iDine/Rewards Network - iDine losses and sudden defections (consolidated)

We can maintain a consolidated list of iDine / Rewards Network restaurants and chains that have left the fold to this thread. I will maintain this post with an updated listing as necessary.



Bennigan's, Steak and Ale (March 1, 2008)
Paragon Steakhouses (February 1, 2008) post #2 lists subsidiary restaurants)

All of Paragon Steakhouse Restaurants (http://www.paragonsteak.com/) are ALL suddenly gone - Cliff House of Folsom, Hungry Hunter Steakhouse, Carver's Steaks and Chops locally for me, as well as Hunter Steakhouse, Mountain Jack's Steakhouse, Carvers Creek. No warning, no notice, just GONE.

All of Paragon Steakhouse Restaurants (http://www.paragonsteak.com/) are ALL suddenly gone - Cliff House of Folsom, Hungry Hunter Steakhouse, Carver's Steaks and Chops locally for me, as well as Hunter Steakhouse, Mountain Jack's Steakhouse, Carvers Creek. No warning, no notice, just GONE.

We feel your pain JDiver. Our condolences to you and yours.

ROFL!

Since Paragon is a nationwide chain, I'll bet there are more of us who are also in mourning. ;)

We feel your pain JDiver. Our condolences to you and yours.

I've run across joints that go in and out of the program like a Hokey Pokey dancer! I did have luck last time this happened as RN took pity on me, ruling that a brief period between enrollments did not constitute "having left the program" and gave me the miles (as a goodwill gesture).

After only a few months in the program it seems that all those chain restaurants are out of the program this Saturday, 3/1- too bad.

Although sometimes the benefits alert icon shows up and they wind up taking it off because the contract was renewed or something similar, but it's only been a few months so I don't think that is the case. We'll see....

Another two good-sized chains bite the proverbial dust, with Paragon Steakhouses. Sorry to hear that, but if this isn't a clarion call for gift certs, I don't know what is... just be sure, IMO, to document the fact the restos you buy from are still on iDine when you buy with a PDF or screen print.

(I'll merge this thread into the sudden defections thread after a week or so...)

Sigh...I even have a $5 off next purchase for Bennigan's saved up. Too bad I won't get points for them now. :(

(I just checked the idine site and the Boston Bennigan's is now no longer listed.)

Sorry guys... it might be all my fault. I consistently knocked the local restaurant for atmosphere, as they are one of the few bastions of restaurant smoking in our area, and I used RewardsNetwork as a means to get them to outlaw it.

Ponderosa, which is owned by the same company, does not appear to have pulled out however.

After only a few months in the program it seems that all those chain restaurants are out of the program this Saturday, 3/1- too bad.

So glad I saw this about Bennigan's. I had never eaten at the one in my 'burb until they joined RN. Ate there on 2-29 and topped of the check with a GC to put the total just over $25. I would not have even looked them up to see if there were still a part since they seemed to have just joined. Well, time to burn the GC's and find another local place to earn AA the bonus!

29 Degree Tavern in Ft. Worth dropped off the list over night!

Fair warning to those who were piling up IDine miles for a couple beers!

Here's the text of an e-mail I just sent to Pacific Grill today.

I am from out of town and periodically go to Tacoma to visit customers. I've taken them to Pacific Grill three times (group of 6-8 people) in the last year since I usually stay at the Marriott Courtyard or the former Sheraton Tacoma. I discovered you through the Rewards Network/I-Dine program. (And none of my customers who live in the Tacoma area were familiar with your restaurant, but liked it very much and planned to return.)

I will be in Tacoma on March XXth and will be taking a group of 6 out to dinner. I was disappointed to see that you dropped out of Rewards Network. So last week, I checked the Open Table Reservations web site and saw that you were participating with them. Not as good as Rewards Network, but I was still going to take my group to dinner to your restaurant, but unfortunately didn't make my reservation right away as our meeting plans weren't finalized yet. I tried to make my reservation today, and see that you've dropped out of that program as well!

Oh well, it's off to The Fondue Pot down the street for us for 1000 pts with Open Table.

You should never underestimate the power of loyalty programs …

Excellent letter!

Glad you had a great example to share with them too! Hopefully your note will get read by the right folks and perhaps cause them to re-evaluate. :)

Here's the text of an e-mail I just sent to Pacific Grill today.never underestimate the power of loyalty programs
Well, one thing to keep in mind is that many restaurant owners (not having any time to travel because of the demands of running their restaurants) don't even understand loyalty programs (miles & points), and think that iDine/Rewards Network is simply a discount service, and that thus they can compensate for dropping out of it by lowering their prices or offering coupons! (I heard the owner of an iDine restaurant I frequent talking to someone who was pitching them a local coupon program, and he mentioned they already belong to a program which gives discounts automatically when the diner pays with a credit card. That was obviously describing iDine, exdept I think he was only familiar with the cashback version.)

And if the restaurant owners don't understand that they're giving miles (which you couldn't get any other way), rather than thinking they're giving discounts (which you could get another way), they won't "get" what them dropping out means to you.

(And even if they understand they're giving miles, if they think that miles have a fixed value, because they're not familiar with using miles for int'l business or first class seats, they still might not "get" how miles are worth more than any other "currency" to us!)

I agree with much of what sdsearch has posted.

The last three times we dined at Sweetwater Restaurant & Bar we were sure to add wording like "we've enjoyed dining here since the days it opened as the East End Bar & Grill, and recently there have been food and service improvements. Unfortunately because Sweetwater is leaving the Rewards Network / iDine program, we will be rarely, if ever, dining here again - particularly with at least two very good iDine restaurants in the neighborhood," in our rating forms on iDine.

All true, and we have enjoyed our meals since at Arpeggio and Gönül’s restaurants, handily nearby, and a recently improved, relatively new iDine near our home, Cheffery's, an American Bistro. At one time, we dined at Sweetwater a couple of times monthly - a nice dinner and bottle of wine. Our loss is - definitely their loss, perhaps to the tune of $2,400 annually.

I've often dined at Sweetwater over the years when I'm in Sacramento and I've always found the food to be 'in and out'. A very good meal one time, a not so good meal the next. However, I've returned numerous times and turned other associates onto 'idine/rewards network' and they've usually joined me.

However, honestly, since the food itself has never been compelling there I'd say it's unlikely that I'll return unless the deal with 'idine/rewards network' is reinstated at some point. It was the points/loyalty program that got me in the door---not necessarily the food!

If owners are using the program because they are taking a loan from rewards network I can see that they may be trying to wean themselves from the program since it is supposedly a very expensive form of financing. However, if the owners are using the promotional side of the program I agree that they may very well be underestimating the draw that these kind of programs have on the hard core 'point junkies' out there.

I went to the Madras Cafe in Pompano Beach (just over the northern city line of Ft. Lauderdale) today just before noon for lunch. However, I (and four other parties arriving at about the same time) walked up to the door to find a red vinyl notice sign taped over the door locks, and a hand-drawn "Closed Until Further Notice" sign hung on the upper door.

At first, I feared a Health Department action (the place seemed clean, and it is well-rated by the local newspapers and by Zagat), however, the door seals turned to be from the US Customs department. Since the federal Immigration and Customs departments are now merged, I suspect that it may be a staff legality issue (the restaurant's site is still active, as is its listing on the aa.rewardsnetwork.com site).

...At first, I feared a Health Department action (the place seemed clean, and it is well-rated by the local newspapers and by Zagat), however, the door seals turned to be from the US Customs department...

Likely, Rev, the restaurant has been importing illegal meat. So, while earning miles you have been enjoying horse steaks, monkey burgers, and road-kill zebra stew. It’s amazing how the right spices cover the taste of mad cows diverted from destruction.

Likely, Rev, the restaurant has been importing illegal meat. So, while earning miles you have been enjoying horse steaks, monkey burgers, and road-kill zebra stew. It’s amazing how the right spices cover the taste of mad cows diverted from destruction.
So, is that what the reviewer had in mind when he/she wrote the following? ;)

People who think they know Indian food may be in for a surprise at Madras Café, a Pompano Beach restaurant with a lengthy menu that offers dishes rarely seen at American restaurants.

http://www.southflorida.com/dining/sfl-sh25bdinejul25,0,7053729.story

:eek: :D

In today's economy restaurants can quit overnight. We've had this happen a couple times in the past few months. Once 2 times on the same day.

You arrive at a place you have been to recently and find it closed.

Before you drive a long way to dine at an IDine place, telephone to make sure it is open! An IDine listing on the WEB site is no guarantee.

I noticed a couple of months ago that Buona Beef left the Idine network. Too bad for them because I used to go there at least once a week to get a soup and salad, and now I won't go there anymore.

I also agree with that.

I went to the Madras Cafe in Pompano Beach (just over the northern city line of Ft. Lauderdale) today just before noon for lunch. However, I (and four other parties arriving at about the same time) walked up to the door to find a red vinyl notice sign taped over the door locks, and a hand-drawn "Closed Until Further Notice" sign hung on the upper door.

At first, I feared a Health Department action (the place seemed clean, and it is well-rated by the local newspapers and by Zagat), however, the door seals turned to be from the US Customs department. Since the federal Immigration and Customs departments are now merged, I suspect that it may be a staff legality issue (the restaurant's site is still active, as is its listing on the aa.rewardsnetwork.com site).Pizza Loft just west of Fort Lauderdale has great Italian food and knot rolls to die for. And they're in iDine. :)

I was quite sad to see Bennigan's drop off. But they all certainly come and go. I'm glad Denny's has stayed as long as it has... I don't think I would have made my yearly 12 without them.

Pizza Loft just west of Fort Lauderdale has great Italian food and knot rolls to die for. And they're in iDine. :)

I was quite sad to see Bennigan's drop off. But they all certainly come and go. I'm glad Denny's has stayed as long as it has... I don't think I would have made my yearly 12 without them.

Martin, we are going to have a group of travelers coming from across the country to Ft. Worth in September... what are some of your favorite i-Dine restaurants over there?

Martin, we are going to have a group of travelers coming from across the country to Ft. Worth in September... what are some of your favorite i-Dine restaurants over there?
The topic of this thread is "losses & defections" -- it's not a general purpose "anything & everything about idine" thread....

:td: ^

Bad news - Sam Houston's, a local restaurant DH and I used to go to once every two weeks, closed down suddenly, taking their delicious food and Idine participation with them.

Good news - It's now a Moretti's, which, since their other locations are Idine members, I assume this one will be participating as well.

The only iDine restaurant in my city (granted, 120,000 people but a city nonetheless) dropped out . . . Then again, I had abused the 2006 Upromise and AA promotions in combination to get more than $6 back for $3 lunches / dinners everyday, so I might be solely accountable for that action.

3 of my favorite restos dropped out i think around the beginning of the year...but i noticed a few weeks ago they are b a c kkkk. one of em is my favorite breakfast place!! this has happened with a few restos before.. so maybe they get some sort of incentive for signing up again?/

Seems La Bodega in KC is off the idine list....that's such a bummer cause with the KC Originals card, idine and opentable.com I could really rack up there.

The Pour House on Skillman in Dallas recently re-joined iDine. Mmmm, mini burgers.

Zinfindel Grill in Rocklin, CA has bailed from iDine.:td: The good news is that a new venue has opened up down the street in Loomis, CA, The Horseshoe Bar & Grill. It is one of my best iDine experinces to date.^^

Dolores in West L A (previous thread (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=680611)) is back as "New!!!" after having been gone a good part of the year. The menu is a bit reduced in scope and is now printed graphicless. And it's 1/month (per program), proving that "new" restaurants can still be set up that way.

Hope you used up all those Bennigan's gift cards. They left Rewards Network in March, and now in July (today) they closed their doors. This includes Steak and Ale and Plano Tavern. Wonder if they stayed with Rewards Network would they have made enough to stay afloat?

Looks like I drove them out of the program. They're exiting on Aug 1. :D They've been in it for at least 4 years, and I guess I overpatronized them in the last 2 months to max out on the NW Miles to Go promo (a mere 27 times). I plan to hit them up for at least 6 more today and tomorrow! C'est la vie. It was good while it lasted.

Dolores in West L A (previous thread (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=680611)) is back as "New!!!" after having been gone a good part of the year. The menu is a bit reduced in scope and is now printed graphicless. And it's 1/month (per program), proving that "new" restaurants can still be set up that way.

Sweet home California! With the only other 24 hour diner in LA out (it was a Denny's in Hawthorne), this is a great comeback for people like me looking for ways to earn idine miles for those ate night cravings ^

Sweet home California! With the only other 24 hour diner in LA out (it was a Denny's in Hawthorne), this is a great comeback for people like me looking for ways to earn idine miles for those ate night cravings ^
Just remember to limit your late night cravings to rougly the weekend. Per the other thread (and reflected in the online hours listing on the new RN websites), they're only 24 hours about half the week now.

Btw, there are some RN restaurants open very late into the night, even if not really 24 hours. For example, per their own website (RN's lists no hours for this restaurant), Bravo Pizzeria (related to previous Promenade participant Bravo Cucina) at 2400 Main Street, Santa Monica 90405 is open Sun-Thu to 1:30 am and Fri & Sat to 3:30 am!

http://bravosantamonica.com/pizzeria/

I only found this one by accident when I just wanted to see if they were open past 10 on a particular night when I would be in the area.

And unlike Dolores, Bravo Pizzeria is "umlimited visits", so if you can have your late-night cravings early enough, you can have them more often! :)

Hope you used up all those Bennigan's gift cards. They left Rewards Network in March, and now in July (today) they closed their doors. This includes Steak and Ale and Plano Tavern.
They're not actually all closing. Only the company-owned ones are (the company went Chapter 7, but they have an alive parent company -- they're part of the Metromedia empire). There are also a number of franchisees out there, and they're not affected (at least immediately), though I dunno if they'll have to change their branding eventually.

Harlem Vintage in NYC seems to have left. But they were in the program as recently as a week or so ago. I hope I get my miles for my late July purchase. And their adjacent wine bar, Nectar, is still in the program.
http://aa.rewardsnetwork.com/details.htm?search=true&merchantId=91014

Murray's Bagels in Chelsea (6th Ave and around 14th st) is also out, even though they came back in recently.

What happened to make these places leave?

Citrus Cafe in Tustin CA dropped out suddenly on Aug 5. In the late evening Aug 5 Zip or city searches were no longer shhowing them, but still in the morning of Aug 6 saved-address-searches were showing them as "benefits today" (until/unless you clicked through for details, in which case you get a "no longer partcipating" page). Good thing I happened to click and find this out (because I was missing a dine from them from late July). (I know the date they dropped only because I called and asked, to make sure my dine was before that.)

As to why places drop out suddenly: Well, first of all, go by and make sure they didn't just close! That's happened to several restaurants I've eaten at previously (sometimes they drop out very soon, sometimes they stay in the system for a good while until RN realizes they're poof).

Usually restaurants drop out because they repaid their loan from RN through dines. In turn, usually there's up to a month of warning about this on the RN web page, but sometimes I guess maybe someone who does a huge group dine that earns them lots of miles at once (or guys a ton of gift cards) might make that happen much sooner than expected, and then maybe they leave with little to no warning.

The come back and then leave agains could be because of a smaller additional loan, or it could be because the timing of the original departure was calculated incorrectly, or it could be because there was a dispute which caused them to be temporarily suspended.

(And if they're suspended for some contract issue, you can't tell till much later if it's temporary or permanent.)

Shells Seafood Restaurant (a Florida chain) has closed - I drove past the Sunrise (suburban FLL) location last evening to see it boarded up. I last did an RN dine last month. The company website is down, so that can't be good.

(I found a Google reference to a Chapter 11 filing in early September, but they apparently closed only 8 of their 22 locations at the time of the filing, so the Sunrise location was spared - at least for a while).

....ways to earn idine miles for those ate night cravings ^

Freudian slip? ;)

OnLine Cafe (http://nwa.rewardsnetwork.com/diningsearchdetails.jsp?merchantId=67495) at NWA-DTW ... gone. :(

/.

Peppercini's Deli House (http://mileageplan.rewardsnetwork.com/details.htm?search=true&merchantId=91355) in ANC to be discontinued Oct 31, 2008 :mad:
(Did have a roughly month warning though)

Will be left with 3 establishments in ANC after that... :(:(

A number (70!) of Central California "Jack in the Box" restaurants are suddenly gone. These are owned by Mr. Abe Alizadeh (under several corporate shells), who suddenly closed them, went Ch. 11, and reopened them Friday, Sep 18, 2009 (apparently sans RN linkage now.) As well, on Sunday, he closed five "TGI Fridays" he owned or controlled in nothern California, and his brother closed down five more in Oregon and Nevada, without notice.

He also owns the upscale "Crush 29" and lower end Mexican fast food "Qdoba" restaurants in the Sacramento Valley area, still on iDine / Rewards Network for now, but I'd keep an eye on the RN websites if I frequented these. (No "This member is leaving next month" rubbish - just :POOF: gone.)

Alizadeh's Kobra Properties developments, building offices, retail parks and business centers, went belly up in Nov 2008 with unpaid debts of $277 million. Things do not seem to be going very well for Mr. Alizadeh - and possibly for RN, given I think his "Jack in the Box" restos only went RN a few months ago, perhaps a last, now obviously failed, attempt to refloat the restaurants?

According to Sacramento Business Journal (http://sacramento.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2009/09/14/daily86.html)and the Sacramento Bee (http://www.sacbee.com/latest/story/2192555.html), one of Alizadeh's four JitB corporate shells, Kobra Associates, owed > $1.5 million in unpaid state sales taxes.

Just to follow up on my old OP, some of the ex-Paragon restaurants were sold off and rebranded - and Paragon Steakhouse Restaurants website etc. does not exist any more.

All of Paragon Steakhouse Restaurants (http://www.paragonsteak.com/) are ALL suddenly gone - Cliff House of Folsom, Hungry Hunter Steakhouse, Carver's Steaks and Chops locally for me, as well as Hunter Steakhouse, Mountain Jack's Steakhouse, Carvers Creek. No warning, no notice, just GONE.

Hey there! Elizabeth from Rewards Network. Just wanted to let you know you can subscribe to our RSS feeds (http://www.idine.com/rss-feeds.htm) to get up-to-the-minute info on who's coming to and leaving the program.

Happy dining!

Elizabeth

PS--We also invite you to become an iDine fan on Facebook (http://facebook.com/DiningWithBenefits)! It's a great place to dish with other diners, discover iDine the best of iDine, and get the inside scoop on our popular cash back program!

Hi Elizabeth (and RN lurkers). Last night I had dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, Flavours. Flavours recently moved from Lenox, MA to Pittsfield, MA. The restaurant notified RN that they have moved and the website updated their address. Flavours asked RN to have pictures taken of the new place (which is MUCH prettier than the previous location).

According to the owner, RN made three appointments to visit the restaurant to take pictures. They did not show up for any of the appointments (one of them the owner had been invited to a wedding but did not go, sending her husband alone, so she could be there for the photographer). After missing the 3rd appointment, she called to say she will drop out of the network. By her calculations, she has been giving RN ~$500 a month. When she said she would drop out, RN told her to take her own pictures and send them in. The quality of the pictures RN takes are much better than she could send in so she told RN to forget it. I think I calmed her down enough to hang in with RN at least through the end of the year.

I STRONGLY suggest that RN send a photographer there as quickly as possible. Otherwise you will lose a good client plus it will be a signal to many of us on this board that RN does not hold the interests of those who frequent RN restaurants in very high regard. I would hope you would do everything possible to retain great restaurants and encourage us, the diners, to continue visiting those restaurants.

Hi Jay,
Thanks for the info. We're in touch with the account manager in that region and hoping to set up a photographer visit very soon. We agree that the photos definitely should be updated to reflect the new location. We'll keep you posted!

Best regards,
Elizabeth

All the Lick's Restaurant in the Greater Toronto Area seem to have suddenly left RN. It was always easy to go in and buy fries, then a drink, then ice cream on three different CCs to meet different promos. I guess I'll have to find another cheap option.

I'm super-bummed that Pomegranate Cafe in Aurora left. I was only able to visit them twice while they were in the network and their brunch was sooo delectable! I tried looking for them today and they no longer showed up.

All the Lick's Restaurant in the Greater Toronto Area seem to have suddenly left RN. It was always easy to go in and buy fries, then a drink, then ice cream on three different CCs to meet different promos. I guess I'll have to find another cheap option.

Oh no! Say it isn't so! I regularly bought a child's coke for $1.29 (multiple times) to help friends achieve VIP status. :eek:

Oh no! Say it isn't so! I regularly bought a child's coke for $1.29 (multiple times) to help friends achieve VIP status. :eek:Please do let me know if you come up with any other quick & cheap options in the GTA - they're always needed for promos (like the current US Air Grand Slam).