Table of Contents

• Introduction
• How the Amex Cobalt 5x Points Works
• What Counts as Food & Drink
• Grocery Stores That Earn 5x
• Restaurants & Delivery Services
• What Doesn’t Earn 5x
• Gift Card Strategy for Extra Points
• Monthly Spend Cap Explained
• Superstore Workarounds
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Final Thoughts

Introduction

The American Express Cobalt Card in Canada stands out as a dynamic and rewarding credit card, particularly for those who enjoy dining out, buying groceries, and utilizing food and grocery delivery services.

Learn More: See our full Amex Cobalt Card review.

With its impressive 5x points earning structure on food and drinks, the Cobalt Card offers a great opportunity for cardholders to accumulate Membership Rewards points rapidly.

From fine dining to casual eateries and even food delivery, this card provides a fast way to earn rewards on everyday spending.

In this article, we’ll explore the earning structure, where you can maximize your points, and the recent changes to its spending limits.

How Does the Amex Cobalt 5x Points System Work?

You’ll earn 5x points on eligible food and drink purchases made with the Amex Cobalt Card, up to $2,500 per calendar month. This includes:

• restaurants,
• bars,
• coffee shops,
• grocery stores,
• and many food delivery services in Canada.

Where to use Amex Cobalt Card to Earn 5x Points

Here are some popular businesses in Canada you can use your Amex Cobalt Card to earn 5x the points with:

Restaurants, quick service restaurants, coffee shops, and drinking establishments in Canada:

• Casual Dining Restaurants
• Pubs and Bars
• Liquor Stores
• Coffee Shops and Bistros
• Diners
• Fine Dining Restaurants
• Fast Food Restaurants
• Food Trucks

Stand-alone grocery stores in Canada:

• Loblaws / Real Canadian Superstore – Here’s our workaround for earning 5x at Superstore.
• Sobeys
• Metro
• IGA (Independent Grocers Alliance)
• Farm Boy
• Longo’s
• Save-On-Foods
• Thrifty Foods
• Co-op Food Stores
• Bulk Barn
• Whole Foods Market
• No Frills
• FreshCo
• Giant Tiger
• Independent Grocers

Food delivery:

• Uber Eats
• SkipTheDishes
• DoorDash
• Grubhub
• Foodora
• Instacart
• Just Eat
• Fantuan Delivery
• FoodJets
• Maegan
• Zomato
• Ritual
• Foodora
• GloriaFood
• Yelp Eat24

Grocery delivery:

• Instacart
• PC Express
• Amazon Fresh
• Walmart Grocery Delivery
• FreshCo
• Sobeys IGA
• Save-On-Foods
• Metro
• Farm Boy
• Voilà by Sobeys
• Goodfood
• HelloFresh Market
• Nesters Market Online Grocery
• Organics Live
• Community Natural Foods

Bonus – Get 5x points on Gas:

• Learn More: How to Earn 5x the Points on Gas with Amex Cobalt in Canada

How Much Can You Earn With Amex Cobalt 5x Points?

You can earn up to 150,000 Amex points per year with the Cobalt Card by maxing out the spend limit:

$2,500 per month x 5x the points = 12,500 Amex points per month.

12,500 x 12 months = 150,000 total Amex points.

If you’re struggling to hit the $2,500 per month cap after eating out and buying groceries, you can buy gift cards to other retailers at grocery stores to earn 5x the points on other things that aren’t food and drinks.

Limits to the Amex Cobalt Food and Drink 5x Points

As of August, 2023, there is a spend cap of up to $2,500 in net purchases monthly. Previously, this was an annual cap of $30,000.

You can still earn 1 point for every dollar in purchases after you’ve reached the spend limit.

Most Cardmembers will be unaffected by the spending limit, as it’s only in place to reduce abuse of the points system, such as buying large quantities of gift cards for other retailers at grocery stores. This is acceptable to do on a smaller scale though, as mentioned above.

The spending limit resets on the first of each month.

If you are hitting the monthly max in purchases you may want to consider applying for a secondary card under your partner’s name.

It’s important to note:

The Amex Cobalt Card cannot be used at Walmart to earn 5x the points, as it’s categorized a “general merchandise” store.

Costco in Canada does not accept American Express.

Loblaws/Superstore does not accept American Express in store, however through this loophole you can buy Superstore gift cards through Rakuten and earn bonus cash with this link.

Learn More: How to Use Your Amex Card at Superstore (Loblaws) + BONUS: $30 Free Groceries

FAQ

Q: Do I earn 5x points at Costco?
A: No. Costco does not accept American Express in-store in Canada. You also won’t earn 5x points on Costco.ca since it’s not categorized under food and drink.

Q: Does buying gift cards at grocery stores earn 5x points?
A: Yes, if the store is coded as a grocery store and you purchase third-party gift cards (e.g. for Uber Eats, restaurants, etc.), you should earn 5x points – up to your $2,500 monthly limit.

Q: Does Walmart earn 5x points?
A: No. Most Walmart locations in Canada are not categorized as grocery or food merchants, so purchases usually only earn 1x points.

Q: Can I earn 5x points on alcohol purchases?
A: Yes, if the store or restaurant is coded as a food and drink merchant. Liquor stores like BC Liquor Stores usually qualify.

Q: Is the 5x earning cap monthly or yearly?
A: It’s monthly. You can earn 5x points on the first $2,500 in eligible purchases every calendar month.

Conclusion

The American Express Cobalt Card remains a top choice for Canadians looking to earn substantial rewards on their everyday food-related expenses.

The 5x points earning structure presents a lucrative opportunity, allowing cardholders to accumulate up to an extra 150,000 Amex points annually.

Despite the introduction of a monthly spending cap in August 2023, the majority of cardholders are unlikely to be significantly impacted.

The strategic use of the Cobalt Card at various establishments, coupled with the option to purchase gift cards for other retailers, provides flexibility in optimizing points earning.

Since the spending limit resets each month, cardholders can keep enjoying the benefits of this versatile card, making it a valuable addition to any wallet.

Learn More: How to Earn the Amex Cobalt Welcome Bonus

Want to see how the Amex Cobalt stacks up against other travel cards?: Compare the Best Amex cards in Canada.