Kwik Fit Shifts Gears with American Express Acceptance

WHY THIS MATTERS: The integration of American Express into over 680 Kwik Fit and Tyre Pros centers across the UK is far more than a simple merchant win; it represents a structural shift in the country’s digital payments infrastructure. For decades, Amex operated under a model focused on high-spending consumer segments, often accepting limited merchant acquiring coverage in exchange for higher transaction fees. This new agreement, covering essential but high-value services like MOTs and car repairs, proves that Amex is prioritizing scale and transactional ubiquity. The value-first perspective confirms that even networks built on exclusivity must now fight for every piece of everyday consumer spend to maintain cardholder loyalty. For the wider fintech ecosystem, this dismantling of acceptance barriers signals intensifying competition for the premium customer segment in high-ticket, necessary retail categories.

American Express and Kwik Fit have signed a new agreement meaning Amex is now accepted as a payment method both in-person and online at one of the UK’s leading car servicing and repair firms. 

Since being founded in 1971, Kwik Fit has become one of the largest and most trusted car service chains, now operating more than 630 centres nationwide. In addition, the company runs around 50 sites under the Tyre Pros brand. Under the new agreement, Amex Cardmembers can now book and pay for vehicle servicing, tyres, MOTs and other products using their Amex Card.  

Promotion of the new agreement will come through a multi-channel approach that includes targeted email comms, radio advertising, in-store branding and marketing, and social media activity. 

Kwik Fit joins a record number of businesses in the UK including every major supermarket chain, most high street retailers and hundreds of thousands of small businesses, that recognise the value of welcoming Amex Cardmembers – who are typically higher spending and more loyal than other credit card users. 

Dan Edelman, UK General Manager, Merchant Services at American Express, said: “We are committed to ensuring our Cardmembers can use their Card wherever they live, work and travel. We’re delighted that American Express is now accepted by Kwik Fit, a highly respected brand and a staple of many town centres across the UK. This agreement reinforces our strong merchant coverage nationwide, which has tripled since 2021.”   

Dan Joyce, Retail Operations Director at Kwik Fit, added: “Our aim is to deliver peace of mind and convenience for our customers, whether that’s through having the largest stock and range of tyres, an extensive portfolio of services, the greatest availability of MOT slots or centres in the most accessible locations. Allied to all those factors are our expertise and commitment to customer experience and safety. Accepting Amex is another way we can meet our customers’ needs, whether they are in centre or booking online.” 

American Express provides Cardmembers with a range of benefits including cashback, Membership Rewards® points, exclusive Amex Offers from national brands, and more. In the UK, American Express is accepted at more places than ever before, meaning there is a greater choice of businesses where Cardmembers can earn rewards by paying with Amex. 

FF NEWS TAKE: This move significantly advances Amex’s national footprint and challenges the traditional duopoly of other card networks in the UK’s mid-market retail space. While the acceptance of premium cardholders in high-value sectors is a positive for convenience, the true measure of success lies beneath the surface: the fees. We must watch closely to see if this tripling of coverage since 2021 indicates a sustained willingness by American Express to adjust its interchange rates to secure such massive scale. If the fees drop, this agreement fundamentally reshapes the competitive landscape for payment processors.

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