cmtlatitudes

Good point. I decided earlier just to wait until next week, just to be sure. Taking a group of friends out who helped with a major afternoon backyard project last month. The entrees at this establishment can be pricey, and we all like our wine - alot - lol - so the 3x vice 5x difference may be relatively substantial.

Although I ask myself often, if it's worth pondering to this level of detail. The accumulation of points is still paltry compared to an AAH stay or a major eShopping purchase. The delta on intermittent AA Dining doesn't move the needle much, unfortunately. If I find myself perhaps falling short on 1 Feb, I'd just do a high return stay or two. Sometimes it seems easier just to plan to do that, than the mental energy of all these small-ish purchases with lackluster returns (in comparison to AAH) .

TheDudeAbides

I think AA Dining can play a role in the LP chase if one has to host one or more big dining events (including catered events). Basically, I buy a cup of coffee or lunch sandwich at a qualified place enough times to hit 11 dines annually and then I host a few $1000+ dinners annually. I have to do this regardless so the 5000+ LPs per dine are a total freebee. Just need to be sure the monthly max for any given restaurant is bigger than the anticipated bill. Many places have monthly max of $2000.

Fanjet

I don't see why people aren't particpating in this program. It doesn't take much effort to accumulate the frist 11 dines, and with minimal spend. Moreover, if one is short 1K-2K LPs in crossing over an elite status threshold come mid-February, this is an easy way to close that gap. especially with the 20%/30% LP bonus.

VegasGambler

It really depends how often you eat out at establishments that participate. When I lived in San Francisco there were a few places I went to regularly that were in the program. But in the Phoenix area there aren't too many that I'm interested in going to so I don't get too many dines. Occasionally I'll be traveling, go somewhere, and be surprised with some miles. That happened to me last week in Miami; a cigar bar there was in the program (I didn't know until I got the email later)

Now, if my local cigar place was in the program I'd be racking up the miles for sure...

cmtlatitudes

This is my problem too. Surprisingly, in an radius of two miles from my house, with probably 100+ restaurants, there's only two places participating with dine-in I'm interested in. One's a breakfast place, so those points rack up slowly.

There are 3-4 other participating places I'd go to more often, one being a favorite Italian/Pizza place I'm at weekly. But for some bizarre reason those participating restaurants are all 'chownow delivery only'. Dine-in, or even takeout or the restaurants' own delivery services, don't qualify. And I refuse to give Chownow even a dime just to earn points, when tax, tip, and extra delivery fees don't count.

Actually, other than the pizza place, I probably wouldn't use Chownow often anyway, even if every $ counted. We're not in lock down anymore. If I'm doing more than standard pizza or Chinese/Asian delivery, I want the 'eating out' experience and atmosphere to go with it. Not messing around with potentially late delivery service, cold food, plastic utensils, eating from takeout containers, or transferring everything to dishes, and then the resulting clean-up.

AA Dining could be a great program. I'd participate much more often if there were more/different choices nearby.

cmtlatitudes

OMG, I wish I'd read this thread start to finish before. What a great hack. 😆😆 Love it!

cmtlatitudes

After reading through this thread, and revisiting the AA dining website, what I posted previously is not correct. It requires 11 visits to reach VIP status, not 10 visits. The 5x rate should then kick in with visit 12.

So there's another breakfast outing this morning to make the magic number. I'm just relieved I didn't jump the gun prematurely on a bigger expenditure.

On a happier note, noticed TGIF is added now in the DMV region, including Dine-In. Like them better than most similar chain restaurants. Hopefully they stay on the list for awhile. Fairly surprised to see them added.

Mr. BoH

It’s even worse than this. A lot of the 'chownow delivery only' places charge higher menu prices if you click through the AAdvantage dining link vs ordering online directly. The difference in price more than outweighs the value of miles. It’s more than a little disingenuous imo.

Steve M

This. Whether it be via AA or some other airline that participates, there's really no reason to not sign up for the dining program. Even if you never look at the directory of participating restaurants, you're bound to pick up credits just via dining Brownian Motion. It's especially useful for a program that you have accumulated miles in but for whatever reason don't fly anymore or have a credit card for. Even picking up a restaurant by accident once a year will be enough activity to prevent your miles from expiring.

cmtlatitudes

Anyone else experiencing recent delays in posting times?

The breakfast place I've been going to to hit VIP status, previously posted to AA in 3-4 days. Like clockwork.

Now however I'm waiting on 3 postings at the 8, 7, and 4 day marks, respectively. The first two (last week) should have pushed me over to VIP by now. There's been no acknowledgment/ movement on the Dining site.

I know it's states to allow 10 days, and I will wait the full 10 days before submitting the current charges from my AA card, but the sudden, notable time difference is kind of frustrating.

VegasGambler

No. I recently (10/27) did a little experiment to see if I could double dip SimplyMiles and Dining. I got the tracking email from Dining immediately, and and it posted 3 days later. SimplyMiles took longer (as it always does) but I got the tracking email a couple of days ago and they posted overnight last night.

So, double dip successful and everything posted on schedule (3 days for dining and 5 days for SimplyMiles)

ghsbass0406

Why participate in the program when you don't offer any benefits? Has anyone hit up Taco Bueno and received LP?

rrgg

I’ve seen that happen when a new restaurant joins the program but benefits don’t begin until some date like 1st of the month.

notquiteaff

Taking a look at a local place that I like and might order from:

Bagel sandwich, ordered directly from them: $9
Ordered via AA Dining/Chownow: $12

30% surcharge to earn some miles? No thanks.

As for dining in, there are exactly two restaurants in my area. One is a Jersey Mike’s sub shop, and one is a local Mexican restaurant that isn’t particularly convenient for me to get to. In the past when one of the Dining Rewards programs had a significant signup bonus, I did pick up takeout food at the Mexican place a couple of times (ordered directly). Occasionally, when traveling I receive miles or points from a random restaurant, but I rarely even check nowadays when I am traveling before we pick a restaurant.

ILuvParis

But don't you get the AA miles (as well as the dining bonus) if you order directly from them and use a credit card registered with the program?