Drill Down in Search- Not all Restaurants Participate Every Day
 

Today is the first time I logged in to do a search and found a new format. There is a calendar for the next week and there are either green check marks or red X's showing if a restaurant gives points on that particular day or not. That used to be the case several years ago but then they switched to the proposition that every place offered points every day- much more customer friendly. Now we're back to the old system. There is no rhyme or reason for a restaurant being 'on' 'off' the program. I'm really steamed because I just found out a place I ate at last Sunday is 'off' on Sundays (although they are 'on' on Saturdays- go figure!)
Would have been nice if RN gave a heads up email or a banner on the webiste about new rules coming up.:td:

Ummmm .... perhaps all of the restaurants you frequent have been without blackout days, but I assure the option has existed all along. There is nothing "new" about it, except the way that information is displayed.

It was always there before, but it used to be on the left hand side of the restaurant detail page only. It's still there (go look at any restaurant listing page), and in fact it allows you to see more than a week there.

So all that's changed is that a week's worth of that data is also shown on the search results page.

So actually, I bet many people found the information "hidden" before, while it's much easier to see as part of a search now.

The one thing that disappeared (relative to this) on the search results page is that you can no longer filter results by any other day than today. You have to look at the chart over at the right. (But of course that's actually less work.)

In fact, if you're doing a search for restaurants where you'll eat other than today, you may want to uncheck the "hide restaurants not offering Rewards today" box, so that you can see restaurants which participate on other days. If, for example, you do a search on Sunday for a restaurant to eat at on Monday, and you don't uncheck that box, if the restaurant doesn't give Rewards on Sunday (or is closed on Sunday), you won't see the listing at all (and thus won't know it gives Rewards on Monday).

It is as you and sdsearch say - exactly! In the areas I dine primarily, there have always been restaurants that do not participate every day. It's always wise to check the limitations before booking - the limit can even be one dine a month, specific days excluded, or even specific days only excluded (e.g. Mother's Day). And of course, some may accept a variety of credit cards - but not award miles on all the cards they accept. Caveat muncher. ;)

The title has been edited to reflect the realities of Rewards Network - nothing new here, folks, move on... :D - Moderator

There are still once-a-month only joints? That I haven't encountered in quite a while.

It varies by area. Around where I live in the West L A / Santa Monica area, there are tons (Spumoni's*, Fish Grill, Monte Alban, Guido's, etc).

*The Spumoni's in the Santa Clarita area, just off the I-5, also participates, and guess what, also is 1/month.

On the other hand, in central Orange County, another location I eat in a lot, hardly any are.

And when I travel outside SoCal, in some areas I run into one/month while researching restaurants, in other areas I never do.

So I presume it may have to do with particular RN reps. Some may offer 1/month to restaurants (perhaps after they turn down unlimited?), while others may not.

Also, 1/month restaurants may only be open to restaurants which are doing it purely as a coupon-equivalent promotion, and not to restaurants using RN for a "loan" which the dines repay. But I'm just guessing, though.

I agree -- new format but nothing new about the policy.

One good thing about the new listings is that they show the ensuing seven days and have green checkmarks showing which day(s) the properties offer miles. I do appreciate that - a quick glance, as long as I know which credit cards they accept and give miles on, and I'm there.