6 times I really wish I had the Amex Gold card

I have a confession to make: Before this month, I hadn't opened a new credit card in, well, a while.

But now that I'm able to start opening new lines of credit once again, the American Express® Gold Card is at the top of my list. And it has been for a while.

That's because I consistently run into situations when I think to myself, "If only I had the Amex Gold card in my wallet."

And that's become an increasingly frequent refrain during the pandemic, now that a bulk of my spend seems to be on takeout orders, groceries and, ahem, whiskey delivery. So here are some of the reasons why you should consider this card for a slot in your wallet.

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Every time I order from a restaurant...

The Amex Gold card is one of the top cards for earning bonus points at restaurants — you get 4x Membership Rewards points whenever you swipe your card at a restaurant. That's an 8% return based on TPG’s most recent valuation.

I currently rely on my Chase Sapphire Preferred Card for my dining spend, which earns 3x Ultimate Rewards points.

... Especially when I splurge

Depending on the total bill, not having a credit card with a higher category bonus for dining out can really hurt.

I find myself waiting for a Gold card to magically appear in my wallet every time I order something listed at market price without asking first (most recently, a plate of Dover sole); or when I realize it's a tasting menu — not a la carte.

I'm also consistently disappointed that I don't have the Gold card when I accidentally order a fancy bottle of still water instead of tap; when the breadbasket isn't included; and when you meant to get the glass but actually bought the whole bottle.

Related: The best credit cards for dining out, taking out and ordering in

After my Seamless Amex Offer ended

For a long time, I was getting bonus points on my Seamless orders when I paid with my The Platinum Card® from American Express. But when that Amex Offer expired at the end of last year, my weekly takeout order started to feel way more expensive.

But the Amex Gold comes with a $10 monthly statement credit that applies to Grubhub orders (plus purchases at select restaurants such as The Cheesecake Factory and certain Shake Shack locations). That's a benefit I know I can easily use every month to the tune of $120 in value to me over the course of a year. Enrollment is required

When I run out of Uber credits

The Gold card has way more than just food perks. As of this month, when the card is added to the Uber app, cardholders now get up to $10 in Uber Cash in the U.S. every month ($120 annually).

I blow through the $15 Uber Cash credit from my Platinum card pretty quickly between Uber rides and Uber Eats delivery orders, so I know I won't leave this new benefit on the table. That's another $120 in annual value to me that I'm currently missing out on.

Related: 4 of my favorite under-the-radar Amex Gold card perks

Every day since the onset of the pandemic

While I do still order takeout and such, I'm not sure if I've ever spent this much money on groceries in my life, and the Amex Gold card also earns 4x at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; after 1x).

This benefit also works with grocery delivery services such as Instacart, so I could be getting quadruple points every time I place my weekly grocery order.

When Rose Gold made its comeback

Almost all of my credit cards are blue, making it a real pain when I'm holding up the line at the drugstore rooting around my wallet for the one that will get me the most cash back on my vitamins.

Yes, I could get a different wallet. But I could also get the glitzy Amex Gold card in Rose Gold, now that it's back by popular demand. I won't lie: I felt pretty left out in 2018 when everyone at the office was flashing their limited-edition Rose Gold cards and I was scrambling to meet minimum-spend requirements on other cards.

It's always nice to have a hefty metal card in your wallet in a bright metallic hue that easily stands out in a pile of blue plastic. And, let's be honest: Having a limited-edition card always feels like a treat.

Bottom line

If you often find yourself thinking about missed opportunities to earn bonus points, you might also have a gap to fill in your wallet.

Based on how much I spend at grocery stores and restaurants, I know I need a credit card that performs better in that category — and with just a $250 a year annual fee (see rates and fees), the Amex Gold card is hard to beat.

Plus, I can easily take advantage of the card's other perks, such as the monthly Uber credit. And, when travel returns to normal, I know I'll also be able to take advantage of the 3x bonus on flights booked directly with the airline (or through amextravel.com) and the luggage insurance.

Oh, and it never hurts to have 60,000 more Membership Rewards points in your account from a hefty welcome bonus (after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership), right?

Related: 5 amazing ways to use 60,000 Membership Rewards points for your next trip

Feature photo by John Gribben for The Points Guy

For rates and fees of the Amex Gold Card, please click here.