iDine/Rewards Network - all La Salsa & most Baja Fresh "leaving soon"???

When I'm logged in (multiple programs) and get a listing, I typically get a banner ad for either La Salsa or Baja Fresh above the list of restaurants.

But everywhere I've searched (in SoCal, at least) the past few days, every La Salsa location and most Baja Fresh locations (with only a couple Baja Fresh in the OC as the exceptions I've found) show "Leaving Soon" in the listing (as well as on the click through).

Are they really leaving? If so, how much longer will RN keep running their banner ads???

I love the Baja Fresh restaurants. Before dining, I'm go online to make sure that the restaurant isn't gone...

Perhaps might want to stock up on some gift cards to use later while you can still get the miles for them...

Perhaps might want to stock up on some gift cards to use later while you can still get the miles for them...
Great idea!!! :D

Of course, to max your miles, buy your giftcard Mon-Wed to earn double miles with the current promo [for most dining programs].

Two downtown Wash, DC Baja Fresh locations--19th Street, and New Hampshire Avenue--are gone from the program as of May 1. Seven others in Maryland and Virginia suburbs are gone, too. :(

This was an easy and cheap way to pick up a batch of dines toward VIP status. Decent food, too. Real shame that they are leaving.

Notice I titled this thread with a question. :) And it's still a question!

Up until today, all La Salsa locations I checked were showing as 0 miles on all dates in May.

But now it's May, and while they're still all showing Leaving Soon, they now show earning (5/$ or 10/$, as usual) for all dates I can see in early May!

So are they really leaving (and their leaving is delayed), or is this just a ruse because RN has learned that when someone threatens to leave we buy a bunch of gift cards? :)

And now (since Saturday 2 May), none of them seem to be showing "Leaving Soon" any more!

And now (since Saturday 2 May), none of them seem to be showing "Leaving Soon" any more!
Maybe because I was entering the statement "I will sure miss this restaurant/chain, when it leaves RN", or similar after each dine? :D

All my Baja Fresh locations are gone! :(

All my Baja Fresh locations are gone! :(
Aaarrrgghhh... My Sunnyvale Baja Fresh is gone. The closest is now in Palo Alto. Grrrrrr!!! :mad:

Aaarrrgghhh... My Sunnyvale Baja Fresh is gone. The closest is now in Palo Alto. Grrrrrr!!! :mad:
Baja Fresh's have been some in, some out for a while now (though the specifics may have changed). Best strategy is to occasionally go to the one that's farther from you (on a Mon/Tue/Wed, natch), buy gift cards, then use the gift cards at your preferred close location.

In my case, the Baja Fresh nearest home hasn't ever participated. And the one closest to work dropped out half a year ago or more. Fortunately there's one I pass by reasonably frequently that does participate, so I can easily buy gift cards there.

Are these a particular type of gift card, or just whatever the restaurant (or chain) gives out -- purchased with a RN-registered card? Thanks. :)

I think that all Baja Fresh are now all gone from RN -- at least those that are in the DC area.

I think that all Baja Fresh are now all gone from RN -- at least those that are in the DC area.
Not absolutely all gone from RN, but in many metro areas yes. They're all gone from 15 miles around 90064 (a West Los Angeles ZIP code), but there are three within 15 miles around 92780 (a central Orange County CA Zip code) as of today (but how much longer?).

But with La Salsa, as of today I can't find a single one in any metro.

But all this up this brings up the question: Why did I just see a banner add for Baja Fresh on the AA RN website when I was starting look for these??? :confused:

Has anyone taken the time to ask RN about this?

Are these a particular type of gift card, or just whatever the restaurant (or chain) gives out -- purchased with a RN-registered card? Thanks. :)
These are chain-specific gift cards. In fact, even though I'm pretty sure that La Salsa and Baja Fresh share the same owners, the gift cards for the two chains are separate.

If you purchase a restaurant-specific or chain-specific gift card (or gift certificate) with an RN-registered card under the terms on which you'd earn miles for a normal dine, you'll earn miles at the same rate for the gift card.

Now, of course the question is whether it's too late, depending on where you are. See my post directly above this one about how I can only fiind a few participating Baja Fresh locaitons in one metro and no participating La Salsa locations this morning.

I noticed a bunch of locations in the Chicago suburbs have returned to RN this month. That's on United as that's the only program I check.

I figured this may be of interest to some people in the Washington, DC area, who like me, were disappointed with Baja Fresh leaving the RN program. The California Tortilla location in Bethesda, MD now is participating in the RN program (at least in AA, Delta, Hilton, and United versions). Bethesda isn't the most convenient California Tortilla location for me, so I bought some gift cards, and I received an unexpected surprise of one coupon for a free burrito with each $25 in gift cards purchased (the coupons state they are only valid at the Bethesda location).

I figured this may be of interest to some people in the Washington, DC area, who like me, were disappointed with Baja Fresh leaving the RN program. The California Tortilla location in Bethesda, MD now is participating in the RN program (at least in AA, Delta, Hilton, and United versions). Bethesda isn't the most convenient California Tortilla location for me, so I bought some gift cards, and I received an unexpected surprise of one coupon for a free burrito with each $25 in gift cards purchased (the coupons state they are only valid at the Bethesda location).

+1 on California Tortilla. The branch located in downtown DC at 7th & G, near the Verizon Center, is also an RN restaurant. I've used them in the past month to make VIP in the Delta program for next year, and at the same time ring up some 500 mile bonuses as well. (Buy lunch, and then a gift card as a separate purchase. Repeat.) Nice that I can buy gift cards there to earn points, and then use them elsewhere in the area at branches that are not in the program. Best part about this: the food is actually pretty good!