Quick answer
A merchant category code (MCC) is a four-digit code that identifies a store’s type of business. Your card issuer reads it on every purchase to decide which rate to pay. The bonus follows the store’s code, not what you buy. That’s why groceries bought at Costco usually don’t earn a grocery bonus.
Last updated: October 2026. Card terms and program rules change. Figures come from issuer pages and published reviews checked in October 2026. Confirm details with the issuer before you apply.
If you’ve ever expected 4% back and got 1%, the merchant category code is the most likely reason. Understanding it helps you pick the right card for each store.
How it works
How the code decides your rate
Same groceries, different code, different rate.
The code is set up by the merchant and its payment processor, not by your bank. Tangerine’s terms say it directly: “merchants control their MCC categorization.” Your issuer then maps codes to its own categories, such as “grocery” or “gas”.
Codes that matter most for rewards
| Code | What it covers | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 5411 | Grocery stores and supermarkets | The code most grocery bonus categories look for |
| 5812–5814 | Restaurants, bars and fast food | Dining bonus categories usually cover this range |
| 5541 / 5542 | Service stations and automated fuel dispensers | Gas bonus categories |
| 5552 | Electric vehicle charging | Only some cards include it in their gas or EV category |
| 9311 | Tax payments | Some cards exclude it from bonus categories |
| 6513 | Real estate agents and managers (rentals) | Rent; some cards exclude it from bonus categories |
Codes are standard across card networks, but each issuer decides which codes count for its bonus categories. Always check your own card’s terms.
Stores that trip people up
- Costco codes as a warehouse club, so grocery bonuses usually don’t apply in the warehouse. Costco also accepts only Mastercard credit cards.
- Walmart Supercentres aren’t classified as stand-alone grocery stores, according to Milesopedia, so grocery bonuses usually don’t apply.
- Stores inside stores, like a coffee counter in a supermarket or fast food in a gas station, often code as the host store.
- Delivery apps can code differently for restaurant orders and grocery orders placed through the same app.
- Bills paid through third-party services take the service’s code, not the biller’s.
How to check what a store codes as
- Make a small purchase and check the category your issuer shows on the transaction.
- Check the rewards line on your next statement to see which rate you actually earned.
- Read your card’s terms for named exclusions, such as tax payments or rent.
- If a store codes differently from what you expected, switch which card you use there.
Codes can change if a merchant changes its processor, so a store that earned a bonus last year might not today.
Frequently asked questions
Can I ask my bank to change a store’s MCC?
No. The code comes from the merchant and its payment processor. Your bank can only tell you how it treats that code.
Does the MCC change what my card earns at Costco gas?
Costco gas bars may code differently from the warehouse, so some cards pay a gas rate there. Check your own statement.
Is the MCC shown on my statement?
Usually not as a number. Most issuers show a category name instead, which is enough to tell which rate applied.
Related: the short definition of merchant category code (MCC) in our credit card rewards glossary.