Maximizing Dining Credits: How I Enjoy Free Meals With My Amex Gold Card

I’ve always been an adventurous eater, thanks in large part to my dad introducing me to his love for seafood and various delicacies at a very young age. As a frequent traveler, my journeys are often planned around restaurant recommendations from my friends or spots I find online.

To make the most of my rewards, the American Express Gold^® Card has been an invaluable asset. While it comes with a $325 annual fee (rates & fees), it offers several food-related statement credits (enrollment required) and an impressive 4x points at restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 annually), making it a standout choice for those who love to dine out.

Today, I’ll focus largely on how I’ve made the most out of 3 credits on the Amex Gold card in my everyday life.

1. Up to $10 Monthly Dining Credit

Upon enrollment, cardholders receive up to $120 in dining credits with select partners, including Five Guys, Goldbelly, Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wine.com. The credits are distributed as up to $10 per month, but keep in mind that any unused amount does not carry over to the next month.

I find the easiest way to use this credit is by placing pickup orders through Grubhub. I use the app’s map feature to find participating restaurants nearby. While I have Grubhub+ through Amazon Prime, pick-up orders are far more budget-friendly by saving on tipping costs.

Many local restaurants offer great lunch specials, making it an ideal way to grab a quick, affordable meal during the workweek. The up-to-$10 credit often covers the full cost of lunch, though I occasionally pay a small amount out of pocket for taxes and fees.

2. Up to $50 Semiannual Resy Credit

The Amex Gold card introduced the Resy credit (enrollment required) earlier this year. It provides up to $50 in credits from January to June and another up to $50 in credits from July to December.

Having lived in Manhattan for a few years, I was already familiar with Resy, as it was often my go-to app for booking restaurant reservations in New York City. However, after moving away, I wasn’t sure how useful Resy would be in my new location.

Then I learned that this credit can be used at any restaurant bookable through Resy. However, you don’t need to actually make a reservation through the platform or pay via the app. Once enrolled through your online American Express account, simply use your Amex Gold card to pay the bill.

Since relocating to Salt Lake City, I’ve noticed fewer restaurants on Resy than in cities like New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles. Even so, I’ve discovered great options in the downtown area. My boyfriend and I recently used my Resy credit for the first time at Manoli’s, a modern Greek restaurant, and it was a fantastic experience.

Since moving here, we haven’t dined out much, but this place exceeded all our expectations. We loved the tapas-style menu and embraced the Greek tradition of sharing by ordering family-style. We tried the branzino, lamb burger, and several appetizers.

The total came to $145, including the tip. However, I paid for half of the dinner with my Amex Gold card and the other half with my Delta SkyMiles^® Platinum American Express Card, which comes with a monthly Resy credit of up to $10 (enrollment required). So I effectively saved $60 off of our bill.

Exploring a new restaurant in a completely unfamiliar area was such a fun experience. (I still can’t stop thinking about the saganaki, a fried cheese with grilled bread.) Even better, the credit was posted to my account almost immediately after paying.

3. Up to $10 Monthly Uber Cash Credit

The Amex Gold card also includes up to $120 annually in Uber Cash credits, which can be used for U.S. Uber rides and Uber Eats orders. As with the dining credit, you receive up to $10 per month, which doesn’t roll over. The credit becomes available as soon as you add your Amex Gold card to the Uber app.

When I lived in Manhattan, I had no problem using this credit for Uber rides. However, I rarely take Uber rides in Utah — only to the airport and back, if we don’t end up parking at the airport. Therefore, I’ve started to use my Uber Cash credit increasingly for Uber Eats orders.

Much like with the dining credit, I prefer placing pickup orders to reduce tip and delivery fee costs. That said, Uber Eats often features fantastic promotions with certain restaurants. Recently, after spending hours at a car dealership and running out of groceries at home, my boyfriend and I needed a quick, affordable dinner.

Uber Eats saved the day: We ordered 2 bulgogi bowls from Cupbop, a Korean fast-casual chain, which were on a BOGO deal. Combined with the Uber Cash credit, our dinner for 2 cost just $3.

Total Value From Amex Gold Credits

I’m confident I can maximize these credits every year to meet my dining needs. Altogether, I estimate receiving up to $340 in annual value from the dining, Resy, and Uber Cash credits.

BEST FOR DINING

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American Express^® Gold Card

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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

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Beyond the monetary value, I conservatively calculate that these credits cover around 25 meals annually, with only a few dollars out of pocket at checkout in some cases.

While it takes a bit of effort to fully utilize these perks, they significantly offset the $325 annual fee, making it much easier to justify. On top of that, I’m earning 4x points at restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 annually) and 4x points at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year).

Final Thoughts

The Amex Gold card offers several unique credits distributed on either a monthly or semiannual basis. To make the most of the ongoing membership fee, it’s essential to understand how to maximize the value of these benefits effectively.