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I poked around and didn't see a thread about this... please combine if there is one and I missed it.
The $10 monthly dining credit from AmEx Gold card no longer includes Ruth Chris's Steakhouse or Boxed, and instead now includes Wine.com, Goldbelly (which I had never heard of), and Milkbar (which I have only heard of because AmEx likes to push offers for them).
Doesn't affect my usage, since I've used it on Cheescake Factory pickup the whole two months I've had it.
https://frequentmiler.com/amex-gold-dining-credit-changes-two-partners-out-three-more-in/
For a moment, the title made me hope they were going in the direction of the "any dining" credits I enjoyed on Delta and Marriott cards for a while.
No change in use for me. Traveling or at home, takeout or delivery, I've always used GH.
I occasionally use Boxed, so I appreciate this being posted.
I guess a 'heads-up' from Amex would have been too much trouble. I mean, I get them not saying anything about the removals, but it seems like they could have at least mentioned the additions. 🤷♂️
GrubHub is what I usually do, so at least they didn't take that away.
Thanks for posting, OP!
The additions are pretty lame. I used this credit on Boxed a few times, but I didn't love their selection or pricing so no big loss IMO.
There might still be an announcement coming. The subtractions don't take effect until early August. From the T&C today: "Effective August 2, 2022, Boxed and Ruth’s Chris Steak House will no longer be participating partners for the $120 Dining Credit."
This is (yet another) problem with the coupen approach to AF offsets!
In the past, at least on their credit cards, Amex has been pretty good at making changes apply on your anniversary date (they did this when capping both the BCP and OBC, a few years apart). Here, you could have carefully calculated that the card is worthwhile because "I can use X, Y and Z almost every month" and then part way through the year they disappear as options.
Yes, worse nerfs can happen (losing someone as a transfer partner for example) but this is another negative.
@longtimelurker wrote:This is (yet another) problem with the coupen approach to AF offsets!
In the past, at least on their credit cards, Amex has been pretty good at making changes apply on your anniversary date (they did this when capping both the BCP and OBC, a few years apart). Here, you could have carefully calculated that the card is worthwhile because "I can use X, Y and Z almost every month" and then part way through the year they disappear as options.
Yes, worse nerfs can happen (losing someone as a transfer partner for example) but this is another negative.
Yep. That's why I just consider the credits as icing on the cake.
@UncleB wrote:I guess a 'heads-up' from Amex would have been too much trouble. I mean, I get them not saying anything about the removals, but it seems like they could have at least mentioned the additions. 🤷♂️
I got the courtesy "pop-up" today when I logged into my account, @UncleB. Yes, it would have been nice to get something from them before it was leaked to third parties.
I totally agree with @Curious_George2 that the changes are pretty lame, but IMO all the AMEX Gold dining credits are pretty lame. I force myself to try to use GrubHub but even that isn't monthly. I think the Gold card is great .... except for the lack of what I consider useful credits to offset the AF. From my experience, being able to offset the high AF of their charge cards with credits is critical to making them make financial sense, almost regardless of how you value MRs. Between my modest value of MRs (about 1 cpp) and the uselessness (to me) of the credits, the Gold card may be on the chopping block. Getting 4 MRs for dollar on groceries and dining sounds great but if it's only worth a 4% return, there are other cards that give that much back on those categories with either a lower or no AF. The only saving grace for the moment is right now I have a SUB for new member referral that is netting me 9 MRs for dollar on dining for three months (baseline of 4 plus 5 additional), up to $25K in spend.
I really wish AMEX would either just lower their AFs or set some more reasonable credit system. For example, if the idea is to encourage usage, why not giving credits back based on swipes per month, or restaurant charges or grocery charges? I know they're hoping (and attaining) a great amount of 'breakage' with their system, but it would encourage more members to keep the cards if they weren't making credits so complex or constantly moving the ball. When I got the Gold, it had the $100 credit for airline fees which was discontinued, then they added the UBER/UBER Eats credits, now this. Stop playing games!
@Aim_High wrote:
@UncleB wrote:I guess a 'heads-up' from Amex would have been too much trouble. I mean, I get them not saying anything about the removals, but it seems like they could have at least mentioned the additions. 🤷♂️
I got the courtesy "pop-up" today when I logged into my account, @UncleB. Yes, it would have been nice to get something from them before it was leaked to third parties.
Ha, well what do ya know...
Still no pop-up for me, though. At first I figured I didn't get it due to adblock or something similar then I remembered that I get all their other various pop-ups with no problem so that can't be it. Perhaps they just haven't gotten around to me yet, LOL. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
In any case, thanks for sharing!
I'm seeing it for the first time today. Might be a gradual rollout of notices based on statement closing date? Mine closes 2 days after Aim_High's and I didn't see it until after.
Goldbelly I used a few times a year or so again when Amex had a great Amex Offer for it. Had some great deli delivery from Mendy's (NYC deli of Seinfeld fame), but without an Amex Offer and a good Rakuten offer stacked, some of the restaurants can be rather spendy. I've been using my Gold dining credit for Shake Shack more lately, so I'm glad to see that it was not removed.