4.5 / 5 \u00b7 Bonus Eagle score
American Express
American Express® Gold Card
Welcome bonus
100,000Points
after $8,000 in 6 mo
Annual fee
$325
Purchase APR
—
Credit needed
Good to Excellent (690–850)
on American Express's secure site
The bottom line
The Gold is the best card in the Amex lineup for food spending, full stop — 4x at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets covers where a lot of households actually spend, and the points are transferable.
At a glance
Pros and cons.
Pros
- Excellent 4x on dining and U.S. supermarkets — top-tier for food spending
- $424 in annual credits (Uber, dining, Resy, Dunkin') can cover the fee
- Transferable Membership Rewards points with 15+ partners
- Added 5x prepaid hotels and Hertz status in 2026 with no fee increase
- No foreign transaction fee
Cons
- $325 fee is real if you won't use the monthly-slice credits
- Credits are fragmented across specific merchants and require enrollment
- 4x categories are capped ($50K dining / $25K supermarkets per year)
- Charge card — generally pay in full each month
The editorial review
Our take on this card.
The Gold is the best card in the Amex lineup for food spending, full stop — 4x at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets covers where a lot of households actually spend, and the points are transferable. The April 2026 refresh added 5x prepaid hotels and Hertz status without raising the $325 fee, which was a quiet win. The fee is designed to be offset by roughly $424 in credits, but those come in monthly and semi-annual pieces tied to specific merchants (Uber, Grubhub/partners, Resy, Dunkin'). If those fit your routine, the card is close to free; if they don't, you're paying $325 for the earn rates alone. The honest trade-offs: the 4x categories are capped, the credits require active use and enrollment, and it's a charge card. But for a food-and-travel spender who values transferable points, few cards earn as efficiently on everyday life.
How you earn
Rewards by category.
Dining worldwide
4x
U.S. supermarkets
4x
Prepaid hotels via Amex Travel
5x
Flights booked direct or via Amex Travel
3x
Everything else
1x
Rates and fees
The full disclosure.
All rates and fees current as of publication. Verify against the issuer's official Terms and Conditions before applying.
Annual fee
$325
Penalty APR
29.99%
Foreign transaction fee
None
Late payment fee
Up to $40
Frequently asked
Questions readers ask.
What makes the Gold stand out?
4x points on dining and U.S. supermarkets, plus transferable Membership Rewards points.
Can I offset the $325 fee?
Roughly $424 in annual credits can, if you use the Uber, dining, and Resy credits.
Are the 4x categories unlimited?
No — $50K/year on dining and $25K/year on supermarkets, then 1x.
Did anything change in 2026?
Yes — added 5x prepaid hotels and Hertz status; the welcome-offer spend rose to $8,000.
Is there a foreign transaction fee?
No.
