Dining Programs?
 

United and American both have these dining programs. Can i register the same card and get miles on both? How are they?
Thanks

C'mon, looking for your own little double miles promo?! Just one per card as I understand it! yet, I'm not a big user of these programs- maybe I'm wrong!

Well, it doesn't say that the card should not be registered by any other program. that is why I wondered.. and of course i'm interested in a double miles promo! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Triple it with DL's Sky Dining. Although they all run through one promoter so I doubt you can pull this off.

On the other hand, I've eaten at hundreds of places in different towns without getting any points. They usually have undesirable restaurant signed up.

No you won't be double dipping; I believe some F-T try to do this before. It looks like most of major airlines' dining programs are run by Dining a La Card www.dalc.com and it will credit the airline you registered last.

The idea has been tried before and it doesn't work.

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"It is not doing the things we like to do, but liking the things we have to do, that makes life blessed." - Goethe

In answer to first question, as the same company handles the crediting of the accounts they are immediately aware if you have "double registered" and they will ask you to choose one.

Secondly, I frequently choose the restaurants from the guide (or fax) when out of town (whether in SFO, NYC or even Kansas City!) and average approximately 2500 miles per month -- and find that they DO include some very good to excellent dining establishments.

I've had great experiences with AAdvantage dining. It's slow, but everything has posted eventually, 10 miles to the dollar including tax and tip, and they have excellent restaurants in chicago..

Charles

Like I have said in my previous
posts. I am very satisfied with
dining program I am involved with
thru Delta Airlines VIA Dining A La
Card.. No fee and the miles are
posted PROMPTLY.. As far as restraunt
selections.. There are some VERY good
(just my opinion) restraunts on there
list.. Particulaly in the NYC area...
BUT you must check either by calling
or by fax whether a restaunt is still
included before you patronize it.. As
they can drop off.. The little book
they send out once a quarter is handy
for traveling...And I double dip
meaning I get 10 miles per $ spent at
per Dining A La Card and another 1
mile per $ spent using my AMEX Delta
Skymiles credit card.. Win Win
situation.. I highly recommend them.

Mike

They have some excellent restuarants in the program. It's not just the El-cheapo stuff either.

Some examples:

Delmonico's and Tennessee Mountain(a frequent flyertalk hangout) in Manhattan.
The GodFather in San Diego.

I picked up about 7500 miles in Continental's program last year.

Once last year, I found out a month after I ate at one place that it was in the program.
What a nice bonus 650 miles that was. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

When you call to register in a program they ask you if the card is already registered in another dining program - this had happened everytime I called to add a card. As to your second question the restaurants listed run the gamut from just above greasy spoons to some great cuisine - just like the real world.

I just signed up two of my credit cards last week on United's program. One of the first questions that I was asked was if the cards were already registered on another program. Good shot, but, it will not work. I looked over the restaurants near where I live. As indicated before; the entire range from inexpensive to "mortgage the house". Good to bad.

You can't double dip. In fact, I've asked to switch a credit card from the BA program to AA (run by the same company), and the rep added me to AA but forgot to turn off BA. The net result was that I didn't get miles on either.

I wish I had glowing reviews about DALC, but unfortunately, I got horrible service from them over the years. Calling once to sign up a card was never enough: in my experience, it was necessary to verify at least once that the card you called in had indeed been registered (and with the right program). On at least two occasions, it hadn't been, and they refused to honor my card usage. The points post *very* late, or not at all. In addition to this, they have very few restaurants in Hawai'i, so we have just about given up on them.

That said, I found that many of the restaurants on the program are quite good, and, if you're travelling in a new city, the restaurant guide can be helpful in finding a decent place to eat.

[This message has been edited by honu (edited 02-09-2000).]

And it's a shame that they don't accept Diners Club in those programs, which often leaves me wondering if the restaurant is an airline DALC or Diners program and which credit card to use.

The difference is 10 miles per $ for DALC, but Diners coughs up a 20% cash back rebate. The number of restaurants in the Diners program is smaller as well, but all it takes is a $400 business dinner and you've paid your annual fee.

Another nice point for DALC: while the rules state otherwise, I've been able to use coupons and still get the miles, which is nice for the neighboorhood joints I visit frequently.

There is also a 20% cash back version of DALC. I had this one year where they waived the annual fee. The United dining program does not have an annual fee, I think that the BA dining program has a fee (or at least it used to).

DH the link you gave goes to the dining-a-la card program and does not ref FF miles at all it just talks about the 20% off feature and is $50/year. I think I called an 800 number to sign up in the NW program, but i'm not sure if this program is also administered by the dining-a-la-card folks, just signed up so I will have to dig up the info when I am back @ home. Also it seems the # of resturaunts varies by area. Chicago seems really to have a lot both in the ff program and in diners club. We have almost none where I live in GR, MI.