How I Make the Amex Gold’s Credits Work Harder Than Its $325 Annual Fee

Updated: July 2, 2025, 8:30am CDT

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Table of Contents

Amex Gold Card — Overview
Up to $120 in Uber Cash
Up to $120 Dining Credit
Up to $100 Resy Credit
Up to $84 Dunkin’ Credit
Final Thoughts

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The American Express^® Gold Card has been in my wallet for years now — and it’s not going anywhere.

As a self-proclaimed foodie living in New York City, the Amex Gold card rewards my largest ongoing monthly expenses handsomely. Despite the card’s $325 annual fee (rates & fees), it pays for itself every year.

This is partially because of the points we earn when we buy food. But even beyond that, the card also includes a handful of statement credits that more than cover the annual fee. These are primarily food-focused and easy enough to use if you live in or near a medium or large city.

I’ve been consistently able to use every credit the card offers — here’s how.

Amex Gold Card — Overview

Before diving into the credits, let’s take a closer look at the Amex Gold card.

This is a mid-tier American Express consumer card geared toward people who enjoy travel and dining. Here’s the breakdown of its earning rates:

4x points at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 per year, then 1x points)
4x points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year, then 1x points)
3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or through AmexTravel.com
2x on prepaid hotels booked through AmexTravel.com
1x points on all other purchases

The card earns Membership Rewards points, which transfer to various airline and hotel loyalty programs. Some of my favorite programs for transferring Membership Rewards points include Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, and Hilton Honors.

NEW OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

American Express^® Gold Card

U.P. Rating

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!

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

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 OfferYou may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
As High As 100,000 Points. Find Out Your Offer.

UP's Offer Valuation*:
Up to   $2,200

Annual Fee

$325

APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent

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

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
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 get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
$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. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
$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.
Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

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

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

Upgraded Points values Membership Rewards points at 2.2 cents per point, but I’ve consistently gotten more value when redeeming for high-end travel.

The card is light on travel benefits, but it does offer a suite of travel protections like trip delay insurance and secondary car rental loss and damage insurance. Further, you can access the American Express Hotel Collection and enjoy added benefits at select hotels worldwide when you book through AmexTravel.com.

Hot Tip: Apply and find out if you’re eligible for a welcome bonus offer as high as 100,000 points with the Amex Gold card. Welcome offers may vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.

Up to $120 in Uber Cash

This is by far the easiest credit for me to use. American Express gives Amex Gold card members $10 in monthly Uber Cash.

Just add the Amex Gold card to your Uber app, and Uber Cash will appear automatically in your account. You can apply this credit to any Uber ride or Uber Eats order in the U.S. if you pay the remainder of the purchase with your Amex Gold card.

Traffic near Madison Square Garden in New York City — I take Uber around NYC frequently, so maximizing the Amex Gold card’s Uber Cash benefit is easy. Image Credit: Andrew Kunesh

I take Uber at least once a week to get around the city, and I try to use the credit as early in the month as possible so I don’t forget about it.

This is important since Uber Cash from the Amex Gold card expires at the end of every month. The only times I’ve missed using the credit are when I’ve been out of the country for a month or longer, as it can only be used on rides in the U.S.

Up to $120 Dining Credit

Upon enrollment, the Amex Gold card also offers members up to $120 per year in dining credits, which can be redeemed with Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys.

Just charge a purchase from one of these merchants to your Amex Gold card, and you’ll receive up to $10 in statement credit.

Tacos in a to go container — I use the Amex Gold card’s monthly dining credit for Grubhub deliveries. Image Credit: Andrew Kunesh

I typically use this benefit through Grubhub, as my wife and I order dinner delivery a couple of times per week. We use the Amex Gold card for all our dining expenses, so this is an easy credit to redeem without thinking about it.

Unfortunately, Grubhub adds delivery fees and other surcharges to orders. However, we avoid most of these thanks to Grubhub’s partnership with Amazon, which gives Amazon Prime members a complimentary Grubhub+ subscription. This includes free delivery from most restaurants.

Up to $100 Resy Credit

This is 1 of the Amex Gold card’s newest credits (enrollment required). The Resy credit gives cardmembers up to $100 in statement credits at restaurants listed on the Resy reservation platform. The credit is split across 2 $50 credits per year: the first is valid between January and June, and the second between July and December.

After you enroll in the benefit online, you can use this credit by charging an eligible purchase to your Amex Gold card. You’ll then be credited up to $50 back on your meal. You do not need to make a reservation at the restaurant through Resy or ask the waitstaff for a discount.

A plate of steak frites on a table at Bistro Les Amis in Manhattan — Lunch at Bistro Les Amis, a Resy restaurant in Manhattan. Image Credit: Andrew Kunesh

Many of my favorite neighborhood restaurants are listed on Resy, so I’ve almost always used this credit by coincidence. If you don’t live in a place with an abundance of Resy restaurants, consider using it on a trip to a large city.

Up to $84 Dunkin’ Credit

Finally, the Amex Gold card includes up to $84 per year in statement credits at Dunkin’, which are doled out in $7 increments. Like the Resy credit, you can pay per usual at any U.S. Dunkin’ location, and up to $7 will be returned as a statement credit every month.

Dunkin Donuts in Astoria Queens — Dunkin’ isn’t my favorite, but there’s a few of them close to my home. Image Credit: Andrew Kunesh

I’m not the biggest fan of Dunkin’ coffee, but it does the job in a pinch. It also helps that I live within walking distance of a staggering 4 Dunkin’ locations. As such, I make a point to visit once per month for a coffee, typically before a long drive.

Hot Tip:

You can load the Dunkin’ mobile app with your Amex Gold card every month and still receive the $7 statement credit. Consider doing this if you can’t use your credit organically and bank it for a future order, as monthly credits don’t roll over.

Final Thoughts

The Amex Gold card may have a relatively high $325 annual fee, but it includes hundreds of dollars in annual benefits that can help you offset it.

As outlined here, I’ve managed to use these credits every month on purchases I’d make with or without the card. Because of this, the Amex Gold card is a net positive for my wife and me, even without considering the card’s excellent food-centered earning rates.

For the trip delay insurance benefit of the American Express^® Gold Card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For the car rental loss and damage insurance benefit of the American Express^® Gold Card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.