American Express Revolutionizes Restaurant Reservations

American Express cardholders in New York and Los Angeles stand to benefit from increased access to popular restaurants, provided they meet the required spending thresholds. By paying the necessary fees, these cardholders can potentially secure reservations more easily at busy dining spots.

This advantage comes as American Express continues to strengthen its dining perks and offerings, aiming to provide added value and convenience to its card members.

Last week, American Express announced its acquisition of Tock, a booking app used by around 7,000 restaurants, bars, and other venues, in a deal valued at $400 million. This strategic move highlights American Express’s commitment to enhancing its service offerings in the hospitality sector, aiming to provide its cardholders with improved access to dining and entertainment experiences worldwide.

Howard Grosfield, President, U.S. Consumer Services, American Express, said, “Restaurants are one of our largest Card Member spending categories within Travel and Entertainment, with $100 billion in volume in 2023.”

He added, “We’ve been offering unique dining benefits, exclusive access, and special experiences to our Card Members for years through Resy and Global Dining Access by Resy. Now, we can connect even more premium customers with the most exciting restaurants, while providing merchants and restaurants more technology to help their businesses thrive. We will be able to offer restaurants the tools to deliver more personalized hospitality, facilitate pre-paid experiences like tasting menus, and provide more convenient ways for customers to pay the bill.” 

American Express partnered with Resy, a competing restaurant booking app, to offer exclusive benefits to its customers. American Express Platinum cardholders, who pay a $695 annual fee, and Delta SkyMiles Reserve customers, who pay $650 annually, enjoy privileged access to coveted restaurant reservations and priority status for cancellations. This partnership ensures that these cardholders receive preferential treatment when booking reservations through Resy, enhancing their dining experiences with early access and exclusive opportunities, which are not available to other patrons.

Securing reservations at popular restaurants in big cities like New York and Los Angeles has become increasingly challenging, mostly due to the influence of social media, food influencers, and online platforms. This trend has prompted the appearance of bots, table resellers, and “private reservationists” who assist affluent customers in securing coveted tables. In response to these practices, New York recently introduced legislation aimed at clamping down the black market for reservations, highlighting efforts to ensure fair access to dining experiences for all customers.

Speaking about Amex’s decision, a marketing professor at the University of Southern California, Joseph Nunes, said, “By locking in who gets what place in the queue (or has access) to high-demand restaurants, Amex gets in on a new form of status and makes their card a must have.”