Many of us are looking for ways to trim our grocery bills, and for good reason: Americans spent about $5,700 a year on food at home in 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. While earning more rewards on grocery purchases can help, the Meijer credit card unfortunately falls short, even for loyalists of the Michigan-based retailer. Issued by Citibank, the Meijer card’s rewards rate is a shade higher than 1%, but any potential savings can easily be negated by the card’s outrageous interest rate.
For better options, check out our list of best credit cards for groceries, some of which earn as much as 6% cash back.
1. There are two versions of the card
If your Meijer credit card application is approved, you’ll end up with one of two versions of the card:
- The Meijer Card. A closed-loop card, it can only be used at Meijer grocery stores and gas stations.
- The Meijer Mastercard. As an open-loop card, it can be used anywhere Mastercard is accepted.
A Citi representative confirmed that creditworthiness is a factor in determining which card an applicant receives.
2. Rewards are underwhelming
Many credit cards earn rewards based on certain spending categories. You might find a card that earns 4x points on dining and another that gets 3% cash back on gas. The Meijer card keeps things much simpler, though this simplicity comes at a price in the form of meager rewards.
Meijer cardholders get a $10 reward for every $750 spent with the card, which works out to an earnings rate of 1.33% cash back on every purchase. It’s not hard to find a card that earns more. If you had the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card, for example, you could get 3% cash back at grocery stores.
Rewards earned with the Meijer credit card are issued either as paper or digital certificates; the former expires 60 days from the issue date while the latter expires after 45 days. Furthermore, those $10 rewards certificates can’t be redeemed on alcohol, prescriptions, gift cards, store pickup orders and home delivery orders.
3. The sign-up bonus is skimpy
As of February 2024, the Meijer card has a sign-up bonus, albeit a really small one. New cardholders can get up to $50 off a Meijer purchase. They’ll get a $10 discount off the first in-store purchase made within 30 days of account opening, plus an additional $40 off if that purchase is made by March 2, 2024. There’s no minimum purchase requirement to get the sign-up bonus.
For a better welcome offer, consider this one from Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express (annual fee: $0; see rates and fees): You may be eligible for as high as $200 cash back after spending $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in the first 6 months. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Cash back is received as Reward Dollars, redeemable for statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout. Terms Apply. And the Blue Cash Everyday earns 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases; 1% thereafter. Terms apply.
To view rates and fees of the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, please visit this page.
4. The interest rate is sky-high
As of January 2024, the purchase APR on the Meijer card was 34.24%, more than 10 percentage points higher than the average APR on interest-accruing credit cards in November 2023, according to the Federal Reserve. That means that carrying a balance on the Meijer card can be costlier than on other cards.
To avoid paying interest on any credit card, pay off balances in full whenever possible.
5. Cardholders get a small discount on gas
You’ll get 10 cents off every gallon when you fill up at a Meijer gas station and pay with a Meijer credit card. Those savings aren't terribly exciting on their own; however, the discount from the Meijer card is stackable with points earned through mPerks, Meijer’s loyalty program. Members of mPerks earn 10 points for every $1 spent at Meijer stores and 1,000 points for every qualifying prescription filled.
» NEXT: Best gas credit cards
To view rates and fees of the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, see this page.
The information related to the Meijer credit cards has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product or service.
