Why No Other Card Compares to the Amex Gold for Grocery Spend

For years, the American Express^® Gold Card has been my preferred card for restaurant and supermarket purchases. Although other cards can provide bonus points or cash-back for grocery purchases, I still prefer using my Amex Gold card to earn quadruple the points:

• Earn 4x Membership Rewards points per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1x points for the rest of the year.
• Earn 4x Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1x points for the rest of the year.

Even with its higher $325 annual fee (rates & fees), I still come out far ahead with the rewards I earn every month. Here’s a closer look at how the Amex Gold card aligns well with my daily spending.

Higher Earning Potential On the Market

There are lots of cards best for grocery and supermarket purchases that help consumers earn something back on these everyday purchases.

For example, the Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express offers cardholders an enticing 6% cash-back at U.S. supermarkets, though there’s a cap of $6,000 per year in purchases to earn that fantastic rate (1% after the cap). Or there’s the super popular Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card, which rakes in 3x points, but is limited to online grocery store purchases.

But what do I do if I need to shop in person, or if my family spends more than $6,000 a year — which we do, since our household has 5 members?

That’s where the Amex Gold card excels. It allows me to earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets for up to $25,000 a year and then 1x after that. I keep this spending just short of $25,000 per year (I sometimes come close, considering that I have 3 children to feed), so earning 4x points on one of my most recurring expenses is a huge win for me.

Amex Points Are More Valuable Than Other Rewards Currencies

I have hundreds of thousands of points in numerous credit card programs, including Chase Ultimate Rewards and Capital One Miles, as well as airline programs such as American Airlines’ AAdvantage and Alaska Airlines’ Mileage Plan, but I still prioritize Amex Membership Rewards above all.

Last year, I racked up more than 1 million Amex points, with much of them earned through the Amex Gold card’s 4x earnings, as well as new welcome bonus offers.

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

American Express^® Gold Card

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The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

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American Express^® Gold Card

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

Welcome Offer

Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

60,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,200

Annual Fee

$325

APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The American Express^® Gold Card is a game-changer.

With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants, up to $50,000 per calendar year, and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x.

There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are several other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 4x points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, up to $50,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
• 4x points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
• 3x points per dollar on flights purchased directly from airlines or at AmexTravel.com

Cons

• $325 annual fee (rates and fees)
• No lounge access

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Card Highlights

• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
• Earn 2X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
• Earn 1X Membership Rewards^® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year. Effective 11/8/2024, an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.
• $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express^® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations.
• $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express^® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express^® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
• Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. Eligible charges vary by property.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $325.
• Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: See Pay Over Time APR
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

We value Amex Membership Rewards Points at 2.2 cents per point, and they’re the most valuable flexible point program out there for me. Whether I go to my local Publix or Trader Joe’s, I get an 8.8% return on my food shopping list on the Amex Gold card — a higher return than I get on any other card.

By spending $25,000 per year at U.S. supermarkets, I earn 100,000 Membership Rewards points with the Amex Gold card alone. That’s worth $2,200 in our book, which is far greater than the $325 annual fee — and that’s before accounting for any of the other perks on the card.

A Card Designed With Foodies in Mind

In addition to offering impressive earning rates of 4x points at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 in purchases annually) and 4x points at restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 in purchases each year), the Amex Gold card provides cardholders with additional food-related perks, making it an ideal companion for a foodie like me.

As an Amex Gold cardholder, I also receive up to $120 in dining statement credits upon enrollment (up to $10 each month) at participating eateries, including Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys.

Further, I get an annual statement credit of up to $100 with Resy, distributed as $50 semi-annually, which can be used at any U.S. Resy restaurant. There’s also the annual Dunkin’ credit of up to $84, giving me up to $7 each month, which is helpful as there are plenty of locations at airports. Note that each of these credits require enrollment so be sure to enroll through your Amex account.

Lastly, another food-related benefit issued by the Amex Gold card is that cardholders can receive up to $120 in Uber Cash, distributed as up to $10 per month, for use on rides and Uber Eats orders in the U.S. That’s useful to me as I work from home and order lunch from Uber Eats once a week. Effective 11/8/2024, an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.

Final Thoughts

Even though I have plenty of cards to choose from at the grocery store, I always reach for my Amex Gold card. Knowing that I can use 1 card for all of my food purchases is what truly distinguishes the Amex Gold card from the competition and makes it my favorite for earning tons of rewards every day.