01 / Find your row
Score first. Rewards second.
Issuers underwrite the owner, not the restaurant. Use 740+, 670–739, or under 670 as a practical starting row, not an approval promise. Revenue, time in business, obligations, and the issuer's model still decide the application.
| Your row | Trip | Cash | Float |
|---|---|---|---|
| 740+ | Ink Unlimited + Preferred | Spark Cash Plus | Ink Unlimited / Cash |
| 670–739 | Ink Unlimited + Preferred | Ink Unlimited | Ink Unlimited / Cash |
| Under 670 | Build credit first | Spark 1% Classic | Do not carry a balance |
02 / Name the job
Kitchen run, trip, cash, or float?
Restaurant Depot, Costco, and Sam's Club commonly use MCC 5300. A dining bonus usually earns its base rate on the supply run. Delivered invoices may carry a card surcharge; a 3% fee erases a 2% reward. Ask the vendor before modeling it.
Little Mo's public shape is one Vietnamese-fusion fast-casual location in Bushwick. Spot Dessert Bar's public shape is five locations plus a commissary. Illustratively, Little Mo may favor one simple purchaser; Spot may need centralized purchasing, manager limits, and receipt rules. These examples do not state either business's spend, cards, approvals, or financial results.
03 / The short list
One card. One clear job.
Product artwork is shown for identification. Garde does not imply issuer endorsement.
Ink Business Unlimited
The everyday kitchen-run card1.5% back, no annual fee, 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months.
Best default for wholesale-club runs. Pair with Preferred only when you have a real transfer plan.
Issuer details
Ink Business Preferred
The transfer-points unlock$95 annual fee. 100,000 points after $8,000 in 3 months. 3X on select categories.
Use for shipping, advertising, internet, cable, phone and travel. Do not automatically use it for food runs.
Issuer details
Spark Cash Plus
The high-spend cash play2% unlimited. $150 fee credited at $150,000 annual spend. $2,000 bonus after $30,000 in 3 months.
Pay in full. The fee-credit threshold is not the ongoing rewards break-even.
Issuer details
Ink Business Cash
The float alternative0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months. Category rewards vary by offer.
A timing tool for planned inventory, not permission to carry an unplanned balance.
Issuer details
Spark 1% Classic
The credit-building lane1% unlimited. No annual fee. Verified 28.99% variable APR.
Under 670, the clean payment record matters more than the reward. Pay in full.
Issuer details
Blue Business Plus
The flexible 670–739 alternative2X Membership Rewards on the first $50,000 each year, then 1X.
Re-check the current offer and terms with American Express before applying.
Issuer details
U.S. Bank Triple Cash
The utility specialistReported 3% on gas, office supply, cell phone and restaurants. 0% for 12 billing cycles.
Wholesale clubs are excluded. Verify review-site terms directly with the issuer.
Issuer details
Capital on Tap
The revenue-gated middle rowReports 1.5% cash back, or 2% with weekly AutoPay. Up to a $50,000 limit.
Issuer coverage cites $2,500 monthly revenue and six months in business. Verify eligibility.
Issuer details
Ramp
The no-personal-guarantee pathCorporate charge-card model. Reported $25,000 U.S. business bank balance guidance.
Corporations, LLCs and LPs may fit. Sole proprietors do not. Cash reserves still matter.
Issuer details
Costco Anywhere Visa Business
The Costco-specific option2% at Costco. Rewards arrive as an annual certificate after the February statement.
Useful when Costco dominates the run, but slower than cash back that arrives each statement.
Issuer details04 / The math
First year is not ongoing value.
Trip play: (monthly spend × 12 × 1.5 points) + 100,000 bonus points, valued at 2.05 cents per point, − $95. Show the same points at a 1-cent floor. Cash play: (monthly spend × 12 × 2%) + the $2,000 bonus if $30,000 is spent in three months, − $150 unless annual spend reaches $150,000.
| Monthly spend | Trip at 2.05c | Trip at 1c | Spark Cash Plus | Ink Unlimited |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $8,000 | $4,907 | $2,345 | $1,770 | $2,190 |
| $20,000 | $9,335 | $4,505 | $6,800 | $4,350 |
| $40,000 | $16,715 | $8,105 | $11,600 | $7,950 |
These are illustrative first-year figures using the offers stated here. Ongoing comparison: 2% minus $150 crosses a no-fee 1.5% card at $30,000 a year. Replace monthly spend with only purchases that can safely run through the card, excluding vendor fees.
05 / Controls
The card is only half the system.
Use one card per purchaser, a limit equal to roughly one week of runs, approved vendors, and a receipt before close. Code the receipt, not just the merchant. Spend-based rewards are generally rebates that reduce the related expense. A bonus with no spend requirement can be income. Use your accountant's house rule.
Garde Cards is in early access, with merchant-category controls and automatic GL matching for team cards.
Safe float
0% intro APR can cover planned inventory and smallwares for up to 12 months. It is not for payroll, rent, or sales tax. Write the end date and monthly payoff before the first purchase. Spark Cash Plus is a pay-in-full charge card and does not float. Business cards may not receive the same grace-period protections as consumer cards.
06 / Five questions operators ask
The quick answers.
Do Restaurant Depot, Costco, or Sysco purchases count as restaurant spend?
No. Wholesale clubs commonly code as MCC 5300. Distributor invoices code as the distributor's category, and some accounts carry a card fee.
Should I use a business or personal card?
Business. It creates a cleaner liability trail and supports employee cards. The personal guarantee means your credit can still be on the line.
Can I give my kitchen manager a card with a spending limit?
Yes. Set it to roughly one week of runs, name approved vendors, and require receipts before the shift ends.
Are rewards taxable?
Spend-based rewards are generally rebates that reduce the related expense. A bonus with no spend requirement can be income. Ask your accountant to apply one policy.
Is 0% intro APR a good way to open a second location?
For inventory and smallwares, inside the window, it can be. For payroll, rent, or sales tax, no.
Sources and disclosures
Offers and rates were verified September 15, 2026. Terms, approval standards, fees, rewards, and APRs can change. This is not personalized financial advice. Garde does not use affiliate or referral links.
- Chase Ink Business Preferred
- Chase Ink Business Unlimited
- Capital One Spark cards
- Sysco investor release
- Experian FICO bands
- IRS Publication 525
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
- Chase Ink Business Cash
- Capital One Spark 1% Classic
- Costco Anywhere Visa Business
- Capital on Tap
- Ramp eligibility and pricing
- U.S. Bank Triple Cash overview
- American Express Blue Business Plus
- The Points Guy monthly valuations
- Merchant category code explainer
About the author
Raymond Sun, Garde Head of Operations
After 15+ years running independent restaurants, Raymond knows what it takes to keep the doors open and the books healthy. Now he's helping other restaurateurs do the same.