TL;DR
- Some restaurants' payment systems code charges under different merchant names
- This prevents your Resy credit from triggering automatically
- Common culprits: hotel restaurants, chain locations, multi-entity restaurant groups
- Affects both Amex Platinum ($100/quarter) and Amex Gold ($50 every 6 months)
- Amex terms explicitly say restaurants inside hotels/department stores "may not be eligible"
- What to do: Wait 8 weeks, then contact Amex with your Resy confirmation
- Many cardholders report success getting credits manually issued (YMMV)
You made a reservation through Resy. You paid with your Amex Platinum or Amex Gold. You waited for your credit to post.
And...nothing.
This is a frustrating quirk of how restaurant payment processing works, and it's tripping up cardholders across Reddit and online forums. It's usually fixable though.
Let me explain what's happening and exactly how to get your credit back.
The Problem: How Restaurants Process Payments
When you pay at a restaurant, your transaction gets tagged with a merchant name and category code (MCC). For the Resy credit to trigger, Amex needs to see that you paid at a Resy partner restaurant.
For most restaurants, this is straightforward. The charge shows up as the restaurant name, Amex recognizes it as a Resy partner, and the credit triggers.
But some restaurants have payment processing setups that mess this up.
Hotel restaurants often process payments through the hotel's system. You eat at the restaurant, but the charge shows as "Marriott Hotel" instead of the actual restaurant name. Different merchant name means no credit trigger.
Chain restaurants can be tricky too. They might route payments through a corporate entity. You dine at "Local Bistro," but the charge posts as "Restaurant Group LLC."
Same thing with multi-concept restaurant groups. Sometimes they use shared payment processors across all their brands. Your Resy reservation is at Restaurant A, but the charge codes under their parent company.
Same meal. Same Resy reservation. Just a different merchant name on your statement.
And that's enough to stop the credit from posting.
What the Official Terms Actually Say
Here's what American Express's official Resy credit terms say:
"Eligible Resy purchases include purchases made directly from U.S. restaurants that offer reservations on Resy.com and the Resy app and accept American Express® Cards, purchases made directly on Resy.com or in the Resy app, and purchases made via Resy Pay."
Sounds straightforward. But then there's this critical paragraph buried in the fine print:
"American Express also relies on information provided to us by the merchant to identify eligible purchases. If American Express does not receive information that identifies the transaction as an eligible purchase, the Account will not receive the statement credit. For example, the transaction may not be eligible if... it is made at a merchant located within another establishment (e.g. a restaurant inside a hotel or department store), it is for a non-dining purchase... the merchant uses a third-party to process or submit the transaction to American Express (e.g. using mobile or wireless card readers), or you make a purchase using a third-party (e.g. a third-party payment platform or food delivery service)."
Hotel restaurants are explicitly called out as potentially ineligible. Same with restaurants inside department stores or other establishments.
Here's the thing though: This is a technical caveat, not an absolute exclusion. If you legitimately booked through the Resy app and the restaurant appeared as a Resy partner, it's worth contacting Amex. The language says "may not be eligible," not "definitely excluded." And plenty of cardholders report getting credits manually issued when they can show a valid Resy booking.
Can You Tell Which Restaurants Will Have This Problem?
Unfortunately, no. There's no master list of "these restaurants won't trigger your credit."
The really frustrating part? You can't always tell beforehand. A restaurant might have changed payment processors last month. The same chain might use different systems in Dallas versus Chicago.
One pattern I've noticed: independent, single-location restaurants with their own merchant accounts almost never have this issue. It's the multi-location spots, hotel restaurants, and chains where payment processing gets complicated.
Airport restaurants can also be tricky—I've seen charges code as "Airport Services" instead of the actual restaurant name.
Bottom line: If you booked through Resy and the restaurant appeared as a partner, save your confirmation email. You might need it.
What to Do If Your Credit Doesn't Post
Don't panic. Here's what to try (based on reports from cardholders who've successfully gotten credits manually issued):
Step 1: Wait the Full 8 Weeks
American Express states credits can take up to 8 weeks to post. I know, that's frustrating. But give it the full time window before contacting them.
Step 2: Gather Your Documentation
Before you call or chat with Amex, have this ready:
- Your Resy confirmation email
- The transaction date and amount on your statement
- Screenshot of the Resy booking (if you still have it)
Step 3: Contact Amex Support
Call the number on the back of your card or use the chat feature in the Amex app.
What to say: "I made a reservation through Resy at [restaurant name] on [date] and paid with my [Platinum/Gold] card. The charge posted as [hotel name] instead of the restaurant name, and my Resy credit didn't trigger. Can you review this and apply the credit manually?"
What typically happens: Most reports suggest Amex support will review your case and issue the credit manually if you can show:
- You made a legitimate Resy reservation
- You paid with your Platinum card
- The merchant coding caused the issue
Results vary (your mileage may vary), but many cardholders report successfully getting the credit this way.
When Resy Credits DO Work
Don't let this scare you off from using the Resy credit. Most Resy restaurants work perfectly. The credit triggers exactly as intended at:
- Independent restaurants with their own merchant accounts
- Single-location restaurants
- Restaurant groups with proper payment processing setup
- Any restaurant where the charge shows the actual restaurant name
This payment processing quirk affects a minority of Resy restaurants. Most of your Resy credits will post without issue.
How to Avoid This (or at Least Catch It Early)
Here's what I do now after dealing with this a few times.
Check your statement within a few days of every Resy meal. Don't wait until March 30th to realize none of your Q1 credits posted. I learned this the hard way when I had to scramble to document three different meals at the end of the quarter.
Save your Resy confirmation emails. Screenshot them if you want. You'll need proof if you have to call Amex for a manual credit.
Track this stuff somewhere. Spreadsheet, Notes app, whatever works. The point is, don't rely on memory.
A Common Problem
This isn't just a Resy problem. It affects other merchant-specific credits as well.
Once you understand that payment processing affects which credits trigger, you start noticing it everywhere.
Airlines code flights differently if you're on a codeshare partner. Hotel brands might use different merchant names at different properties. Rideshare charges sometimes route through weird regional entities.
People miss airline credits because they booked through a partner that coded wrong. Hotel credits that didn't trigger because the property processed through a management company. It's the same core issue.
Bottom Line
Look, these Resy credits add up. Amex Platinum gives you $100 per quarter ($400/year). Amex Gold gives you $50 every six months ($100/year). Don't let some restaurant's payment processing setup keep you from getting it.
Yes, the official terms say restaurants inside hotels or department stores "may not be eligible." But if you booked through Resy and the restaurant appeared as a partner, it's worth asking.
If your credit didn't post, here's what you do. Check your statement first to see how the charge actually coded. Give it the full 8 weeks Amex says it might take. Then call them with your Resy confirmation email in hand.
Explain that you made a reservation through Resy, the charge posted under a different merchant name, and the credit didn't trigger. Be polite. Many users report that Amex will issue the credit manually when you can show proof.
Going forward, check your statement after every Resy meal. Save those confirmation emails. Track your credits somewhere you'll actually look at them. Most restaurants work perfectly fine. But for the ones that don't, you'll catch it before the quarter ends.