Chase has set its rotating 5% categories for the fourth quarter of 2026. From October 1 through December 31, Chase Freedom Flex and original Chase Freedom cardholders earn 5% back on grocery stores, dining, and donations to the American Red Cross, on up to $1,500 in combined purchases. That cap works out to a maximum of $75 in bonus rewards, and spending past it earns the standard rate.
Dining Pays 7% on the Freedom Flex
The Freedom Flex already earns 3% on dining year round. The quarterly bonus stacks on top of it, so restaurant spending during Q4 earns 7% until the $1,500 cap is used up, then drops back to the standing 3%. The original Freedom has no standing dining category, so it earns a flat 5% on all three categories.
Groceries, With the Usual Exclusions
Grocery stores are the easiest of the three to fill, but Walmart and Target do not count as grocery stores under Chase's terms. Warehouse clubs are generally excluded as well. Buying gift cards at a qualifying grocery store is a long standing way to stretch the category past food spending, though gift card purchases can be flagged by the issuer.
Activation Is Still Required
Chase requires cardholders to activate the categories each quarter, and the bonus rate is not applied retroactively to purchases made before activation. Anyone who waits until October to opt in loses the bonus on anything bought before that point.
This finishes the 2026 calendar for both cards. Q1 was dining, Norwegian Cruise Line, and the American Heart Association, Q2 was Amazon, Whole Foods, and Chase Travel, and Q3 covered gas stations and EV charging, public transit, and live entertainment.