Premium credit cards might have credits too plentiful to count, but grab a few, and you can handily save enough to more than justify the annual fee of your card. In fact, one of the more fun credits on premium credit cards is recent additions like dining benefits — and I’m definitely biased about how I’d put that to work.
What are American Express & Chase’s dining benefits?
As part of a slew of credit card refreshes last year, Chase introduced an all-new OpenTable dining credit on its Chase Sapphire Reserve ($150/semiannually), which covers “Exclusive Tables.”
A new Resy dining credit on the Platinum Card® ($100/quarter) and Gold Card® ($50/semiannually) from American Express followed. Terms apply.
Taken together, these recent additions to the cards can put a big dent in those hefty “premium” annual fees. For example, earning the full $300 annual dining benefit on the Chase Sapphire Reserve means you’ve earned 40% of your annual fee back. For Amex’s Gold and Platinum Cards, fully seizing on the cards’ Resy statement credits can take up to a 30% or 45% bite, respectively, out of your annual fee. (See Rates & Fees.)
In a way, you already paid for these credits with your annual fee, so you should definitely spend them. Before you dine, though, you’ll want to make sure these benefits have been activated. Then, it’s time to get intentional about how you put them to work — that’s the fun part.
Where should you spend a Resy or OpenTable credit?
Really, you can spend your Resy or OpenTable credit wherever you want. You can hop onto their respective sites, pick out an eligible reservation, and put down your card when you get the check. However, I am slightly biased about how I’d choose to put these credits to work.
Many foodies have probably heard of the Michelin Star, a notorious program primarily focused on fine dining in select cities and metro areas that pay to participate, wherein restaurants are judged by professional inspectors and can earn one or more Michelin Stars. A lot of big markets have the Star, but not all of them. They’re not necessarily known for being affordable, either (unless you sort by “Bib Gourmand” on the Guide.)
There is, however, another shortlist of restaurants that many are less familiar with: those that have won the James Beard Awards. Every year, there’s a Restaurant and Chef Awards portion where “independent volunteer members of the media, culinary, beverage, hospitality, and the broader culinary ecosystem” recognize fantastic establishments and operators across all 50 states.
Why you should check out the James Beard nominees
I’m really partial to James Beard because it’s nationwide, includes a wide variety of price points, and can help you find gems in really unsuspecting places. In the 2026, a small town called Mystic, CT, scored two nominations on this year’s list. And mid-sized metros like St. Louis really punched above their weight, with the broader metro region scoring five nominations.
Really, all of these nominations are probably fantastic and worth checking out. It’s also nice that the nominees generally have a variety of price points at which you can find a fantastic meal. And, in many cases, you’ll probably find many of these restaurants on Resy or OpenTable.
Resy has even maintained a guide of this year’s finalists. OpenTable has its own guide, too. If you’re looking for a convenient way to spend your credit card’s dining credits, this is arguably the most fun way to put them to work.
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