Discover Q1 2026 rewards calendar — Earn 5% cash back at grocery stores, wholesale clubs, and on streaming

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With a Discover it® Cash Back Credit Card in your wallet, you can get 5% cash back across rotating categories all year. Discover’s cash-back calendar is centered around everyday expenses — often including restaurants, grocery stores, and more.

And the categories for the first quarter of 2026 are no exception. Between Jan. 1 and March 31, cardholders can earn 5% cash back at grocery stores, at wholesale clubs, and on select streaming services.

Here’s a closer look at what you can get with these categories and how to decide if a Discover cash-back card is right for you.

Read more: Best Discover credit cards

Through the first quarter of 2026, you can earn 5% cash back with your eligible Discover card on groceries at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, as well as on select streaming services. The 5% rewards apply to the first $1,500 in combined purchases when you activate.

Whether you’re starting on a New Year’s resolution or trying to cook more at home to save money after the holidays, this category can help you get a jumpstart on your goals this quarter.

Eligible retailers include supermarkets, smaller grocery stores, and even grocery delivery services. However, grocery spending at Walmart and Target is not eligible.

Related: Best credit cards for groceries

Alongside regular grocery stores, you can also earn bonus rewards when you shop at wholesale clubs this quarter. But keep in mind: wholesale clubs don’t always accept Discover credit cards. For example, you’ll need to use a Visa credit card if you’re shopping at Costco. To earn 5% rewards on eligible purchases at wholesale clubs, make sure you can use your Discover card to pay.

Discover also specifies that certain services provided by some wholesale clubs, like travel, delivery services, or cell phone purchases, may not earn 5% rewards.

You’ll save on your streaming subscriptions this quarter when you pay with your Discover card, too. Some eligible streaming services include Apple TV, Audible, DirecTV Stream, Netflix, Peacock, SiriusXM, Spotify, YouTube Premium, and more.

One exception to note is a subscription bundled with or billed through a third party. For example, if you get your HBO Max subscription through your cable provider or your SiriusXM subscription through your car manufacturer, you may not be able to earn 5% back with your card.

These are the Discover rotating cash-back categories from 2024 to Q1 2026:

The 2026 Q1 categories provide excellent opportunities to earn 5% back on everyday expenses at grocery stores and on streaming. To earn 5% back, you must activate the offer and then make purchases in the applicable categories.

Previous Discover cash-back categories have included:

Discover rotating categories are cash-back bonus categories available on certain Discover cash-back credit cards. These categories offer 5% cash back (on $1,500 in purchases per quarter after activation) and rotate quarterly. Few other cash-back credit cards offer 5% back on purchases, making the Discover rotating categories especially valuable.

Maximizing your earnings with the Discover rotating categories (spending $1,500 per quarter) could earn you $75 in cash back quarterly or $300 annually. That’s not bad for purchases you might already be making anyway.

You can activate your 5% rotating categories for the quarter through the Discover mobile app, your online account, or by calling the Discover customer service number on the back of your credit card. You can also activate through a Discover email if you’ve received one.

You won’t earn 5% on applicable purchases unless you activate each quarter. You can typically activate after the quarter has already started, but you won’t earn 5% retroactively on any purchases you’ve already made.

I’ve had a Discover credit card for many years and noticed that the quarterly bonus categories tend to follow similar patterns yearly.

For example, you might see grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations announced in any of the first three quarters of the year. However, Q4 is often reserved for categories related to holiday shopping, which could include Amazon.com.

Knowing this, you could better align your spending with the 5% rotating categories and pad your cash-back rewards. Of course, you can’t know for sure which categories will be announced ahead of time.

Fortunately, Discover typically announces rotating categories a month before they go live. That gives you a buffer to make some adjustments to upcoming spending. For example, if gas stations were just announced for the next quarter, maybe that’s an opportunity to take that road trip you’ve been planning.

Tip: Purchasing gift cards can be an easy way to maximize hitting the $1,500 spending limit each quarter. Many grocery stores, gas stations, drug stores, and other locations sell gift cards you can use later for other expenses. That could include buying Amazon, Home Depot, or other types of gift cards, depending on your upcoming purchases.

Discover has three cash-back credit cards with rotating categories:

All three cards use the same rewards program and have the same bonus rewards rate. However, the Discover it Cash Back Credit Card makes the most sense if you’re not a student or a big NHL fan.

  • Annual fee

    $0

  • Welcome offer

    Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year, with no minimum spending requirement or maximum rewards cap

  • Card type(s)

    Cash-back

  • Purchase APR

    17.74% – 26.74% variable

  • Introductory APR

    0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months (17.74% to 26.74% variable APR after that; 3% intro balance transfer fee until March 10, 2026, then up to 5%)

  • Recommended credit score

    Good to Excellent

  • Rewards rate

    • 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter — including grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more — up to the quarterly maximum
    • 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases

  • Benefits

    • Redeem your rewards for cash at any time
    • Generous intro APR for purchases and balance transfers

More details:

Earning 5% cash back is near the best return you can expect from a rewards credit card. Just be aware that there are a few rules about earning 5% back with the Discover it Cash Back Credit Card.

You have to activate each quarter to earn 5% on rotating categories, which you can do through your online account or by calling 1-800-DISCOVER. You can earn 5% back after activation each quarter on up to $1,500, then your rate becomes 1% back.

Any cash back you earn with this card will not expire for the life of your account.

Learn more about the Discover it Cash Back Credit Card

  • Annual fee

    $0

  • Welcome offer

    Earn a $200 statement credit after spending $2,000 within the first 6 months

  • Card type(s)

    Cash-back

  • Introductory Purchases APR

    0% on purchases for 15 months

  • Ongoing Purchases APR

    19.49%-28.49% Variable

  • Introductory Balance Transfer APR

    0% on balance transfers for 15 months

  • Ongoing Balance Transfer APR

    19.49%-28.49% Variable

  • Recommended credit score

    Excellent, Good

  • Rewards rate

    • 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases, then 1%)
    • 3% cash back on U.S. online retail purchases (on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases, then 1%)
    • 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations (on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases, then 1%)
    • 1% cash back on all other purchases
    • Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or on Amazon.com at checkout

  • Benefits

    • Generous intro APR on purchases and balance transfers
    • Get up to a $7 monthly statement credit after using your enrolled Blue Cash Everyday® Card for a subscription purchase, including a bundle subscription purchase, at disneyplus.com, hulu.com, or plus.espn.com U.S. websites (subject to auto-renewal)
    • Split purchases of $100 or more into equal monthly installments with a fixed fee — select the purchase in your online account or the American Express® App to see your plan options

The Amex Blue Cash Everyday is excellent for earning elevated daily rewards, especially if you don’t want to worry about rotating categories.

It has a $0 annual fee (see rates and fees) and earns 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations, and on U.S. online retail purchases on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%. It also earns 1% cash back on other eligible purchases (cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or on Amazon.com at checkout).

Read our full review of the Amex Blue Cash Everyday Card

  • Annual fee

    $0

  • Welcome offer

    Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 within the first 3 months

  • Card type(s)

    Cash-back

  • Introductory APR

    0% intro APR on purchases and qualifying balance transfers for the first 12 months, after which the standard APR applies (18.74% – 28.74% variable)

  • Purchase APR

    18.74% – 28.74% variable

  • Rewards rate

    2% cash rewards on purchases

  • Benefits

    • Get up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft ($25 deductible applies)
    • 0% introductory APR is useful to finance large purchases or transfer a balance from another card

For simple cash-back earning without bonus categories, consider the Wells Fargo Active Cash.

This card provides unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases and a $200 cash rewards bonus to new cardholders who spend $500 in the first three months.

With its flat rewards rate, $0 annual fee, and cell phone protection perk, the Wells Fargo Active Cash might be the only card you need in your wallet.

Learn more about the Wells Fargo Active Cash

  • Annual fee

    $95

  • Welcome offer

    Earn 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months – that’s equal to $750 in travel

  • Card type(s)

    Travel

  • Purchase APR

    19.74% – 28.74% variable

  • Recommended credit score

    Good, Excellent

  • Rewards rate

    • 5x miles on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
    • 2x miles on all other purchases

  • Benefits

    • Receive up to a $120 statement credit for Global Entry or TSA Precheck application fees
    • Receive a $50 experience credit, room upgrades, and early check-in at eligible hotels
    • Access Hertz’s Five Star membership tier, offering free upgrades, a wider selection of vehicles, and more

The Capital One Venture Rewards provides a straightforward rewards rate for earning miles on everyday purchases. You can earn unlimited 2x miles on every eligible purchase and 5x miles on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel.

That means there aren’t any complicated rotating categories to track, and your purchases earn valuable Capital One miles that you can redeem for travel.

Read our full review of the Capital One Venture Rewards

  • Annual fee

    $0

  • Welcome offer

    Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months

  • Card type(s)

    Rewards, Cash-back

  • Introductory APR

    0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 18.49% – 27.99%

  • Purchase APR

    18.49% – 27.99% variable

  • Rewards rate

    • 5% cash back on up to $1,500 on combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate
    • 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
    • 3% on dining, including takeout, and drug stores
    • 1% on all other purchases

  • Benefits

    • Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, real-time alerts, and more
    • Enjoy perks like extended warranty protection, trip cancellation insurance, cell phone protection, and auto rental collision damage waiver
    • Redeem your cash back rewards as a statement credit, direct deposit, gift card, on Amazon purchases, or to book travel through Chase
    • Use the introductory 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months, after which the standard APR will apply

The Chase Freedom Flex is another cash-back credit card focusing on rotating categories.

It has a $0 annual fee and provides 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in rotating bonus categories each quarter you activate. You can also earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% on dining and at drug stores, and 1% on all other purchases.

The Freedom Flex is one of our favorite Chase credit cards because of its elevated rewards rate and low annual fee.

Learn more about the Chase Freedom Flex

All information about Chase Freedom Flex℠ has been collected independently by Yahoo Finance. Chase Freedom Flex℠ is no longer available through Yahoo Finance.

Credit card rotating categories provide increased earning potential and typically change every quarter. For example, you might have Amazon.com and select streaming services one quarter, while the next quarter is grocery stores and Target. It’s common for rotating categories to offer 5% cash back.

The Discover it Cash Back Credit Card offers 5% back on rotating categories on the first $1,500 spent (then 1%) each quarter. This requires a free quarterly activation.

If you activate and spend $1,500 each quarter, you could earn $75 in cash back every three months, or $300 annually.

Grocery stores, wholesale clubs, and select streaming services are the Discover cash-back categories for Q1 (January to March) 2026, while the Q4 (October to December) 2025 categories are Amazon.com and drug stores.

This article was edited by Rebecca McCracken

Editorial Disclosure: The information in this article has not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. All opinions belong solely to Yahoo Finance and are not those of any other entity. The details on financial products, including card rates and fees, are accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information. This site doesn’t include all currently available offers. Credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.

 

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