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Editor’s note: This post has been updated with the latest information.
The American Express® Gold Card was seemingly made for people who live to eat. And in the current pandemic environment, many cardholders are prioritizing groceries and takeout.
Not only does the Amex Gold earn 4x Membership Rewards points on worldwide dining and U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1x), but it also comes with an up to $120 annual dining statement credit. Starting in early 2021, cardholders will receive up to $120 annually ($10 per month) in Uber Cash to use for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. And finally there’s the up to $100 annual airline fee credit (which is going away in 2022) These are perks that, together, effectively cover the $250 annual fee (see rates and fees), leaving you $90 ahead.
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The dining statement credit works at the following merchants: Grubhub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Ruth’s Chris Steak House and participating Shake Shack locations. It’s not automatically applied though, so you’ll need to activate it online before you can take advantage.
We’ll walk you through the process.
Related: The best credit cards to use for food delivery services
Enroll your card in 5 clicks or less
Once you’ve logged in to your Amex account, select your Gold card in the top right-hand corner. Then, select “Benefits” on the top bar.
From there, you’ll see the up to $120 dining credit benefit on the first column to the left. If not, just scroll down until you do. The credit is distributed as up to $10 statement credits per month, so you’ll want to make sure you’re ordering from a participating merchant at least once a month to take full advantage.
As you’ll see here, I’ve already enrolled in this benefit. If you haven’t, simply click on “Learn More” and you’ll be prompted to enroll on the next screen.
It’s worth noting that the terms and conditions explicitly exclude gift cards and merchandise purchases. Enrolling in this valuable benefit online should only take you about five minutes or less to complete, but you can also enroll by chatting with an Amex agent online, on the app or by calling customer service.
Related: How I get free lunch twice a month with the Amex Gold
Bottom line
If you regularly dine at one of the aforementioned restaurants or use delivery services such as Grubhub or Seamless, having this card in your wallet makes a lot of sense. Just be sure you’re not leaving money on the table — enroll your Amex Gold Card now so you don’t miss out.
APPLY for the Amex Gold Card — with a welcome offer of 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $4,000 on the first six months of card membership — here.
Additional reporting by Chris Dong
For rates and fees of the Amex Gold Card, please click here.
SPONSORED: With states reopening, enjoying a meal from a restaurant no longer just means curbside pickup.
And when you do spend on dining, you should use a credit card that will maximize your rewards and potentially even score special discounts. Thanks to temporary card bonuses and changes due to coronavirus, you may even be able to score a meal at your favorite restaurant for free.
These are the best credit cards for dining out, taking out, and ordering in to maximize every meal purchase.
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Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.