Qantas Restaurants that HAVE or HAVE NOT awarded points

[Supersonic Swinger]

Umi Kaiten Zushi near Central Station in Sydney is a reliable poster.

ALTHOUGH... I haven't had any restaurant posting in over three weeks, previously these posted weekly on about a Thursday. Is the program having some sort of general IT issue, anyone know the story?

 

[ChrisFlyer]

Hi all,

Just seeking some general advice about what I should do about the following:

I had dinner tonight at Era Bistro (West End, Brisbane)... They are listed on the Qantas website as current partner. Earlier in the week, I sent an email to their owner to confirm that they were still a partner (I always do this now, due to the number that have "broken machines"), and received the following response:

Hi ChrisCh,

Thanks for your email.

Yes indeed we are still a partnering restaurant with the Qantas FF Program.

We look forward to seeing you at Era some time soon.

Kind regards,

Melinda

After dinner, I put both my credit card, and also my Qantas card in the bill folder, and handed it to the waiter. They then returned, and waited at the table while I signed the credit card slip. Only once this was complete, they then stated that they were no longer a QFF partner, and that "Qantas has been asked to remove us from their directory, but they are yet to do so"... Fair enough I thought, but I then remembered the email... I actually opened the manager's reply (dated Tuesday of this week) on my phone, and showed it to the waiter - who then said that the manager was wrong, and that they got rid of their Qantas contact in MARCH - not in the last few days or anything, but SEVERAL MONTHS AGO!!! As I value my points at about 6 cents each (and was therefore essentially expecting to receive 18% back in rewards), I asked for a 10% discount instead... I thought the offer of a discount would have been a fair compromise for both - more than the 6% Qantas fee that the restaurant should have paid, but less than the value that I should have received)... I was refused any discount, and when asking them to check with a manager/supervisor (who seemed to only be contactable by phone and not face-to-face), they also told the waiter to deny a discount.

We were seated at quite a central table, within easy earshot of the majority of that part of restaurant... During my conversation with the waiter (which was by no means loud), we noticed that all other diners in the area had stopped eating and talking, and were listening intently... After the waiter left, I heard a nearby gentlemen say to his wife: "see, that's the restaurant thing I was talking about... We certainly won't be coming here again if they're ripping people off of their points!"

So, I'm seeking your opinions on what I should do, keeping the following in mind:

1) They are listed on the Qantas website
2) Their owner confirmed to me this week that they are still a QFF partner, despite cancelling their contract in March (and I still have a copy of the email)
3) They waited until AFTER I had signed the credit card slip before beginning the 'no points' discussion (making sure that I signed the slip so it would be harder to dispute CC payment)
4) They refused a reasonable discount request in lieu of points
5) They are a Gold Entertainment Card partner restaurant (offering a 25% discount), yet they chose to can the program costing 6% instead of 25%, and I was refused any discount

I'm considering the following options

• Emailing the owner, citing false advertising, obtaining business through deception, and omission for commercial gain (waiting until after I had paid before telling me I would essentially not be receiving what I had paid for) and demanding a discount be refunded to me
• Calling Qantas (although I'm aware that this will most likely just have me referred back to the restaurant)
• Dispute the payment with my card issuer - as they have a signed slip, it would be hard to argue it as an 'unauthorised charge', but I may be able to argue for a partial (percentage) refund under the 'goods not received'/'services not rendered' allowances, or the 'quality' allowance ("consumer claims to have never received the goods as promised at the time of purchase") - the exact heading used would depend on the bank's internal systems, but you get the idea
• As I did not have my Gold Entertainment Card with me (not expecting to use it tonight as I was intending to receive points instead), returning to the business with the receipts and Gold card, asking for the manager, and requesting the 25% Entertainment discount

Any thoughts & comments (or other suggestions also) would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Moopere]

You have an email from the owner/manager, so, in my opinion, have an excellent case. If it were me:

1) Email owner who emailed you and explain the situation (no threats of course). I'd expect an immediate recovery of points, or refund (1-2 days max). The name-and-shame has happened here and will be felt in their revenue from here on in.

2) If they won't play, go straight to the Consumer affairs department. You have a really solid case, it shouldn't take long to resolve. I'd bet the vendor will come right back to you immediately they are contacted by consumer affairs.

3) Let QFF know. They won't care, but get something in writing back anyway. It may help a court case later if the waiter was right and the manager lied to you by email

4) Do a charge back. The signature means it isn't an illegal transaction but can still be a wrongful one, or one which you didn't get your end of the contract in full as required.

Spank-em, and spank-em hard I say But all conversations should be had with patience and courtesy of course.

 

[lovestotravel]

As I value my points at about 6 cents each (and was therefore essentially expecting to receive 18% back in rewards), I asked for a 10% discount instead...

1) They are listed on the Qantas website
2) Their owner confirmed to me this week that they are still a QFF partner, despite cancelling their contract in March (and I still have a copy of the email)
3) They waited until AFTER I had signed the credit card slip before beginning the 'no points' discussion (making sure that I signed the slip so it would be harder to dispute CC payment)
4) They refused a reasonable discount request in lieu of points

I'm considering the following options

• Emailing the owner, citing false advertising, obtaining business through deception, and omission for commercial gain (waiting until after I had paid before telling me I would essentially not be receiving what I had paid for) and demanding a discount be refunded to me

Any thoughts & comments (or other suggestions also) would be greatly appreciated!

WOW - You are "worse" than me when I have been denied restaurant points.

I would email the owner and ask why all the different stories you have been told!

I also value points at about 6-8cents each so when eating out it's 4.5 points per $1 so about a 31% return on "investment"

Let us know IF the owner replies and the outcome!!!!

 

[lovestotravel]

You have an email from the owner/manager, so, in my opinion, have an excellent case. If it were me:

1) Email owner who emailed you and explain the situation (no threats of course). I'd expect an immediate recovery of points, or refund (1-2 days max). The name-and-shame has happened here and will be felt in their revenue from here on in.

2) If they won't play, go straight to the Consumer affairs department. You have a really solid case, it shouldn't take long to resolve. I'd bet the vendor will come right back to you immediately they are contacted by consumer affairs.

3) Let QFF know. They won't care, but get something in writing back anyway. It may help a court case later if the waiter was right and the manager lied to you by email

4) Do a charge back. The signature means it isn't an illegal transaction but can still be a wrongful one, or one which you didn't get your end of the contract in full as required.

Spank-em, and spank-em hard I say But all conversations should be had with patience and courtesy of course.

Perfect, this is what needs to be done!

 

[tuapekastar]

They may well have cancelled their contract with QF back in March (and QF may have been sloppy in not removing them from the 'list'), but if that is the case you were most definitely misled (mistakenly) and/or lied to by the manager who emailed you.

I would harass QF as much as I would the restaurant, though I suspect you may end up the meat in the sandwich. But ultimately you have a beef with the restaurant as they are the ones who confirmed that yes, you do earn QF points. It is their responsibility to make things right with you, then sort things out for themselves with QF.

By all means use any leverage you have with credit card companies - you have the proof you were offered 'x' and did not receive 'x' (note I do not have any experience in CC disputes - just my opinion )

Confession time: I don't practice what I preach - I sometimes can't be bothered following these sorts of things up - but I should!

 

[Awesom Andy]

I would've taken back the signed slip, and ripped it up on the spot.

 

[plain_traveller]

Regularly eat at Glasshouse Cafe in Caulfield (Melbourne) and they always scan and award points without any problems.

 

[serfty]

Table updated to here:

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....staurants-have-have-not-23612.html#post330554

It really is a negative when picking a restaurant for the first time and seeing them advertised as a "Qantas Restaurant".

In fact it's so counter productive that I would be tempted to pass.

 

[arrow]

Manta (woolloomooloo wharf) awarded points

 

[Moopere]

I love how the community has gathered together about this issue to take some action,ie, listing the good and the bad. I have to wonder though, if a few pretty busy forum lurkers are able to sort the good from the bad in this way, why can't QFF themselves police their own scheme? Doesn't take a lot of time and certainly isn't rocket science.

I would have thought that this thread represents a huge embarrassment to QFF.

 

[pauly7]

I love how the community has gathered together about this issue to take some action,ie, listing the good and the bad. I have to wonder though, if a few pretty busy forum lurkers are able to sort the good from the bad in this way, why can't QFF themselves police their own scheme? Doesn't take a lot of time and certainly isn't rocket science.

I would have thought that this thread represents a huge embarrassment to QFF.

I agree with all your points and I wish Virgin would follow suit by policing their shop and not earn scheme too. Perhaps someone with more time could organize that table and thread

 

[ChrisFlyer]

Went to China Doll (SYD) on the weekend, and they still award points with no issue. As for ShopAndEarn (and although off-topic), you can email your receipts to Virgin who enter the points claim into the system manually

 

[Supersonic Swinger]

Table updated to here:

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....staurants-have-have-not-23612.html#post330554

You can also add Komachi Japanese Restaurant in Surry Hills to the list of posting restaurants.

 

[Red Roo]

Hi all,

Just seeking some general advice about what I should do about the following:

I had dinner tonight at Era Bistro (West End, Brisbane)... They are listed on the Qantas website as current partner. Earlier in the week, I sent an email to their owner to confirm that they were still a partner (I always do this now, due to the number that have "broken machines"), and received the following response:

After dinner, I put both my credit card, and also my Qantas card in the bill folder, and handed it to the waiter. They then returned, and waited at the table while I signed the credit card slip. Only once this was complete, they then stated that they were no longer a QFF partner, and that "Qantas has been asked to remove us from their directory, but they are yet to do so"... Fair enough I thought, but I then remembered the email... I actually opened the manager's reply (dated Tuesday of this week) on my phone, and showed it to the waiter - who then said that the manager was wrong, and that they got rid of their Qantas contact in MARCH - not in the last few days or anything, but SEVERAL MONTHS AGO!!! As I value my points at about 6 cents each (and was therefore essentially expecting to receive 18% back in rewards), I asked for a 10% discount instead... I thought the offer of a discount would have been a fair compromise for both - more than the 6% Qantas fee that the restaurant should have paid, but less than the value that I should have received)... I was refused any discount, and when asking them to check with a manager/supervisor (who seemed to only be contactable by phone and not face-to-face), they also told the waiter to deny a discount.

We were seated at quite a central table, within easy earshot of the majority of that part of restaurant... During my conversation with the waiter (which was by no means loud), we noticed that all other diners in the area had stopped eating and talking, and were listening intently... After the waiter left, I heard a nearby gentlemen say to his wife: "see, that's the restaurant thing I was talking about... We certainly won't be coming here again if they're ripping people off of their points!"

So, I'm seeking your opinions on what I should do, keeping the following in mind:

1) They are listed on the Qantas website
2) Their owner confirmed to me this week that they are still a QFF partner, despite cancelling their contract in March (and I still have a copy of the email)
3) They waited until AFTER I had signed the credit card slip before beginning the 'no points' discussion (making sure that I signed the slip so it would be harder to dispute CC payment)
4) They refused a reasonable discount request in lieu of points
5) They are a Gold Entertainment Card partner restaurant (offering a 25% discount), yet they chose to can the program costing 6% instead of 25%, and I was refused any discount

I'm considering the following options

• Emailing the owner, citing false advertising, obtaining business through deception, and omission for commercial gain (waiting until after I had paid before telling me I would essentially not be receiving what I had paid for) and demanding a discount be refunded to me
• Calling Qantas (although I'm aware that this will most likely just have me referred back to the restaurant)
• Dispute the payment with my card issuer - as they have a signed slip, it would be hard to argue it as an 'unauthorised charge', but I may be able to argue for a partial (percentage) refund under the 'goods not received'/'services not rendered' allowances, or the 'quality' allowance ("consumer claims to have never received the goods as promised at the time of purchase") - the exact heading used would depend on the bank's internal systems, but you get the idea
• As I did not have my Gold Entertainment Card with me (not expecting to use it tonight as I was intending to receive points instead), returning to the business with the receipts and Gold card, asking for the manager, and requesting the 25% Entertainment discount

Any thoughts & comments (or other suggestions also) would be greatly appreciated!

That is not an ideal experience at all! Especially considering the fact that you emailed the restaurant in advance. I have spoken to our Restaurants Manager about this thread and updated him on restaurants not awarding points so we are onto this. In regards to the above experience, I will pass this on also and ensure that qantas.com is updated to reflect whether or not this restaurant is still a member.

Thanks for the very thorough feedback Chris.

 

[Flashback]

That is not an ideal experience at all! Especially considering the fact that you emailed the restaurant in advance. I have spoken to our Restaurants Manager about this thread and updated him on restaurants not awarding points so we are onto this. In regards to the above experience, I will pass this on also and ensure that qantas.com is updated to reflect whether or not this restaurant is still a member.

Thanks for the very thorough feedback Chris.

Good to hear you're on the case. Be sure to keep us updated on any outcomes!

 

[munitalP]

KOBE JONES Melbourne: Accepted citibank platinum free wine (correct me if I'm wrong on the citi thing Oz_mark - maybe AMEX) and posted FF points into my account this week. I wasn't expecting them as previous dining experience I didn't get the points.

I would not "not" go to a restaurant because I didn't get points... LOL, I go for the food, the points are a bonus...

 

[oz_mark]

KOBE JONES Melbourne: Accepted citibank platinum free wine (correct me if I'm wrong on the citi thing Oz_mark - maybe AMEX)

Correct - Citibank.

Mind you they did claim that you only get the wine if you book, but they backed down from that position. The Citibank bonus points came through too.....

 

[chris-syd]

Special Offer I found on the Qantas.com website.
Qantas - Spirit of Australia

Member Specials
Earn double points when you dine at City Tattersalls
Spend over $100 in Zest Restaurant or $150 in Esperanto Dining Room and receive double Qantas
Frequent Flyer points between 1 August 2011 & 30 September 2011*!


So this would be 6 points per $1.
Not bad if they are paying it.

 

[markis10]

A man could go hungry looking for points in DRW: