5 Reasons the Amex Gold Card Is the Very Best for Groceries and Dining Out

I'm a big fan of food credit cards. Since groceries and dining out are two of my biggest expenses, naturally my wallet sports several cards that earn bonus points on my food purchases. And while I don't currently have the American Express® Gold Card, I've been pondering replacing my Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card with it.

True, the Amex Gold Card has a $250 annual fee (see rates and fees). But even with the steep upfront cost, this card is worth it for foodies. Here's why. 

1. Annual Uber Cash 

If you use Uber and Uber Eats frequently, the American Express® Gold Card could save you $120 annually. Cardholders get $10 each month they can use for Uber rides or Uber Eats orders in the U.S. (terms apply). You just have to add your Amex Gold Card to your Uber account, and you'll automatically get $10 each month. This perk alone shaves $120 off your annual fee, bringing it down to $130 (See rates and fees). 

2.  Annual dining credit 

The American Express® Gold Card gives you a $10 monthly statement credit when you use your card for Grubhub orders or at certain restaurants, including Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar, and select Shake Shack locations. Terms apply. Enrollment required. 

While I don't eat at any of these restaurants, I can take advantage of the credit through Grubhub, especially now that my Amazon Prime account entitles me to a free Grubhub+ membership. Adding this perk to the $120 in Uber Cash would shave $240 off my annual fee -- bringing the card's cost down to $10 (See rates and fees). 

3. Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets and restaurants worldwide 

Although attractive in their own way, the annual Uber cash and dining credits are just add-ons to the card's real headlining perk: how it earns rewards. 

As an Amex Gold Card holder, you'll earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at restaurants worldwide, 4X Membership Rewards® Points at U.S. supermarkets up to $25,000 each year in purchases, and 3x Membership Rewards® Points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com (terms apply). If you redeem your points in such a way as to get $0.01 apiece, you're roughly earning 4% back at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000). Terms apply. Those are some of the best earn rates on a travel card. 

Assuming that you, like the average American household in 2022, spend about $780 per month on food, you might earn 37,440 Membership Rewards® Points per year by charging all food purchases to your card. That could translate into $374 if you redeemed your points for select travel. Adding in the credits from above, you would now fully cover the annual fee and be ahead by $364 (see rates and fees)! 

4. Onsite experience credit 

The icing on the cake is the card's $100 onsite experience credit. When you book The Hotel Collection properties with American Express Travel for stays of at least two nights, you can receive a $100 onsite credit to use toward certain qualifying activities, like dining or spa treatments. Terms apply. Benefit varies by property. This gives you another chance to save $100 on hotel spending that might have otherwise been out of pocket. 

5. Don't forget about the welcome bonus 

Finally, this card has a very generous welcome bonus. New cardholders can earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases within the first 6 months of card membership. Terms apply. This could easily outweigh the card's annual fee for its first year, even more so if we add in the perks mentioned above. 

Now, although it looks like one of the best cards out there, I do have hesitations. I've heard from colleagues and other credit card enthusiasts that the annual credits -- specifically the annual dining credit -- is hard to take advantage of. So, if you don't like micromanaging your perks, this one will probably frustrate you. 

However, plenty of people will have no trouble using these credits before the end of the month, myself included. If you can take full advantage of the card's perks, it might be worth applying for, especially if groceries and dining out are big line items in your budget.