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The Amex Gold Card’s Dining Credit Has Some New Options (While Losing Others)

In recent years, the American Express Gold Card has undergone quite a few changes. For example, in 2020, the card added a $10 per month Uber Cash benefit. Then, last year, it made its Rose Gold design a permanent design instead of a limited edition one. Okay, so that second one didn’t really impact the actual usefulness of the card, but it was cool regardless. Anyway, Amex is continuing its trend of keeping things fresh by announcing some partner changes for the Gold Card’s Dining Credit.

Now, Gold Card customers will be able to utilize their $10 a month dining credit at three new retailers:

• Goldbelly
• Wine.com
• Milk Bar

These new options join existing brand partners including Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, and (my personal favorite use) select Shake Shack locations. To take advantage of this credit, cardholders just need to use their Gold Card to pay for their purchase and a $10 credit will automatically be triggered, typically posting as a statement credit within a few business days from when the transaction is made. Sadly, while this is billed as a $120 Dining Credit, keep in mind that it is capped at $10 a month — hence $120 annually.

If you’re looking at the list and thinking some things are missing, you’re right. With the arrival of these new options, Boxed and Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse are no longer participating in the program.

To me, while not Earth-shattering, this change to the Gold Card’s dining credit is a positive. As someone who has enjoyed Goldbelly in the past, I foresee an opportunity where I can take advantage of a good sale or offer while double-dipping with this $10 credit. Ditto Milk Bar, which I’ve had items from but not ordered myself. Meanwhile, the outgoing participants are ones I never used. Furthermore, the idea of trying to save $10 by going to Ruth’s Chris always struck as me kind of silly.

Despite the changes, I foresee myself sticking to my current game plan. What’s that, you ask? Well, since there are no Shack Shakes in my area, we typically place a Grubhub order for pickup once a month in a bid to use our credit. However, if we’re traveling to a location with a Shake Shack — such as Las Vegas — then we’ll usually go that route since it’s an easy use of the credit. Now, with Goldbelly as an option, perhaps an occasional crumb cake order will fill in for our monthly Grubhub pick.

As I said, I think this is a positive change overall. In fact, while Amex’s moves have been controversial in some circles, I’ve been almost entirely satisfied since I became a cardholder in 2019 (adding the Gold Card in 2020). With the company now making it at least a tiny little bit easier to use my monthly credit and, in turn, offset my annual fee, I continue to be a happy Amex customer.

Also published on Medium.

Other Articles by Kyle Burbank