When Transmedia merged with Dining a la card - I think it was called and became IDine, for no fee I could get 15% off, or for $49 I could get 20%. That meant the first $250 of dining went to pay the fee. At the time Diner's Club had their program at 20% and some restaurants were in both. No EXTRA fee for this program which has been discontinued. I've heard that they will be using the IDine program???and therefore I imagine 20% without paying the extra $49 fee, but I'm not sure. People have paid more than 1 or 2 cents a mile - for example paying taxes at 2.4%, or buying cereal that they aren't going to eat or buying flyertalk subscriptions that they don't need. So it really depends on whether you have been willing to spend more than 1.5 to 2 cents a mile elsewhere as a comparison. My mission has been lifetime platinum so miles are more important to me and I try to visit an IDine restaurant when it's possible as a choice. When I reach it (within the next month)I will probably switch to another family member (after 3 cheap meals to get 500 bonus miles) so another family member works toward lifetime status. When Diners Club has their program and if indeed it is the same restaurants for 20% off, I might just go for the money.

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Ms.DtG