As we enter a new quarter, Discover it(R) Cash Back cardholders have the opportunity to earn bonus cash back in new spending categories. For each quarter of 2026, the popular card issuer will update its 5% Bonus Cashback Calendar when you activate, allowing members to earn additional rewards on up to $1,500 in qualified spending.
What are Discover’s cash-back categories for the fourth quarter of 2026?
From October through December 2026, Discover it(R) Cash Back cardholders will earn 5% cash back at restaurants and on entertainment and utility purchases.
According to Discover:
Restaurant purchases include those made at merchants classified as full-service restaurants, cafes, cafeterias, fast-food locations, and caterers. Restaurants located inside of, or affiliated with another business such as hotels or retail stores, and establishments classified as a bakery, may not qualify.
Entertainment purchases include ticket purchases at movie theaters, sports promoters (professional and semi-professional live events), theatrical promoters, concert promoters, amusement parks, tourist attractions, aquariums, zoos, dance halls, record stores, video rental locations, pool halls and bowling alleys. Tickets for or fees at golf courses, country clubs, some collegiate sporting events, charitable events, as well as cable and digital streaming and subscription services, amusement park tickets purchased on third-party sites, and entertainment and resort packages categorized as “travel” or “hotel” do not qualify.
Utility purchases include purchases for residential electricity, natural gas, and water service. Utility purchases also include purchases made over the phone or online for internet, cable, satellite TV, and mobile and landline phone service. Purchases at physical retail stores for internet, cable, satellite, and mobile and landline phone service do not qualify. Purchases made through third parties, such as through a landlord, property management company, or homeowners association, may not qualify. Purchases for home fuel delivery, standalone streaming services, some satellite phone and internet service, vehicle connectivity, accessories, or equipment may not qualify.
Details of the Discover 5% cash back calendar
Discover reveals each 5% cash-back bonus category in the month before the start of the next quarter. Now that the full 2026 calendar has been announced, we can review the categories for this year alongside previous years to see how they compare.
January-March
April-June
July-September
October-December
2026
Grocery stores, wholesale clubs, and select streaming services
Restaurants and home improvement stores
Gas stations, drug stores, home improvement purchases
Restaurants, entertainment, and utilities
2025
Restaurants, home improvement stores, and select streaming services
Grocery stores and wholesale clubs
Gas stations and EV charging, public transit, and utilities
Amazon.com and drug stores
2024
U.S. restaurants and drug stores
Gas stations and EVC stations, home improvement stores, and public transit
Walmart and grocery stores
Amazon.com and Target
2023
Grocery stores, drug stores and select streaming services
Restaurants and wholesale clubs
Gas stations and digital wallets
Amazon.com and Target
2022
Grocery stores and fitness club and gym memberships
Gas stations and Target
Restaurants and PayPal
Amazon.com and digital wallets
2021
Grocery stores, Walgreens, CVS
Gas stations, wholesale clubs and select streaming services
Restaurants and PayPal
Amazon.com, Walmart.com and Target.com
2020
Grocery stores, Walgreens, CVS
Gas stations, Uber, Lyft and wholesale clubs
Restaurants and PayPal
Amazon.com, Walmart.com and Target.com
2019
Grocery stores
Gas stations, Uber and Lyft
Restaurants
Amazon.com
Each quarter, cardholders can receive 5% cash back on purchases in the bonus categories. The bonus is capped at $1,500 in spending, which translates to $75 cash back. After that, all additional purchases earn an unlimited 1% cash back.
How to activate Discover’s cash-back categories
Bonus cash back isn’t automatically awarded. You’ll need to activate each quarter’s category to begin earning 5% cash back.
Activation is simple and can be done with the click of a button. Discover typically sends cardholders an email reminding them to activate the cash back category for the next quarter. These emails generally contain a link that can be clicked to activate the offer.
If you don’t get an email or lose it, you can also activate the bonus category online. You should see the option to activate on the main page for your credit card account. You can also go to the 5% Cashback Calendar within your account to activate the offer or call Discover’s customer service line.
You should be able to activate the category as soon as it is announced. Those announcements occur at the start of the month before a new quarter begins.
How to redeem Discover credit card rewards
Redeeming Discover cash back is almost as easy as activating the cash back categories. You have four options:
- Cash: Redeem your cash back for a statement credit or deposit it into a bank account.
- Pay with rewards: Cash back can be used to make purchases at Amazon.com or through PayPal.
- Gift cards: You’ll get 5-20% added value when you redeem your cash back for gift cards. There are nearly 100 options, including Walmart, Target, Land’s End and Grubhub.
- Charity: You can donate your cash back to one of eight charities, including the American Red Cross, Junior Achievement USA, and the World Wildlife Fund.
You can choose from these options within the redemption page of your online Discover account.
Other cards with rotating bonus categories
Discover isn’t the only card with quarterly bonus categories. Chase Freedom Flex℠ and Chase Freedom® cardholders also need to activate their quarterly bonus category to begin earning extra cash back.
➤ SEE MORE:Chase Freedom® quarterly rewards categories
Other cards let you select your own bonus category and change it quarterly or monthly. These include the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card and the Bank of America(R) Customized Cash Rewards credit card. If you haven’t reviewed your selection recently, now is a good time to reevaluate your choice.
Ready to ramp up your rewards? Check out the best credit cards to get right now.
