Editor’s note: TPG founder Brian Kelly is a Bilt adviser and investor.
Since April 2023, Bilt Rewards members have been able to earn extra points at select restaurants. Like other dining rewards programs, Bilt Dining provides bonus rewards when you use an enrolled card to pay at participating restaurants.
Bilt also occasionally offers its members deals on exclusive dining experiences in select cities. This includes February’s Bilt Rent Day promotion, which offers Valentine’s Day dinner reservations at select restaurants in Boston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. (More on that later.)
Here is your guide to utilizing and maximizing your earnings with Bilt Dining.
Related: The best credit cards for dining
Earn points through Bilt Dining
Bilt members can earn up to 10 points per dollar spent through Bilt Dining depending on the points multiplier indicated in the Bilt app at the time of purchase.
Bilt members can earn points on Bilt Dining purchases on any card they have linked to their Bilt Wallet. That’s right, Bilt Rewards will give you points back when you dine at Bilt Dining locations, even if you don’t pay with the Bilt Mastercard® (see rates and fees). However, you must pay with a Visa, Mastercard or American Express card linked to your Bilt Wallet.
When you pay at any restaurant using your Bilt Mastercard, you automatically earn 3 points per dollar thanks to the bonus category on the card. And on Bilt Rent Day (the first of the month), you can double your earnings, which means you could get 6 points per dollar spent on dining purchases made on Rent Day. Just remember that you must use your card at least five times each statement period — paying rent each billing cycle does count toward one of the five transactions — to earn points in that cycle.
As of January 2024, Bilt Dining has restaurants in Atlanta; Austin; Boston; Charlotte; Chicago; Dallas; Denver; Houston; Las Vegas; Los Angeles; Miami; Nashville; New York; Philadelphia; Phoenix; Portland, Oregon; Salt Lake City; San Antonio; San Diego; San Francisco; and Seattle. This is a significant expansion from the initial five cities at the program’s launch.
To see eligible Bilt Dining restaurants, check out the “Dining” tab of the Bilt app. You can choose from Bilt’s top picks or filter by location, cuisine and price range.
You can earn an unlimited number of points through Bilt Dining. However, it may take up to seven days after dining for bonus earnings to post to your Bilt Rewards account. You also won’t earn Bilt Dining bonus points if the transaction is made through a third-party marketplace or an online ordering platform.
Related: Bilt Mastercard review: Zero-fee rent payments
How to use Bilt Wallet
If you have a Bilt Mastercard, it will automatically show in the Bilt Wallet tab of your Bilt app. Members can also link other payment methods to their Bilt Rewards account through this tab. According to Bilt, the company added this functionality “as a way for Bilt Members to be able to earn more points across more categories, starting with dining.”
Now is a good time to add some cards to your Bilt Wallet because Bilt is giving members 100 points per linked card for the first three eligible cards they add to their Bilt Wallet. TPG values Bilt points at 2.05 cents each, meaning 100 points are worth $2.05.
If you share a card with others, you can add the card to multiple members’ Bilt Wallets. However, only the most recent card added will receive points on Bilt Dining.
Related: How to earn ‘interest’ on your points balance with Bilt Rewards
Bilt Dining exclusive reservations
Bilt occasionally includes Bilt Dining in its monthly Rent Day promotions, and February is no exception.
Bilt is offering a Rent Day promotion on exclusive Valentine’s Day dinner reservations at select restaurants in six cities: Boston, New York, Miami, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. Members can pay for their reservations with Bilt points or a card linked to their Bilt Wallet.
Starting at noon on Feb. 1, Bilt members can make a reservation for a party of two for either 15,000 Bilt points or $200. If you choose to book for $200, you can use any card in your Bilt Wallet to pay. Reservations are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
This isn’t Bilt’s first foray into dining bonuses on Rent Day. In late 2023, Bilt members earned an extra 10 points per dollar spent on purchases at Bilt Dining restaurants during the last week of November.
Related: 6 of the best ways to redeem Bilt Rewards points for maximum value
Bottom line
Bilt Rewards has much to offer, from its monthly Rent Day to live award availability powered by Point.me in the Bilt app. Even if you don’t live in any of the cities Bilt Dining currently serves, it’s promising that Bilt is allowing members to add other cards to their Bilt Wallet — especially since Bilt says it plans to “continue rolling out new ways to earn points across categories through Bilt Wallet.”
See Bilt Mastercard rates and fees here.
See Bilt Mastercard rewards and benefits here.
