jamesc185

joined this program recently and have been getting about 3 miles per dollar on alot of the resturants in my area...anyone else tried this and had success? wanted to see if it was worth while before i started changing my eating habits.

gemac

Try doing an "advanced search", searching for the word "dining" in titles only. You will find a ton of information and opinions.

magic111

Welcome to the aadvantage forum jamesc185

Along with what gemac stated there is an entire forum dedicated to the dining program.
iDine/Rewards Network Forum

We will be moving this thread to that forum so please follow it there.

~magic111 Moderator aadvantage forum

QueenOfCoach

If you are going to places you enjoy, can afford and you get the extra FFMs, why not?

I don't usually participate because there are few places near me that are in the program.

JY1024

Welcome to Flyertalk, jamesc185!

I'd also suggest poking your head over to the iDine/RewardsNetwork forum: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/idine...s-network-400/ You'll find the latest about those programs, along with any bonuses and recent member experiences.

ccb056

If you're in a big city its pretty easy to earn miles (Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, etc)

JDiver

When you have eleven recorded spends, you will receive elite status for the remainder of this year and the following year - and earn five points per dollar spent.

There are occasional promos, such as the recent ALL DOUBLE NO TROUBLE (ended Aug 30 2010) where dining Min-Tue-Wed and rating your dine earned double (10) miles per dollar, and the RESTAURANT HOPPING bonus that provides a bonus of 500 miles for dining at a place you have not dined previously (and rating the experience, irrc), which ends the end of September 2010.

Most of the time, you must register to benefit from promotional opportunities, but many of us have earned thousands - even 25 or 50 thousand in one year - miles.

margarita girl

Ah, Grasshopper, you have much to learn. I've had some good years earning 60-70K AA miles per year through Rewards Network but I can't hold a candle to Jailer who I think earned twice that amount in one year through dining at Rewards Network locations!

Jailer

When you are able to take the fork from my hand, Grasshopper, you shall be ready to go out and dine.

Thanks for the shout out, MG, some folks eat/earn more than I, but just don't crow about it.

Actually, with the general decline in awards (fyi, James, the 10 miles per dollar that we get all excited about now used to be the standard award), I doubt that I will crack 100k this year, the first time that has happened since I joined six or seven years ago. I believe that over 85% of the miles that I get from RN this year will be bonus-driven….Not saying that they are bonus miles, but they are from dines that exceeded the 5 miles per dollar baseline....Maybe it is time for me to get a new hobby?

ZeppoX

margarita girl and jailer -- now that is how to treat a newb.
presumptious for the likes of me to say, but someone has to: well done!

PS to jailer: I hope the wound in your hand heals quickly.

PPS to OP: you should read about this program at pgary's wonderful site
www.freefrequentflyermiles.com

Jailer

Nice, Zep, thanks. I’ve received untold benefits from FT, so I look kindly at Newbies...and this is a particularly friendly forum, thanks in part to JD's excellent moderation. Of course, James may not be thanking us when he balloons up to 340 pounds and has to use all his newly minted RN miles to upgrade to First just to get a seat that he fits.

KhalilSheikh

...or you'll see that one time it was common to find places that offered 20 miles/$. Worst one could do was 10 mi/day.
Man, I miss those days.

JDiver

"When you see a fork on the table with miles available, take it." -Anon

There is a thread that discusses how to make those eleven "dines" count for speedy status - e.g. Pre-lunch drinks, pay and use credit card. Have lunch, pay using credit card. Oh, now you feel like dessert? Order, pay with credit card. Oh, that was so nice, you want to take that item for takeout, so you order and pay with credit card. Oh, look, they have a cool brewery tee shirt you really like, so you buy and pay with credit card...

It was very nice when Lady JDiver decided to get with the program and earn status and one shopping center had THREE iDine restos - we had a meal (split the bill, of course!), went to the next one for dessert, and the next one for coffee...