Credit card concierges and restaurant bookings...a question

[Febs]

Hi guys,

Up until recently I'd never used the Westpac Earth Platinum or Citibank Platinum concierges, but thought I'd give them a try a few months ago to get a restaurant booking.

I called Jacques Reymond in Melbourne to ask about a Sat night reservation 7 days before (optimistic, I know) and was told there was no chance - booked out for months. I tried the Westpac Earth concierge and sure enough, they got us a booking for 2 at 7:30pm that Saturday.

A few weeks later I was back in Melbourne and tried to get a table for 4 at Movida at one day's notice (very optimistic ). Tried directly and was told "not until January", but again, Earth Concierge got me a booking (unfortunately it was 6pm and some of us couldn't make it, so we cancelled, but it was still quite impressive on their part).

Since then though I've made a few requests, and been told by the concierge "I'm happy to ask on your behalf, but we don't have any special reserved tables or any 'sway'". These restaurants probably weren't as well-known as Movida, or as top-end as Jacques Reymond, but were still well known places, some of them hatted.

So what's the deal? Was I just incredibly lucky that there were cancellations for my first two bookings? Or do they have special arrangements/"sway" with select restaurants only? I suspect the latter - in which case, does anyone know generally which restaurants these are? e.g. would you expect all 3 hatted restaurants to have arrangements with credit card concierges? 2 hatted? Just random restaurants based on who the concierge company (Global SOS in this case I think) has agreements with?

Also while on the topic, has anyone ever used their CC concierge to be put on the guestlist for a popular bar/nightclub/lounge? I've never tried because if I'm in Sydney, I'm already a member of almost everywhere I want to go, and if I'm interstate/overseas, I ask the hotel concierge (with good results)...but I'm just curious.

Appreciate any thoughts, thanks!

Cheers,
- Febs.

 

[zzyss]

From my experiences with the concierge, I'm more inclined to believe that you just got lucky. The few times that I've used them, all they seem to have done is to call up the place and ask them "on behalf of a client". With show tickets, I can usually get the same deal myself calling up. Haven't really tried for restaurants, since I'm not usually so impulsive that I'd book last minute!

Maybe by saying "on behalf of my client" they sound like they're representing somebody important, like a celebrity or something Try it yourself: ring up a restaurant and claim to be making a booking on behalf of a client and see if that does you any good! Hehe...

 

[Homer]

Congratulations Febs. I haven't been that lucky, that often, even with the Centurion concierge! They have Centurion tables at certain three hatted restaurants (mostly Sydney, some in Melbourne) which supposedly give you a guaranteed reservation if booked by 10am the same day (and, in addition, often complimentary champagne, etc).

The problem is that they only have one Centurion table (and one Platinum table) at most restaurants so as soon as another member makes a booking on that table then you have to take your chances with everybody else. Sometimes you get lucky but if you eat out a lot (and we do) then it quickly becomes obvious that you can't rely on this system week in, week out. In other words, I don't think they have any particular sway with restaurants other than those that they have a specific, formal agreement with. Not the same as a good hotel concierge...

 

[albatross710]

I tried to get some Big Day Out tickets for my offspring using the Amex Concierge. They didn't have any luck either. They said that in hindsight, perhaps contacting them prior to the tickets going on sale and being sold out within minutes they may have been able to assist.

I have booked a couple of restaurants in Brisbane and asked them to recommend one. They have a database and were able to send me some restaurants listed by postcode in the area I wanted. Info was generic but the restaurants did take amex.

 

[Febs]

I tried to get some Big Day Out tickets for my offspring using the Amex Concierge. They didn't have any luck either. They said that in hindsight, perhaps contacting them prior to the tickets going on sale and being sold out within minutes they may have been able to assist.

Hmm, good to know. Thanks

On a related note - want 2 x tix for the Sydney show on Friday? Ha. Girlfriend can't go so either I need to sell at least one.

Cheers,
- Febs.