Hold up, Don Don Donki has its own credit card?

Whenever I walk past a Don Don Donki store, no matter how hard I try to resist, I can’t help but enter. There’s something about the chaotic and garish displays of Japanese products that just draws you in like a rubbish heap magnet. Well, everyone’s favourite Japanese megastore just got better with its very own credit card that will let you earn sweet, sweet rebates as you spend.

DCS Card Centre (formerly known as Diners Club Singapore) has partnered with Don Don Donki to roll out a new co-branded credit card. Let’s see how much more value it lets you extract from your DDD rampage.

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ALSO READ: Is it worth applying for the DCS Diners Club Cashback Card?

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Before we get into it—what is DCS?

Most of the credit cards you’re using are issued by banks, whether local ones like DBS and OCBC, or foreign ones like Citibank and HSBC.

DCS is a financial institution that isn’t a bank but also issues credit cards. Their cards are usually powered by payment networks like Visa, MasterCard and UnionPay

A credit card is only as good as its perks. DCS cardmembers, who are also called “club members,” (fancy!) enjoy a suite of benefits, depending on the card. These might include insurance, rewards points and lounge access.

Key features of the DCS Don Don Donki Credit Card

There are two types of card you can apply for:

• DCS Don Don Donki Regular Credit Card—Entry level credit card
• DCS Don Don Donki S$500 Limit Credit Card—Junior credit card with a $500 limit aimed at students and NSFs

The real reason you’re reading this article is to find the perks of the DCS Don Don Donki Credit Card. So here are the benefits are at a glance:

1. Receive $10 voucher when your application is approved
2. If you have the Don Don Donki Regular Credit Card: Earn up to 5% cash rebates at Don Don Donki outlets (capped at $1000 worth of spending per month, no minimum spending requirement)
3. If you have the Don Don Donki $500 Limit Card: Earn up to 2% cash rebates at Don Don Donki outlets (capped at $500 worth of spending per month, no minimum spending requirement)

And not to forget the Diners Club privileges:

1. Free Insurance Coverage for Regular Credit Cardmembers: Up to S$1 million personal accident protection, S$250,000 on-flight personal accident insurance and travel inconvenience reimbursement.
2. Earn Club Rewards Points when you spend outside Don Don Donki which you can redeem for free gifts, shopping/dining vouchers & air miles. (S$1 = 1 point). Club Rewards Points don’t expire so you don’t have to worry about rushing to redeem them.
3. Access to nearly 1,300 Airport Lounges across 600+ cities in 140 countries worldwide; including Changi Airport Terminal 1, 2, 3 and 4. Basic Cardholders enjoy one complimentary access per year.

Image: Tenor

Annual interest rates and fees

Sadly, many of the good things in life are not free, and the same goes for the Don Don Donki Credit Card. Here are the fees and charges to be aware of:

	DCS Don Don Donki Regular Credit Card	DCS Don Don Donki S$500 Limit Card
Annual fee	$180 (first year free)	$28 (first year free)
Supplementary Card	$80 (first year free)	NA
Minimum payment	5% of outstanding balance or $50 (whichever is greater), or the full amount if below $50; plus all past due amounts and any amount exceeding credit limit	Total outstanding balance or $50 (whichever is lower), plus all past due amounts and any amount exceeding credit limit
Interest charge	27%	28%
Late payment charge	$80
Cash advance fee	6% or $20, whichever is greater
Excess limit charge	$50 per month
Foreign currency conversion commission	3%
Card replacement fee	$30

Do you qualify for the Don Don Donki cards?

Here are the requirements:

	DCS Don Don Donki Regular Credit Card	DCS Don Don Donki S$500 Limit Card
Age	21 to 65	18 to 65
Minimum annual income	$30,000 (Singapore citizens and PRs aged 21 to 54) $15,000 (Singapore citizens and PRs aged 55 and above) $60,000 (foreigners)	$16,000 (except students and NSFs)

Are store credit cards any good?

In general, store branded credit cards are quite worthwhile to apply for PROVIDED you shop frequently at the relevant store. How much spending is enough to make it worthwhile? That will depend on the card’s minimum spending requirements and whether you can fulfil them.

In the case of the DCS Don Don Donki Credit Card, there is no minimum spending requirement.

There is a catch, though. Your rebates are doled out to you in the form of rebates, 1 rebate being equivalent to S$1 in real life. Unlike regular cash rebates, rebates are not paid on GST and they expire in 60 days.

You must redeem your rebates at Don Don Donki outlets to offset your purchases. So, if you earn a ton of rebates at Don Don Donki today, you need to make another purchase at Don Don Donki within the next 60 days in order to redeem your rebates.

As you can see, the card is only useful if you are a Don Don Donki addict. The good news is that since Don Don Donki sells everything under the sun from instant noodles to hair dye, it shouldn’t be too difficult to find daily essentials to buy there.

Is the Don Don Donki card for you?

The 5% rebate dangled by the Don Don Donki Card is pretty attractive, considering there’s no minimum spending requirement. If you live and breathe their omusoba and tonkatsu or constantly have a yaki imo in hand, you’re a prime candidate to benefit from the card.

Image: Tenor

But if you’re just a low level Japanese fan and don’t really care where your aburis are coming from, then a general cashback credit card might be more useful to you, since it’ll let you earn cashback at other shops, too.

Good things, must share.

Receive a pair of GOTRIP luggage bags (worth S$500) when you apply for a minimum of any 2 DCS cards through MoneySmart and spend a minimum of $350 monthly for 2 consecutive months. Valid till 31 May 2023.

Do you know a Don Don Donki enthusiast? Share this article with them!