The Triangle Mastercard offers cardholders a great way to earn Canadian Tire Money (CT Money) on grocery purchases, but the generous 1.5% grocery rewards rate applies only to the first $12,000 spent annually at eligible grocery stores.
Understanding how this $12,000 annual grocery cap is calculated helps you maximize your rewards effectively.
What is the $12,000 Grocery Spend Cap?
The $12,000 cap represents the total amount of qualifying grocery purchases made on your Triangle Mastercard during the calendar year (January 1 to December 31) that earn the 1.5% CT Money reward rate.
How the $12,000 Annual Grocery Cap is Calculated for Triangle Mastercard Rewards
- Qualifying Purchases: Only grocery purchases at stores classified with verify Mastercard merchant category code (MCC) 5411 count toward this cap. This includes most major Canadian grocery stores but excludes Walmart, Costco, and others which earn lower rewards.
- Annual Calendar Year: The $12,000 limit applies across all qualifying grocery purchases cumulatively from January 1 to December 31 each year.
- Spend Tracking: All your qualifying grocery transactions on the Triangle Mastercard during the year are tracked cumulatively by the issuer. Once your total grocery spend hits $12,000, the 1.5% earn rate drops to a lower standard earn rate (typically 0.5%) for the remainder of the calendar year.
Example Calculation
- You shop weekly at a grocery store and charge $300 each visit to your Triangle Mastercard.
- After 40 weeks, you reach $12,000 total grocery spend ($300 x 40 = $12,000).
- For the first $12,000 spent, you earn 1.5% CT Money (equates to $180 CT Money).
- Any grocery purchases beyond $12,000 that year earn only 0.5% CT Money.
Key Points to Maximize Rewards
- Track Your Grocery Spending: Keep an eye on your Triangle Mastercard statements or Triangle Rewards account to monitor your progress toward the $12,000 cap each year.
- Shop at Eligible Stores: Grocery purchases must be made at qualifying MCC 5411 stores to count toward the limit.
- Plan Big Grocery Buys: Consider timing larger grocery shopping trips before reaching the cap to benefit from the higher 1.5% return.
- Combine with Bonus Offers: Utilize personalized Triangle Rewards offers and Bonus Days promotions on grocery purchases to increase your effective CT Money earnings.
Summary Table about $12,000 Grocery Cap on Triangle Mastercard Rewards
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Grocery Spend Cap | $12,000 per calendar year |
| Reward Rate up to Cap | 1.5% CT Money at MCC 5411 grocery stores |
| Reward Rate after Cap | 0.5% CT Money on groceries after $12,000 annual spend |
| Eligible Stores | Major grocery chains coded MCC 5411, excludes Walmart / Costco |
| Period | January 1 – December 31 calendar year |
