Update May 6, 2024: In late April, we confirmed that the 5% gas and grocery offer is alive an well, but available just as an in-branch offer. If you can make it into a Chase branch, you can get 9% cash back on your gas and grocery purchases with a new Chase Freedom Flex℠. Learn more in our coverage of the Chase Freedom Flex welcome offers.
Chase periodically runs a 5% cash back on gas and groceries welcome offer on the Chase Freedom Cards. On the Chase Freedom Flex, this offer means it’s possible to get 9% cash back on your groceries. Here’s how.
How the 9% cash back stack on groceries works
The Chase Freedom Flex card offers 5% cash back rewards on up to $1,500 in purchases per quarter in spending categories that change quarterly. These categories frequently include groceries and gas.
Normally, the new cardmember welcome offer on this card offers a $200 bonus after spending $500. The last few years, Chase has offered new Chase Freedom Flex℠ cardmembers 5% back on the first $12,000 in grocery store purchases, gas purchases, or both. Often in addition to the standard welcome bonus. This welcome bonus stacked with the category bonuses, meaning that when grocery stores or gas stations is a quarterly category, anyone who got a new Chase Freedom Flex card with the 5% gas and grocery offer within the pervious year could earn 9% total cash back on groceries or gas!
A bit more on the math behind the 9% rewards
Here’s how this bonus stack works:
- You earn 1% base cash back for your purchase. The Chase Freedom Flex℠ earns 1% cash back on all purchases
- You earn 4% additional cash back for your grocery store purchase from the quarterly bonus categories (on up to $1,500 in spending)
- You earn 4% additional cash back for your grocery store purchase from the welcome bonus (on up to $12,000 in spending during your first year of holding a Chase Freedom Flex℠ card)
The 9% cash back stack is in Chase’s offer details
In addition to having worked in practice last year, the 9% cash back stack was in the terms and conditions of the Chase Freedom Flex℠ bonus offer. Here is the exact wording from the terms and conditions of the bonus offer:
“Please note, if gas stations or grocery stores is a quarterly bonus category during your first 12 months, you can earn both this 5% new cardmember bonus and the 5% quarterly bonus offers simultaneously until you reach the spend cap for each.”
Offer Details of the Chase Freedom Flex℠
So, getting 9% cash back isn’t just my speculation; it’s in the terms and conditions.
This offer comes and goes. But as of publication, it’s back on—as an in-branch offer.
Chase pulled the 5% gas and grocery offer from its referral channels around March 14, 2024, but the bonus has lived on mostly as an in-branch exclusive bonus. Check our coverage of the Chase Freedom Flex welcome bonuses for details on what might be available.
Frequently asked questions
How could I earn 9% on groceries with the Chase Freedom Flex℠?
You could earn 9% cash back on groceries with the Chase Freedom Flex by stacking the card’s quarterly bonus categories with a welcome bonus. (This particular welcome bonus is no longer available.) The Chase Freedom Flex℠ 5% gas and grocery welcome bonus gave new cardmembers 4% bonus rewards on up to $12,000 of gas and grocery purchases in your first year. The Chase quarterly category bonuses give you 4% bonus rewards on up to $1,500 of purchases in select categories. Add these two bonuses to the 1% rewards you get everywhere and you could get 9% cash back.
