Old Mar 19, 2014, 8:00 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: beltway
What qualifies as a "restaurant" for the Q2 2014 bonus?

From the Freedom website:
Merchants in the Restaurants category are merchants whose primary business is sit-down or eat-in dining, including fast food restaurants as well as fine dining establishments. Please note that some merchants that sell food and drinks located within larger merchants that sell other goods or services may not be included in this category; for example, sports stadium concessions and department store cafeterias.
Print Wikipost

Chase Freedom 5% Merchant Categories

Old Mar 7, 2014, 4:34 pm
  #181  
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: SAN
Programs: AA Gold, Bonvoy Gold, DL Gold
Posts: 1,192
MS at restaurants? I guess you can tip a water $2,000 and have them give you cash. Pretty unethical but really the same as MS through amazon payments except that the restaurant eats the fee and will likely fire the waiter.
WheelsFirst is offline  
Old Mar 7, 2014, 4:39 pm
  #182  
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: LAX
Programs: AA, TY, UR, UA, US, WN, MR, SPG
Posts: 1,453
Originally Posted by WheelsFirst
MS at restaurants? I guess you can tip a water $2,000 and have them give you cash. Pretty unethical but really the same as MS through amazon payments except that the restaurant eats the fee and will likely fire the waiter.
Yeah, and the waiter pays income tax on the $2K. Never gonna happen.
roki is offline  
Old Mar 7, 2014, 7:23 pm
  #183  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: LAX/SNA
Programs: AA, Hilton Gold
Posts: 3,887
You realize Lowe's is the other half, right? That makes it so much easier to max this category out.
PainCorp is offline  
Old Mar 8, 2014, 1:15 pm
  #184  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 8,135
From the Freedom website:

Merchants in the Restaurants category are merchants whose primary business is sit-down or eat-in dining, including fast food restaurants as well as fine dining establishments. Please note that some merchants that sell food and drinks located within larger merchants that sell other goods or services may not be included in this category; for example, sports stadium concessions and department store cafeterias.
In general, the Freedom bonus activation page is a good place to look for program info (or links to same).
beltway is offline  
Old Mar 16, 2014, 2:01 pm
  #185  
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: California
Posts: 2,731
Originally Posted by pharoah16
Good to know -- thanks for the information guys.

Any good ideas to generate MS on dining over the course of 3 months? I know some basics, but curious about some other ideas:
  • Restaurant/fast food gift cards
One thing I discovered is that you're not limited to big chains for gift certs/cards. Almost all of the local mom and pop places we go to also have them (One with a particularly nice deal of, "buy a $100 GC, get $20 off today's meal." Sold!)
fwoomp is offline  
Old Mar 18, 2014, 12:11 pm
  #186  
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: LAX, BUR
Programs: UA, AA, IHG, SPG, CC
Posts: 82
FWIW, Starbucks shows up in the "restaurant" category when I check out my Track It data on Blueprint. I don't know if this varies by region, but it might be worth looking into for some.
McNandez is offline  
Old Mar 19, 2014, 7:20 am
  #187  
mia
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend; Moderator: American Express, Capital One, Citi, Chase, Credit Card Programs, Diners Club, Signatures
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,882
Originally Posted by beltway
In general, the Freedom bonus activation page is a good place to look for program info (or links to same).
Now that Q2 activation page is live there is a link to a list of qualifying merchants (restaurants):

https://creditcards.chase.com/freedom/merchants

Originally Posted by McNandez
FWIW, Starbucks shows up in the "restaurant" category...
Starbucks is listed, however my experience is that starbucks.com may not be coded the same. (I think this has been discussed previously. Will add link to thread if I can find it.)
mia is online now  
Old Mar 19, 2014, 6:21 pm
  #188  
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: PHX, ORD, MDW
Programs: WN A-List, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, National Executive Elite
Posts: 292
Question

Does anyone know if you can purchase gift cards at Lowe's using a credit card? I've heard conflicting reports.
ryanmcv is offline  
Old Mar 19, 2014, 6:42 pm
  #189  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,731
Originally Posted by mia
Now that Q2 activation page is live there is a link to a list of qualifying merchants (restaurants):

https://creditcards.chase.com/freedom/merchants

Starbucks is listed, however my experience is that starbucks.com may not be coded the same. (I think this has been discussed previously. Will add link to thread if I can find it.)
I imagine any eateries that used to earn 2pt on the CSP card would qualify, and not just those listed on the website.
Happy is offline  
Old Mar 20, 2014, 2:29 am
  #190  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
IHG Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PHX & AGP
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 11,408
Originally Posted by ryanmcv
Does anyone know if you can purchase gift cards at Lowe's using a credit card? I've heard conflicting reports.
Where you hearing these conflicting reports?

Yes, you can use CC to purchase GC at Lowes.
FlightNurse is offline  
Old Mar 20, 2014, 10:30 am
  #191  
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: PHX, ORD, MDW
Programs: WN A-List, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, National Executive Elite
Posts: 292
Originally Posted by FlightNurse
Where you hearing these conflicting reports?

Yes, you can use CC to purchase GC at Lowes.
I read conflicting reports on various blogs talking about last years Freedom 5% bonus at Lowe's.

Example: http://millionmilesecrets.com/2013/0...omment-1120664

Yesterday, I tried purchasing Shell and iTunes gift cards using my Chase Freedom at a Lowes in Los Angeles. I was told by two different employees that gift cards can only be paid with cash or a debit card. Has anyone else experienced this?
ryanmcv is offline  
Old Mar 20, 2014, 11:41 am
  #192  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Toledo, OH
Programs: Delta DM & MM, Hilton DM, Marriott gold, Hyatt Globalist, Alaska 75K, Wyndham Diamond,
Posts: 15,391
Originally Posted by ryanmcv
I read conflicting reports on various blogs talking about last years Freedom 5% bonus at Lowe's.

Example: http://millionmilesecrets.com/2013/0...omment-1120664

Yesterday, I tried purchasing Shell and iTunes gift cards using my Chase Freedom at a Lowe’s in Los Angeles. I was told by two different employees that gift cards can only be paid with cash or a debit card. Has anyone else experienced this?
I never had an issue purchasing gift cards at Lowe's. Last year either when Lowe's was a quarterly 5% cash back, I purchased $1K in amazon gift cards and some other gift cards with no problem. When Delta's am ex use to give double miles at home improvement stores I would buy gift cards as well with no problem on that card.

Home improvement stores are also a q2 5% cashback bonus for Discover this year and I hope the policy hasn't changed.
jamesteroh is offline  
Old Mar 20, 2014, 3:39 pm
  #193  
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: PHX, ORD, MDW
Programs: WN A-List, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, National Executive Elite
Posts: 292
Originally Posted by jamesteroh
I never had an issue purchasing gift cards at Lowe's. Last year either when Lowe's was a quarterly 5% cash back, I purchased $1K in amazon gift cards and some other gift cards with no problem. When Delta's am ex use to give double miles at home improvement stores I would buy gift cards as well with no problem on that card.

Home improvement stores are also a q2 5% cashback bonus for Discover this year and I hope the policy hasn't changed.
I suppose the policy could differ from store-to-store. I plan on heading to Lowe's the first weekend in April to buy some Amazon gift cards, so I will report back if I encounter any problems.
ryanmcv is offline  
Old Mar 21, 2014, 2:25 am
  #194  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
IHG Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PHX & AGP
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 11,408
Originally Posted by ryanmcv
I read conflicting reports on various blogs talking about last years Freedom 5% bonus at Lowe's.
Example: http://millionmilesecrets.com/2013/0...omment-1120664

Yesterday, I tried purchasing Shell and iTunes gift cards using my Chase Freedom at a Lowes in Los Angeles. I was told by two different employees that gift cards can only be paid with cash or a debit card. Has anyone else experienced this?
It was one person who had the issue, and as the blogger responded with, they haven't had problems buying GC with a CC. IF a clerk says that, ask to speak to a MOD (Manager of the day.) I'm looking forward to this as I have a nice project home to finish and Lowes is right down the street.
FlightNurse is offline  
Old Mar 21, 2014, 7:31 am
  #195  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Toledo, OH
Programs: Delta DM & MM, Hilton DM, Marriott gold, Hyatt Globalist, Alaska 75K, Wyndham Diamond,
Posts: 15,391
Originally Posted by FlightNurse
It was one person who had the issue, and as the blogger responded with, they haven't had problems buying GC with a CC. IF a clerk says that, ask to speak to a MOD (Manager of the day.) I'm looking forward to this as I have a nice project home to finish and Lowes is right down the street.
If you have a large project to complete and will be buying the supplies at lowes just get a lowes store card. Doesn't work for gift cards, but you get 5 percent knocked off at the register for any purchases put on hhe card regardless of the amount.
jamesteroh is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.