Points Pursuit: How to earn up to 16 travel rewards points per dollar at restaurants

There are many credit cards that offer generous rewards for dining out, but one of the standout options is the American Express® Gold Card. This card offers 4x points on U.S. supermarket purchases (up to $25,000 per year) and dining at restaurants globally.

However, if you’re looking to accumulate even more points while dining, consider the Bilt Rewards program, the Bilt Mastercard® (see rates and fees), and the Bilt Dining program. Together, these can help you earn up to 16 points per dollar spent at participating restaurants.

Here’s how savvy diners can maximize their points on their next restaurant visit:

**What is Bilt Dining?**

Launched in April 2023, Bilt Dining features a curated list of restaurants in various cities, all accessible via the Bilt app. You can earn bonus points when you dine at these establishments, and you can also book reservations through the app, though this isn’t required to earn points.

One of the best aspects of Bilt Dining is that you don’t need the Bilt Mastercard to earn points—though we’ll explain why you might still want one. You can link any Mastercard, Visa, or American Express card to your Bilt Wallet and earn up to 10 points per dollar at participating restaurants.

Bilt Dining has expanded to nearly 20 major U.S. cities. If you’re in one of these areas, you can check out the available restaurants and their bonus point offers in the Bilt app.

For instance, if you dine at a restaurant offering the maximum of 10 points per dollar, you’ll earn those 10 Bilt points plus any rewards from your credit card. With the Bilt Mastercard, you’d also earn 3 points per dollar on dining. So, you’d accumulate a total of 13 points per dollar spent at participating locations.

The rewards are even greater if you dine out on Bilt’s monthly Rent Day, which occurs on the first day of each month. On Rent Day, you’ll earn double points on all Bilt Mastercard purchases, resulting in 6 points per dollar on dining, or a remarkable 16 points per dollar when combined with Bilt Dining.

**Additional Bilt Mastercard Benefits**

The Bilt Mastercard is renowned for earning points on rent without extra fees. Bilt Rewards offers numerous ways to accumulate points each month, and using Bilt Dining is a smart way to boost your earnings.

Even if you’re not a renter, the Bilt Mastercard offers excellent rewards: 3 points per dollar on dining, 2 on travel, and 1 on other eligible purchases. So, even without participating in Bilt Dining, you’ll still earn 3 points per dollar on all restaurant purchases, or 6 points per dollar on Rent Day.

Bilt Rewards points are highly valuable, with top travel transfer partners like Alaska Mileage Plan, United MileagePlus, and World of Hyatt. Travel website The Points Guy estimates Bilt Rewards points at 2.05 cents each, potentially giving you a return of over 33% if used effectively.

**Bottom Line**

With the cost of living rising, making the most of these opportunities can significantly enhance your everyday spending. Bilt Dining is one of the most impressive dining reward programs available, making it possible for members to earn a substantial return on their restaurant bills.