There are some restaurants near where I live that participate in I dine. A few of them are good restaurants that I would frequent without miles, so occasionaly I go, but I certainly don't go out of my way to get there on the first of every month just for the miles.

In fact, it has been several months since I have used a local idine restaurant. We have our favorite restaurants and the food and service win out over the miles.

On the road, however, if you have to choose a place to eat, the idine program can help tip the balance. You have to eat somewhere right? Especially if you don't have a guide, why not give the idine restaurant a shot? Otoh, there are places on the road that i frequent that I like and i don't care about missing the miles.

The restaurants can be hit or miss. Last year in Newport Beach (2800 miles from home), 11 of us in 3 cars drove directly to an Italian restaurant listed in the book. My brother wanted to know how I knew we were coming up to this restaurant, after all we were on the road. I said idine. The meal was passable, but the kids were happy and 2,000 miles later so was I.

Several nights later, we tried a restaurant in San Diego listed in the book, drove to it, took one look and drove away as fast as we could to a Shakeys or some such fast food. A free airline ticket couldn't have gotten us into that restaurant, not if we still wanted our car to be there when we got out.