Nov 8, 2018, 12:31 pm
Last edit by: rasheed
Unfortunately, AmEx's listed merchant categories on the posted transactions do not properly distinguish US Supermarkets from smaller grocery stores (which do not qualify for bonus rewards). Small stores that do not qualify will be listed the same, but will accrue the lower base rewards rate.
List of multi-location chains in the US that appear to qualify for bonus rewards (see at bottom for AmEx's rules on this subject):
Albertsons/Safeway family chains
Instacart
Kroger family chains (NOT Fred Meyer though - you need to purchase Kroger gift cards from another member supermarket in that case)
Meijer
Sprouts
Trader Joe's
Walmart - Neighborhood version
Whole Foods
Sometimes individual locations may not work.
At: https://www.americanexpress.com/us/c...fo/retail.html, AmEx says as follows:
List of multi-location chains in the US that appear to qualify for bonus rewards (see at bottom for AmEx's rules on this subject):
Albertsons/Safeway family chains
Instacart
Kroger family chains (NOT Fred Meyer though - you need to purchase Kroger gift cards from another member supermarket in that case)
Meijer
Sprouts
Trader Joe's
Walmart - Neighborhood version
Whole Foods
Sometimes individual locations may not work.
At: https://www.americanexpress.com/us/c...fo/retail.html, AmEx says as follows:
U.S. Supermarkets
To earn additional rewards on supermarket purchases, the supermarket must be located in the U.S.
A supermarket offers a wide variety of food and household products such as meat, fresh produce, dairy, canned and packaged goods, household cleaners, pharmacy products and pet supplies.
(Superstores, convenience stores and warehouse clubs are NOT considered supermarkets.)
Examples of merchants* that accept the Card and where you can earn additional rewards include:
• Gristedes
• Foodtown
• Meijer
• Shoprite
• Stop and Shop
• Vons
• Whole Foods
• Winn-Dixie
• Online supermarkets such as FreshDirect
*This is not a complete list.
Examples of merchants where you will NOT earn additional rewards include:
• Specialty stores (e.g., fish markets, cheese shops, wine shops, and other specialty food stores )
• Superstores (e.g. Amazon, Target and Wal-Mart)
• Warehouse clubs (e.g. BJ's Club)
What isn’t included in the U.S. Supermarket category?
Specialty food stores, small corner grocery stores, gourmet shops, natural food stores and large superstores including online superstores (e.g. Amazon), warehouses clubs (e.g. BJ's Club) and big box stores (e.g. Wal-Mart) are examples of merchants that are NOT eligible for additional rewards.
I think I should have earned additional rewards on a purchase, what should I do?
If you have questions about whether you should have received additional rewards, please call the number on the back of your Card.
How do you define a Supermarket where I earn additional rewards?
A supermarket offers a wide variety of food and household products such as meat, fresh produce, dairy, canned and packaged goods, household cleaners, pharmacy products and pet supplies.
To earn additional rewards on supermarket purchases, the supermarket must be located in the U.S.
A supermarket offers a wide variety of food and household products such as meat, fresh produce, dairy, canned and packaged goods, household cleaners, pharmacy products and pet supplies.
(Superstores, convenience stores and warehouse clubs are NOT considered supermarkets.)
Examples of merchants* that accept the Card and where you can earn additional rewards include:
• Gristedes
• Foodtown
• Meijer
• Shoprite
• Stop and Shop
• Vons
• Whole Foods
• Winn-Dixie
• Online supermarkets such as FreshDirect
*This is not a complete list.
Examples of merchants where you will NOT earn additional rewards include:
• Specialty stores (e.g., fish markets, cheese shops, wine shops, and other specialty food stores )
• Superstores (e.g. Amazon, Target and Wal-Mart)
• Warehouse clubs (e.g. BJ's Club)
Supermarket FAQs
What isn’t included in the U.S. Supermarket category?
Specialty food stores, small corner grocery stores, gourmet shops, natural food stores and large superstores including online superstores (e.g. Amazon), warehouses clubs (e.g. BJ's Club) and big box stores (e.g. Wal-Mart) are examples of merchants that are NOT eligible for additional rewards.
I think I should have earned additional rewards on a purchase, what should I do?
If you have questions about whether you should have received additional rewards, please call the number on the back of your Card.
How do you define a Supermarket where I earn additional rewards?
A supermarket offers a wide variety of food and household products such as meat, fresh produce, dairy, canned and packaged goods, household cleaners, pharmacy products and pet supplies.
What is (or not) included in the U.S. Supermarket category?
Aug 5, 2011, 10:28 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 22
Whole Foods Market and supermarket category bonuses.
I have the Amex Gold Premiere card which gives you 2 points for groceries. Has anyone used this successfully at Whole Foods? Just checking b/c there is some gobbledegood in the fine print about the store having to enter a particular code, and wondering if Whole Foods does that so people have been getting their points using that store. Thanks!
Aug 5, 2011, 10:52 am
#2
In Memoriam
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: dallas texas usa
Programs: aa plt 4.9MM LTAC
Posts: 14,828
aren't merchants classified by the cc people....like warehouse/walmart often getting less/no pts....whole foods [the donut store] isn't a discount merchant, imho....go for it & let us know the result....is there a card that you would use instead?.....good luck...
Aug 5, 2011, 11:00 am
#3
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 749
The store doesn't need to enter a code, they need to be coded as a grocery store, and not a warehouse store/retail sales/etc. You'll be fine at Whole foods. Sams, Costco, WalMart, Target, etc all receive the reduced rates, as they're coded differently.
Aug 5, 2011, 1:31 pm
#5
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Long Beach
Programs: HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 1,171
I have always had whole paycheck code as grocery and get double points. you would be supprised of others that code a grocery like one of my local gas stations with a minimart, and two of the wine shops i order from also code as grocery even thou they just sell wine
Aug 5, 2011, 1:40 pm
#6
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,965
Aug 29, 2011, 11:06 am
#7
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: GGG, DFW, IAH
Posts: 284
What stores are supermarkets for AmEx Blue Cash Preferred?
Sorry if this is a wrong forum, but I cannot find anything meaningful going by a Search function and I though this forum will have the most knowledgeable audience as far as the question:
Blue Cash PreferredSM from American Express provides 6% for purchases at "supermarkets" with only definition in Terms and Conditions "6% for eligible purchases at supermarkets (excluding superstores and warehouse clubs)". So in reality what major stores are supermarkets but not superstores?
What about Walmart, Target and Kohl's for example? Are any of these supermarkets but not superstores?
Blue Cash PreferredSM from American Express provides 6% for purchases at "supermarkets" with only definition in Terms and Conditions "6% for eligible purchases at supermarkets (excluding superstores and warehouse clubs)". So in reality what major stores are supermarkets but not superstores?
What about Walmart, Target and Kohl's for example? Are any of these supermarkets but not superstores?
Aug 29, 2011, 12:01 pm
#8
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,965
Supermarkets are firms which primarily sell groceries such as:
Kroger, Safeway, SuperValu, Publix, A&P, Albertsons, Whole Foods, etc. The stores you mentioned do sell groceries, but that is not their primary business, and they are not classified as supermarkets for credit card transaction processing purposes.
Kroger, Safeway, SuperValu, Publix, A&P, Albertsons, Whole Foods, etc. The stores you mentioned do sell groceries, but that is not their primary business, and they are not classified as supermarkets for credit card transaction processing purposes.
Aug 29, 2011, 1:41 pm
#9
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: GGG, DFW, IAH
Posts: 284
Supermarkets are firms which primarily sell groceries such as:
Kroger, Safeway, SuperValu, Publix, A&P, Albertsons, Whole Foods, etc. The stores you mentioned do sell groceries, but that is not their primary business, and they are not classified as supermarkets for credit card transaction processing purposes.
Kroger, Safeway, SuperValu, Publix, A&P, Albertsons, Whole Foods, etc. The stores you mentioned do sell groceries, but that is not their primary business, and they are not classified as supermarkets for credit card transaction processing purposes.
Why don't just make things simpler and call same things universally? Is that a marketing trick of some kind? Making people think that cards have somewhat different bonus categories when in fact they don't?
Or am I just missing something?
Aug 29, 2011, 1:51 pm
#10
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,965
Aug 29, 2011, 4:56 pm
#11
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: SF Bay Area, CA
Programs: AMEX Platinum, HHonors Gold
Posts: 203
This can be a bit tricky and it depends on the each individual store. Some stores, it can even depend on how each register is programmed.
I know for my local Raley's, it did not count as 'supermarket'.
I know for my local Raley's, it did not count as 'supermarket'.
Aug 29, 2011, 5:28 pm
#12
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: GGG, DFW, IAH
Posts: 284
Premier Rewards Gold Card: X2 on groceries, where "groceries" purchases are described as follows "charges at U.S. stand alone ... supermarkets are eligible for bonus points."
Blue Cash Preferred: 6% cash back at supermarkets where "supermarkets" purchases are described as "eligible purchases at supermarkets (excluding superstores and warehouse clubs)"
So at the end of the day X2 on PRG and 6% for Blue Cash Preferred is earned at the exactly same stores even though in one case it's marketed as "groceries" and in other case as "supermarkets". Confusing...
Aug 29, 2011, 5:52 pm
#13
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: SEA
Programs: All Around Nobody
Posts: 861
I understand that and the generic idea that it only matters how a particular store was coded in the application to the payment processing network (AmEx in this case). What I'm pointing out is an apparent inconsistency in marketing between different AmEx cards:
Premier Rewards Gold Card: X2 on groceries, where "groceries" purchases are described as follows "charges at U.S. stand alone ... supermarkets are eligible for bonus points."
Blue Cash Preferred: 6% cash back at supermarkets where "supermarkets" purchases are described as "eligible purchases at supermarkets (excluding superstores and warehouse clubs)"
So at the end of the day X2 on PRG and 6% for Blue Cash Preferred is earned at the exactly same stores even though in one case it's marketed as "groceries" and in other case as "supermarkets". Confusing...
Premier Rewards Gold Card: X2 on groceries, where "groceries" purchases are described as follows "charges at U.S. stand alone ... supermarkets are eligible for bonus points."
Blue Cash Preferred: 6% cash back at supermarkets where "supermarkets" purchases are described as "eligible purchases at supermarkets (excluding superstores and warehouse clubs)"
So at the end of the day X2 on PRG and 6% for Blue Cash Preferred is earned at the exactly same stores even though in one case it's marketed as "groceries" and in other case as "supermarkets". Confusing...
Your best bet would probably be to inquire using a secured message.
Aug 29, 2011, 7:15 pm
#14
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,965
Correct. There's nothing devious here. All of the other major rewards card issuers employ copywriters who sometimes use "groceries" or "supermarkets" as shorthand for "transactions at merchants who primarily sell groceries".
Jan 15, 2015, 5:28 pm
#15
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 30
What is (or not) included in the U.S. Supermarket category?
Sorry if this has already been posted. I did a search but couldn't find the answer.
I'm trying to get the most out of our Amex Blue Cash Preferred card. It gives 6% back on groceries.
On the rewards page it says:
So I'm wondering if Sprouts, Trader Joe's, Fresh and Easy... do they count as grocery stores or natural food/ specialty stores?
I know Whole Foods is accepted but what about the others?
I'm trying to get the most out of our Amex Blue Cash Preferred card. It gives 6% back on groceries.
On the rewards page it says:
What isn’t included in the U.S. Supermarket category?
Specialty food stores, small corner grocery stores, gourmet shops, natural food stores and large superstores including online superstores (e.g. Amazon), warehouses clubs (e.g. Costco) and big box stores (e.g. Wal-Mart) are examples of merchants that are NOT eligible for additional rewards.
Specialty food stores, small corner grocery stores, gourmet shops, natural food stores and large superstores including online superstores (e.g. Amazon), warehouses clubs (e.g. Costco) and big box stores (e.g. Wal-Mart) are examples of merchants that are NOT eligible for additional rewards.
I know Whole Foods is accepted but what about the others?