Kroger Rewards World Elite Mastercard Review

Full Review of Kroger Rewards World Elite Mastercard

Pros Explained

• Discount on Gas: The Kroger Rewards World Elite Mastercard can get you a break on gasoline. Every 100 points you earn with the card can be redeemed for 25 cents off per gallon at Kroger fuel centers during your first year as a cardholder.
• Redeem Points for Groceries: For every 1,000 points you earn, you receive a $10 rewards certificate that can be applied to grocery purchases at Kroger or Kroger Family of Companies stores, listed below.
• No Annual Fee: Unlike some other cards, the Kroger Rewards World Elite Mastercard doesn’t have an annual fee to worry about.

Cons Explained 

• Limited Redemption Options: This card doesn't have the typical rewards redemption structure, where you can redeem points for things like statement credit, cash back, or gift cards. Instead, every 1,000 points you earn is redeemable for a $10 rewards certificate you can use at Kroger or Kroger Family of Companies stores. That's a downside if you're looking for more flexibility in using your rewards. 
• Points Value Isn't Great: Each point you earn with this card is valued at 1 cent, which is below what you could find elsewhere. There are other cash back or rewards cards that offer at least twice that. 
• Rewards Expire: This card may not be a great fit if you don't always stay on top of redemptions. Points earned expire after 36 months, so there's a chance you could lose them if you don't put them to work to save money on grocery purchases. And if you do redeem points for a rewards certificate, you have 12 months to use it before it expires.

Who This Card Is Best For

The Kroger Rewards World Elite Mastercard is designed for grocery shoppers who frequent Kroger supermarkets and other stores within the Kroger Family of Companies. Those include: 

• Baker’s
• City Market
• Dillons
• Food 4 Less
• Foods Co
• Fred Meyer
• Fry’s
• Gerbes
• Jay C Food Store
• King Soopers
• Kroger
• Mariano’s
• Metro Market
• Pay-Less Super Markets
• Pick’n Save
• QFC
• Ralphs
• Ruler
• Smith’s Food and Drug

This card could be good for someone who wants to capitalize on the introductory offer for discounted gas. 

Kroger Rewards World Elite Mastercard Bonus

From time to time, this card features a promotional bonus offer for new cardmembers. The current offer is a discount on gas when you redeem points at Kroger fuel centers. The discount is worth 25 cents off per gallon and the promotion is good for your first year as a cardholder. Once that first year is up, you'll receive a discount of 5 cents off per gallon when you redeem points and pay with your Kroger Rewards World Elite Mastercard. 

Note that you do not earn rewards points on gas purchases when taking advantage of the discount. 

Rewards Earning Details

There are three rewards earning tiers associated with this card.

First, you'll earn 5 points per dollar on mobile wallet purchases up to the first $3,000 spent, then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter.

Next, you'll earn 2 points per dollar on purchases made at Kroger stores and the Kroger Family of Companies stores, except at Kroger fuel centers. 

Finally, you'll earn 1 point per dollar on all other purchases anywhere Mastercard is accepted. That means you could tuse he card to charge purchases at other grocery stores or for online shopping, travel, or just about anything. 

All the points you earn at each tier are unlimited, so the more you spend, the more you earn. 

Rewards Redemption Details

The Kroger Rewards World Elite Mastercard gives you just one way to redeem points. Every 1,000 rewards points earned is worth a $10 reward.

Rewards can be redeemed via Real-Time Rewards after making an eligible purchase of $10 or more at Kroger Family of Companies or via statement credit once you have earned a minimum of 1,000 Rewards Points (worth $10). Rewards can be redeemed via Kroger Family of Companies Gift Cards when you have earned a minimum of 2,500 Rewards Points (worth $25).

How to Maximize Your Rewards

Here are scenarios demonstrating what you might earn with this card:

Average Case

Let's assume you spend the following each month with your card:

• $250 on mobile wallet purchases
• $500 at Kroger and Kroger Family of Companies locations
• $1,500 on all other purchases

At the end of three months, you'll have earned a total of 11,250 rewards points, which would be worth $112 in redemption value, with some points left over. Spend that same amount each quarter and you'd earn $450 toward Kroger purchases each year. 

Aspirational Case

Now, let's assume you rely on this card for everything and your monthly spending looks more like this:

• $500 on mobile wallet purchases
• $1,000 at Kroger and Kroger Family of Companies locations
• $3,500 everywhere else 

You'd earn 21,000 rewards points each quarter, which would be worth $210 in redemption value. Annually, you'd earn $840 in rewards. 

Standard Benefits

Since this is a Mastercard, it comes with these standard perks:

• Travel assistance services
• Mastercard Global Service
• Identity theft resolution services
• Cell phone protection, subject to restrictions and deductible

Cardholder Experience

The Kroger Rewards World Elite Mastercard is issued by U.S. Bank. In the J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Credit Card Satisfaction Study, U.S. Bank ranked 9th out of 11 national card issuers and scored well below average.

Customer service is available via secure messaging when you log into your online account. You can also get help by phone 24 hours a day at 844-237-0593.

Security Features

This card has the basic security features you'd expect with a rewards card. That includes chip technology and a $0 fraud liability guarantee if your card is lost or stolen.

Fees to Watch Out For

There are no particular fees to watch out, and no annual fee. Paying late or having a payment returned could result in a penalty, but those are similar to what you might be charged with other rewards cards. 

Final Verdict

The Kroger Rewards World Elite Mastercard could be a good choice if you mainly shop at Kroger and Kroger Family of Companies stores and are satisfied to use your rewards at those locations. The first-year discount on gas is also a money-saving benefit that might tempt you to sign up.

This card falls short, however, when it comes to points value and redemption options. A regular cash back card that offers bonus rewards on groceries, such as the American Express Blue Cash Everyday or Blue Cash Preferred, could yield more benefits. These cards allow you to earn more cash back at supermarkets besides Kroger (though subject to a $6,000 yearly cap in grocery spending) and also give you more ways to redeem your rewards.

Kroger doesn't list a specific credit score needed on its site in order to qualify for the card. It does offer a range of interest rates from 18.99% to 29.99% for consumers based on their creditworthiness at time of application, which implies there is also a range of credit scores accepted.

Kroger doesn't list a specific credit card needed to get approved for its Kroger Rewards World Elite Mastercard. According to Experian, one of the three major national credit reporting agencies, it typically takes a score of at least 670 to get approved for a rewards card.

With the Kroger Rewards World Elite Mastercard, you'll earn 5% back on your first $3,000 in mobile wallet purchases (1% thereafter), 2% cash back when you shop in the Kroger Family of Companies, and 1% everywhere else. You'll also save 25 cents per gallon on gasoline in the first year each time you redeem 100 fuel points at the Kroger Family of Companies and when you spend $6,000 in a year thereafter. Finally, the card also offers no foreign transaction fees as well as several other travel and lifestyle benefits.

You'll earn rewards points for purchases, which will be reflected on your account after a transaction posts. Every 1,000 rewards points earned is worth a $10 reward. You have the option of redeeming your points for a statement credit, real-time rewards, or a Kroger Family of Companies $25 gift card if you've earned at least 2,500 points.