June 30, 2026 • 8 min read Jump to section Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Copy URL Email The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don’t cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information. I'm the type of traveler who will plan an entire trip around great meals.
I love experiencing destinations and cultures through their food, so whether I'm at home or on the road, dining out is one of my biggest expenses.
Dining out has only gotten more expensive in recent years. Fortunately, several of the travel rewards cards I carry offer dining statement credits that not only save me money on meals throughout the year but also help offset their annual fees.
Here are some of the cards I keep in my wallet specifically for their dining statement credits (among other reasons) and how I make sure to maximize them.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees ) gets a lot of attention for its numerous travel perks , but it also has an extremely valuable dining benefit .
Cardholders can earn up to $300 in statement credits each calendar year split into two biannual credits of up to $150 each from January-June and July-December when using their card to pay for meals at Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables restaurants on OpenTable (no prepayment, payment or reservation through OpenTable is required).
The program just started last year, but there are already eligible restaurants in dozens of U.S. cities .
My husband and I used one of these credits last fall at the fancy French-Californian bistro, Jeune et Jolie, in the coastal hamlet of Carlsbad, just north of San Diego. We used our first credit of 2026 at the one-Michelin-star Thai restaurant, Anajak, near our home in L.A.
Both were fabulous, and the $150 statement credit made the experience even sweeter.
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I also make a point of using this benefit for restaurants I'd already planned to visit, rather than choosing one simply because it's eligible. That's how I make sure the credit saves me real money instead of encouraging extra spending.
Related: Chase Sapphire Reserve review: A premium card for power travelers
The American Express® Gold Card charges a considerable annual fee of $325 (see rates and fees ), but I make up for that value just from the card's dining perks .
Also, in celebration of the Amex Gold's 60th anniversary, Amex is including a one-time statement credit of up to $96 for an annual Uber One membership (enroll by Oct. 30).
Those four benefits alone amount to $424 in annual value I can use, $520 if you include the one-time Uber One membership.
Enrollment is required for all benefits.
†Uber Cash will only be deposited into one Uber account when you add the Amex Gold as a payment method and redeem with any Amex card.
I live in Los Angeles and regularly book…