AMEX Cobalt experience in Thunder Bay

Core advantages and local applicability

The Amex Cobalt's5x points on diningis its core selling point, with a monthly fee of $13.99. However, in small and medium-sized cities like Thunder Bay, you need to pay close attention to merchant acceptance and how well the points program matches local scenarios.

Thunder Bay merchant acceptance test

Dining scenarios

• Chain restaurants: National chains like Subway, Boston Pizza, The Keg, McDonald's, and KFC generally accept Amex, so you can reliably earn 5x points.
• Local restaurants: Family-style eateries (e.g., Tomlin, The Sovereign Room) and coffee shops (e.g., St. Paul Roasters) mostly only support Interac/Visa/Mastercard, so ask in advance.
• Food delivery platforms: Skip and Uber Eats work fine with Amex for payments and earning points.

Grocery shopping

• Large supermarkets: Superstore, Wholesale, and No Frills are under the same group and do not accept Amex credit cards; Walmart is categorized as "retail" and only earns 1x points; Safeway and Metro reliably earn 5x points.