I thought they took up to three cards only. Are you tying into the idine program or one of their airline affiliation programs?

The airline program is the same as the iDine program, even if you did not know this.

For example, I just switched my iDine account from Delta to CO in order to top off my CO account. The rep on the phone said you can't have the same credit card in both programs, so he had to close my DL account. I only thought I had one, but he said my DL Dine account set up through Delta was also an iDine account.

Rep said that the restaurants for the various airlines are basically the same, with a few exceptions here and there.

dingo -

You can register up to three cards in EACH program, as long as one card is only registered once in all programs. So, three cards registered to AA, 3 different cards to UA, 3 to NW, etc.

Thanks for the tip. I just signed up for the BA Exec Club iDine program and moved my BA Visa from the UA program.

Funny, almost every restaurant on Ocean Dr in South Beach Miami is a Idine participant! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Some better then others. I forgot my list and just picked the places I wanted to try. Only to find, that they were on the list. Nice touch, when you get the bonus miles.

I was wondering about the quality (food/ ambiance/ service) of these restaurants? I guess there is a wide variety from the best to the worst?

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AAdvantage Platinum
AMEX Platinum (Canada)

Flyaway: you are correct. There is a wide range of restaurants. For example here in SAT there are numerous Mexican restaurants. Most are quite good and fairly inexpensive.

We just got a new Gallagher's Steakhouse. This is a franchise of the NYC original. We normally don't think these specialty steak houses (like Ruth's Chris) are worth the expensive tabs. We thought we would try Gallagher's while they are on Idine.

The food was okay. The bill was $125 (for 2) so I am glad I at least got 1250 miles.

There are often Ihops and Bennigans on the list. There are many mom and pop places. The variety here is quite good.

We are eating our way through all the restaurants on the list that are within 20 minutes or so of our home. There have only been 2 that we will not go back to. We have been more than happy with the others.

I have eaten at some very good restaurants on the program. They have everything from quite fancy to delis, depending where you are located.

They are based in S. Fla and have offices in NYC, so their coverage there is very good.

They tend to get restaurants that are new or short on cash. As a result, the most popular or well-established restaurants in a city generally are not included. Still, there are usually plenty of great places on the card in most cities.

cordelli, thank you for your suggestion. I couldn't remember which credit card I assigned to what airline. I went to the idine website and input my mileage plus Firstusa card. Invalid card. I was requested to call customer service, and after a few minutes, had everything straightened out. She told me to go to www.mpdining.idine.com to create a profile for my UA account, using my MP FF number as my username. She also looked up my NW account and we updated the cc info on that, too. My CO account had been cancelled by me two years ago. I asked her to send me a new booklet, and she told me the restaurants are the same for UA and NW.

Everything was pretty easy to do. No long wait, and the website was okay to navigate on. I'm ready to go!

Linda

If someone has the know-how (and the time) they should build an online link/chart between idine and Entertainment and/or Zagat. Now that would be one useful tool!!

We don't have an IHOP on IDINE. However, if you are in this area Cafe Aspen is really fine. If you like a bar atmosphere, be sure to sit in the bar all the way in the back of the restaurant. Same food, but I think the service is more personal. Also less chatter back there. There is a back entrance for those of us (few) who know the way.

This restaurant is in a strip shopping center, but don't let that put you off. It is high class, but not a budget buster.

Isn't it funny how I insist on having a meal there once a month? My credit card, of course. I am so generous! My friends give me their cash.

Cafe Aspen is probably the finest restaurant in Fort Worth and it isn't in the ritzy, high price frame of mind! The art on the walls is for sale. The bartenders and waiters remember you.

No chain place for sure!

Another choice is Harrigan's. The only thing to order their is beef! Bar service is strickly industrial. No class! No one ever remembers your name. But it is an IDINE!

Do you like those long lists of Pizza Huts in the book?

Have anyone gone to Pizza Hut for the miles or the food?

Long lists of Pizza Huts? I just wish there was one here in SAT! The way my teenagers eat pizza I would be a million miler! Sure, we would make Pizza Hut our number one place for the miles and the food!

BTW, There is a feature add on the last page for Gordon Biersch Brewery. There are lots of locations. We ate at one in LAS and I had the best salad there I have ever had in my long salad eating life. The place was terrific for casual dining.

Zagat--the iDine site (for DL in ATL at least) does include links to those restaurants reviewed by Zagat, but not Entertainment. But I know the Entertainment restaurants by heart. And in fact, I pulled an Entertainment 50% off/iDine combo just last night! Unfortunately, the iDine miles are off the discounted price (but inclusive of tax and tip).

Man, I miss the Gordon Biersch in San Jose! My favorite was the beer-battered salmon fish and chips. Yumm!

just had dinner last weekend $175 check
5 miles per dollar onto my webmiles account
plus what i get from using credit card
got about 100 miles
i agree it's a great program
whan i first looked at it they were asking you to make reservations but now you just go
these people seem pretty savy to consumers
i agree the list of restaurants could be better but it seems to be increasing

I will be in NYC the evening of May 4. Anyone suggest a great restaurant appearing on the idine list?

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AAdvantage Platinum
AMEX Platinum (Canada)

I personally like the Chophouse in Times Square, it's part of the Heartland Microbrewery trio in the city, The food is quite good, and the beers are excellent. Was just there a week or so ago.

I have received numerous requests to do this in the last few weeks. I am still more than willing to help any fellow FTers out!

Dave

Don't know about other airline partners, but AA Pt (probably ExPt and maybe Au also) get 500 bonus miles every month if dine at 3 or more participating restaurants.

So aside from restaurants appropriate for business meals, I also like inexpensive fast food places to top off if I don't have 3 in a month. In the SJC area, I can get a taco from one of the Una Mas chain for under $2 for an extra 500 miles.

I just love the way you think, Silicon! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Flyaway: I asked another FT'r this same question via email. He (TUDORCITY) was kind enough to give me some detailed info. Here are his recommmendations with a comment on the ones we tried:

Dallas BBQ (Times Square)This was great! Very crowded and I can see why. Cheap, good and plentiful. Plus, Tudocity recommends that you go for early bird specials.

Salmon River

Michaels Cafe (East side Italian)

An American Place (Tudorcity says best Idine in the city)

TGIF Times Square (We went there because we have teenagers who love Fridays)

JT's Grill (41st and Madison)

Frer Jacques and Madison Bistro for French (Madison and 37th ST)

Rossini's (38th and Park)

Heartland Brewery (several locations) We tried it and it was good.

We would have loved to have tried more but found we were usually eating on the run. Hope this helps!

Barolo in Soho for excellent Italian food. I was there last night, and am still savoring the food. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

They are also on Open Table, so you can use the link on the FT home page to make a reservation.

[This message has been edited by Rssrsvp (edited 04-07-2002).]

Silicon Engineer: Have you *actually received* the extra miles for 3x dining yet? I --always-- hit about 6-10 of the idine restaurants per month, and despite being ExecutivePlatinum, I haven't received any extra mileage since they discontinued that program a year ago February.

If you have received these extra miles lately, who do you think I should complain to, idine or AA?

SST,
Have not gotten it for this year yet, but idine has always been slow about the bonuses. Got a bonus in December for a promotion, IIRC, in the summer.

However, if you want to check, suggest you start with idine first.

I forgot Dallas was part of Idine, thanks. They also have one on 23rd I believe, it's a great place for BBQ (about as good as you will get in a city that makes it very tough to have a smoker)

The 500 bonus miles for elite status holders for AA miles started in March - and I haven't seen my regular miles post to my account yet so we will see if they post at the same time or if there is a lag. The bonus last year - I forget exactly what the bonus was but it was a one time thing - so many visits in a time frame - those 500 miles only recently posted. I had forgotten all about it. They had this monthly bonus a while back, but at that time I think it was for everyone, not just elite, but I'm not sure.

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DtG

Never used idine, though I would love to. The reason - there is only ONE restaurant the entire Toledo area that participates in the program, and I can't stand the place. Anyone know how much it costs a restaurant to be a part of idine, or how to recommend to restaurants that they join?

It doesn't cost the restaurant to be part of Idine. They get funding from Idine and pay back through the program. You could say they do it to improve the traffic and the bottom line.

I use it to find places to eat in strange cities.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by lyss710:
Never used idine, though I would love to. The reason - there is only ONE restaurant the entire Toledo area that participates in the program, and I can't stand the place. Anyone know how much it costs a restaurant to be a part of idine

You may want to browse this website that explains how Idine attracts customers, which any restaurant in Toledo will be interested.
http://www.freshcustomers.com/

or how to recommend to restaurants that they join?

Talk to the owners of the restaurants you like or simply write visit-- http://www.freshcustomers.com/
in the receipt, a fellow FT member does that.


[This message has been edited by eperaltaotero (edited 04-08-2002).]

Darn, I thought I had those bonuses for Jan and Feb. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/eek.gif

But, I have seen my Jan and beginning of Feb restaurants credits in my online AA account for several weeks already.

no hat trick por moi. feb postings

Is anyone aware of any bonuses available to DL or CO members?

UAL MP Members:

Earn twice the miles — that’s 20 per dollar!

From April 1st through May 30th (Sundays through Thursdays) — Earn twice the miles (that’s 20 miles for every dollar you spend!) on your food, drinks, tax, and tips at 1,500+ specially selected restaurants across the country.

http://mpdining.idine.com/site/member_support/whats_special.jht ml;$sessionid$GEYZ0PDEHOMSSAIRAYLRKHA#minisearch

[This message has been edited by cactuspete (edited 04-09-2002).]

Howdy,

I try to dine at a couple iDine resturants in each city (I travel weekly). I jot down notes about the resturant, meal, prices, etc... and pass this information along to co-workers who might pass through the area.

Is there anywhere people can go to post iDine experiences/resturant reviews?

It's almost too much to ask for a searchable index to iDine reviews by FF's - but it would wonderful. I can certainly contribute a few reviews if such a place exists.

If anyone knows of such a place, let me know - and I'm sure many other FF's here would also benefit.

Thanks,

Pakse

One place to post reviews would be under the FT Dining forum for that city/region. "i-Dine restaurant reviews in Kansas City" for example.

Then, if you were traveling to MCI, you could go to the Midwest forum and look at that thread.

How's this?:

http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdi...ML/000019.html

[This message has been edited by johnndor (edited 04-11-2002).]

I was just trying to enroll in iDine, and their darn site crashed when I went to page 2. The error message is

This function is currently unavailable, please try again later.
You can also call customer service during normal business hours:
Phone: 1-877-491-DINE (3463) (8am - 10pm ET Monday thru Friday, 8am - 5pm Saturday.)

Probably have to wait until tomorrow to sign up, and I hope their system doesn't mark my chosen username as "taken" because I had entered it before the crash.

Is there a minimum number of miles they will transfer?

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Middle_Seat

It's not a transfer, the miles post directly into your airline's account