American Express Specials – now for everyone, nationwide!

Jun 23rd

Last March, we rolled out a small test with American Express: link your AmEx and foursquare accounts, spend at least $5 at a local merchant in Austin, and get a $5 savings applied directly to your monthly statement. When we launched, the response was overwhelmingly positive. So, after SxSW, we sat down with American Express to plot the future.

Today, we’re happy to announce that the partnership is going national. Across the whole country, at select merchants, you can now check-in with foursquare, pay with your American Express card, and get big savings on your monthly statement.

It’s simple to use:

  • link your AmEx and foursquare accounts (you can do it here);
  • check in at a participating store and tap ‘load to card’ on the Special; and,
  • pay with your AmEx card.

There’s no cutting out coupons or showing your phone to the cashier. The savings are automatically credited to your account within a few days.

We’re super excited to be kicking this off with amazing Specials at two nationwide chains:

A bunch of local New York restaurants are also offering great Specials: Blue Smoke, Union Square Café, Untitled (at the Whitney) and The Modern. More businesses are going to be joining soon, and we’ll share those as they go live.

Redeeming these Specials is a totally effortless experience. If you’re a cardmember, link your accounts now to start saving!

Update: BlackBerry peeps: we updated the app so you can redeem AmEx Specials. Download it here. And thanks for making us a top 5 BB app!

– Tristan Walker – Director of Business Development

Posted in Blog Business Partnerships Specials

58 Comments

  • Karen

    Country…nationwide…national = USA, USA, USA. It’s as if the Internet stops at the border.

  • Karen

    Country…nationwide…national = USA, USA, USA. It’s as if the Internet stops at the border.

  • Karen

    Country…nationwide…national = USA, USA, USA. It’s as if the Internet stops at the border.

  • Karen

    Country…nationwide…national = USA, USA, USA. It’s as if the Internet stops at the border.

  • http://www.facebook.com/sjuliano Stephen Juliano

    Will this work for BlackBerry and Android users? Development on these platforms seems to be moving at a MUCH slower pace…

  • Anonymous

    Does the spend $5, get a $5 credit to your statement also apply or was that just a SXSW thing?

  • http://www.facebook.com/jonrmcleod Jonathan McLeod

    What about Canada?

  • Gil

    Will us developers of a Windows Phone version of the app be able to add this same experience complete with notifications? WP7 notifications leave something to be desired (requires a dedicated service).

  • http://twitter.com/cloveras Christian Løverås

    I can’t even register my Norwegian card..

  • http://twitter.com/cloveras Christian Løverås

    I can’t even register my Norwegian card..

  • joshie

    This is sweet but dang, the timing! I just shopped at H&M last night!

  • joshie

    This is sweet but dang, the timing! I just shopped at H&M last night!

  • Tina

    H&M no longer accepts American Express as a form of payment, I’m assuming this means that they now do? Or is it just with the foursquare/amex app?

  • Tina

    H&M no longer accepts American Express as a form of payment, I’m assuming this means that they now do? Or is it just with the foursquare/amex app?

  • http://mikecap.mp/ Mike Caprio

    If my AmEx account was already linked in Austin, do I need to link again?

  • Natasha

    Wondering about Canada too… Is this the next step? Is it in the works?

  • Anonymous

    Please, expand this to more countries. (hint: The Netherlands)

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1076799960 Nikki McCarty

    DO THIS WITH VISA! :)

  • JU

    Thought I could save some money on my trip to New York…. noticed in the agreement that only US issued cards are allowed. These kind announcements are extremely annoying…

  • Mijackso

    Move to America

  • http://twitter.com/A1 Andy

    “You have successfully linked your account”

    I’m in the UK, that was surprising.

  • http://twitter.com/A1 Andy

    “You have successfully linked your account”

    I’m in the UK, that was surprising.

  • http://twitter.com/A1 Andy

    “You have successfully linked your account”

    I’m in the UK, that was surprising.

  • molly h

    that confused me too.. i suppose it’s been a while since i’ve tried using my AmEx at H&M, but as of late 2009 they didn’t.

  • molly h

    that confused me too.. i suppose it’s been a while since i’ve tried using my AmEx at H&M, but as of late 2009 they didn’t.

  • molly h

    that confused me too.. i suppose it’s been a while since i’ve tried using my AmEx at H&M, but as of late 2009 they didn’t.

  • http://twitter.com/dgilford David Gilford

    They’re accepting Amex again (verified at the H&M in Soho, NYC). Confirmation here: http://twitter.com/#!/AmericanExpress/status/83914479292784640

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Adam-Phillips/502092225 Adam Phillips

    @Jonathan McLeod this won’t be brought to Canada for some time.  We haven’t adopted mobile technology like other parts of the world

  • Jsshaw4

    Too bad we are being rewarded for using credit cards. The last thing we need is another reason to go into debit.

  • dave

    What are the specials for the participating Union Square Hospitality Group restaurants?

  • dave

    What are the specials for the participating Union Square Hospitality Group restaurants?

  • Noah Weiss

    Yep, it is!

  • Jfmanzo

    pretty incredible that this isn’t valid for Canadian amex owners since H&M opened earlier in Canada than the US, like Lush and Ikea, and (like those stores) is thicker on the ground in Canadian cities than American ones.

  • Jfmanzo

    pretty incredible that this isn’t valid for Canadian amex owners since H&M opened earlier in Canada than the US, like Lush and Ikea, and (like those stores) is thicker on the ground in Canadian cities than American ones.

  • Miguel Soberanis

    what about checking in at a website? Will that ever be possible?

  • Tim

    Can’t get version 1.9.97 to work on my Blackberry Tour – Check in Special at Sports Authority does not open

  • http://christophejammet.com Christophe Jammet

    How can businesses Enroll?

  • Laser

    You only go into debt if you don’t pay your card off every month. 

  • Jimmie Rutledge

    American Express cards aren’t credit cards, they are charge cards.  You’re supposed to pay these in full every month, you pay 0% interest.  I put all my all my utilities and other bills on my platinum card every month to collect the reward points.  Amex caters to those who know how to manage their money and have excellent credit history, not for those who charge to their credit cards and pay on interest per years. 

  • Jason

    well it is called AMERICAN express…

  • http://www.kvalitni-pr-clanky.cz/ Pr clanky

    hm, only in amerika ? but what have we to do in europe ?

  • Scott

    American Express cards are available pretty much everywhere in the world Jason. May as well assume the rest of the world doesn’t have Windows either because Microsoft is an American firm.

  • Dpmse

    Unfortunately these great ideas are always limited to the USA…. So us early adopters in Europe are left waiting…. as usual. FourSquare member 177,023

  • Ushmel

    make a webOS app! The 3rd party app is okay, but lacks serious professional support.

  • Danielle

    I linked my AMEX card about 3 weeks ago and recently bought WELL over $75 at H&M and got nothing. Clearly the Blackberry linking isn’t working…

  • Brent

    Wow!  How bout congratulations four square!  Keep up the cool work!  

    I do believe the first few words in the article are “Last March, we rolled out a small test …”  These things can be nightmares to pull off logistically.  Good Luck!

  • Yannpgs

    Exactly, and American Airlines don’t cross the ocean…

  • Alvaro Rego

    Sounds like a great idea, hope we can use it in Mexico soon!

  • http://twitter.com/AliPants Allison

    Huh, maybe I won’t cancel my annoyingly benefitless JetBlue Amex…

  • http://www.rmagency.com/author/susan-mcdonnell-nettles/ susan from R+M

    I gotta say, give it up to AmEx for at least trying to move with the times. Not all brands as visible as theirs is would do a “small test” with foursquare. 

  • Amber

    I checked into Sports Authority (1st check in) and then used my American Express card to purchase over $100 of items and still have not received my $20 credit to my American Express card.  This happened over 3 weeks ago. What is the time frame the credit is supposed to appear? Three weeks seems like a very long time.

  • Amber

    any update on this? I had the same thing happen at Sports Authority.

  • Kdb1999

    Is there a list of where the deals are anywhere?

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  • http://twitter.com/JustinCambria JustinCambria

    Do you guys have plans to integrate some kind of mobile payment interface here?

  • Justin

    Your 10$ American Express offer for VBar in NYC is invalid,  I lost out on 10$ because of it. They don’t take AE. Please fix.

  • RA

    I replaced a card and got a new number.  I’ve tried everything I know with the help of customer service and I can’t get get to sync with 4square.  I’m bummed, as it is a huge incentive to use my Amex card…so you should be bummed too!

  • Real

    This check in special showed up on my business page… but we didn’t put it there… is that possible?