AMEX Adds Big Restaurant Benefit to Select Cards

AMEX is adding a valuable restaurant benefit to its suite of Hilton, Marriott and Delta personal credit cards. Members can receive up to $220 in statement credits in 2021.

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American Express has long supported small businesses. The company created Small Business Saturday just a decade ago. But since 2010, the concept has grown far beyond its corporate origins. The idea to “shop small” has become a rallying cry to support local businesses.

A New Restaurant Benefit

During the pandemic, local restaurants have struggled to keep their doors open. Fewer of us are dining out, and local restrictions either limit capacity or restrict indoor dining altogether. AMEX is trying to help keep these struggling small businesses afloat with a great new restaurant benefit for select American Express card members.

From now until the end of 2021, AMEX is offering valuable monthly statement credits on its Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy, or Delta SkyMiles credit cards. AMEX will apply these credits on a dollar-for-dollar basis, up to the maximum monthly credit, whenever you make a purchase at a U.S. restaurant. You can use the credit for dine-in, take-out, or delivery; but you must first sign up for the offer in your account.

How Much is the Credit?

The monthly statement credit will vary depending on which card you use. But in many cases, the value of the benefit will more than pay the card’s annual fee. The Hilton Honors American Express card has no annual fee, for example, but card members can still receive a $5 monthly credit.

• Hilton Honors American Express Card — $5 monthly credit, total $55.
• Delta SkyMiles Gold — $10 monthly credit, total $110
• Marriott Bonvoy (former SPG card, discontinued) — $10 monthly credit, total $110
• Hilton Honors Surpass Card — $10 monthly credit, total $110
• Delta SkyMiles Platinum — $15 monthly credit, total $165
• Hilton Honors Aspire Card — $20 monthly credit, total $220
• Delta SkyMiles Reserve — $20 monthly credit, total $220
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant — $20 monthly credit, total $220

These are generous credits, and you’re in luck if you already have one (or more) of these cards in your wallet. If not, you are out of luck. The offer applies only to accounts that were active on January 1, 2021.

Premium Cards Show Their Value

I’m impressed with this latest offer and intend to take full advantage of this new AMEX restaurant benefit. If you’re using a “no annual fee” card, like the Hilton Honors American Express, you’ll still get up to $55 cash back.

But the biggest cash back benefits are reserved for premium card holders. You’ll get up to $220 in statement credits with any of the three premium cards included in this promotion. Those cards include the Hilton Honors Aspire, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant, and Delta SkyMiles Reserve. Each of these cards has a big annual fee — $450 Hilton/Marriott, $550 Delta Reserve — but the rewards more than justify the price. It’s why you should not fear the annual fee, provided you can get find value in the rewards.

Example: Hilton Honors Aspire Card

Let’s just take one example: the AMEX Hilton Honors Aspire Card, with its $450 annual fee. This card offers the easiest path to top-tier Diamond status in the Hilton Honors program. If you have the card, you’re Diamond! Just like that.

Diamond perks include intangibles like free breakfast and room upgrades where available. But let’s focus solely on the statement credits available with the card.

• Hilton Resort Credit — $250 (must be used at a Hilton resort)
• Airline Fee Credit — $250 (not always easy to use, but here’s a guide)

If you use both of these credits, you’ll get $500 in statement credits. Not bad for a $450 annual fee. Now, toss in another $220 in restaurant credits in 2021. That means the AMEX Hilton Honors Aspire card is offering $720 in statement credits. Wow!

The card easily pays for itself, and then some. And that’s before talking about the annual free weekend night. Yes, the Hilton Honors Aspire card awards members with a free weekend night certificate. It’s good for any hotel in the Hilton Family, with limited exceptions. That’s potentially hundreds of dollars in savings.

You’ll experience similar results with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card from American Express. It offers a $300 Marriott credit; and this year, an additional $220 restaurant benefit. Even before factoring in additional card benefits, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express will provide $520 in statement credits for its $450 annual fee.

Final Thoughts

AMEX is adding a valuable restaurant benefit to its suite of Hilton, Marriott and Delta personal credit cards. Depending on the card you have, members can receive anywhere from $55 to $220 in statement credits in 2021.

REMEMBER: You must first sign up for the offer in your account. You’ll find it within the AMEX Offers sections online or in the American Express app.

I love this offer! It’s great for consumers, of course; but American Express is showing strong support for struggling restaurants. There’s a smart business reason for offering this benefit and helping out restaurants.

Working Toward Card Acceptance Parity with Visa/MC

Remember those Visa ads back in the 90s? The ones that ended with “… and they don’t take American Express.”

For a long time, American Express was not as widely accepted as its two biggest rivals, Visa and Mastercard. But during the past decade, AMEX has closed the gap and is now accepted at 99% of the U.S. businesses that accept Visa and Mastercard. (The company still has work to do internationally). Its OptBlue program has reduced obstacles to card acceptance, lowered acceptance fees, and supported small businesses.

The new AMEX restaurant benefit pairs nicely with Small Business Saturday, and its overall push toward universal acceptance. And it’s a great new perk (albeit temporary) for select American Express card members.