aspire card earns you $168 annually compared to just $24 from a 1% cash back card. That's a huge difference of $144 in rewards!
Starbucks purchases are classified under MCC 5812 (Eating places and Restaurants).
MCC Details for Starbucks
Best Credit Cards for Starbucks (2026)
How Starbucks Codes on Your Statement
When you pay at Starbucks 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, Starbucks transactions will qualify — even if your card terms only mention a category name and not Starbucks specifically. The key is that the MCC matches your card's bonus category definition.
You can verify the MCC on any Starbucks 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 — Starbucks
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 Starbucks
Spending $200/month at Starbucks 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 Starbucks merchants, earning $120/year with no annual fee.