How It Works
EarnTable maps the restaurants where dining credit programs pay you back. We track eligibility straight from the programs' own listings, and diners report what happened on their statements, so you know what to expect before you book.
Our Vision
Dining credit programs are powerful but opaque. Eligibility changes without notice, credits fail silently, and every program keeps its own list. EarnTable puts it all in one place: every program a restaurant works with, on a single page, backed by reports from people who dined there. We started with the Amex dining credit at Resy restaurants and are adding more programs over time.
Why Credits Fail
Even at an eligible restaurant, a credit can fail to post. The usual culprits:
- • Hotel-processed charges. A restaurant inside a hotel may bill through the hotel's merchant account, so the charge appears as lodging instead of dining.
- • Mismatched descriptors. The merchant name on your statement doesn't match what your card issuer expects, so the credit never gets applied.
- • Third-party processors. Some restaurants run payments through a parent company or management group, which can change the merchant category code.
- • Amex not accepted. A restaurant can be listed on a dining program yet not take Amex at the register.
- • Gift card and online orders. Some purchase types process differently and may not trigger the credit, depending on the restaurant's payment setup.
Community reports surface these patterns per restaurant, so fewer diners get surprised.
Using EarnTable
What you'll see on the map, the cards, and each restaurant page.
Search & Browse
Search by city, zip code, or restaurant name, or use your current location. Results appear on a map and a filterable list side by side.
- • Filters. Narrow to a specific program, restaurants that accept Amex, places with gift cards, or recent changes: recently added and no longer earning.
- • Map. Click a pin or a list card to highlight the restaurant. Pan somewhere new and search that area to refresh the results.
- • Sorting. Order by nearest, newest, rating, or name.
Access Options
Every restaurant page lists the programs that work there and what each one is worth. Each option carries a confidence badge:
Options also note when a benefit stacks with another program, how fresh the underlying data is, and any exceptions, such as cards whose dining credit doesn't apply at that restaurant.
Warnings
We don't score restaurants. Warnings appear only when community reports contain a negative signal:
- • Risky merchant descriptor. A diner didn't receive their credit and shared the merchant name that appeared on their statement.
- • Recent credit failures. One or more diners reported missing credits in the last 30 days.
A Confirmed badge with no warnings is the strongest signal a credit will post.
Reading the Cards
- • Program logos show which programs work at that restaurant.
- • Best benefit is the single most valuable option there, with a green check when a diner has confirmed it.
Your Wallet and Saved Spots
Sign in and add the cards and memberships you hold. Search results highlight restaurants that match your wallet, and each restaurant page shows what your cards could earn there. Save restaurants to build a shortlist for your next reservation.
Submitting a Report
Dined somewhere recently? Sign in and submit a report from the restaurant's page. Reports power the Confirmed badges and warnings everyone else relies on.
Each report captures:
- • Whether you received your credit
- • Statement descriptor (the merchant name on your card statement)
- • Whether the restaurant accepts Amex
- • Purchase type and payment method
- • Amount and optional notes
You can submit one report per restaurant every 24 hours. For anything the form can't capture, leave a comment on the restaurant's page.
Tips
- • Favor Confirmed options with recent reports over estimates.
- • Check warnings before you book. A risky descriptor is the most common reason a credit never posts.
- • Read reports and comments for statement descriptors and edge cases at that specific restaurant.
- • Use the No longer earning filter to spot recent removals. Restaurants leave programs without notice, and a spot that worked last month may not work today.
- • EarnTable data is community-sourced. Always verify terms with your card issuer.
More from EarnTable
Beyond the map: digests, gift cards, and what's next.
Market Digests Coming soon
Subscribe to weekly or monthly email digests for the markets you care about, and find out when restaurants are added, removed, or relisted.
Gift Cards
Some restaurants sell gift cards, and depending on the program a gift card purchase can trigger the same credit as a meal. Use the gift card filter when searching; when a restaurant offers them, its page links directly to the purchase site.
Feedback
Report a bug, suggest a feature, or let us know about missing or incorrect restaurant data. Send feedback.
Mobile Apps
Take EarnTable on the go. Register your interest in our iOS and Android apps.
Find your next dining credit