MilesBuzz! - I gotta go on an Idine diet

I figure that each 10,000 Idine generated airline miles is worth an extra pound, so unless I’m committed to using the miles to buy an extra, adjoining seat, I’m thinking that I better cut back on my visits, cause the “piece of pie is worth 80 points” is just too tempting.

I've almost given up on idine altogether. I've found that in general, idine restaurants happen to be lower-quality, sometimes distressed restaurants. At home, for each type of cuisine represented in my area, I have found a better restaurant nearby that's not on the list. And if I'm in a strange city, guidebooks and locals almost always recommend places not on the list, and I've had better luck going for quality over miles.

Quality over miles? I don't understand.
Actually, I find the food tastes better when I know I'm earning miles for it. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Idine is really hit or miss as far as selection (luckily in nyc there is no shortage of places to eat) but i agree most of them are kinda crappy, but doable (with the exception of some really fancy spots i.e firebird, and some qualiy korean food i.e NY Kom Tang)

one thing i can say ... avoid any 20mile spots like the plague ... they must be hurting for a reason

I only really care about idine during qualifing promotions (i.e. fly faster free) otherwise its just a bonus if im in the mood for medium quality chow

channa, it's not always quality over miles!

Sometimes you can get both. This was especially true for me in Washington DC on a visit in April. I ate at six idine restaurants and they ranged from good to excellent.


Kathy

I agree Kathy - I have found some very good restaurants through the iDine program, including the 20 mile restaurants. Some of those also accept DC, so those give 40%, and come out cheaper than the cheaper restaurants. Just had breakfast at one and the $25 meal will really cost me $15, and that was for 4 people.I'm willing to try any restaurant once. If it is truly disappointing, I won't go back. Some of our favorite restaurants were found through the membership of IDine. It might vary from city to city, but I'd say we're lucky in Chicago.

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Ms.DtG

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Jailer:
I figure that each 10,000 Idine generated airline miles is worth an extra pound, so unless I’m committed to using the miles to buy an extra, adjoining seat, I’m thinking that I better cut back on my visits, cause the “piece of pie is worth 80 points” is just too tempting. </font>
Sorry, Jailer.

Looks like we hijacked your lighthearted thread and made it serious! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif


Kathy

tony di napoli's in nyc is a great family style italian rest that is on idine

I was pretty faithfull for about four months, dining three times to get the bonus. Most places are good, some only fair. Sammy's woodfire pizza in Palm Desert is a highlight, and Red Top burgers here in Colorado Springs. You used to get some really high end places a few years ago, but it has really gone to mediocre. Good way to top off a stagnant airmile account though.

With the exception of Pancho's, a Mexican joint in Malibu, all the iDine restaurants I have visited have been a huge disappointment http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

Well, if you come to SAT Mexican food is King. There are many Idine Mexican Restaurants that are fabulous. I won't eat Mexican any more unless it is Idine. Some recommendations: Picante, Los Barrios, El Jarro, Aldacos, El Mirasol, Habaneros, Salsalito and Casarita. All are excellent. Los Barrios and El Jarro are award winning restaurants that have been in business for many years and have been featured on many news shows. None of the places I mentioned appear to be struggling and all have great food. Many have been on Idine for years.

I think you just have to work the Idine program if you want miles for eating. Sure there are some loser restaurants, but for me that has been an exception.

The newly listed restarants have historically been quite good. In our area it is usually a new start up. Many of the other participants in this area are below par or very out of the way places, which we don't mind. We have fun pulling up the lists for cities we'll be visiting to get potentials.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by fishkill:
one thing i can say ... avoid any 20mile spots like the plague ... they must be hurting for a reason</font>
Yes, but the reason may be other than the quality of the food.

For example, some are hurting due to out-of-the-way location (relative to where the demand is). But if the location is good for you even though bad for most other people, what do you care?

Some are hurting due to poor location for that particular cuisine (again, relative to where the demand is). But if you like the cuisine and the restaurant is convenient to YOU, what do you care (except that they're likely to close the week after you visit them, like a Persian food restaurant in Tustin which was the first 20 mile/$ restaurant I ever ate at).

Some are hurting because they're an indie and they've got brand name competition nearby getting most of the business in a traveler-heavy area (travelers being less likely to use indies than locals). If the competition is competing solely on brand name and not on price or quality, what do you care?

Some are hurting because no one from the street can figure out what kind of unusual food they serve. Since you're finding them at iDine, you get a description of the restaurant that the passerby in a crowded mall full of restaurants doesn't. If you like the unusual cuisine, what do you care that no one else who likes it has been able to find out about this restaurant and thus they're hurting?

But, yes, others are hurting because, at best, they're nothing special. One of them in OC is a most average downscale pizza joint inside a shopping mall whose only claim to fame is a semifamous owner. Not enough for me...

Still others may be hurting because they're too weird. One of them in Santa Monica is a combination newsstand/internet cafe without about 3 real food items on the menu. The irony is the food is more reasonably priced than elsewhere around there, but that means EVEN AT 20 $/MILE I can hardly earn any miles there but meanwhile I have to pay $ for parking in that area (or take a bus) unless it's a Sunday. So for me that one's not worth it either.

Still others may be hurting because they don't know what they are. Several in the West Hollywood area that are 20 $/mile are not really restaurants, they're some sort of too hip "see and be seen place" where maybe there's some food somewhere too. I can't be bothered...

The best Idine meal I had was when I was out of town entertaining a guest who picked the restaurant. Several weeks later I get an email from Idine.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by dgordon:
I have found some very good restaurants through the iDine program, including the 20 mile restaurants. Some of those also accept DC, so those give 40%, and come out cheaper than the cheaper restaurants.
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Wow - it never occurred to me that you could register your DC club with iDine and get both miles and the DC 20% discount. Thanks for the great tip.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by KathyWdrf:
[QUOTE]

Looks like we hijacked your lighthearted thread and made it serious! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif


Kathy

</font>


Kathy,

Lighthearted, my foot, I’m deadly serious. When your meals are business expensed and you add in the Idine dividend, it’s as cheap to eat out as to have yoghurt at your desk, so in the time that it took to earn the equivalent of two F/C tix to Europe, I’ve probably gained almost a dozen pounds....Maybe a bad tradeoff. And, although domiciled in Long Beach (which has eight member restaurants w/in walking distance of my office), with my "territory" extending from Santa Barbara to Orange Country I could eat in an Idine place every day and not give up on quality.

Jailer, you silly goose, what are you talking about? You are slim as a boy. Well, that makes sense, you are barely past being a boy.

Even as slim as you are, however, you are still a threat to passing waitresses. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/rolleyes.gif

Being the truly romantic type, I took my Savannah girlfriend to one of the top restaurants in the city. It is called "1790", located in an inn that dates back to that period, boasts a ghost who killed herself for love, and has a fantastic gourmet cuisine.

Being the truly romantic type, I was also thrilled by the fact that for the two of us I earned 1000 miles.

This brings me that much closer to getting a free ticket to go to Milan and visit my Italian girlfriend.

See? I told you I was the truly romantic type.

TYMIKE1: Tony Di Napoli no longer participates in Idine. They may have at one time before I had the opportunity to eat there. It is a great restaurant and I was impressed with the food and service. It is too bad I couldn't get the miles while enjoying such a lovely dinner.

I do see many fine restaurants under iDine. Tourist area restaurants seem to use iDine to draw ocassional visitors. In Monterey county, CA, I can name quite a few decent ones. Also there are some chains where I do like the food (Una Mas for example - They even accept diners around here in Silicon Valley).

Yes, I've also found many great restaurants using iDine. What's even better is some of them accepts Entertainment card/coupon as well! (We had an excellent Thai dinner the other night. Our dessert: mango with sticky rice - can you say "yum"! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif )

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by KathyWdrf:
channa, it's not always quality over miles!

Sometimes you can get both. This was especially true for me in Washington DC on a visit in April. I ate at six idine restaurants and they ranged from good to excellent.

Kathy, I'm going there soon. I'd like to know which ones you recommend.

Kathy</font>

jakeman, I cut and pasted this from another thread:

I ate at six idine places in DC in April. They were good to excellent. All were 10 miles/$. You can look these up on the idine website:

Thai Tanic Restaurant (downtown) -- this place was fantastic. Subtle and complex spicing.

Aroma Indian Restaurant (downtown) -- had a great lunch buffet for about $10 plus drinks plus tax.

Chadwick's (Georgetown) -- a wood-paneled neighborhood bar and grill; good food and very friendly service.

Bistro Med (Georgetown) -- a Mediterranean (Turkish) place that has a good lunch buffet also about $10.

Thai Kitchen (downtown) -- food not as good as Thai Tanic, but generous portions and friendly service.

Art Gallery Grille (downtown) -- a casual place with sidewalk seating. Food was good but not outstanding. The people-watching was great.

ALWAYS double-check the listings to make sure a place is still in the idine program, and what days of the week they award points. Restaurants come and go frequently and some of them don't award points on weekends.


Kathy

Thanks, Kathy.

I noticed recently that all of the restaurants in this area (ROC) have switched from miles to cash back, after deducting $49/year from accumulated cash back as a "fee." Is this common all around? I miss the "simple" mileage aspect. ;(

I haven't had terrible Idine restaurant experience that I would blame on the Idine program, and on the occasions where I get crap food I may as well at least get mileage for it! :0 Had a group dinner in NY that I didn't know would be Idine, and was happy to get 4800 miles later on!

-KP

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by channa:
I've almost given up on idine altogether. I've found that in general, idine restaurants happen to be lower-quality, sometimes distressed restaurants.</font>

could not agree more, I Dine, UA dining, AA dining all have 98% crap restaurants w/only 2% being somewhat worthwhile.

If a restaurant is great they have no need to market miles for dining there.

Edited to add: if you do happen to come across an IDine (or any mileage restaurant) you feel is worthwhile, FT has a whole forum just waiting for your input on dining.

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Visit FlyerTalk Dining http://flyertalk.com/diningfr.shtml

[This message has been edited by Sweet Willie (edited 08-22-2003).]

I find it's best to use the idine guide with another guide (such as a Concierge's recommendation or Fodors or such). It's always a nice surprise to get the points by accident when you go to restaurant and later find out it was part of the idine program.

I live in DC and find that at least 3/4 of the restaurants listed are 'fair' at best. The other 1/4 are pretty decent for what they are (most are casual restaurants, very few are truly 'fine dining').

Although when I look at the participants in Philly (a city I am familiar with) there are many very good resturants listed.

When travelling, I usually use iDine's list, cross referenced with another restaurant listing. If it shows up on both, then I feel it is probably a good restaurant. Sometimes, tho, I will try an cheaper iDine listing on its own -- if I am disappointed with the food, at least I am not out beaucoup $$$

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Da DOK

Idine has lost a number of good places in this area. In addition, a lot others have limited the days and or times, that points are given, so I don't feel the need to think about the miles. Just will use the guide book for suggestions in cities, that I am familiar with.
Will wait for surprise miles to show up on my accounts! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Idine strategy. Looked at the miles you get and decided to go for the cash back. The first $49 you get back goes to your yearly dues. I am up $20 bucks in 3 months (earned $69). Food taste great when the company foots the bill for the entire amount and you get 20% back in cash. Even better when you are out of town and take coworkers out to dinner then it add's up fast

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AWA - Silver, HHonors - Gold

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by kidpachinko:
I noticed recently that all of the restaurants in this area (ROC) have switched from miles to cash back, after deducting $49/year from accumulated cash back as a "fee." Is this common all around? I miss the "simple" mileage aspect. ;(
</font>
Restaurants don't switch between miles and cashback! With a few exceptions (a handful of restaurants give miles to one airline but not another) he very same restaurants particpate in all the various incarnations of iDine. They give miles to people whose account is collecting miles, cashback to people whose account is collecting cashback.

So it's your account, not those restaurants, which switched. (Or at least the credit card you've been using switched, or you switched which credit card you were using without realizing it. Or one other possibilitiy is if your airline dropped iDine, then maybe iDine in THAT case switched you to cashback?)

Looking up Rochester in my (BA's EC Dining) version of iDine, I still see restaurants such as The Cartwright Inn, Casa D'amici, Comix Cafe, Crescent Beach Hotel, Critics On The Mall, Cutler's Restaurant (new), Davinci's (3 locations), Duels Cafe, Elmwood Inn, Empire State Brewing, etc, etc (ie, I only looked at the first two pages of the Buffalo/Rochester area and only looked for Rochester proper not suburbs) all still give 10 miles/$ in EC Dining, and undoubtedly most if not all of those give 10 miles/$ in all other airline programs that still participate in iDine. But since I have no idea which airline program you were in, I can't further explain why you think the restaurants switched on you...

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by JerryFF:
Wow - it never occurred to me that you could register your DC club with iDine and get both miles and the DC 20% discount. Thanks for the great tip.</font>

You CAN'T get both miles and the DC 20% discount. And dgordon never said that: "I have found some very good restaurants through the iDine program, including the 20 mile restaurants. Some of those also accept DC, so those give 40%, and come out cheaper than the cheaper restaurants." What that meant is simply that those restauarnts that WOULD give 20 miles per dollar IF you were using an airline program (in which case you could only pay with Visa, MC, Amex, or Discover) will INSTEAD give you 40% cashback if you pay with Diners Club.

But if you pay with Diners Club, you have no opt in or out, you're always automatically getting the cashback (if the restuarant participates). It's only in the case other cards that you can choose between cashback or any number of airline programs (or even other types of programs like uPromise).

No matter how you work it, any one card can only earn into any one incarnation of iDine at a time. That's because iDine is one system as far as gathering info on where you card was used, and only once they figure out that you used their card do they route those earnings into one program or another. That routing system is smart enough to know that you can't route the same earnings to two places at once, just as your bank is smart enough to know that if you depost $100 in cash you can't deposit the same $100 into several different accounts and have them all grow by $100 each!

There are ways of sort-of double-dipping, but they're not by making the same card earn two ways at once through iDine. One is, of course, that your card may earn mileage on ALL purchases, quite independent of what it earns on iDine. The second is that some restaurants may accept coupons or other kinds of discounts in conjunction with iDine (tho I think they can disallow the combination of coupons or discounts with iDine if they so desire).