Restaurant Split Bill Contrary to My Instructions
Apr 23, 2008 | 3:04 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2003
Programs: AA (1MM), Marriott (LT Gold)
Posts: 1,769
Restaurant Split Bill Contrary to My Instructions
Of course I'm going to take this up with I-Dine, but I'm interested in others' experience on the matter.
Today I went and had lunch and asked that a gift card be added to my tab so that I would get over the $25 minimum for the current AA promo. Ten minutes later, the waitress comes back with two receipts -- one for the lunch and one for the gift card and said they had problems combining the two and insted chose to run the charges through separately, neither of which were over $25. I figured that if they could not correctly run the first charge through that it would be next to impossible for them to credit back two transactions and try to do it over again, so I chose not to make a big deal out of the situation (perhaps an error in judgment).
Has anyone had any luck in getting I-Dine to treat two separate transactions at the same restaurant as one for purposes of meeting a minimum spend threshhold in other promos? It will obviously take human intervention to get this corrected on their end, but I don't think I should be penalized for a restaurant's inability to operate their own equipment.
Today I went and had lunch and asked that a gift card be added to my tab so that I would get over the $25 minimum for the current AA promo. Ten minutes later, the waitress comes back with two receipts -- one for the lunch and one for the gift card and said they had problems combining the two and insted chose to run the charges through separately, neither of which were over $25. I figured that if they could not correctly run the first charge through that it would be next to impossible for them to credit back two transactions and try to do it over again, so I chose not to make a big deal out of the situation (perhaps an error in judgment).
Has anyone had any luck in getting I-Dine to treat two separate transactions at the same restaurant as one for purposes of meeting a minimum spend threshhold in other promos? It will obviously take human intervention to get this corrected on their end, but I don't think I should be penalized for a restaurant's inability to operate their own equipment.
Apr 23, 2008 | 9:51 pm
#2
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: HYX
Programs: ~IHG(p)/BW~Nat'l.Exec~ ~NW(SE)~ ~Cessna~ NASM.do-07 ~AAAF.do-05/06/07/08/09
Posts: 1,530
It can happen... one of my faves is like that; blame it on whomever set up the register. 
My workaround: like splitting out a bar tab... buy the CG when you're seated ~ cash it in with the tab. If the bill is over, you can take an extra 'dine' hit (T&Cs may apply) on the balance.
I tell 'em that VISA is running some stupid promo... and always leave an extra deuce for their trouble.
/.
My workaround: like splitting out a bar tab... buy the CG when you're seated ~ cash it in with the tab. If the bill is over, you can take an extra 'dine' hit (T&Cs may apply) on the balance.
I tell 'em that VISA is running some stupid promo... and always leave an extra deuce for their trouble.
/.
Apr 24, 2008 | 9:10 am
#4
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: DFW; Allen, TX
Programs: AA EXP/2MM, SPG Lifetime Platinum, Marriott PLT, National Exec Elite
Posts: 1,084
I didn't catch that at first. Good one 
Apr 29, 2008 | 8:58 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: RSW
Programs: HHonors - Diamond; IHG - Diamond; Marriott Bonvoy - Platinum
Posts: 14,287
Back in the days of 1x/month only
I asked specifically to combine the sizeable tab with a $100 gift cert. Yup, she brought back two separate credit card receipts to sign.
May 2, 2008 | 8:41 pm
#7
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT EXP; HH LT Diamond, Matre-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Didja send it back? Of course, even if they ran it and canceled the others, I wonder if one might not have to hassle it "mano a mano" with iDine later.
May 3, 2008 | 10:09 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: RSW
Programs: HHonors - Diamond; IHG - Diamond; Marriott Bonvoy - Platinum
Posts: 14,287
I couldn't really complain
I was visiting San Francisco with my parents - the $100 cert was actually their purchase (on my card) for a local friend; they humor my iDining, but causing a scene would've pushed it too far. Had I been alone, I would've discussed it with the manager, and had he refused to combine the charges, I would've refused to sign the cert slip and left the (unpaid-for) cert behind.