How Does the American Express Platinum Card $200 Annual Dining Credit Work?

One of the new features recently introduced on the Canadian-issued American Express Platinum Card is the $200 annual dining credit.

This benefit was added to help offset the increased annual fee, which rose from $699 (all figures in CAD) to $799 on September 26, 2023.

The $200 annual dining credit is now available to current and future cardholders, and the list of restaurants at which it can be used ‌is also live.

What Is the American Express Platinum Card $200 Annual Dining Credit?

The American Express Platinum Card‘s $200 annual dining credit was introduced in September 2023, when major changes hit the American Express Platinum Card.

Part of the changes included increasing the card’s annual fee from $699 to $799, and the dining credit was introduced to help offset the annual fee increase.

Each calendar year, cardholders are eligible for a $200 statement credit upon making a qualifying purchase of at least $200 at a participating restaurant in Canada.

It’s important to note that the dining credit will only kick in on a transaction of at least $200. The dining credit isn’t cumulative, which means you won’t be able to make a few smaller purchases and have it triggered.

Furthermore, the $200 annual dining credit is only available to the primary cardholder, and isn’t available on supplementary accounts.

The $200 annual dining credit on the Canadian-issued American Express Platinum Card is only valid for dine-in services at participating establishments in Canada. Restaurants outside Canada won’t trigger the credit, even if they’re valid for dining credits with Platinum Cards issued by other countries.

There are currently 171 eligible restaurants in Canada, which are mostly concentrated in major city centres. However, there are participating restaurants in smaller cities as well, such as Cambridge, Rimouski, and Tofino, to name a few.

The full list of restaurants can be found on the American Express website.

Since the $200 dining credit runs on the calendar year and not the cardholder year, if you currently hold a Platinum Card or if you’re approved for one before the end of 2023, you’ll enjoy a $200 dining credit this year, and another one as of January 1, 2024.

Therefore, if you have the Platinum Card by the end of 2023, you’ll enjoy three $200 credits over the first year as a cardholder, or by your next cardholder anniversary date if you already have the…