The PNC Cash Rewards earns a respectable tiered rate with no annual fee: 4% on gas, 3% on dining, and 2% on groceries, and its signup bonus was recently raised from $200 to $250 after $1,000 in spending within three months. Add 15 months of 0% intro APR on balance transfers and cell phone protection of up to $800 per claim when you pay your wireless bill with the card, and it's a reasonable everyday option for drivers and families. The real catch is the cap: those bonus categories share a combined $8,000 annual limit, after which everything drops to 1%, which is also the base rate on all other spending. Heavy spenders will hit that ceiling quickly, and the foreign transaction fee rules it out for travel abroad. It works best as a gas and dining card for moderate budgets, especially if you already bank with PNC.
Earn rates & credits
| Category | Rate |
|---|---|
Gas $8,000 combined annual cap with dining and groceries; 1% thereafter on first $8,000/yr, then 1% | 4% |
Dining $8,000 combined annual cap with gas and groceries; 1% thereafter on first $8,000/yr, then 1% | 3% |
Groceries $8,000 combined annual cap with gas and dining; 1% thereafter on first $8,000/yr, then 1% | 2% |
Everything Else | 1% |
Card details
Regular APR | 18.49%–28.49% variable |
Intro APR on balance transfers | 0% for 15 months |
Foreign transaction fee | Yes |