The Resy credit is generous (up to $100 a quarter on the Platinum, $400 a year), but it is also the credit most likely to expire on a quiet quarter when you just did not eat out enough. That is where the gift card playbook comes in, and the interesting part is why it works.
Many Resy partner restaurants sell gift cards through Toast, the payment platform that runs their checkout. When you buy an e-gift card through a restaurant's Toast page, the charge processes as if the restaurant itself rang you up, and as of mid-2026 cardholders consistently report those purchases triggering the Resy credit. Purchases routed through other gift card platforms generally do not. Physical gift cards bought in person at a Resy restaurant have also been working, even though the official terms exclude gift cards. That contradiction is worth taking seriously: this is a "has been working" situation, not a guarantee, so consider testing with a small amount before committing a full $100.
There is a second, lesser-known path. Some Resy restaurants charge a prepaid reservation deposit when you book, refundable if you cancel before the stated cutoff, and those deposits have been reported to trigger the credit too. If you were on the fence about a nice dinner anyway, booking it before the window closes captures the credit either way.
And a reminder that surprises people: you do not need a reservation at all. Find a Resy partner spot, walk in, order at the bar, pay with the card. Takeout counts at many partners too. Just avoid the last few hours of a quarter, since charges that settle late occasionally miss the window; a few days of buffer is the safer play.
Now the news, which landed smaller than the early headlines suggested. The select-restaurant rule took effect on August 1, 2026: a venue has to be marked as qualifying for the Resy credit on Resy at the time you pay. Eligible listings now carry a badge saying the venue currently qualifies, and ineligible ones simply leave it off with no warning, so the check is quick but easy to miss. As of early August 2026, Amex says it has not removed venues that were already eligible, and of roughly 10,000 US Resy locations reviewed, about 214 do not qualify. Amex has also said it plans to add eligible venues later this year as Tock venues become bookable on Resy. The part worth respecting is the timing: eligibility is judged when you pay and can change, so glance for the badge before a purchase you are counting on rather than trusting last quarter's result.
This credit lives on the Amex Platinum (up to $100 a quarter), the Gold (up to $50 twice a year), and several Delta cards, where it runs monthly rather than quarterly, so check which cadence yours is on before you plan around a window. Since August 1, 2026 the venue also has to be marked eligible on Resy when you pay. Full Deck tracks your Resy credit and its reset dates, so however you choose to use it, you will know exactly how much is on the table.
Issuers change these terms without notice, and what worked last quarter sometimes does not work today. Treat this as a starting point, test small, and check your card's current terms.
Last verified: August 10, 2026