thirdcoAAst

This has happened to me several times:

I check the online directory for a restaurant that is participating in the program to make sure a reward is offered. When it comes time to pay the bill, the waiter will take my DC card and come back in a few minutes informing me either: 1) They thought the restaurant takes Diners Club, but it doesn't. They tried running it through, but it didn't work or 2) The machine doesn't seem to take like your Diners Club card - do you have another one we can try?

I've never had this problem with restaurants that are not offering the restaurant savings program. Has anyone else ever encounter this? In my mind, this is bait and switch. I can easily say, that going to those particular restaurants would not have been on my mind if I didn't see it on the Diner's page for that night. Is there any recourse (besides not going back to those places)?

GeorgeF

I was browsing a merchant acceptance list and saw my favorite restaurant there. I knew they didn't take DC so I called Diners and they removed it.....

Personally, I'm fed up with people refusing to accept my card and I can't wait until the DC flavored MC arrives.

viniosity

I've personally never run into this but it doesn't surprise me. The restaurant savings program is outsourced to iDine (now Rewards Network) just like the concierge is outsourced to VIP Desk. I've had the concierge recommend lots of things to me that I couldn't follow through with using the Diners Club.

Steve M

I wonder how much of this may be done on purpose by the restaurant, either when they see a big ticket, or when they may be running short of cash that month.

The way I understand iDine to work for most restaurants is that the restaurant has been loaned money up front, and it's paid down as iDine customers dine there. So, when you use an iDine-affiliated credit card, a big chunk of the ticket is taken out of the charge before the restaurant sees it and is applied to pay down the loan. Of course, some of this is what provides the money to provide you the 20% cash back or airline miles.

What's great about iDine generally, as opposed to things like the Entertainment or similar discount cards, is that the restaurant has no idea that you're going to get a discount. So, there's no opportunity for poor service, cutting corners, or other nonesense, since you just pay with your credit card and it's all handled downstream.

But, unlike Visa/MC cards, an iDine restaurant knows that 100% of DC cards participate, so they may want to discourage their acceptance for big tickets and/or when it's a bad month.

This is nothing more than a wild theory on my part. Actually, I think it's more of an educated guess.

thirdcoAAst

Although I agree that it would be nice if more merchants accepted the card, the benefits (the points and the restaurant discounts, when they work) are pretty good. My beef is more with the restaurants themselves - if they want to accept the card without participating in the restaurant discount program, I'm fine with that - just so long as they don't advertise that they are part of the program and then pull a sneaky after you've dined there and say "we don't take Diners" or that it "doesn't seem to be going through". It's the same thing as places that have special offers or coupons, but don't seem to honor them when you show up with one in hand. Perhaps iDine can be more strict about places that are listed - say, if they receive a specified number of complaints, then they won't be listed in the directory as part of the program.

NJUPINTHEAIR

DC has known about this for well over a year. I complained to them last year about this and believe it or not, the same restos that I was told were removed from the list were still on it!

You can not trust the online listing. I have told them it is stupid as it angers DC members who are surprised at doing the legwok and still not having the card accepted because of their outdated list.

Moreover, I told them that those merchants who do accept DC are shortchanged because they just don't appear on it.

Hint: Here is an IMPERFECT way to find current restaurants that accept DC in your area. This list, however, definitely does not include all the DC restaurants that accept the card, only some of them.

GO TO THE DC IDINE LISTING -- THAT LISTING IS UP TO DATE AND WILL FEATURE RESTOS NOT LISTED ON THE ONLINE DIRECTORY. HOWEVER, NOT ALL RESTOS PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM!!

Besides being mad at DC for not updating their list on at least a bi-monthly basis, I asked them, how it is that we can receive up to date information about those restos that will give you the 20% discount from the dining program, but they can't seem to give us an up to date list of all the restos -- many of which never change their acceptance of DC -- their acceptance of the card.

No answer -- just wait till the MC acceptance.

Until then, do as I suggest and also call the resto in advance whether or not they accept the card. That is all you can do.

Good luck!

Tino

I put part of the blame on Diners Club as well. I called to complain about one of these bait-and-switches (the restaurant not only was in the DC Restaurant Savings Book, but still had the DC logo on the door and was using DC folios for the bills). The waiter told me that they had stopped using DC a while ago, but I guess they never bothered to cancel the free advertising.

DC's response was not to call the restaurant in question, hammer them and remove them from the list, but to send ME a form to fill out and fax in, including all kinds of irrelevant questions and demands (provide copy of non-DC credit card used in lieu of DC for the transaction, receipt, etc).

Uh, no thanks. Do your job yourself.

TRRed

A lot of this sounds familiar. Typically, a couple of times a month I run into a restaurant with a Diners sticker on the door which "no longer" accepts the card. I've only run into 1 rest. listed on DC iDine and 1 rest. that was using DC bill portfolios which wouldn't accept DC.

NJUPINTHEAIR

That one takes the cake!

Listed as participating with DC IDINE and still refuses to accept DC!!

Chutzpah!

A possible way around these unfortunate instances, is to have VIP DESK make your reservations for you.

One would think that as a DC rep, if they can make a reservation for you at a resto, one would assume that they could not make a DC reservation for you if the resto does not accept Diners.

Of course, many of you will be doing this to get the bonus points, but then again, I guess one should never assume anything with respect to DC acceptance, right now.

misty1tk

There is a restaurant in Tampa that was listed in the dining program address and all and when I tried to use my card there (twice in two months) they said they had no idea what I was talking about and did not accept DC. Even showed then the written promo from Dc and all I got was which other card would you care to use sir.

Tino

Cafe by the Bay?

gleff

Why? VIPdesk is a contract vendor for several services, they can make restaurant reservations with anyone, have no specific knowledge of Diners Club other than their contract relationship...

Kixo

Well, because if Diners Club is promoting it, you would think it would be for establishments that accept the DC card. This could be handled quite easily with a specific toll-free VIP Desk number for Diners Club cardmembers, and if the VIP Desk rep asked, "Would you like me to search for xx restaurant, hotel, etc. that accepts Diners Club, or any card."

Yoosh

If the restaurant has a Diners sticker at the door, and they told you they don't accept the card after your meal, can't you just walk away? I mean, they can't assume that you carry cash or another card. Take a picture of the Diners sticker at the door before you walk in, leave your wallet at home, and just take a Diners Club card with you to the restaurant.

Tino

If you are willing to have a crazed chef chase you down the street with a meat cleaver to save $40, have at it!