American Express recently announced an exciting new offer for select cardholders – complimentary Zomato Gold membership. This dining and food delivery membership program offers exclusive discounts and benefits at participating restaurants and on food orders.
In this post, I’ll break down the Zomato Gold offer for different Amex cards and analyze whether it’s worth activating as a cardholder.
The Offer
Here are the membership offer details for eligible Amex cards:
| Card | Complimentary Membership |
|---|---|
| Platinum Card | 1 year |
| Platinum Reserve Credit Card | 1 year |
| Gold Card | 3 months |
| Platinum Travel Credit Card | 3 months |
| Membership Rewards Credit Card | 3 months |
| SmartEarn Credit Card | 3 months + additional 3 months with Rs 7,500 spend in 3 calendar months |
To activate the complimentary membership, cardholders must use a unique voucher code sent via email from Amex.
Is the deal worth it?
The highlight of this promotion is the 1 year free Zomato Gold for Platinum and Platinum Reserve cardholders.
For context, an annual Zomato Gold membership normally costs Rs 1,800. So this offer represents savings of Rs 1,800 for eligible cardmembers.
The 3 month trial period for other cards like Gold, Platinum Travel and Membership Rewards is also a decent perk. Zomato Gold costs Rs 600 for a 3 month membership, so this is a Rs 600 discount.
For SmartEarn cardholders, the deal is even sweeter since they can potentially get 6 months of membership at no cost. Just spending Rs 7,500 in the first 3 months triggers an additional 3 months.
Is Zomato Gold Worth It?
Now let’s evaluate whether Zomato Gold makes sense for Amex cardholders:
Pros
- Access to over 10,000 restaurants with dining discounts
- 1+1 on food/buffets and 2+2 on drinks at participating outlets
- Exclusive member discounts on food delivery
- Priority delivery and no delivery fees on select orders
Cons
- Limited coverage in smaller cities
- Favorite restaurants may not be included
- Need to dine out frequently to maximize savings
For frequent diners who live in major metros, Zomato Gold can unlock substantial savings each month. The 1+1 on buffets and 2+2 on drinks benefits alone may be worth over Rs 1,000 of discounts per month for some users.
But it depends on individual dining habits. Avid home cooks or occasional diners won’t get as much value.
My advice is to check if your frequented dining spots are included and estimate potential monthly savings. If you can save over Rs 600 per month, it’s likely worthwhile activating given the complimentary memberships Amex is providing.
How to Activate
To activate the Zomato Gold membership with your voucher code:
- Login to your Amex account and look for the Zomato Gold email (check spam folder too)
- Copy the unique voucher code from the email
- Open Zomato app and go to the Membership section
- Click Activate Membership
- Paste voucher code and you’re done!
Note that the voucher code is only valid for 45 days, so don’t delay activation if you want to enjoy the free membership.
The Final Take
Amex’s Zomato Gold partnership is a win-win for eligible cardholders. You get access to discounts and benefits at thousands of restaurants at no incremental cost.
For frequent diners and foodies, I highly recommend taking advantage of this offer while it’s available. Just make sure to do the math and ensure your go-to dining spots participate before activating.
Let me know in the comments if you were able to score the free Zomato Gold membership with your Amex card!
