🛒 Grocery Offers
Amex Gold Grocery Stores List: Which Supermarkets Qualify for 4x Points (2026)
Earn 4x Membership Rewards points at qualifying US supermarkets on up to $25,000 per year. See the full list of which stores count, and which don’t, plus active Amex Offers at grocery merchants in 2026.
4x
Points at Supermarkets
$25k
Annual Cap
12+
Active Offers
$0
Enrollment Needed
MC
mycarddeals Editorial Team
Credit Card Offers Specialists
Last Updated: August 2026
Verified: americanexpress.com
Active Offers: 12+
The Amex Gold grocery benefit is one of the most valuable everyday earning rates of any rewards card, 4x Membership Rewards points at qualifying US supermarkets, automatically, with no activation required. The key question most cardholders have: which stores actually qualify? This page has the definitive answer, plus active Amex Offers you can stack on top of your 4x earnings. Wondering if the card pays off beyond groceries? Read our honest take on whether the Amex Gold is worth it in 2026.
The 4x Supermarket Benefit: Explained
🛒
4x at US Supermarkets
Automatic, no enrollment, no opt-in required
4x per $1
On up to $25,000 in US supermarket purchases per calendar year, then 1x
✅ Qualifies for 4x
Kroger, Safeway, Publix, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Aldi, Meijer, H-E-B, Wegmans, regional chains
❌ Does NOT qualify for 4x
Walmart, Target, Costco, Sam’s Club, BJ’s, CVS, Walgreens, convenience stores
💡 Pro tip: At $25,000/year cap (≈ $2,083/month), most households never hit the limit. If you do, consider the Amex Blue Cash Preferred for grocery overflow; it earns 6% cash back at US supermarkets.
📊 What 4x Points Are Worth at the Grocery Store
~8%
Back in travel
Points transferred to airlines (~$0.02/pt)
~4%
Back as statement credit
Points redeemed via Amex Travel (~$0.01/pt)
100k
Max annual bonus pts
4x on $25,000 cap = 100,000 pts/year
Amex Gold Supermarket List: Which Grocery Stores Qualify for 4x Points?
American Express determines qualifying merchants by Merchant Category Code (MCC). A store must be coded as MCC 5411 (Grocery Stores and Supermarkets) to earn 4x. General merchandise stores (Walmart, Target) and warehouse clubs (Costco) use different codes and earn only 1x. Below is the definitive qualifying store list for 2026.
| Store | Qualifies for 4x? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Whole Foods Market | ✅ | Coded as grocery, in-store and Amazon Fresh delivery qualify |
| Kroger | ✅ | All Kroger banner stores qualify: Fred Meyer, Ralphs, King Soopers, Harris Teeter, Fry’s, Smith’s |
| Publix | ✅ | All Publix locations qualify, including Publix GreenWise stores |
| H-E-B | ✅ | H-E-B (HEB), Central Market, and H-E-B Plus all qualify as supermarkets |
| Trader Joe’s | ✅ | All Trader Joe’s locations coded as grocery stores |
| Safeway / Albertsons | ✅ | Safeway, Albertsons, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Acme, Tom Thumb, Shaw’s all qualify |
| Wegmans | ✅ | All Wegmans locations qualify as supermarkets |
| Aldi | ✅ | All Aldi US locations coded as grocery stores, earns 4x |
| Meijer | ✅ | Meijer qualifies as a supermarket despite also selling general merchandise |
| Sprouts Farmers Market | ✅ | Qualifies as grocery, all in-store purchases earn 4x |
| Instacart | ✅ | Qualifies when order is fulfilled by a qualifying grocery merchant (e.g., Kroger, Publix via Instacart) |
| Amazon Fresh | ✅ | Amazon Fresh grocery orders coded as grocery, earns 4x (not all Amazon purchases) |
| Walmart | ❌ | Coded as general merchandise (superstore), earns only 1x. Walmart Grocery and Walmart+ also 1x. |
| Target | ❌ | Coded as general merchandise, earns 1x even when buying groceries. Target Circle 360 does not help. |
| Costco | ❌ | Warehouse club (MCC 5300): earns 1x. Also: Costco warehouses don’t accept Amex in-store (Visa only). |
| Sam’s Club | ❌ | Warehouse club, earns 1x. Online Sam’s Club purchases via Amex also earn 1x. |
| BJ’s Wholesale | ❌ | Warehouse club, earns 1x, not 4x. BJ’s does accept Amex in-store, but still earns 1x. |
| CVS | ❌ | Drugstore/pharmacy (MCC 5912), earns 1x. Groceries bought at CVS do not count as US supermarket spend for the 4x bonus. |
| Walgreens | ❌ | Drugstore/pharmacy, earns 1x, not 4x. Same for Duane Reade, which Walgreens owns. |
| Rite Aid | ❌ | Drugstore/pharmacy, earns 1x even on grocery and household items. Not a qualifying US supermarket. |
⚠️ Note: MCC classifications can vary by individual store location in rare cases. If you’re unsure whether a specific purchase earned 4x, check your Amex account statement; the points rate for each transaction is shown.
Active Amex Gold Grocery Offers: August 2026
| Merchant | Offer | Category | Expires | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole Foods MarketIn-store & Prime delivery | Spend $75+, get $15 back | Grocery | Jun 30, 2026 | Activate |
| Sprouts Farmers MarketNatural & organic grocery | Spend $40+, get $8 back | Grocery | Jul 15, 2026 | Activate |
| InstacartGrocery delivery | Spend $50+, get $10 back | Delivery | Jul 31, 2026 | Activate |
| FreshDirectOnline grocery delivery | Spend $100+, get $20 back | Delivery | Jul 31, 2026 | Activate |
| ShiptSame-day grocery delivery | First month membership free | Delivery | Aug 31, 2026 | Activate |
| HelloFreshMeal kit delivery | Spend $60+, get $15 back | Meal Kits | Aug 15, 2026 | Activate |
| Green ChefOrganic meal kits | 60% off first box | Meal Kits | Jun 30, 2026 | Activate |
| Daily HarvestFrozen smoothies & meals | Spend $40+, get $10 back | Meal Kits | Sep 15, 2026 | Activate |
| Thrive MarketOnline organic grocery | 3 months free + 20% off first order | Organic | Dec 31, 2026 | Activate |
| Misfits MarketAffordable organic produce | 25% off first order | Organic | Jul 31, 2026 | Activate |
| Imperfect FoodsSustainable grocery delivery | $20 off first 3 orders | Organic | Sep 30, 2026 | Activate |
| Sam’s ClubWholesale grocery (online only for Amex) | Spend $50+, get $10 back | Grocery | Jun 30, 2026 | Activate |
Showing 12 of 12 offers
⚠️ Offers are personalized; log in to americanexpress.com to see your exact offers
How to Stack 4x Points + Amex Offers
1
Add Grocery Offers to Card
Log in to americanexpress.com → Amex Offers → add any grocery merchant offer to your card before shopping.
2
Shop at a Qualifying Supermarket
Pay with your Amex Gold card at Whole Foods, Sprouts, Trader Joe’s, or any qualifying US supermarket.
3
Earn 4x Points Automatically
4x Membership Rewards points post automatically: no receipt upload, no form, no activation needed for the points.
4
Collect the Offer Credit Too
If the merchant has an active Amex Offer, the statement credit posts within 3–5 business days. Points and credits stack.
💡
Example stack: Whole Foods offer: Spend $75, get $15 back + earn 4x points (300 pts ≈ $6 in travel value). Effective return: ~28% back on that $75 grocery run.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions: Amex Gold Grocery Stores
What counts as a grocery store for Amex Gold 4x points?
Amex Gold earns 4x points at US supermarkets: stores coded with Merchant Category Code 5411 (grocery stores and supermarkets). This includes Kroger, Publix, Safeway, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Aldi, H-E-B, Wegmans, Meijer, and most regional grocery chains. Stores coded as general merchandise (Walmart, Target) or warehouse clubs (Costco, Sam’s Club) do not qualify and earn only 1x.
Does Target count as a grocery store for Amex Gold?
No. Target is classified by American Express as a general merchandise store, not a supermarket. Even though Target sells groceries, purchases there earn only 1x Membership Rewards points, not 4x. For 4x points, use a traditional supermarket like Kroger, Publix, or Whole Foods instead.
Is H-E-B a supermarket for Amex Gold 4x points?
Yes. H-E-B qualifies as a supermarket for the Amex Gold 4x points bonus. H-E-B stores are coded as grocery stores (MCC 5411), so all in-store and online H-E-B purchases earn 4x Membership Rewards points, up to the $25,000 annual cap.
Does Walmart count as a supermarket for Amex Gold points?
No. Walmart is classified as a general merchandise or superstore by Amex, not a supermarket. Purchases at Walmart earn only 1x Membership Rewards points, even if you’re buying groceries. The same applies to Walmart Grocery pickup and Walmart+ orders charged to Walmart.
Does Costco count as a supermarket for the Amex Gold 4x bonus?
No. Costco is classified as a warehouse club, not a supermarket. Amex Gold purchases at Costco earn 1x points, not 4x. Additionally, Costco warehouses only accept Visa in-store, so Amex Gold cannot be used there in person, only on Costco.com (where it still earns 1x).
Can I earn 4x points AND use Amex Offers at the same grocery store?
Yes. The 4x supermarket earning rate and Amex Offers fully stack on the same transaction. For example, if Whole Foods has an Amex Offer for $15 back on $75+, you’d get the $15 statement credit AND earn 300 Membership Rewards points (4x on $75), worth roughly $6 in travel. Combined, that’s about $21 in value on a $75 grocery trip.
Limited Time Offer
Get up to 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points
New Amex Gold cardholders can earn a welcome bonus worth up to $2,000 in travel, plus 4x at qualifying supermarkets and the $120 dining credit from day one.
Apply Now: See Bonus OfferRates & fees apply. $325 annual fee. Terms apply.