HDFC Bank has changed the earning structure on the HDFC Regalia Credit Card, lifting dining rewards from 4 reward points per ₹150 to 6 reward points per ₹150 spent at restaurants. The change is effective May 1, 2026, and HDFC says existing Regalia cardholders will be auto-enrolled into the revised earning structure. With each point valued at ₹0.50, the dining return moves from 1.33% to 2.00% on restaurant spends. The annual fee remains ₹2,500, and the fee waiver threshold stays at ₹3 lakh annual spend.
The old and new math matters. Earlier, 4 points per ₹150 meant 2 points per ₹75, or 1.33% value back if each point is worth ₹0.50. Under the new structure, 6 points per ₹150 equals 4% in points value per ₹300, which translates to 2.00% effective cashback on dining. Nothing else in the fee structure changes: the card still carries a ₹2,500 annual fee and still waives that fee only after ₹3 lakh of annual spending. The update is limited to restaurant transactions, not all categories, so cardholders should not expect a blanket reward-rate increase across groceries, fuel, or online shopping.
This is a clear win for existing HDFC Regalia cardholders who frequently dine out, especially those who already use the card for restaurant bills and can now extract more value without paying a higher fee. Compared with entry-premium dining-friendly cards such as the SBI Elite, ICICI Sapphiro, and HDFC Millennia, the Regalia’s revised 2.00% dining return is more competitive for a card that still sits in the mass-premium segment. For applicants who can comfortably spend ₹3 lakh a year, the ₹2,500 fee can effectively be reversed, making the card more attractive than rival cards with similar fees but weaker restaurant returns. However, the benefit is narrow: if most of your spends are outside dining, the upgrade is less meaningful.
No action is required for current HDFC Regalia holders because the new rate is auto-enrolled from May 1, 2026. New applicants should apply through the HDFC Bank Regalia product page and confirm eligibility before the effective date if they want the revised earning rate from day one. The key fine print to watch is that the change applies specifically to dining spends at restaurants, so transactions at merchant categories outside restaurant MCCs may not qualify. Also, the ₹3 lakh annual spend requirement for the fee waiver remains unchanged, so users chasing the fee waiver should continue tracking their annual spend carefully.