[quote]<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by KathyWdrf:

Quote:

Looks like we hijacked your lighthearted thread and made it serious!


Kathy

Kathy,

Lighthearted, my foot, I’m deadly serious. When your meals are business expensed and you add in the Idine dividend, it’s as cheap to eat out as to have yoghurt at your desk, so in the time that it took to earn the equivalent of two F/C tix to Europe, I’ve probably gained almost a dozen pounds....Maybe a bad tradeoff. And, although domiciled in Long Beach (which has eight member restaurants w/in walking distance of my office), with my "territory" extending from Santa Barbara to Orange Country I could eat in an Idine place every day and not give up on quality.

Jailer, you silly goose, what are you talking about? You are slim as a boy. Well, that makes sense, you are barely past being a boy.

Even as slim as you are, however, you are still a threat to passing waitresses.

Being the truly romantic type, I took my Savannah girlfriend to one of the top restaurants in the city. It is called "1790", located in an inn that dates back to that period, boasts a ghost who killed herself for love, and has a fantastic gourmet cuisine.

Being the truly romantic type, I was also thrilled by the fact that for the two of us I earned 1000 miles.

This brings me that much closer to getting a free ticket to go to Milan and visit my Italian girlfriend.

See? I told you I was the truly romantic type.

TYMIKE1: Tony Di Napoli no longer participates in Idine. They may have at one time before I had the opportunity to eat there. It is a great restaurant and I was impressed with the food and service. It is too bad I couldn't get the miles while enjoying such a lovely dinner.

I do see many fine restaurants under iDine. Tourist area restaurants seem to use iDine to draw ocassional visitors. In Monterey county, CA, I can name quite a few decent ones. Also there are some chains where I do like the food (Una Mas for example - They even accept diners around here in Silicon Valley).

Yes, I've also found many great restaurants using iDine. What's even better is some of them accepts Entertainment card/coupon as well! (We had an excellent Thai dinner the other night. Our dessert: mango with sticky rice - can you say "yum"! )

jakeman, I cut and pasted this from another thread:

I ate at six idine places in DC in April. They were good to excellent. All were 10 miles/$. You can look these up on the idine website:

Thai Tanic Restaurant (downtown) -- this place was fantastic. Subtle and complex spicing.

Aroma Indian Restaurant (downtown) -- had a great lunch buffet for about $10 plus drinks plus tax.

Chadwick's (Georgetown) -- a wood-paneled neighborhood bar and grill; good food and very friendly service.

Bistro Med (Georgetown) -- a Mediterranean (Turkish) place that has a good lunch buffet also about $10.

Thai Kitchen (downtown) -- food not as good as Thai Tanic, but generous portions and friendly service.

Art Gallery Grille (downtown) -- a casual place with sidewalk seating. Food was good but not outstanding. The people-watching was great.

ALWAYS double-check the listings to make sure a place is still in the idine program, and what days of the week they award points. Restaurants come and go frequently and some of them don't award points on weekends.


Kathy

Thanks, Kathy.

I noticed recently that all of the restaurants in this area (ROC) have switched from miles to cash back, after deducting $49/year from accumulated cash back as a "fee." Is this common all around? I miss the "simple" mileage aspect. ;(

I haven't had terrible Idine restaurant experience that I would blame on the Idine program, and on the occasions where I get crap food I may as well at least get mileage for it! :0 Had a group dinner in NY that I didn't know would be Idine, and was happy to get 4800 miles later on!

-KP

could not agree more, I Dine, UA dining, AA dining all have 98% crap restaurants w/only 2% being somewhat worthwhile.

If a restaurant is great they have no need to market miles for dining there.

Edited to add: if you do happen to come across an IDine (or any mileage restaurant) you feel is worthwhile, FT has a whole forum just waiting for your input on dining.

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[This message has been edited by Sweet Willie (edited 08-22-2003).]

I find it's best to use the idine guide with another guide (such as a Concierge's recommendation or Fodors or such). It's always a nice surprise to get the points by accident when you go to restaurant and later find out it was part of the idine program.

I live in DC and find that at least 3/4 of the restaurants listed are 'fair' at best. The other 1/4 are pretty decent for what they are (most are casual restaurants, very few are truly 'fine dining').

Although when I look at the participants in Philly (a city I am familiar with) there are many very good resturants listed.

When travelling, I usually use iDine's list, cross referenced with another restaurant listing. If it shows up on both, then I feel it is probably a good restaurant. Sometimes, tho, I will try an cheaper iDine listing on its own -- if I am disappointed with the food, at least I am not out beaucoup $$$

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Da DOK

Idine has lost a number of good places in this area. In addition, a lot others have limited the days and or times, that points are given, so I don't feel the need to think about the miles. Just will use the guide book for suggestions in cities, that I am familiar with.
Will wait for surprise miles to show up on my accounts!

Idine strategy. Looked at the miles you get and decided to go for the cash back. The first $49 you get back goes to your yearly dues. I am up $20 bucks in 3 months (earned $69). Food taste great when the company foots the bill for the entire amount and you get 20% back in cash. Even better when you are out of town and take coworkers out to dinner then it add's up fast

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