US Credit Card Use Is on the Rise, While Debit Dips During the Pandemic

As social distancing practices continue in the US, consumers are increasingly using their credit cards for restaurants and groceries.

In Bankrate polling conducted by YouGov, 51% of respondents said they used a credit card for restaurant takeout in April, vs. 30% who said the same in December 2019. In terms of buying groceries, 46% said they used a credit card in April, 19 percentage points more than December.

Meanwhile, debit card use dipped over the same period, which could be a sign that some consumers are relying on credit cards as unemployment rates rise.

Read More: 

• Real-time payments are seeing rapid uptake during the pandemic
• UK Parliament is concerned about potential effects of the pandemic on the UK's cash infrastructure
• Coronavirus Boosts Online Banking, Payments Usage in the US

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