Idiotic (?) response from Rewards Network
 

I emailed a complaint to Rewards Network. It read as follows:

To: [email protected]

Subject: Non-participating Black Bear Diner?

On June 1, 2015, I dined at Black Bear Diner in Gilroy, CA.

I had dined there on previous occasions, when that particular Black Bear Diner was a member of Rewards Network, and I thought that it was still a member. I expected to earn AA miles from my dine.

However, it appears that it has stopped participating in Rewards Network.

The thing that makes me angry about this is that Black Bear Diner has prominent ads on the Rewards Network websites. This gives the impression that the whole chain participates in Rewards Network.

How can Black Bear do this? They get the benefit of advertising their whole chain on your website, yet they allow individual restaurants NOT to participate???


Here is the response I received:

Dear [],

Thank you for contacting AAdvantage Dining!

We would love for all restaurants to participate in the dining program; however the restaurant participation is determined by the restaurant owners or corporate department. The restaurant owners or corporate department will indicate to us if all of their locations or certain locations would participate in the dining program. Members will earn rewards only at the participating locations listed on AAdvantage Dining website.

Restaurant participation may vary. In order to check the participation of each individual establishment, please visit http://aa.rewardsnetwork.com/ and log in to your account. After doing so, you may search by your local city/state or zip code. Reward availability will be listed on the search results page. This information can also be found on the left-hand column of the establishments own page under “Rewards Calendar.”

We look forward to rewarding you soon! Please do not hesitate to contact me or Member Services by calling 1-800-479-5981 from 9am to 10pm ET, Monday through Friday with any questions.

Sincerely,


[name redacted]

AAdvantage Dining Member Services



So, what are your opinions on this? It seems like the response completely sidesteps the ethics of allowing a restaurant chain to advertise on Rewards Network when not all members of the chain actually participate. Or, at least in some cases, some of the members of the chain go from participating to not participating and then back again. (I've seen this happen before.)

Anyway, for those of you who were unaware of this deceptive (in my opinion) practice, you've been warned.

I too like Black Bear Diners and will usually pick them regardless of their participation. I have found many come and go from the Rewards Networks program. I have noticed and presume that happens with all other chains as well (i.e. Jimboy's, Togo's, etc.). I don't know if it's a cost cutting effort on the part of the property or a lack of benefits to the property. It may even be related to a change in CC processor not connected to RN.

The response from RN is appropriate. You must check specific properties for participation (repeatedly). Not allowing a property to advertise because others do not participate would not be fair to those that do. Forcing all properties to participate just because one (or more) do is not fair either. Some of these are franchises that may have no direct relationship to others and thinking it's an all or nothing proposal just doesn't work.

Now a direction I would like to see RN head is when new properties join RN and I've dined at sister properties or a property that I have previously dined at leaves the program, an email should go out to keep me informed.

Roger, I don't quite understand your response. The ads I've seen for Black Bear Diner on the RN website are for the WHOLE CHAIN -- not just one specific branch (or branches).

My point is that ALL members of the chain benefit from the advertisements on the RN website. If 1) the ad is on the RN website (thus implying participation in RN) and 2) ALL members of the chain are benefiting from that ad, why should some branches be allowed to opt out of RN? Seems like they're sponging off the others.

It also leads to ill will on the part of the customer.

Anyway, I'm becoming increasingly disillusioned with Black Bear Diner. The one in Gilroy (that dropped out of RN, unbeknownst to me), has disappointed me a couple of times. I'll find some other place to patronize in the area (might start patronizing Casa de Fruta again -- at least they're open round the clock and still participate in RN).

My point is Black Bear is not the only one in this situation. For instance only some Togo's participate. The one closest to me does not. I go there for the food so losing out on the points is not nice but not a show stopper. Forcing all franchises to join a program just because one (or a few) do is not going to happen. If corporate signs up, then I'd expect them all to belong, but even that can be dicey.

For instance AAA advertises a Wienerschnitzel discount AND even lists the specific stores that participate! However, when I ask at many of the stores I'm told they don't offer the discount (some say they can't do it because they don't have a button on the register, sad day for math teachers). I've tried complaining to Wienerschnitzel and to AAA but they just point the finger to the other. This is a world of buyer beware.

I think your anger is very much misplaced, OP. It's the name of the game with promotions, Hilton ads will show up despite not all hotels participating in promotions, commercials will air for promotions at restaurants (like Endless Appetizers at TGI Friday's) when all restaurants don't participate etc. Is RN supposed to refuse to allow Black Bear Diner to advertise until all their restaurants participate?

This honestly sounds like a failure to research on your part and blaming RN and claiming they were unethical is in my opinion, hyperbolic.

Black Bear Diner is a smallish chain, and that particular location had participated in the past. However, the chain is bigger than I realized -- they've been expanding.

I am under the impression that the ONLY restaurant chains that advertise on the RN website are those that have at least SOME participation in RN. It's not just random restaurants that advertise there, as far as I can tell.

Anyhow, being hyperbolic is very much in the spirit of FT, and I am glad that I woke up this sleepy backwater of a forum with my hyperbole! ;)

Have or had!

The contracts for ads with the chain are separate than the contracts for participating by individual restaurants.

If the contract for the ad says "it will run until <such and such date>", that's how long RN may have to run it, no matter what restaurants in the chain drop for whatever reason.

I recall several cases in the past where most or all of the restaurants in a chain had dropped out but banner ads for that chain were still running.

For example:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/idine...ving-soon.html

What I hate most is when a restaurant states they are leaving RN by June 30, 2015 but actually leaves on June 15. Several restaurants have done this in my area. I had planned several large dines at some places, but then moved them to other restaurants as a protest for the misinformation provided my RN.

Check the website before each dine.

Yeah, when I see that "leaving by <date>" message, I figure it's best to start avoiding the place right away. However, I don't know if that message is posted for all restaurants that decide to stop participating. :confused:

Also, I have seen restaurants leave and then later rejoin.

I have also seen restaurants cease to exist, but continue to be listed for a while. :eek:

I've been stung dining during a lapse of a few days between expiration and renewal.

Yes, just like changes in our cards may cause a hiccup, if the restaurant is changing the CC processing outfit may do the same. However, you may luck out and submit for credit and it be approved. Worth a shot.

No go -- RN is fairly strict about that.

You both seem to be misunderstanding each other.

As I read it, Points Scrounger in the first post above was talking about between the expiration of the restaurant's contract with RN and it's renewal with RN, not card expiration and card renewal.

And as I read it, RogerD408 was in turn talking about a restaurant staying with the program but changing its CC processing; that would cause a missed dine, but I don't see why it would be a "no go" to get credit for that missing dine if the restaurant was still in the program and it was a valid dine with valid documentation.

Of my statistically few dines that haven't posted such a high percentage are in that final leaving month that I've become suspicious that the restaurateur has used a different cc terminal or other devious means to avoid paying that final RN toll. I've never had a problem getting miles credited, however.



And, btw, I like Black Bear as well. They seem to be changing their business plan from more rural, highway adjacent shops to competing in-town. I like them less when they have to go up against local places I know plus their homespun "shucks we are glad to see you" and food piled high works better on the road than on normal workday, IMHO.