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While the  Bilt Mastercard® is primarily popular for its rent rewards program, it also offers cardholders a way to maximize rewards on dining purchases. 

The Neighborhood Dining benefit offers Bilt Members a chance to earn up to 10X points per dollar spent at participating restaurants — and that's on top of the rewards they earn with a linked credit card.

Bilt Mastercard®

The Bilt Mastercard is absolutely worth it if you’re a renter interested in maximizing your rewards potential. Being able to earn points on rent without paying transaction fees is huge. But what makes “points” valuable is how you use them. Bilt’s loyalty program is comparable to Chase Ultimate Rewards because it has 10 travel partners in common with Chase. Just be sure you can use the card 5 times each statement period to qualify for earning points.

Overview

The Bilt Mastercard has quickly gained popularity since it launched and it’s easy to see why. The card has been dubbed a game-changer because it offers rewards on rent payments, without transaction fees. Between generous category bonuses and premium travel perks, Bilt has created a card that appeals to frequent travelers and those who want a simple rewards card.

Pros

  • Earn points on rent without the transaction fee
  • Generous earnings on dining and travel
  • Strong rental car and purchase protections

Cons

  • Doesn't earn points on mortgages

Here's how it works and what you can do to make the most of your dining purchases.

How Bilt Neighborhood Dining Works

Bilt made its name as the only loyalty program that rewards you for paying rent, and now, you can earn valuable Bilt points when you dine out.

The Neighborhood Dining program offers between 2X and 10X Bilt points per dollar spent at more than 20,000 participating restaurants in 20+ U.S. cities. Here's how it works:

  1. Become a Bilt Member: If you're not already a Bilt Member, you sign-up via its app or website.
  2. Link your eligible card: In the Bilt mobile app or on the website, link any Visa, Mastercard, or American Express credit or debit card in the Wallet tab. If you have the Bilt Mastercard®, it'll be automatically linked.
  3. Enable restaurant rewards: In the Neighborhood tab, toggle the "Enable all restaurant rewards" feature to ensure you don't miss out on any bonus rewards opportunities.
  4. Look for restaurants in your area: Check out the Dining section in the Neighborhood tab to find participating restaurants in your area. The mobile app and website allow you to filter your options by location, cuisine, and price range. You may even be able to get reservations directly in the app.
  5. Dine out: Once you've found the restaurant you want to visit, simply use your linked card when you pay the bill, and you'll earn the promised rewards.

You'll typically receive your points within seven days. Keep in mind, however, that you won't earn Bilt points if you use a delivery service.

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Bilt Neighborhood Dining vs. Other Dining Programs

Bilt is just one of many loyalty programs that offers a dining rewards program. In fact, many airline and hotel loyalty programs offer bonus rewards when you eat at participating restaurants. Examples include:

  • Alaska Mileage Plan™ Dining
  • Delta SkyMiles® Dining
  • United MileagePlus Dining℠
  • Southwest® Rapid Rewards Dining®
  • IHG One Rewards Dine and Earn
  • Marriott Bonvoy Eat Around Town
  • Hilton Honors Dining

It's possible that these more established programs are available in cities where Bilt's Neighborhood Dining hasn't expanded yet. However, airline and hotel rewards offer limited flexibility — you usually can only redeem your points or miles with the airline or hotel loyalty program.

With Bilt, you can use your points to book travel, shop online, pay your rent, or even build up a down payment for a home. You can also transfer your points to several airline and hotel loyalty programs — including many of the brands that offer their own dining program.

Get The Most Bang for Your Buck with Rewards

Best Rewards Credit Cards

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The Best Dining Credit Cards to Maximize Your Rewards With Bilt

Regardless of which dining rewards program you use, it's a good idea to get a credit card that offers bonus rewards on your restaurant purchases. Here are some of our top choices:

Recommended Rewards Credit Cards

Credit Card Rewards Rate Annual Fee Intro Bonus Learn More

Chase Sapphire Preferred®

1x- 5xPoints More Info

Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.

$95 60,000Chase Ultimate Rewards Points More Info

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Dollar Equivalent: $1,380 (60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points * 0.023 base)

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

1.5% - 5%Cashback More Info

Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase TravelSM, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases

$0 1.5%Extra Cash Back More Info

Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That’s 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase TravelSM, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases.

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

1x - 3xPoints More Info

Earn unlimited 3X points on the things that really add up - like restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans. Plus, earn 1X points on other purchases.

$0 20,000Points More Info

Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months - that's a $200 cash redemption value. Dollar Equivalent: $200 (20,000 Points * 0.01 base)

Citi Strata Premier℠ Card

1X-10XPoints More Info

10x on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked through CitiTravel.com 3x -- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases 3x -- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Restaurants 3x -- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Supermarkets 3x -- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Gas and EV Charging Stations 1x -- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on All Other Purchases

$95 75,000Citi ThankYou® Points More Info

Limited Time Offer: Earn 75,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $750 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com. Dollar Equivalent: $1,350 (75,000 Citi ThankYou® Points * 0.018 base)

See Who's Offering Accelerated Dining Rewards

Best Credit Cards for Dining and Restaurants

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tacos on plate at restaurant

The Bottom Line

If you consider yourself a foodie, Bilt's Neighborhood Dining rewards program is a great way to earn valuable points on your dining purchases, and you don't have to jump through several hoops to do it. 

To maximize your points or cash back earnings, make sure you link a credit card that offers bonus rewards on dining purchases

BL

Ben Luthi

Ben Luthi is a personal finance and travel writer and credit card expert. He has a degree in finance from Brigham Young University and worked in financial planning, banking and auto finance before writing full-time for NerdWallet and Student Loan Hero. Ben is now a full-time freelance writer and enjoys traveling and spending time with his two kids. His work has appeared in several publications, including U.S. News & World Report, USA Today, Money, Success and Slickdeals.