Get an extra bonus on meals out and takeaways with American Express

Treat yourself to meals out and takeaways this summer with Amex.

American Express is giving cardholders extra perks on dining out and takeaways this summer.

You can get a 20% statement credit at any Hotel du Vin Bistro or Malmaison Brasserie when you pay with your American Express card. Be warned, you can’t get the credit for bills charged to rooms for resident guests or meeting, events and private dining payments. Both offers are available until 6th September.

If you'd prefer to stay in, you can also get a £5 statement credit if you spend £25 or more on a takeaway at hungryhouse, available until 31st August.

You must pre-register for statement credit on an offer to apply.

More about Amex offers

Amex Offers are refreshed and updated regularly. All you have to do is log into your online account or mobile app to enrol and select your offer on-screen. You’ll automatically receive a statement credit after you’ve made an eligible purchase in-store or online using your American Express Card.

Anyone who has a credit card issued by American Express or an account from Barclaycard, Lloyds Bank, MBNA or TSB which comes with an American Express card is eligible for Amex Offers. American Express corporate cards, gift cards and prepaid cards are not eligible.

Cashback credit cards

American Express has a couple of really good cards on the go if you want to be rewarded for your spending with cold, hard cash.

The American Express Platinum Cashback Everyday Credit Card pays 5% cashback over the first three months up to a maximum of £100. From there, you’ll get a tiered interest rate of up to 1.25% depending on how much you spend.

The Platinum Cashback Credit Card offers the same cashback over the first three months, with a a slightly higher maximum of £125. You’ll get a flat rate of 1.25% on all of your spending after that, which doubles to 2.5% during your card’s anniversary month. Just be aware of the £25 annual fee.

Find out more over at The best cashback credit cards.

Reward credit cards

American Express is also behind some of the best reward cards around. You earn some form of reward points when you spend, which can then be cashed in for things like flights, hotels or days out.

For example, with the American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Card, you’ll get roughly one Membership Reward point for every pound you spend. Spend £2,000 in the first three months, and you'll get a bonus 20,000 points. That's enough for a £100 House of Fraser gift card for example, while 40,000 points would get you a return flight to Dubai. 

On top of that, you can transfer your points to 15 major frequent flyer or hotel programmes, you get two complimentary airport lounge visits a year, 10% off Hertz car rental and $75 hotel credit and room upgrade at more than 350 hotels worldwide.

Before you jump in, it's worth mentioning that there is a £140 annual fee after the first year. Also, this is a charge card rather than a credit card, so you have to pay the bill off in full every single month.

Alternatively, there's the American Express Nectar Card. You get two points for every £1 you spend, which doubles to four points when you shop with a Nectar partner. You also get 20,000 bonus Nectar points when you spend £2,000 in the first three months. The £25 annual fee is waived for the first year.

See how these cards compare in The best reward credit cards.

Pay off your bill in full!

If you have a cashback or reward credit card, it is vital that you pay the bill off in full each month. Otherwise the interest you will have to pay on your outstanding balance will quickly erode the value of the rewards you accrue.

Compare even more reward credit cards

More on banking:

The best 0% balance transfer credit cards

Tesco Bank to warn customers about lost interest

The best low-fee balance transfer credit cards

Santander launches ‘Kitty’ app to simplify group money collections