American Express and Resy announce new dining experiences, benefits for Amex cardholders

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.

The coronavirus pandemic has taken a toll on both restaurants and their patrons. Restaurants are going through tough financial times after being closed for months. And even now, most are restricted to outdoor dining, limited indoor seating and take-out and delivery income. Patrons, on the other hand, are finding it harder to get reservations at their favorite restaurants and — in some cases — are understandably wary of dining out during the pandemic.

In an effort to support local restaurants, American Express and its Resy subsidiary — a restaurant reservation platform — have partnered with a handful of restaurants around the U.S. to offer interesting at-home and outdoor dining this winter. This includes bringing exclusive benefits to The Platinum Card® from American Express and Centurion Card from American Express that give members early access to innovative new dining experiences.

Here's a look at all of the upcoming special events and benefits American Express and Resy are rolling out this winter. Trust us, if you're a foodie, you won't want to miss out on these.

The information for the Amex Centurion Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

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Dine outdoors at an American Express yurt

All American Express cardholders will soon be able to reserve seats at outdoor yurts — another term for a circular tent — at a handful of foodie-centric restaurants this winter. These "Yurt Villages" will be placed outside select restaurants in Austin, Chicago, New York and other cities this winter, giving patrons a comfortable and stylish place to dine in the elements.

The following restaurants will host Yurt Villages:

• Arlo Grey in Austin, TX
• Bywater American Bistro in New Orleans, LA
• Canlis in Seattle, WA
• The Charter Oak in Napa Valley, CA
• Crown Shy in Manhattan, NY
• Fairfax in Manhattan, NY
• Fiola in Washington, DC
• Frasca Food and Wine in Boulder, CO
• The Grey in Savannah, GA
• Kann in Portland, OR
• Lilia in Brooklyn, NY
• Swift & Sons in Chicago, IL
• Zahav in Philadelphia, PA

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Each restaurant will bring its own flair to its Yurt Village, offering special menus and interesting yurt designs. In a press release, American Express notes that Crown Shy in New York City will display graffiti art installations while the New Orleans based Bywater American Bistro will offer a prix fixe menu that highlights French tradition.

Yurt Villages will roll out between December and February 2021. Platinum Card and Centurion Members can reserve seats at a yurt starting today at 11 a.m. EST, while all other Amex cardholders can reserve seats starting Nov. 18. All reservations can be made using this page on the Resy website.

Even cooler, Platinum and Centurion members are also eligible for special perks like bottled cocktails, a VIP tour or even an extra course. This is an awesome way for American Express to give back to its cardmembers and — as a Platinum cardholder myself — makes me super excited to check out a yurt this winter.

Related: Your definitive guide to the American Express Global Dining Collection

American Express Winter Patios in NYC

In addition to Yurt Villages, American Express is rolling out a set of American Express Winter Patios in New York City. American Express and Major Food Group have partnered to offer these exclusive patios at Carbone and Sadelle's.

These patios are heated and custom-designed by American Express and the restaurant. As you'd expect, all Amex Winter Patios will be well-ventilated and limited to 4-6 customers per table. This ensures a comfortable and safe place for patrons to enjoy an outdoor meal with friends and family this winter at some of the city's top restaurants.

These patios can be booked by all American Express cardholders through Resy starting on November 20. Again, this is an awesome initiative by American Express and Resy to support restaurants during this difficult time. Likewise, it provides exclusive benefits to Amex cardholders who are eager to get out and dine in a safe manner.

Related: An introduction to New York City's neighborhoods

At-home culinary experiences

If you'd rather experience culinary delight from home this winter, American Express and Resy still have your back. The companies are partnering with some of the nation's top chefs to offer at-home dining experiences. These include delivered meals and sweet treats that will be available to purchase through the Resy website.

American Express shared two examples with us. The first is the Resy Cookie Box that will offer a selection of cookies curated by chefs like José Andrés, Missy Robbins and others. The box will also include an advance copy of Ovenly's new cookbook and a portion of sales will be donated to World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit that provides meals to those affected by natural disasters. The Resy Cookie Box will be available for purchase on the Resy website starting December 1.

Related: We tested out Hilton DoubleTree's chocolate chip cookie recipe

Additionally, American Express and Resy will soon introduce its latest installment of the Resy at Home series in partnership with MP Italian Specialties & Misipasta. Starting the week of December 7, you can order a curated selection of holiday cooking essentials from Chef Missy Robbins and Yeti, an outdoor accessory company.

Keep an eye on Resy's Holiday website for more information on these at-home promotions and others that will be announced in the future. From the looks of it, these won't be restricted to American Express cardholders, so anyone can enjoy a nice cookie tasting at home this winter.

Related: How to maximize your spending on these 5 meal-kit delivery services

Bottom line

It's great to see American Express and Resy work with restaurants to find new income streams during this difficult time. Likewise, it's great to see the companies offer added benefits to premium cardholders that may not be getting as much benefit from their travel perks. This is a win-win-win situation for everyone involved: Amex, restaurants and customers.

I'll personally take advantage of American Express Winter Patios and Yurt Villages this winter. They include some New York restaurants I've always wanted to check out. Plus, they seem like a super interesting way to dine safely during the coronavirus pandemic.