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Dining out has definitely gotten more expensive, but another factor is keeping many diners from enjoying their favorite restaurants today: exclusivity.
The competition for a great reservation can be fierce. You’re often vying against other hungry patrons, social media influencers and their audiences who want to check out the latest viral dinner spots, as well as resellers who snatch up tables and pass them on to the highest bidders. But with the right credit card in your wallet — and some determination — you can still book a weekend table at the hottest restaurants in town.
Why it’s getting harder to make restaurant reservations
For one, reservations are tough to get because people are dining out a lot. American Express recently reported that card members spent over $100 billion at restaurants in 2023. And since it acquired the reservation service Resy in 2019, the number of “engaged diners” — people who either book a reservation or set up a restaurant notification through the site — has grown by 3x.
But there’s another growing problem: reservation bots. Like concertgoers trying to secure tickets to their favorite artists, diners today compete with bots just to reserve a table at their favorite restaurants.Bots scoop up competitive tables and resell them for a profit. It’s not only bad for customers, it’s bad for restaurants.
As a result, “[bots] lead to a lot of no-shows and late cancellations,” Resy CEO Pablo Rivero said in a recent interview with Yahoo Finance.
While restaurants and reservation platforms are still working on measures to manage the fraudulent reservation problem, you may already have access to benefits that can help you find a great place for your next night out.
Related: The best credit cards for restaurants
How your credit card can help you get a restaurant reservation
Several different credit cards — especially more premium travel cards and rewards credit cards with annual fees — have restaurant perks for cardholders. Here are a few cards that can help you book a hard-to-get reservation.
American Express credit cards
American Express — which also recently acquired Tock, another reservation platform — has integrated Resy into its credit card rewards and benefits in several ways. The best way to snag a tough reservation for a Resy restaurant is by using an Amex card with Global Dining Access.
Through the current Global Dining Access program, you can secure exclusive reservations, get priority notifications before other users when reservations open up, and access special dining experiences. Global Dining Access is available with these Amex cards:
Read our full review of the Amex Platinum card
Read our full review of the Delta Reserve card
Read our full review of the Delta Reserve Business card
Related: The best business credit cards
Other Amex cards to consider:
Check out Resy’s site for more info about which restaurants offer Global Dining Access benefits.
Note: If you have an American Express® Gold Card, you can earn up to $100 in annual statement credits ($50 semi-annually; with enrollment) when you make an eligible purchase at U.S. restaurants on Resy.com or the Resy app.
Visa Infinite credit cards
Visa recently partnered with OpenTable to offer eligible Visa Infinite cardholders access to reservations at top restaurants at peak dinner times through the Visa Dining Collection. Program-eligible restaurants are only in a few cities right now, but will expand throughout the U.S., Mexico, and Canada by the end of this year.
Visa Infinite cards are offered by a few different issuers, including:
Read our full review of the Venture X card
Read our full review of the United Club Infinite card
Read our full review of the Sapphire Reserve card
Chase Sapphire Reserve® cardholders can access exclusive reservation times through the issuer’s Reserved by Sapphire program. If you have a Sapphire Reserve card, you can browse eligible restaurants and available times through your card account. A Chase Sapphire Reserve card can also help you access events like food festivals, curated dining experiences with chefs, and more.
You can find the complete list of Visa Dining Collection restaurants on OpenTable’s website.
Other Visa Infinite cards to consider:
Capital One credit cards
Capital One has its own program to help its cardholders secure reservations at some popular restaurants. Through Capital One Dining, you can find hard-to-get reservations reserved for program users and get access to dining experiences like dinners with top-rated chefs and worldwide food-centered events.
Capital One Dining is available on the issuer’s rewards credit cards. Here are a few we like:
Read our full review of the Venture Rewards card
Read our full review of the SavorOne Cash Rewards card
Read our full review of the Quicksilver Cash Rewards card
This article was edited by Rebecca McCracken
Editorial Disclosure: The information in this article has not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. All opinions belong solely to Yahoo Finance and are not those of any other entity. The details on financial products, including card rates and fees, are accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information. This site doesn’t include all currently available offers. Credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.