Capital One Savor
Cash Back for Dining, Entertainment & Groceries
Practical Recommendation
If your spending leans heavily toward groceries, dining out, concerts, movies, and streaming, the Capital One Savor is a delightfully low-effort way to stop earning nothing with a debit card and start getting solid cash back—without an annual fee and no foreign transaction fees. You'll earn a strong everyday return in those lifestyle categories and a simple baseline everywhere else, plus easy 5% back on hotels and rental cars only when you book through Capital One Travel (more on that below).
Bottom line: if you want set-and-forget cash back on the stuff people actually do for fun (eat, watch, go places), Savor delivers solid value that works for beginners and experienced cardholders alike.
Perks
- Category Cash Back that Matches Real Life – 3% back at grocery stores, restaurants, bars, takeout, and entertainment (think concerts, movies, amusement parks) plus popular streaming services. Easy wins if that's your budget already. 1% back on everything else. (Yes, Target and Walmart are excluded from the "grocery store" definition because merchant codes are a thing.)
- Capital One Travel (5% on hotels and rental cars) – Book hotels and rental cars in the portal and earn 5% back. Handy if the portal price matches the direct price. The portal also touts price drop protection (up to $50 in credit if the fare drops after their "buy" recommendation) and a 24-hour price match if you find the same itinerary cheaper elsewhere. Nice safety net—still compare before you click.
- Capital One Dining & Entertainment – Access to Capital One's dining reservations platform and ticketing platform (sometimes with special events and presales). Bonus: 8% back on tickets purchased on the Capital One Entertainment platform (not on third-party presale pages). If you actually go to shows, this can add up; if not, don't chase it.
- Hertz Five Star Status (enrollment required) – Enroll from your card's benefits tab to get Hertz Five Star (think slightly better upgrade odds and extra points). Good for occasional renters who like skipping lines or trying for an upgrade; not life-changing, just pleasant.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees – Buy gelato in Rome or ramen in Tokyo without paying the usual ~3% penalty that many cards charge.
Protections
- Rental Car Insurance (Secondary) – Pay for the rental with your Savor and decline the rental company's collision damage waiver, and you can be covered for damage/theft, towing, and loss-of-use after your personal auto policy. Great for peace of mind on quick trips; not a replacement for primary coverage.
- Purchase Security – New stuff gets coverage for theft or accidental damage for about 90 days after purchase when you use the card. Think "dropped the new gadget the week after buying it." Helpful, and can save you from buying add-on store insurance. (Exact limits depend on your benefits guide.)
- Extended Warranty – Many purchases get extra warranty time beyond the manufacturer's warranty when paid with the card. Nice for electronics and appliances; keep your receipts and the original warranty. (Details vary by network and card—check your benefits guide.)
Hybrid (Optional): Convert Cash to Miles
Savor is easy, guaranteed cash back. If you want to chase airline and hotel points for potentially higher value, you can pair Savor with a Capital One Venture or Capital One Venture X card. Move your Savor rewards into the miles-earning account, then transfer to airline/hotel partners for redemptions that can beat the simple one-cent-per-point math. This is optional and more advanced—you'll need to learn award bookings and be a little flexible. Upside: $500 in cash could sometimes become $750–$1,000+ in flights if you catch the right transfer redemption.
— check out our Level 2 Travel section to learn more.