Earn 9x Points on Dining: The Rakuten Dining Program

Rakuten does not just pay you for online shopping. It also pays you for eating out, automatically, once you link a card. Here is how Rakuten Dining works and how to stack it for as much as 9x points per dollar.

Earn 9x Points on Dining: The Rakuten Dining Program

by Julia Portela

August 12, 2026 Reading Time: 4 min read

Advertiser Disclosure: Journey on Points has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products and may receive a commission at no cost to you.

Most people use Rakuten for online shopping and stop there. But there is a second program, Rakuten Dining, that pays you just for eating at restaurants you already go to. You set it up once, and then it runs in the background every time you pay. If you have not read my main guide on how Rakuten works, start here.

What Is Rakuten Dining?

Rakuten Dining is a card-linked program, which just means you connect a credit card once and then earn automatically. You set it up a single time by linking your card, and after that, every time you pay with that card at a participating restaurant, you earn extra points.

There is no coupon to show, no receipt to upload, and nothing to tap or activate each time you eat. It works at more than 22,000 restaurants.

The rate is about 5% back (= 5x points per dollar) at most restaurants, based on your full bill including tip and tax. The points (or cash back) show up in your Rakuten account within 3 to 5 days, and pay out on the same quarterly schedule as the rest of Rakuten.

Just like online shopping, you can take this as cash back, Amex points, or Bilt points, depending on the payout you set in your account.

One important thing to know: you can link as many cards as you want to Rakuten Dining, but each individual card can only be in one dining program at a time. Airline dining programs (like the ones from Alaska or American Airlines) run on the same network, so your card can be in Rakuten Dining or an airline dining program, but not both. Pick whichever is more valuable to you, or use a separate card for each.

Just to be clear: you are earning points on Rakuten PLUS on your credit card. Choose your dining card wisely! :)

How to Set It Up

Start by linking your card (in the Rakuten app, click on "Linked cards"). Add the card you want to use and link it to In-Store and Dining. Once it is linked, you are set to earn.

To see which restaurants participate, tap In-Store, then Dining (there is no separate Dining button), and choose your city. That section is just a directory to check which places are in the program. You do not activate anything and you do not need a reservation. You simply visit a participating restaurant and pay with your linked card, and the cash back tracks on its own. You only set this up once per card.

How to Earn 9x Points on Dining

The card you pay with still earns its own rewards, so if you link a card that already pays well on dining, you stack both on the same meal.

The best combo is the Amex Gold, which earns 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants. Link the Gold, pay with the Gold, and you earn 4x from Amex plus about 5x from Rakuten Dining, which comes to roughly 9x points per dollar on the same bill.

If you do not have the Amex Gold, a great alternative is the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve, which both earn 3x on dining.

A Few Things to Know

You have to pay with the exact card you linked, or the points will not track. And as always with Rakuten, points are confirmed after a few days and paid quarterly, so it is not instant.

New to Rakuten?

If you are not on Rakuten yet, you can start with a bonus of 5,000 Amex points (or 5,000 Bilt points, or $50) after spending $50 within 90 days. It is live through September 30, 2026.

Sign up with my link here: www.rakuten.com/r/JULIAD2054?eeid=28187.

This is a referral link, so we both get a bonus.

Bottom Line

Rakuten Dining is a set-it-and-forget-it way to earn on food you were buying anyway. Link a card that already pays well on dining, like the Amex Gold, pay with it when you eat out, and you stack two rewards on every meal. For the full picture on shopping, payouts, and the bigger point plays, read my main Rakuten guide:

Advertiser Disclosure: Journey on Points has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products and may receive a commission at no cost to you. Only the best cards are recommended.

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.