Grocery cards work here
Unlike Target and Walmart, Whole Foods typically codes as a supermarket, and American Express lists it among U.S. supermarkets. So every grocery card earns its grocery rate here, which is why the table above is full of 4% to 6% cards rather than flat-rate ones.
Prime Visa or a supermarket card
The question is which of three numbers is biggest for you:
| Card | Rate at Whole Foods | Cap | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prime Visa (with Prime) | 5% | None | $0 |
| Blue Cash Preferred | 6% | $6,000 a year at U.S. supermarkets | $95 |
| Amex Gold | 4x (6% at 1.5¢ a point) | $25,000 a year at U.S. supermarkets | $325 |
On $3,000 a year at Whole Foods, the Prime Visa returns $150. The Blue Cash Preferred returns $180, but if your other supermarket spending already fills its $6,000 cap, Whole Foods drops to 1%. Each fee covers all your spending on that card, so weigh it against your whole grocery budget.
If you already hold a Blue Cash Preferred or a Gold for groceries, keep using it at Whole Foods until its cap is in sight. If you have Prime and don't want an annual fee, the Prime Visa is the simplest answer.
The Prime math
Prime is required for the Prime Visa's 5% and for Whole Foods' member discounts. Most people pay for Prime for shipping and video, and the Whole Foods benefits come on top. The card alone doesn't justify the membership: 2 extra points over the Amazon Visa's 3% is $2 per $100.