Anyone who’s a regular shopper at Loblaws, Shoppers, Esso, or another of the 22 stores and gas stations owned by Loblaws is probably familiar with their loyalty rewards program. The PC Optimum program gives you points for shopping with these companies – and extra points for using credit cards associated with the PC brand. If you’re a loyal customer, you’ll see points add up fast. Here, we’ll explore how you can earn the most from every shopping trip.
Key Takeaways
- Loblaw owns the PC Optimum program, President’s Choice Financial, and 22 grocery, clothing, and pharmacy stores (including Loblaws, No Frills, and Shoppers Drug Mart).
- You can get up to 0.21 cents from every PC point by redeeming them on car washes at participating Esso locations.
- Members earn PC Optimum points by shopping at Loblaw stores, opening PC Financial bank accounts, and using PC Financial credit cards.
- The fastest way to earn points is to use a PC Insiders World Elite Mastercard credit card.
- We recommend double-dipping using a PC Optimum membership and a rewarding grocery credit card like the American Express Cobalt.
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What is the PC Optimum program?
PC Optimum is the Loblaw company’s store loyalty and credit card rewards program. Members collect points by shopping at partner stores – such as Loblaws, No Frills, and Shoppers Drug Mart – and/or using a PC Financial credit card.
You can start collecting points by clicking "Register" in the top right corner on PCOptimum.ca. Entering your PC Financial credit card details during registration will link your account and make it easier to collect points.
PC Optimum overview
Currency: PC Optimum Points
Reward categories: Annual fee discount, cash, car wash, donate points, gas discount
Pros:
- 4,500+ partner grocery stores, gas stations, and pharmacies
- 5 redemption options
- 4.7-star PC Financial App
- 2 credit cards with accelerated rewards
- Points worth up to 0.21 cents CAD each
- Free membership; no credit card required!
- Member-exclusive pricing and promotions
- Points don’t expire
Cons:
- Points worth as little as 0.1 cents CAD each
- No Visa or American Express credit cards available
- Inactive accounts deactivated after 2 years
- Limited earning and redemption options
- No base earning rate at grocery stores without a PC Financial credit card
What are PC Optimum points worth?
One of the secrets to maximizing any rewards program is finding the most valuable ways to redeem your points. The higher the dollar value of a redemption option – and the lower its cost in points – the more cents per point you earn.
Cost of reward in $CAD / cost of reward in points x 100 = value in cents per point (CPP)
Although the PC Optimum program offers 5 redemption options, we wouldn’t call it a flexible rewards program. There’s really only one valuable use for your points: free car washes at participating Esso or Mobil gas stations for 0.21 CPP.
| Type of reward | Redemption options | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Car wash | * Esso * Mobil | 0.21 CPP* |
| Cash | $10+ off at 20+ participating stores, including: * Loblaws * Maxi * No Frills * Pharmaprix * Provigo * Real Canadian Superstore * Shoppers Drug Mart | 0.1 CPP (up to 0.2 CPP during special events) |
| Annual fee discount | * PC Insiders World Elite Mastercard | 0.1 CPP |
| Donate points | * Black Business and Professional Association * President’s Choice Children’s Charity * Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health | 0.1 CPP |
| Gas discount | * Esso * Mobil | 0.1 CPP |
* Value depends upon the pricing and availability of car wash packages at your chosen location.
How to earn PC Optimum points
First and foremost, PC Optimum is a store loyalty program. You’ll earn the bulk of your points by scanning your digital membership card, physical membership card, or PC Financial credit card during checkout at partner stores.
| Participating stores | Eligible purchases | Base earn rate |
|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Superstore, Dominion, Joe Fresh, Loblaws, Maxi, No Frills, PC Express, Provigo, Real Canadian Superstore, Valu-Mart, Your Independent Grocer, Zehrs, and other Loblaw grocery and clothing stores | In-store and online purchases, excepting: * Delivery charges * Gift cards, phone cards, and prepaid credit cards * Pharmacy-related charges * Taxes * Tobacco, lottery tickets, and alcohol | N/A |
| Esso and Mobil gas stations | * Gas | 10 points per litre |
| Esso and select Mobil gas stations | * Car washes * Convenience store products | 10 points per $1 spent |
| Home Health Care, Pharmaprix, and Shoppers Drug Mart | In-store and online purchases, excepting: * Delivery charges * Gift cards, phone cards, and prepaid credit cards * Pharmacy-related charges * Taxes * Tobacco, lottery tickets, and alcohol | 15 points per $1 spent |
PC Optimum also gives you plenty of opportunities to "double-dip" by using 2 or more methods to collect points on the same purchase. You’ll maximize your point earnings whenever you visit a partner store and:
- Check promotional offers
- Load personalized offers
- Open a PC Money Account
- Use a PC Financial credit card
We’ll go into specifics later – for now, make sure you’ve got an account and a points card so you can start collecting.
By adding your phone number to your PC Optimum account, you can ask the cashier to look up your account if you forget your card at home.
Check promotional offers
The only way to earn PC points for every dollar spent at Loblaw grocery and clothing stores is to carry a PC Financial credit or debit card. However, all PC Optimum members can earn bonus points by taking advantage of promotional sales and events.
You could earn points by buying certain products, meeting a spending limit, or shopping during the Shoppers Drug Mart 20X The Points or PC Optimum Moredays events. Check in-store, e-mail, and mobile advertisements and flyers regularly so you don’t miss out.
Load personalized offers
Personalized Offers are promotional offers just for you. You can earn bonus points by buying your favourite products, meeting a spending limit, or purchasing a combination of items by a specific date.
Unlike promotions, you must load Personalized Offers onto your PC Optimum account before you can use them. Visit the program’s mobile app or website to log in and view personalized offers, then add them to your account. Showing your membership card or PC Financial credit or debit card during checkout will apply the offer to your purchases.
Loblaw uses your product viewing and purchase history to create Personalized Offers.
Open a PC Money Account
You can get 5,000 points for opening a no-fee PC Money Account and setting up automatic deposits and bill payments – but that’s just the beginning. Use your debit card to shop and earn:
- Up to 25 points per $1 spent at Shoppers Drug Mart stores
- 10 points per $1 spent at Loblaw clothing and grocery stores
- 5 points per $1 spent everywhere else
Linking your Money Account to your PC Optimum account will also allow you to collect points, redeem personalized offers, and take advantage of promotional sales by using your debit card at checkout.
If you’re missing points from a transaction, contact the PC Optimum program within 45 days of the transaction by calling 1-866-727-6468. You can also start an inquiry online by clicking on a transaction in your PC Optimum mobile app or web account.
Use a PC Financial credit card
The #1 advantage of using a President’s Choice Financial credit card is the ability to collect points at every Loblaw clothing and grocery store. You’ll earn 10 – 40 points per $1 spent at Maxi, No Frills, Zehrs, and more, adding up to a maximum return of 8.4% on groceries.
All PC Financial credit cardholders also collect:
- Bonus points at Esso, Mobil, and Shoppers Drug Mart
- Bonus points at Mobil stations located next to Loblaw grocery stores
- 10 bonus points per litre on premium gas at Esso or Mobil
- 10 points per $1 spent everywhere else
There are 4 PC Financial credit cards available in Canada, 3 of which carry no annual fees. If you’re set on using PC as a bank, we suggest applying for the best credit card your income can support.
| Feature | PC Silver Mastercard | PC World Mastercard | PC World Elite Mastercard | PC Insiders World Elite Mastercard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | 100,000 points (terms apply) | 100,000 points (terms apply) | 100,000 points (terms apply) | 250,000 points (terms apply) |
| Annual fee | $0 | $0 | $0 | $120 |
| Loblaw and Joe Fresh rewards* | 10 points per $1 | 20 points per $1 | 30 points per $1 | 40 points per $1 |
| Esso and Mobil rewards* | 30 points per litre | 30 points per litre | 30 points per litre | 50 points per litre |
| Shoppers Drug Mart Rewards* | 25 points per $1 | 35 points per $1 | 45 points per $1 | 50 points per $1 |
| Income requirements | $50K personal or $80K household | $80K personal or $150K household | $80K personal or $150K household | |
| Purchase assurance | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Extended warranty | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Concierge services | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Travel emergency medical, car rental collision/loss insurance, and identity theft assistance | ✅ | ✅ | ||
| Up to 4 free additional cardholders | ✅ |
* Includes the base rate of 15 points per $1 spent anywhere
In addition to earning the most PC points per dollar, the PC Insiders World Elite Mastercard provides exclusive perks such as:
- 20 bonus points per litre at Esso or Mobil (for the rest of the calendar month) whenever you buy 150+ litres in a month
- 20% off Cirque du Soleil admission and airport lounge access under the World Elite Mastercard program
- A first-year annual fee rebate
- A complimentary PC Express Pass (valued at $99.99) providing free, unlimited grocery deliveries and pick-ups on orders of $35 or more
As exciting as it sounds, we’ve compared PC Financial Mastercards to their competition and found them lacking – especially when it comes to rewards. You can get 5% back on groceries from almost every store in Canada (and spend your points with far more flexibility) using the MBNA Rewards World Elite Mastercard.
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For the most part, you can only redeem PC Optimum points at the same places you earned them – e.g., Loblaw grocery stores, Shoppers Drug Mart pharmacies, and Esso and Mobil gas stations.
You can check your points balance using the PC Optimum website or mobile app and redeem most of your points there, too – but we’ll cover each option in detail below.
Car wash
Redemption options: Standard to Luxe car wash packages at participating Esso stations
Most valuable option: The highest-priced car wash package available for up to 0.21 CPP
How to redeem:
It’s easy to redeem PC Optimum points for a free car wash – just scan your membership card or swipe your PC Financial Mastercard at the station to redeem 10,000 points for a package of your choice. There are just 2 restrictions:
- You can’t redeem points for coin-operated washes
- You can’t redeem more than 1 wash per day
Your biggest challenge will be finding the local option offering the greatest bang for your buck. Car wash packages in name and price from station to station – the best offer we found was the "Ultimate" package for $20.99 at an Esso station in Toronto.
We suggest calling around and asking local Esso stations for car wash prices. As long as you redeem your PC Optimum points on a package worth $10 or more, you’ll have secured the best redemption option available.
Cash
Redemption options: $10+ off at participating grocery stores, gas stations, and pharmacies
Most valuable option: A $20 discount at Shoppers Drug Mart during a Bonus Redemption Offer event for 0.2 CPP
How to redeem:
The most popular redemption option in the PC Optimum program is $10 off your bill at the checkout of an Esso, Mobil, Shoppers Drug Mart, or Loblaw grocery store. Simply scan your membership card or PC Financial Mastercard at the checkout and choose to redeem 10,000 points (or ask the cashier to do it for you).
But if you want to maximize your points, it’s best to wait for a Bonus Redemption Offer or Black Friday Event at your local Shoppers Drug Mart. For a limited time, you can trade 10,000 points for a $20 discount, effectively doubling the value of your points to 0.2 CPP or more!
You can redeem up to 500,000 points for $500 off in one day, but just as with earning, restrictions apply. Points can’t be redeemed on the purchase of tobacco, lottery tickets, alcohol, gift cards, prepaid credit cards, phone cards, or delivery charges.
Annual fee discount
Redemption options: $10+ off the annual fee for the PC Insiders World Elite Mastercard
Most valuable option: Any option for 0.1 CPP
How to redeem:
If you have a PC Insiders World Elite Mastercard credit card, you can redeem 10,000+ PC Optimum points for $10+ off your annual fee through the PC Financial mobile app or website. You’ll receive an email confirmation immediately after the transaction and a statement credit within several business days.
With at least 1,200,000 points in your account, you can cover the entirety of your annual fee in points – just make sure to do it in a single transaction within 45 days of the fee being posted to your credit card balance.
Redeeming your PC Optimum points for an annual fee discount does not count toward your minimum monthly payment.
Donate points
Redemption options: Black Business and Professional Association, President’s Choice Children’s Charity, and Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health
Most valuable option: Any option for 0.1 CPP
How to redeem:
The PC Optimum mobile app and website give members the option to donate their points to charity. You must donate a minimum of 100 points (or 10 cents CAD), which will be redeemed at the usual rate of 1,000 points per $1 CAD.
PC Optimum point donations are not eligible for tax receipts.
Gas discount
Redemption options: 10 cents off per litre at participating Esso and Mobil gas stations
Most valuable option: Any option for 0.1 CPP
How to redeem:
Take 10 cents off each litre (to a maximum of 40 litres) at Esso or Mobil by scanning your membership card or swiping your PC Financial Mastercard at the pump. The maximum discount ($4) will cost you 4,000 PC points, yielding the usual return of 0.1 CPP.
How to use the PC Optimum mobile app
Besides offering a useful way to check your points balance, the PC Optimum app is a crucial part of maximizing grocery savings. You can download it from the App Store or Google Play.
Once you’re signed in and you’ve linked your PC Optimum membership (and/or PC Financial credit card), try our top 5 tips for earning points and saving money!
1. Check promotional sales and events
From Moredays at Loblaws to 20x The Points at Shoppers Drug Marts, PC Optimum provides plenty of opportunities to earn bonus points. You can opt to receive news by email or open the app to check out local flyer deals, promotional events, and specials week after week.
2. Fuel and shop at the same time
In case you missed it, PC Financial credit cardholders get bonus points at Mobil stations located near Loblaw grocery stores. The number of points you’ll earn depends on the day’s prices, rewarding you for doing all your errands at once.
3. Load personalized offers
Check the PC Optimum app at least once per week to find new Personalized Offers under "Your Offers" and tap to load them to your account. The app will let you save up to 4 “Shop Anywhere” offers for the following week if you’re too busy to visit the store.
4. Look for members-only pricing
Grocery, clothing, and drugstores within the PC Optimum family occasionally offer members-only pricing on certain products. Swipe your membership card, app, or PC Financial credit card at the checkout to get the lower price added to your bill.
5. Share accounts
Although PC Optimum members can’t pool points, it’s quite easy to share a single account with multiple people. Friends and family can funnel their points into a single account by downloading the PC Optimum app and logging in or taking a snapshot of the membership barcode and saving it to their digital wallets.
Is the PC Optimum program worth it?
The PC Optimum program offers a compelling portfolio of partner stores and exclusive offers, but it’s held back by its limited point values and redemption options. If you’re already a regular customer, there’s no reason not to get a free account and a free car wash once in a while – but there are better grocery credit cards you can use to double-dip.
Scene+ is the PC Optimum program’s closest equivalent – but "vanquisher" is a more accurate term. Scene+ membership is free, Scene+ credit cards offer better earning rates, and Scene+ points provide a reliable 1 CPP. Plus, you can spend them on cash, gift cards, movie theatres, restaurants, and travel, not just groceries!
We took to Reddit to see what shoppers think:
Our editor’s PC Optimum experience
Our editor has a free PC Optimum account that she finds worthwhile. She shops at Real Canadian Superstore for most of her groceries, getting bulk items at Costco and meat from the local butcher.
I love that my personalized offers are for the things I buy most often, including fresh fruits and veggies. The member pricing saves me a bit of money here and there but the bonus offers are where I rack up thousands of points on things I’m already planning to buy. The most worthwhile shops are the ones where I can stack points. For example, I recently earned 27,300 points from a $150 grocery shop, which is about a 17% return on my spending. It broke down to 600 points from personalized offers, 10,500 points from in-store offers, and an extra 15,000 points from a bonus digital offer. Over the last couple of years, I’ve redeemed $370 in points for free groceries. I use them in $20 increments here and there since they retain the same value no matter how many you redeem at once.
FAQ
Do PC Optimum points expire?
Your PC Optimum points will expire if you go 24 months without earning or redeeming any points.
How do I get a PC Optimum card?
You can get a digital PC Optimum membership card by downloading the PC Optimum app or creating an account on the PC Optimum website. President’s Choice no longer offers physical membership cards.
How do I check my PC Optimum points?
You can view your points balance on the PC Optimum mobile app or website, or the bottom of your receipt after a trip to a Loblaw grocery store or Shoppers Drug Mart.
How do I redeem PC Optimum points?
To redeem 10,000+ PC Optimum points for a $10+ discount, scan your PC Optimum membership card or PC Financial card at the checkout of a partner store and follow the on-screen prompts (or ask the cashier to cash your points for you).
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