Do take out count?
 

I searched the forum, while lots talked about gift cards, no one mentioned take out or order to go.

Can someone confirm that take out will count toward the AA RN program?

Thanks!

Yes, you can order the food to go and still earn miles all the programs. Just walk in, order and pay with a CC. Almost every lunch I eat is ordered to go.

Conventional take out (where you call in and then pay upon pick up) certainly works. Anything that's paid with your CC and run through the same credit card payment termianl they use for in-store transactions works.

What is not certain is whether take-out ordered and paid online would work. That all depends on whether they run it through the regular in-store credit card termianl or not (and if not, whether they though to set up the online payment method with RN). And it might also depend on whether the online payment is through the store itself, or thourgh a third-party.

So I would be wary of paying for take-out online, if you want miles. But paying for take-out when you come to pick it up, that should be no problem.

I've also had success earning miles on food I've had delivered where I read the card number to them over the phone then signed the charge slip and added a tip upon receiving the food.

Gift cards, takeout, tee shirts - it all works unless specifically excluded. I've even purchased beer to take home from a brewpub.

As long as the purchase is rung up on the restaurant's credit card machine (whether because you're there in person or because you call them up on the phone for delivery and they take you creidt card info on that phone call), yes, most any purchase should count usually.

Which is why I warn about the one exception of online take-out ordering, because some of those are handled through third party sites, and might be billed through third parties (if you do the payment online, that is).

One always has to watch that - I dined in a property that was AA Dining and - they initially claimed their credit card machine was down. Then they took my card and they processed it through another machine, and I had to claim the miles with Rewards Network.

And yes, online orders may be handled by an intermediary and then - no miles. Thanks for reminding us.

About that "processing thru another machine" shenanigans --

Most longtime FTers understand the RN/iDine business model: when points/miles fail to post as expected, our complaints are treated as "snitch tips" that a client may be cheating.
Regular iDiners might even become suspicious when a joint's charge/receipt format mysteriously changes ;) A photo from your cell-phone can be a <strk>life</strk>pointsaver

/.

"cash"
 

I once visited a place that somehow had caused their credit card machine to print out receipts labeled as "cash." RN refused to honor it when I inquired about missing miles. They did honor a redacted credit card printout.

Another trick to watch for is if the restaurant lists "Visa/Mastercard" on their RN page, they may accept other credit card types, but not give RN credit for those.