Amex Gold 4x Groceries: Which Stores Qualify and When CSP's 3x Online Beats It (2026)
Grocery rewards are the Amex Gold's biggest advantage over CSP. But the 4x rate only applies at stores Amex classifies as US supermarkets. This page covers exactly which stores count, which do not, and when CSP's online grocery category changes the math.
The Grocery Gap: 4x vs 1x
Amex Gold earns 4x at US supermarkets. CSP earns 1x at in-store grocery purchases. That is a 3x difference per dollar spent. For a household spending $600/month at qualifying grocery stores, the annual difference is 21,600 extra points ($324 at 1.5cpp). This is the single largest earning gap between the two cards.
Stores That Count as US Supermarkets (4x)
Stores That Do NOT Count (1x Only)
The key distinction is the merchant category code (MCC). Stores classified as “grocery stores, supermarkets” (MCC 5411) earn 4x. Stores classified as “discount stores” (MCC 5311), “warehouse clubs” (MCC 5300), or other categories earn 1x, even if you buy groceries there. Amex does not control how merchants register their MCC.
The $25,000 Annual Cap
Gold earns 4x at US supermarkets up to $25,000 per calendar year, then drops to 1x. That cap equals $2,083/month. Here is how different spending levels compare:
| Monthly Grocery Spend | Annual Spend | Hits Cap? | Gold Points/Yr | Gold Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $400/mo | $4,800 | No | 19,200 | $288 |
| $600/mo | $7,200 | No | 28,800 | $432 |
| $800/mo | $9,600 | No | 38,400 | $576 |
| $1,000/mo | $12,000 | No | 48,000 | $720 |
| $1,500/mo | $18,000 | No | 72,000 | $1,080 |
| $2,500/mo | $30,000 | Yes | 105,000 | $1,575 |
CSP's 3x Online Grocery: The Counter
CSP earns 3x on “select online grocery” purchases through delivery platforms like Instacart, Shipt, and similar services. If you order grocery delivery instead of shopping in-store, CSP earns 3x while Gold earns just 1x (online grocery delivery does not count as a US supermarket for Amex).
For delivery-heavy households, this partially closes the gap. At $600/month in online grocery delivery, CSP earns 21,600 points/year ($324) while Gold earns just 7,200 ($108). That is a $216 CSP advantage in this specific scenario.
The catch: most people still shop in-store for the majority of their groceries. If you split $600/month as $400 in-store and $200 delivery, Gold earns 21,600 points (4x on $400) while CSP earns 12,000 (1x on $400 + 3x on $200). Gold still wins by $144/year.
The Walmart and Costco Problem
If most of your grocery budget goes to Walmart or Costco, the Amex Gold grocery advantage disappears. Both stores code as superstores/warehouse clubs, earning just 1x on Gold. Costco does not even accept Amex, so you cannot use the Gold card there at all.
For Costco shoppers, CSP has an additional advantage: Visa is the only credit card network Costco accepts. If Costco is your primary grocery store, CSP works there while Gold does not.
Grocery FAQ
Does Amex Gold count Walmart as a grocery store?▾
Does Costco count for Amex Gold 4x groceries?▾
What is the Amex Gold grocery spending cap?▾
Related Pages
Updated 11 April 2026