If your goal is to save some cash — perhaps by dining in more than you dine out — in the new year, Discover’s latest 5% cash-back categories can incentivize those financial resolutions.
From Jan. 1 to March 31, 2026, holders of eligible cards like the Discover it® Cash Back and the Discover it® Student Cash Back will earn 5% back on up to $1,500 in combined spending at grocery stores, wholesale clubs and select streaming services (activation required; all other purchases earn 1% back).
Here’s what’s in store.
Discover’s Q1 2026 bonus cash-back categories
Grocery stores
Grocery store purchases that are eligible for the elevated rate include those made at supermarkets, meat lockers, bakeries, smaller grocery stores and grocery delivery services. Purchases made at convenience stores and discount stores may not qualify, but they can still earn the base rewards rate on a Discover card. Any spending at Walmart or Target will earn 1% back only.
Wholesale clubs
If your Discover card is accepted at a wholesale club, you can earn bonus cash back on purchases there. Notably, however, Costco doesn't accept Discover cards. Wholesale club services like delivery services, travel and cell phone plans also won’t earn the bonus rate. Individual merchants and stand-alone stores located within the wholesale clubs or online may not qualify either.
Select streaming services
This category is a repeat from Discover’s first-quarter picks of 2025. You can earn bonus cash back on services like Amazon Music, Amazon Prime Video, AMC+, Apple Music, Apple TV, Audible, DirecTV Stream, Fandango at Home, Google Play Music and Video, Max, iHeartRadio, MLB.TV, Netflix, Pandora, Paramount Plus, Peacock, SiriusXM, Sling TV, Spotify, Starz, YouTube Music, YouTube Premium, YouTube TV and other qualifying popular streaming services. Keep in mind that if your subscription or add-ons are part of a bundle with another product or service, or are billed by a third party, they may not qualify for bonus cash back.
A look at 2025 categories
Discover has been known to repeat some categories from prior years. There's no telling what the future will reward, but it's worth revisiting the past to get a better understanding of the types of categories that are traditionally on the calendar:
| Discover bonus rewards categories for 2026 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Q1 (Jan. 1-March 31) |
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| Q2 (April 1–June 30) |
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| Q3 (July 1–Sept. 30) |
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| Q4 (Oct. 1–Dec. 31) | TBD. (In 2025: Amazon.com; drugstores.) | |
