Paying for dinner online can count as online shopping for credit-card rewards, depending on the card and checkout. In Wise Bread’s test, a $45.41 sit-down dinner paid through a QR-linked website qualified for the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card’s Online Shopping category—without switching to Dining. Other restaurant checkouts may process differently. Keeping Online Shopping selected can also cover other eligible purchases, such as online movie tickets.
Eligible new cardholders can earn 6% cash back on these qualifying purchases during their first year—3% choice-category rewards plus a 3% first-year bonus. A BofA Rewards™ relationship bonus of up to 75% on the standard 3% rate can boost that first-year rate to 8.25%. These rates are subject to the $2,500 quarterly spending cap shared across choice-category, grocery store, and wholesale club purchases.
In Wise Bread’s October 3, 2026 test, a $45.41 sit-down dinner qualified for the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card’s Online Shopping category—without switching to Dining. We ordered and paid through the restaurant’s QR-linked website while eating at the restaurant. Our applicable first-year rewards rate was 7.5%, and BofA displayed $3.43 in pending cash back, including a category bonus “for online shopping purchase.”
How We Ordered and Paid for Dinner Through a QR-Linked Website
With Online Shopping selected, we scanned Su Mi Re’s table QR code, opened the menu in a web browser, added food and drinks to the cart, and paid through the website—no app required. The $45.41 total included tax and tip.
Did Our Dinner Payment Qualify as BofA Online Shopping?
Yes. Bank of America’s transaction details for Wise Bread’s $45.41 dinner listed the merchant description as “EATING PLACES, RESTAURANTS” and marked “Online Purchase: Y.” The rewards record separately identified a category bonus “for online shopping purchase.”
This documents the checkout we tested; other restaurant websites, apps, and QR-linked payments may process differently.
How Our 7.5% First-Year Cash Back Rate Was Calculated
Our 7.5% rate combined the standard 3% Online Shopping rewards, a 50% BofA Rewards™ relationship bonus, and the additional 3% first-year bonus: (3% × 1.50) + 3% = 7.5%.
| Rewards component | Rate for this transaction | Pending cash back displayed for the $45.41 meal |
|---|---|---|
| Base rewards | 1% | $0.46 |
| Online Shopping category bonus | 2% | $0.91 |
| BofA Rewards™ relationship bonus | 50% of the standard 3% rate, adding 1.5% | $0.69 |
| Additional first-year bonus | 3% | $1.37 |
| Total pending cash back | 7.5% | $3.43 |
Who Can Earn Up to 8.25% With BofA Customized Cash Rewards?
Wise Bread’s test used a 50% BofA Rewards™ relationship bonus, producing a 7.5% first-year rate. Eligible new cardholders at the Premier tier can reach 8.25% cash back on qualifying choice-category purchases during their first year after account opening: (3% × 1.75) + 3% = 8.25%.
The relationship bonus applies to the standard 3% choice-category rate, not the separate 3% first-year bonus. Eligible new cardholders without a relationship bonus can earn 6% during the first year on qualifying choice-category purchases; after the first-year bonus ends, the rate without a relationship bonus is 3%.
BofA Rewards™ membership requires an eligible Bank of America checking account and enrollment. Under standard BofA Rewards™ requirements, Premier tier provides the 75% relationship bonus with at least $1 million in qualifying combined average balances. The table below shows the balance requirements and first-year versus ongoing rates for each tier.
| Relationship bonus tier | Standard minimum qualifying average balance | Eligible first-year rate | Ongoing rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| No relationship bonus | Not applicable | 6.00% | 3.00% |
| Member tier (10%) | None | 6.30% | 3.30% |
| Preferred Plus tier (25%) | $30,000 | 6.75% | 3.75% |
| Preferred Honors tier (50%) | $100,000 | 7.50% | 4.50% |
| Premier tier (75%) | $1,000,000 | 8.25% | 5.25% |
Rates calculated from published terms for qualifying choice-category purchases, subject to the $2,500 quarterly spending cap shared across choice-category, grocery store, and wholesale club purchases. BofA Rewards™ membership requires an eligible Bank of America checking account and enrollment. Tier balance requirements refer to qualifying combined average balances. Some customers have customized eligibility or extended credit-card benefits; check your account for the relationship bonus that applies.
How to Set Up Your Card for Date Night
When Does Dining Out Count as BofA Online Shopping?
Dining out can qualify when you complete payment through an eligible online checkout with Online Shopping selected. A website, app, or QR code does not by itself guarantee Online Shopping rewards.
| Payment method | Does it count as Online Shopping? |
|---|---|
| Pay through the restaurant’s website | Can qualify if the merchant submits the payment as an eligible online purchase. |
| Pay through the restaurant’s app | Can qualify under the same rule; using an app alone does not guarantee eligibility. |
| Pay through a QR-linked checkout at the table | Can qualify if payment is completed through an eligible online checkout. Scanning a QR code alone is not enough. |
| Order online but pay at pickup | No. Ordering online does not make an in-person payment eligible. |
| Pay at a physical card terminal, including a mobile-wallet tap | No. An in-person terminal payment is not an online purchase. |
Ordering online is not the same as paying online. Verify the Online Shopping category bonus in your rewards breakdown rather than relying only on the website, app, or QR code used to pay.
How to Select Online Shopping and Verify Your Rewards
- Select “Online Shopping”: Navigate to BofA’s Online Banking or use the Mobile Banking app to select Online Shopping as your chosen cash back category. You may change your category once each calendar month, and it will remain the same if you make no changes. The default category is Gas & EV Charging Stations, so make certain you have changed it to Online Shopping.
- Check your remaining quarterly spending capacity: The card’s $2,500 quarterly spending cap is shared across choice-category, grocery store, and wholesale club purchases. Check how much you have spent across all three—not just in Online Shopping—to see how much spending remains eligible for the higher cash back rates this quarter.
- Compare checkout prices: There may be convenience fees or booking fees associated with online purchases at restaurants or movie theaters. Compare the cost of checking out online vs. checking out in person to ensure you’re not overpaying for your date night, which could negate the cash back you would earn.
- Pay through an eligible online checkout: Use your BofA Customized Cash Rewards card to complete payment through an eligible restaurant website, app, or QR-linked checkout—not at a physical card terminal.
- Verify the category bonus: Review both the transaction details and the rewards breakdown. In our test, the transaction details showed “Online Purchase: Y,” and the rewards record explicitly listed a category bonus “for online shopping purchase.” Check the rewards record rather than relying only on the online-purchase flag.
How Does BofA Customized Cash Rewards Compare With Other Cards for Date Night?
For dinner and a movie, compare what each card earns on your actual purchases—not just its highest advertised rate. Here’s how these cards compare for purchases made directly from restaurants and movie theaters.
| Card | Cash back on dinner and movies | Key conditions and spending limits |
|---|---|---|
| Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards | With Online Shopping selected, qualifying online restaurant payments and movie-ticket purchases can earn 6%–8.25% during the first year and 3%–5.25% afterward, depending on the relationship bonus.* | $2,500 quarterly spending cap, shared across choice-category, grocery store, and wholesale club purchases; 1%–1.75% on spending above that shared quarterly spending cap. |
| Capital One Savor | Unlimited 3% on qualifying dining and entertainment, including movie tickets. | No category selection or online-payment requirement. Purchases must have qualifying merchant coding. |
| Amex Blue Cash Everyday | Generally 1% on restaurant meals and movie tickets. | Its 3% U.S. Online Retail category excludes restaurants and entertainment, even when paid online. |
| U.S. Bank Cash+ | 5% on Movie Theaters or Fast Food if selected as bonus categories; 2% on Restaurants if selected. | Quarterly enrollment required. The 5% rate applies to a $2,000 quarterly spending cap shared across the two selected 5% categories, then 1%. Unselected categories earn 1%. |
*BofA’s first-year rates apply to eligible new cardholders and include the additional 3% first-year bonus. The maximum rates require a 75% BofA Rewards™ relationship bonus, which applies to standard rewards—not the additional first-year bonus.
When Paying at a Restaurant’s Card Terminal Changes the Math
Not every restaurant offers online checkout. When you must pay at a physical card terminal, your selected BofA choice category determines whether the meal earns choice-category rewards.
With Online Shopping selected on the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card, a restaurant payment at a physical card terminal earns 1% cash back, or 1.1%–1.75% with an eligible BofA Rewards™ relationship bonus. Capital One Savor earns 3% cash back on qualifying dining purchases without requiring online payment.
Should You Choose BofA Online Shopping, Dining, or a Two-Card Strategy?
Online Shopping’s advantage over Dining is broader purchase coverage—not a higher choice-category rate. Choose your setup based on which purchases qualify, your overall spending, and whether you prefer using one card or two.
| Setup | Choose this setup when… | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| One card: BofA Online Shopping | Your dinner payment and movie-ticket purchase both qualify as Online Shopping. | Eligible purchases can share one choice-category setting; restaurant terminal payments earn the non-category rate. |
| One card: BofA Dining | You want one card and regularly pay restaurants at physical terminals. | Qualifying meals can earn choice-category rewards, but movie tickets generally earn the non-category rate. |
| Two cards: BofA Online Shopping + Savor | You want to retain BofA Online Shopping but need another card for restaurant terminal payments. | Use Savor for qualifying dining paid at a terminal and BofA for qualifying online purchases; this requires two cards. |
| Two cards: BofA Dining + Savor | You want BofA’s choice-category rate for qualifying restaurant purchases and Savor for movies. | Use BofA for dinner and Savor for qualifying movie tickets; BofA is no longer set to Online Shopping. |
When Is the Extra Cash Back Not Worth It?
Compare your total cost after cash back, not just the rewards percentage. Extra online fees, the shared quarterly spending cap, and the end of the first-year promotion can reduce or erase the advantage.
When Online Booking Fees Erase the Rewards Advantage
Suppose a $40 purchase costs an extra $3 when paid online. The table compares estimated cash back and effective cost against a fee-free payment earning 3%.
| Payment option | Total charged | Cash back | Effective cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Savor at 3%; no extra fee | $40.00 | $1.20 | $38.80 |
| BofA at 6%; $3 extra fee | $43.00 | $2.58 | $40.42 |
| BofA at 8.25%; $3 extra fee | $43.00 | $3.55 | $39.45 |
Illustrative estimates apply each stated rate to the full charge, including the fee, and round to the nearest cent. BofA examples assume first-year eligibility and sufficient room under the shared quarterly spending cap. Actual rewards rounding may differ.
In this $40 purchase example, a $3 online fee outweighs the extra cash back—even at 8.25%. Compare the fee with the additional rewards over your fee-free option, not with the total rewards earned.
Bank of America applies one $2,500 quarterly spending cap to combined choice-category, grocery store, and wholesale club purchases. Once you reach that shared quarterly spending cap, additional purchases in those categories earn 1% cash back, or up to 1.75% with an eligible BofA Rewards™ relationship bonus, for the rest of the quarter. The additional 3% first-year bonus does not apply to choice-category spending above that quarterly spending cap.
When the First-Year Promotion Ends
After an eligible account’s additional 3% first-year bonus ends, qualifying choice-category purchases earn 3%–5.25%, depending on the relationship bonus, subject to the shared quarterly spending cap.
Frequently Asked Questions About BofA Date-Night Rewards
Do I Need to Select Dining to Earn Bonus Cash Back on Dinner?
No. With Online Shopping selected on the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card, qualifying online restaurant payments can earn choice-category rewards. Wise Bread documented this through a restaurant’s QR-linked checkout; other checkouts may process differently.
Can One Purchase Earn Both Dining and Online Shopping Bonuses?
No. Dining and Online Shopping are separate choice categories, and you can select only one at a time. A qualifying restaurant payment earns the bonus for your selected category—not both category bonuses. Eligible relationship and first-year bonuses can still increase that selected category’s rewards.
Can Existing Cardholders Get the Additional 3% First-Year Bonus?
The advertised promotion is for eligible newly opened accounts, not an automatic upgrade for older accounts. An account opened under the offer receives the additional 3% on qualifying choice-category purchases during its first year after account opening. After that promotion ends, qualifying choice-category purchases earn 3% to 5.25%, depending on the relationship bonus, subject to the shared quarterly spending cap.
Why Did My Online Restaurant Payment Earn Less Cash Back Than Expected?
Check your selected category, the merchant’s payment classification, your first-year promotion eligibility, and your relationship bonus. Also check whether you have reached the $2,500 quarterly spending cap shared across choice-category, grocery store, and wholesale club purchases. An online order paid at a physical terminal does not qualify as Online Shopping.
Bottom Line: Dinner Can Earn BofA Online Shopping Rewards
Wise Bread’s test using the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card documented a sit-down dinner payment that qualified for BofA Online Shopping rewards—without switching to Dining. Keeping Online Shopping selected can also cover other eligible purchases, such as online movie tickets, under the same category setting.
Eligible new cardholders can earn 6%–8.25% cash back during their first year, depending on the relationship bonus, subject to the $2,500 quarterly spending cap shared across choice-category, grocery store, and wholesale club purchases.
Choose the checkout with the lowest total cost after cash back. Compare any extra online fees against the additional rewards over your alternative payment option, and verify the category bonus in your rewards record.
