Ah, eating out in India. Only in the land where you can spend ₹4,000 on artisanal kulchas served on Himalayan slate, to later realize that you are diligently waiting for your credit card to refund you ₹200 just to feel like you are actually making progress with adulting. Here we are in 2025, where restaurants can now provide you with QR menus, robot servers, and common belief that truffle oil belongs on everything. Yet, you are a sophisticated consumer who isn’t here to talk about any complaints — you are here to maximize mouthfuls per swipe. So here it is: our guide to India’s best dining credit cards in 2025 for those who presume the taste of the bill should be almost as enjoyable as the food.
1. HDFC Bank Diners Club Privilege Credit Card
- Suitable for: Fine-diners and international travelers
- Key Dining Benefits:
- On premium partner restaurants (as part of the Good Food Trail dining programme) you can save as much as 15%
- Invites to exclusive food events
- Free Zomato-Pro or Swiggy-One on milestone spends
- Other Benefits:
- 4 Reward Points for every ₹150
- Free lounge access (domestic and international)
- 1-year free memberships (Amazon Prime, Times Prime etc.)
- Annual Fee: ₹2,500 + GST (waived of spent ₹3L)
- What It Does Best: A package of reward points that offers also premium dining discounts and a lifestyle membership. Clearly a worthy all-rounder.
2. SBI Card Elite
- Suitable for: Big spenders in luxury dining and entertainment.
- Key Dining Benefits:
- Up to 25% off on dining also has SBI Card Prime dining privileges
- Discounts in over 300 premium restaurants located in metro cities
- Free memberships (Club Vistara Silver & Trident Privilege Hotel)
- All Other Benefits:
- 2 Reward points for every ₹100
- Free movie tickets (Buy 1 Get, via BookMyShow) Lounge access and concierge
- Annual Fee: ₹4,999 + GST (renewal fee reversed at ₹10L spends in the year)
- What It Does Best: Premium card that enhances brands synergy in entertainment and dining for big spenders.
3. ICICI Bank Coral Credit Card (Amex Variant)
- Best for: Wallet- conscious diners
- Key Dining Benefits:
- 15% off dining 2,500+ partner restaurants with the Culinary Treats Program
- Discounts are valid for both dine-in and takeout for listed restaurants
- Other Benefits:
- 2x Reward Points on dining, groceries and supermarkets
- 1 free movie ticket per month from BookMyShow
- Fuel surcharge waiver
- Annual Fee: ₹500 + GST (waived on annual spend of ₹1.5L)
- Why It Stands Out: Good value for entry level users wanting to secure steady dining goodness at a low price point.
Also read: Get Free Lounge Access, Cashback & More with These SBI Cards in 2025!
4. RBL Bank Edition Credit Card (Zomato Co-branded)
- Best for: Zomato users and frequent food delivery orders
- Key Dining Benefits:
- 5% cashback on Zomato orders. (Zomato Pro Plus earns 10% cashback).
- Free Zomato Gold membership.
- Enjoy up to 40% off dining at Zomato Gold partner restaurants.
- Other Benefits:
- 10 EDGE reward points for every ₹100 spent on dining
- Fuel surcharge waiver.
- Annual Fee: ₹500 + GST (waived on annual spend of ₹1L)
- Why It Stands Out: Specifically, for Zomato lovers and a great card to have in your pocket for millennial and student users that like to order takeout.
5. Axis Bank Vistara Signature Credit Card
- Best For: Business travelers that love eating out
- Key Dining Benefits:
- Discounts and offers under Axis Dining Delights Programme
- Up to 20% off with 2,000+ restaurants across India
- Additional Benefits:
- Free Vistara Premium Economy ticket upon joining
- Club Vistara Silver membership
- 4 CV Points for ₹200 spent
- Annual Fee: ₹3,000 + GST
- Why It’s Different: Perfect card for those who fly regularly combining both airline benefits and dining benefits in a single premium card.
6. IndusInd Bank Iconia Credit Card
- Best For: Dining + reward points fusion
- Key Dining Benefits:
- Up to 15% discount at select high-end restaurants
- Weekly dining offers on Dineout and EazyDiner
- Additional Benefits:
- 2 Reward Points for ₹100 on weekdays (1.5x more on weekends)
- Unlimited lounge access
- Concierge and Golf privileges
- Annual Fee: ₹3,500 + GST (there are no annual fee variants if applied through specific channels)
- Why It’s Different: Balanced all-rounder card for end users that spend in dining, travel and lifestyle.
What to consider when choosing a dining credit card?
- Spending Habit: Are you someone who dines out often or usually orders-in? Pick cards that match your dine-out habit.
- Partner Networks: Check out if the card has good partnerships with Zomato/Swiggy/Dineout/EazyDiner etc.
- Fees vs Benefits: Analyze annual fees, against what you could save, earn extra rewards.
- Additional benefits: Lounge access, reward points, cashback, etc. are all added benefits.
Last Bite-Sized Wisdom
Dining credit cards in India are less about saving money, and more about feeling like you are saving money: an important psychological disparity that marketers exploit like ghee in north Indian cuisine. So, feel free to get whatever you want – not your poison but your paneer – and swipe away like it is 2049. Because if you are going to spend ₹1,200 on sushi in a land-locked city, might as well get a ₹50 reward point and a free keychain while you’re at it.
Written by Pranjal Data
