Maximize your Food Delivery and Takeout with 5X from Amex and Chase!
Earn More by Staying Home!
As we all continue to stay safe at home, we’re desperately missing dining out at our favorite local restaurants. Since we can’t go out to eat, Chase and American Express have launched enhanced rewards for those who are ordering takeout and delivery! Take a break from the kitchen and enjoy 5X Membership Rewards Points or 5X Ultimate Rewards Points from your favorite restaurants instead. Since we can’t travel at the moment, we’re taking advantage of this time to focus on earning points now to travel and burn them later! We also love this way of supporting local restaurants and delivery drivers during these challenging times.
Chase's Enhanced Rewards for All Sapphire and Freedom Cards
Chase has teamed up with DoorDash and Tock food delivery and takeout services by increasing your already rewarding Chase Sapphire and Freedom products to earn up to 5X back on all purchases through their mobile apps. Through May 31, 2020, you will earn a massive 5X Ultimate Rewards Points when paying with your Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Freedom or Chase Freedom Unlimited when ordering food delivery or takeout with DoorDash or Tock.
Chase has a $500 spending limit on these 5X rewards, meaning you’ll max out at 2,500 Ultimate Rewards Points. If you’re planning on spending more than $500 on food delivery or takeout until May 31, 2020, here is where it can get even more rewarding. Chase has put this $500 limit on EACH of their eligible cards mentioned above. So after you are done spending $500 on your Chase Sapphire Reserve, you can move your spend to your Chase Freedom, then your Chase Freedom Unlimited. If you have the Chase Freedom, Chase Freedom Unlimited, Chase Sapphire Reserve, and Chase Sapphire Preferred in your wallet, you will be able to max out at $2,000 in spending and 10,000 Ultimate Rewards Points for food you would be ordering anyway! Keep in mind that if your spouse, roommates, or family members carry any of these cards, you could really maximize these rewards depending on your at-home food costs. These are some of the best rewards rates we have ever seen from Chase. Consider that if you redeem your Ultimate Rewards Points from your Chase Sapphire Reserve Portal, you'd be getting 7.5% back per dollar at DoorDash since 5x Ultimate Rewards Points earned from DoorDash are redeemed at 1.5 cents per point via the portal. If you decide to utilize Chase Transfer Partners with our strategies, you could be getting more than 2 cents per point, so effectively 10% back for food you would be ordering anyway! Be mindful that this Chase rewards enhancement is only available until May 31, 2020!
If you haven't already activated your complimentary DoorDash DashPass on your Chase card, this is the perfect time to do it to enjoy a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees on orders over $12. To activate this benefit, simply open the app, add your Chase card as your preferred payment method, and click activate. Remember that you have to activate this perk before December 31, 2021. Learn more about the Chase DoorDash membership benefits here.
American Express Enhances Rewards with an Amex Offer
American Express is also increasing the rewards earnings for delivery and take out services by launching a profitable Amex Offer. This provides +1 extra Membership Rewards Point per dollar spent using Grubhub or Seamless, for those who have the targeted offer on their card. American Express has been partners with Grubhub and Seamless food delivery services since the revamped launch of the American Express Gold Card in 2018. American Express Gold Card holders get a $120 dining credit annually, which is dividing into $10 per month increments. This dining credit can be used toward delivery and take out service orders from Grubhub and Seamless!
The American Express Gold Card earns a massive 4X Membership Rewards Points on dining purchases regularly, which also includes Grubhub and Seamless food orders. American Express's new Grubhub and Seamless Amex Offer provides +1 extra Membership Rewards Point per dollar spent using Grubhub or Seamless. Thanks to this Amex Offer, American Express Gold Card purchases with these services can yield a total of 5X Membership Rewards Points per dollar spent! If you don't already have the American Express Gold Card in your wallet, the Points Passport highly recommends it for nearly all food-related purchases from dining in, take out, and U.S. Supermarket shopping thanks to its powerful 4X Membership Rewards Points rate. Learn more about the American Express Gold Card here!
American Express has also added this +1 Membership Rewards Point from Grubhub and Seamless Amex Offer to eligible Platinum Cards from American Express and the American Express Green Card. With the Platinum Card from American Express you’ll earn a less ideal total of 2X Membership Rewards Points (1x from standard earning rate and 1x from the Amex Offer), which is still better than the typical 1x Membership Reward point that The Platinum card earn. Interestingly, the American Express Green Card already earns 3X Membership Rewards Points on dining, which includes ordering from Grubhub and Seamless. By adding the Amex Offer, American Express Green Card holders will earn 4X Membership Rewards Points from Grubhub and Seamless (3x from standard earning rate and 1x from the Amex Offer).
Depending on which American Express card you are purchasing with, you could be looking at earning up to the equivalent of 10% or more back in Membership Rewards Points, especially if purchasing with your American Express Gold Card. The Points Passport values a Membership Rewards Point at 2 CPP (cents per point), when utilizing transfer partners and our travel hacking strategies, so if you’re earning 5X Membership Rewards Points multiplied by $0.02 = 10 cents or 10% per dollar back for future travel! As always, your mileage may vary depending on how, when, and where you choose to redeem your American Express Membership Reward points.
Final Point
American Express certainly has the upper hand over Chase's rewards enhancement when it comes to the duration of this point-earning upgrade. While Chase's 5X earning rate only spans till May 31, 2020, the Amex Offer, which earns an extra Membership Rewards Point, lasts till December 31, 2020. If you have both Chase and American Express Cards to spend on, we recommend utilizing your Chase cards first, then switching to American Express after May 31, 2020, to maximize your rewards! Although we’re excited that Chase is rewarding individuals holding the no annual fee cards such as the Chase Freedom and Chase Freedom Unlimited, we find it a little short-sighted that customers paying up to $550 for the Chase Sapphire Reserve are earning the same 5X Ultimate Rewards Points despite having higher overhead cost. What do you think about these reward enhancements? Will you be using both Chase and American Express cards or sticking to just one brand or specific card or delivery service? Connect with the Points Passport by letting us know in the comments below, DMing us on Instagram, or liking us on Facebook! Stay home and stay safe everyone!