Qantas Restaurants that HAVE or HAVE NOT awarded points

[ChrisFlyer]

re: Qantas Restaurants that DO or DO NOT award points

I do get the feeling that some of the restaurant are in it for the plug from the various programs, but then don't want to keep their end of the bargain.

Exactly! It's also not as though we'd used a discount voucher, or had ordered from the discounted set menu, or had received the free bottle of wine from the Citibank promo - everything was full price, so trying to avoid posting the points isn't really acceptable... the sad thing for them is that we were actually looking for a new, regular Chinese restaurant - and as they don't surcharge Amex, if they had have also accepted the QFF card without incident, it would have been them ... their loss really!

 

[samh004]

I sent an email to the frequent flyer service centre last week complaining of the old party line "the machine isn't working" and very happily received a call back today.

I didn't catch her name, but she was very understanding and said that I should head back to the restaurant with my receipt and ask for the points to be credited now, and if it's still "broken" to get in contact again and things would be escalated. She agreed it was unfair that they're getting free advertisement through Qantas and not paying out points, but they couldn't award them to me because they need the claim to come through the restaurant.

She also said she'd send a note to management on the issue, so hopefully if enough notes come in they'll start dropping restaurants that don't comply and things will change?

Unfortunately, I don't like conflict so the thought of entering a restaurant to receive points they wouldn't give me the first time is a little beyond me. They'll win this time, but I encourage others to go back on another day to see if the machine is "still broken" and if it is, writing it all up and sending an email to the frequent flyer service centre. Presumably action would eventually be taken.

 

[Robert K]

Not sure if this is the case for all restaurants, but the one I go to, the 'machine' for the FF card is the same as their eftpos machine.

If they could swipe your card, they should be able to swipe your FF card too!

 

[Moopere]

re: Qantas Restaurants that DO or DO NOT award points

Not sure if this is the case for all restaurants, but the one I go to, the 'machine' for the FF card is the same as their eftpos machine.

If they could swipe your card, they should be able to swipe your FF card too!

I think there might be some sort of back-end configuration that has to happen in order for the FF database to get linked in. I'm sure you are right, the card itself should be read successfully, but maybe it can't do anything with the info without the 'linkup'.

Only a thought, I don't have any exposure to these machines myself.

 

[nickfromeastryde]

re: Qantas Restaurants that DO or DO NOT award points

I think there might be some sort of back-end configuration that has to happen in order for the FF database to get linked in. I'm sure you are right, the card itself should be read successfully, but maybe it can't do anything with the info without the 'linkup'.

Only a thought, I don't have any exposure to these machines myself.

Went to a Dede's cafe in Sydney then other day and gave them my card. They didn't know what to do as they said no one had ever done this before. In the end, they just swiped it through the EFTPOS machine and a receipt was printed with my FF details included. Points arrived in my account within the week.

I'm pretty sure it's that simple wherever you go

 

[ChrisFlyer]

re: Qantas Restaurants that DO or DO NOT award points

I think there might be some sort of back-end configuration that has to happen in order for the FF database to get linked in. I'm sure you are right, the card itself should be read successfully, but maybe it can't do anything with the info without the 'linkup'.

Only a thought, I don't have any exposure to these machines myself.

I think it depends on which bank the merchant's EFTPOS terminal belongs to. Some banks may support the Qantas app and can simply use the same terminal (and therefore if you can use your credit card, points should go through fine), but at other restaurants, I've seen the Qantas card swiped through a special gray 'Qantas-only' terminal (looks the same as the one that MyerOne partners use to award points). The gray one also appears to have two cables coming out of it instead of just one (power), so that would imply that it needs its own phone line or access to a working internet connection to function, as apposed to a GPRS terminal - so it genuinely might not be working...

Considering though that there seems to be a pattern of terminals "not working", or merchants whinging about the 6% fee from Qantas, the ones refusing or that only reluctantly offer points really should be weeded our from the restaurant system!

 

[Simo]

re: Qantas Restaurants that DO or DO NOT award points

I stayed at a motel and they said they had a sign on the counter that they award FF points. When i gave them my card they said it was only available on full room rate... I had no idea if i was charged full rate or not...

 

[lovestotravel]

re: Qantas Restaurants that DO or DO NOT award points

6%... Seems pretty high for a restraurant to pay.. Add on 1-3% for Amex/Credit cards and that's up to 9% of your revenue down the drain...

 

[serfty]

6%... Seems pretty high for a restraurant to pay.. Add on 1-3% for Amex/Credit cards and that's up to 9% of your revenue down the drain...

One would expect the restaurant managers are aware of this - they are hoping the Advertised Qantas benefit will draw customers in. They should be prepared to pay the piper if a QF card is presented.

Of course on a $500 bill they are losing $30 but would they have that bill to present in the first place without the advertised QF benefit?

 

[lovestotravel]

re: Qantas Restaurants that DO or DO NOT award points

True! One Melb restaurant though...

They charge 3% for Amex but happily accept the Qantas FF card and all their "bill presenters" the little black folder which the bill comes in, has the "Use your Qantas FF card here to earn points" written on it...

Seems strange to me...

I'll have a chat to the owner and see if the Qantas scheme is really 6%

 

[Moopere]

re: Qantas Restaurants that DO or DO NOT award points

One would expect the restaurant managers are aware of this - they are hoping the Advertised Qantas benefit will draw customers in. They should be prepared to pay the piper if a QF card is presented.

Of course on a $500 bill they are losing $30 but would they have that bill to present in the first place without the advertised QF benefit?

Yes, absolutely right. This is why I believe QFF should really be paying attention to this. If the scheme becomes worthless to vendors because customers don't use the system, the primary cause probably being that customers keep getting diddled on their points, then QFF itself loses money. I would have imagined this to be a powerful motivator for QFF to really police the system and pay attention to those of us who complain after being ripped off.

 

[Netty]

re: Qantas Restaurants that DO or DO NOT award points

I had an interesting time at Golden Palace Chinese Restaurant (Fortitude Valley, BNE) tonight...

Interesting. I was there over a year ago and despite them advertising QFF points next to the cash register, the woman said they were no longer part of the programe. She got very nasty when I pointed out the sign. I wouldn't go back anyway as the food was pretty ordinary. King of Kings & Enjoy Inn are much better. Didn't get the points Wilson's Boat House at Hamilton on New Years day and I can't remember the excuse. Sent entree back. It smelled disgusting and tasted vile. This is only the 2nd dish I've not eaten in 40 years of travel. Chef said there was nothing wrong with it. However, the owner/manager? was happy to let me choose another dish. Later on, two waiters leant over and whispered to me they'd both tasted my dish and it was OFF! Beware of the arrogant 'chef'!

 

[samh004]

I haven't seen Red Roo in a while, but this mint be exactly the sort of thread where we need an official party line of what to do, and what they're going to do about it.

On another note, I'd think it fair if we started asking about points earn before a meal, and if the answer is no, going next door. If you have enough people with you that might make them back track fast.

 

[Moopere]

re: Qantas Restaurants that DO or DO NOT award points

On another note, I'd think it fair if we started asking about points earn before a meal, and if the answer is no, going next door. If you have enough people with you that might make them back track fast.

I agree with the sentiment here though it can be difficult if you have more than perhaps just 1-2 others with you given expectation of a particular menu.

I like an earlier suggestion, if the machine is broken or not working for any reason, just give the till operator your business card (or other contact info) and ask them to contact you when the machine is no longer broken ... you'll pay the bill then (not now!). Guaranteed to get some action I'd say ... "Oh look it _does_ work after all". A bit confrontational I'll grant you, but seems perfectly legal and certainly no more weaselly than them trying to diddle points. If they get unnecessarily angry at that then a 10% discount would probably cover the points value and still hand them a spanking for false advertising.

You are certainly correct in intent though. If you eat the dogfood people are happy to give you then they will simply give you more dogfood, change requires consumers to exercise their inherent power (which is... they are the ones with the money and making the choices)

 

[samh004]

re: Qantas Restaurants that DO or DO NOT award points

I agree with the sentiment here though it can be difficult if you have more than perhaps just 1-2 others with you given expectation of a particular menu.

I did think about that, so simply always expect that you might not be eating in said restaurant and might be eating in another.

Think of it as being booked next door in Y, with the chance of an upgrade to J/F at the points earning restaurant. If their machine is working, your upgrade came through, if it isn’t, well, you should know things are never guaranteed

 

[drross]

re: Qantas Restaurants that DO or DO NOT award points

True! One Melb restaurant though...

They charge 3% for Amex but happily accept the Qantas FF card and all their "bill presenters" the little black folder which the bill comes in, has the "Use your Qantas FF card here to earn points" written on it...

Seems strange to me...

I'll have a chat to the owner and see if the Qantas scheme is really 6%

which restaurant - we should all support it - especially if the food is fine. very decent restaurant in brisbane (south bank) left the scheme - 6% was the breaking point for them.

 

[ChrisFlyer]

re: Qantas Restaurants that DO or DO NOT award points

very decent restaurant in brisbane (south bank) left the scheme - 6% was the breaking point for them.

Are you referring to dell'Ugo?

 

[drross]

re: Qantas Restaurants that DO or DO NOT award points

Yes. Great little place

 

[serfty]

Yes. Great little place

In that case, they probably don't require a QFF sourced stimulus any more (if they ever really did).

 

[robbo10]

re: Qantas Restaurants that DO or DO NOT award points

I was waiting for someone to comment on this to make sure it wasn't just me.
I have had three similar experiences - Finz Restuarant told me their machine was broken and couldn't be processed and Burwood Tepanyaki told me their machine hadn't arrived yet (despite advertising Qantas FF points) and promised to credit my points at a later date... which obviously never happened.

I have never actually managed to earn any QFF points from meals despite numerous attempts. The whole program seems like a bit of a crock to me.