SPG Credit by dining?
 

Hi,

I read that dining at a Starwood Hotel restaurant for $10 or more will earn you some sort of credit. Whether it is credited as an actual stay or just points, I'm not clear on. If it is credited as a stay, so does that mean if I have 10 dines at Starwood restaurants, I get Gold status?

I frequent Scott's Seafood and Grill next to the Westin South Coast in Costa Mesa, CA. Out of curiosity, I called them up and asked if they are part of the Westin South Coast. They said they are NOT part of the hotel, but hotel guests can bill to their room. The person on the phone did not know anything about SPG points.

So, my two questions are:
1) What type of credit exactly does a dine of $10 or more at a Starwood restaurant get you?
2) If anybody is familiar with Scott's Seafood and Grill, is it a participating Starwood restaurant?

Thanks!
Steve

No Stay Credit, but for every USD you spend above $10 in any Starwood Hotel's Restaurant, you will earn 2/3 Starpoints (dependent on your level). But this is not counted as a stay.

The fact you can earn points for dining, even if not staying at a Starwood hotel, is one of the attractions of the program. You do not earn stay credits.
Its interesting that Scotts Seafood and Grill is listed on the Westin South Coast web site as one of the "hotel" restaurants. Its possible, however, that it is a contracted out restaurant and therefore does not earn Starwood points.

If the restaurant has a chargback agreement -- if you could charge a meal to your room if you were staying at the hotel as a guest -- then you're eligible for SPG points when just dining at the restaurant.

Give them your SPG card when dining. If the restaurant doesn't post the points, you can fax a copy of the receipt into SPG and they'll post the points for you. So save that receipt!

Only parroting what William has said in the past but:

If you can charge your meal to your room account, then you can earn Starpoints as a walk-in diner if you are Plat.

My understanding is that if you have any problems, you ask either the hotel reception, or the restaurant if they allow room charges, and if they do, you should be able to get credit.

Successfully done this at various properties, mostly without problems (the excellent Japanese restaurant at the LC SF used to be a problem, but some very insistent brit educated them, and I've never had a problem since ;))

Only supposed to post as points - but sometimes hotels make mistakes on these transactions, tragically :cool:

Ken.

Willard the Bear - Coming soon to an Airport near you!

I dine at a St Regis all the time and they fill out a voucher that resembles an old-school credit card slip, give me a receipt, and then I get credit. If the restaurant is not OWNED by THAT HOTEL, you get zero credit, however.

Very interesting, so next time I am at a SPG restaurant, I think I will pay with my SPG Amex, and also show my SPG Plat card. Will I get a total of 4 points per dollar then? (3 for Plat, 1 for Amex)?

Yes - but they have to fill out a form with your SPG # for the SPG credit. Save the receipt as in my experience it's 50/50 as to whether it posts. If you fax in the receipt, they'll post it manually.

Here's how to make it happen...
 

I have been in this very situation with this specific restaurant. To avoid having to call CS and fax your folio, there's a simple trick to pulling this off.

When you check out, your folio will have a breakdown of charges (room, tax, food, miscellaneous). Scott's charges are often entered under Miscellaneous. Those charges will not earn you points. Be sure that it appears under FOOD. (or maybe it's called "restaurant").

I believe the OP was referring to dining whilst not staying in the hotel.

trigger 1st *wood bonus with SPG MBNA (Canada)
 

Am I correct in understanding that such a purchase (SPG pts at a restaurant) would also qualify as the 'first SPG purchase' required for the first 5000 pt bonus from MBNA?
Has anyone received their bonus first starwood charge pts from MBNA for such a purchase (ie. not a stay at a hotel?)

Be interested to hear from anyone who has done / can confirm.
Thanks!

Though it's been a little while since I've dined at a *wood restuarnt without a stay, I've found it's not worth the trouble to deal with the form at the time of the reatuarant visit, and often the waitperson has no idea what you're talking about. It's much easier to simply fax the receipt in after the fact.

This is a good reminder though as we have an excellent restaurant, Corduroy, here in the DC Four Points that I should go back to. ^ It's got to be the best Four Points restaurant anywhere, and likely near the top for most *wood brands.

tried it at Westin
 

So we had lunch at the Westin Bayshore restaurant "seawall" a couple of days ago.
REV: Nice burgers, great veiw, service fair, prices high...

Anyhow, had called the hotel earlier to ask re: pts, and got put on hold for 10 mins prior to being told that yes, just go to frontdesk after meal...

So, we took our bill and spg card to front desk, and they took it into a back room, and returned and said 'done' - no reciept or record for us though (we did ask)...

It will be interesting to see if: a - pts post on SPG acct, b - MBNA SPG MC credits acct with 'first SPG purchase 5000 pt bonus'...

Ill let you know!
Cheers,
Christian

I've never heard the rule that you have to be Plat to get credit for meals when not staying. Would love a link to a post stating such.

I'm just Gold and had no problem FAXing in for credit on meals at the Aladdin despite not staying there at the time.

You don't have to be Platinum. This is a member benefit for all status levels of Starwood Preferred Guest.

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

[email protected]