Best cards for dining
By Rachel Lipson
August 2, 2025
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Whether you are home and enjoying your favorite local restaurants or traveling the world and trying out new places, dining out can be expensive. While no one (err most people) won’t judge you on which card to put down at the end of a meal, there is no doubt that there are heavy hitters that can help you truly maximize those restaurant dollars spent.
The best personal card for dining
The American Express® Gold Card
Rates & fees, terms apply
Here is a partial list of some of the applicable benefits that you can earn by using the American Express Gold Card at restaurants:
Earn 4X Points at Restaurants Worldwide
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points when you dine at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year) then 1X points for the rest of the year.
$100 Resy Credit
Discover and book restaurants to love with Resy. Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required through your Card Account.
$120 Dining Credit
Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at participating partners. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
No Foreign Transaction Fees
Enjoy every trip abroad with no foreign transaction fees from American Express with the American Express® Gold Card.
Annual fee $325
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
Why we love this card:
With the 4x points per dollar at restaurants benefit, it’s possible to earn up to 200,000 points a year just at restaurants! The Resy credit and the dining credit can offset much of the annual fee of this card making it a perfect choice for anyone who dines at restaurants and wants to maximize their point earning.
The best business card for dining
American Express® Business Gold Card
Rates & fees, terms apply
The Business Gold card has a lot of great benefits for card holders including this reward structure that can really maximize earnings for business owners:
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points on the 2 categories where your business spends the most in each billing cycle from 6 categories:
Purchases at US media providers for advertising in select media (online, TV, radio)
U.S. purchases made from electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers
U.S. purchases at restaurants, including takeout and delivery
U.S. purchases at gas stations
Transit purchases including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways
Monthly wireless telephone service charges made directly from a wireless telephone service provider in the U.S.
While your top 2 categories may change each billing cycle based on where your business spent the most, you will earn 4X points on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories each calendar year (then 1X thereafter). Only the top 2 categories from this list each billing cycle will count towards the $150,000 cap.
$240 Flexible Business Credit
Get more for your business purchases. Earn up to $20 in statement credits each month after you use the Business Gold Card for eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and Office Supply Stores. This can be an annual savings of up to $240. Enrollment required.
Annual fee $375
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
Why we love this card:
This card can be a real powerhouse if your business purchases align with the spending categories. For business owners who spend at restaurants and on take out and delivery, this can be an enormous benefit. In addition, the $240 flexible business credit that can be used on Grubhub, is an excellent way to offset much of the annual fee making this a top choice for many business owners.
Editorial Disclosure: The information in this article has not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. All opinions belong solely to Brooklyn Family Travelers and are not those of any other entity. The details on financial products, including card rates and fees, are accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information. This site doesn't include all currently available offers. Credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
