AmEx Platinum Global Dining Collection Benefit on Pause

[Harryf]

Saw more restaurants are opening up so called Amex to make a dinner reservation and was told they no longer have access to the reserved tables until further notice…… a bit disappointed cos it's one of the advertised beneifts for the platinum card
Just want to post it here to let others know

 

[Daver6]

I don't understand why that means that they can't book you a table. All they need to do is call up and make a reservation on your behalf. No excuse for them not doing this.

 

[Quattro]

Well that's very disappointing. I do agree they could've still called on your behalf. Bit slack being they wouldn't exactly be inundated with these types of requests, surely.

 

[motlking]

Interesting, I remember you could book a table online from places like Quay where they have reserve a table for platinum card holders everyday. Was a decent benefit since you could skip the 6 month wait at the time.

 

[Matt_01]

Happy to have stumbled across this thread, I did not know this was a card benefit.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

Happy to have stumbled across this thread, I did not know this was a card benefit.

Oh yeah. Centurion (and probably Platinum too) used to have a table guaranteed at Tetsuya's. And that's going back years.

Post automatically merged: Jul 3, 2020

I don't understand why that means that they can't book you a table. All they need to do is call up and make a reservation on your behalf. No excuse for them not doing this.

Well that's very disappointing. I do agree they could've still called on your behalf. Bit slack being they wouldn't exactly be inundated with these types of requests, surely.

Sounds like not uncommon Amex customer service TBH

 

[Jousams]

maybe its just me but ive always been underwhelmed by the benefit. I remember my receipt at Sake in the rocks had VIP on it? Certainly didn't feel like a VIP.

Come to think of it, thats the most recognition ive got as an amex plat cardholder ever.

 

[sudoer]

There's almost no reference to Global Dining Collection on the Amex AU site anymore, other than it being listed in the product flyer PDF.

The ICC Plat card page for GDC has a simple "Thank you for your interest in the Global Dining Collection benefit. We are currently working on some changes, so be sure to check back soon for updates. For any immediate questions, please call the number on the back of your Card."

So I called Lifestyle Services this morning, and after waiting 20 minutes on hold (!) to get through, I was assured the benefit would be returning at some point in future. The reason for suspending it was "lots of restaurants were either temporarily or permanently closed during Covid" so Amex would be redesigning the benefit, but concierge still maintained relationships with some restaurants and can help secure bookings.

I said I didn't have a specific restaurant in mind and wanted to browse through options for the Sydney CBD and surrounds, they suggested they could email me a list. Here is what came through:

Black Bar & Grill - inside The Star, Pyrmont
Bentley Restaurant & Bar - CBD
Tetsuya's - Japanese, CBD
Mercado - Spanish, CBD
Flying Fish - inside the Star, Pyrmont
Felix - French, CBD
Nola - American, Barangaroo
6HEAD - steakhouse, The Rocks

And here are a couple of other suggestions - these restaurants are not partners of ours (yet!) but we recommend them highly and have a good relationship with them.

China Lane - the little sister of China Doll, CBD
Gavroche - French, Chippendale/Broadway area

So quite a slimmed down list compared with what was previously available.

Hopefully they are working on bringing a version of the 'Global Dining Access' benefit in the US to other regions, and Amex holders will get some special access at any venue which integrates with Resy.

 

[Mr_Orange]

Interesting, I remember you could book a table online from places like Quay where they have reserve a table for platinum card holders everyday. Was a decent benefit since you could skip the 6 month wait at the time.

I used this benefit once, several years ago at Quay and got a table at short notice. Lovely meal but got slugged an Amex surcharge when I paid. I could never understand how Amex offer this benefit and then allow the restaurants that participate to surcharge!