Dining for Miles

Tenmoc's advice is 100% correct. I would add that if you're trying to jumpstart your climb to VIP status, you can also buy lunch, then pick up a low-dollar-amount gift card ($5) on your way out, as a second dine for the day. (Heck, if you want to make VIP in a day, just get a sandwich and then buy 10 gift cards for different amounts, and have each one rung up separately.) Remember that with gift cards the amount you put on the card counts toward your RN account on the day you buy the card, not on the day you redeem it. So if you like to eat at the deli on Friday, but they don't give miles on that day, buy a card on Monday to earn the miles, then dine on Friday and redeem the card.

Just be sure to get yourself to VIP with inexpensive charges, as they only count for 3 miles per $. Once you make VIP and are earning 5 miles per $, that's when you start putting the tab for the office lunch on your card.

On this note, be sure to check the restrictions! I started grabbing a tea daily at a cafe only to find out a month later they one counted one dine per month! That didn't help with my VIP quest.

I frequently do this. Buy your drink seperately, or dessert.

That's what I did as well when I was trying to earn VIP. You go and buy lunch, then "remember" that you wanted a couple of drinks as well, so have those rung up separately.

Or if you have multiple cards registered on the program you can have them split the bill -- say $100 into $45 and $55 into two separate registered cards. Instant double dine.

Yes, I make sure I have several cards registered in the program so I can split the bill. I have VIP now, so it's more about getting those bonus points with recent promotion. I pretty much stick to my miles-earning CC (feels more like a double-dip that way!), but I need to step up my game. Unfortunately, Hooters is the only place that participates around my current client-site. Guess I will have to get most of my points over the weekends!

Ouch.

Personally I like to combine a restaurant.com certificate with an opentable reservation and my dining bonus!

I reached VIP in two of the RN programs, one for PC and one for US. I would often grab a sandwich for lunch, and then go back and get a small milkshake for the road or brownie for the wife for 2x the dines. Once I reached VIP, I mostly just hit the US one to keep the account active, the PC one gives 8 points per dollar so I use it most of the time. Some of the places even have discount cards (a free X after X purchases) so that including the card itself (AMEX), that's 'triple-dipping'.

If a lot of restaurants near you participate these programs are a no-brainer.

AA dining is joining the others and now has a promotion too.

"Celebrate the 30th anniversary of the American Airlines AAdvantage® program with a month of big rewards for dining.

Register for the 30 Days of Dining Bonus, and beginning May 18th you'll earn 300 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles for every $30 spent dining."

HHonors Dining is doing 1,000 bonus points per $100 spend up to a max of 5,000. You have to register for the promo.

I actually like this better than the 1000 for $100 because of the lowered threshold. I don't believe I saw a limit either...?

There is no limit, but this is only good until June 16.

The limit doesn't really matter because it's cumulative.

Here's a new Rewards Network promotion (maybe targeted). This is the AA version. It is also available for UA and DL (possibly more).

Eat More Earn More Bonus

Choose your own reward with the AAdvantage DiningSM program. The more you dine, the more American Airlines AAdvantage® miles you'll earn–up to 7,500 AAdvantage® bonus miles! Every 2 dines increases the amount you can earn – so check out the bonus chart for your earning potential. How much you earn is up to you!
Here's how to earn up to 7,500 AAdvantage® bonus miles:

1 Register for the Eat More Earn More Bonus*
2 Starting August 15, dine at participating restaurants at least twice by September 30, 2011, spending $50 for each visit and complete your reviews within 30 days of each dine
3 Keep dining to earn up to 7,500 AAdvantage® bonus miles! (See chart for rewards structure)

I can't find this for UA- and I didn't see it for AA either. Are you sure it isn't targeted?

I didn't see it for AA either.

I can state the identical promotion does exist for DL.

It may be targeted. I edited my post to reflect that. For this promotion, I was able to register for AA, UA, and DL.

I just got an offer for Hilton-- 750 after 2 dines ($50 or more), 1500 at 4 dines, 3000 at 6, 5000 at 8 dines, and 10k when you dine 10 times.

Advance registration is required.
Choose your reward with Hilton HHonors™ Dining! The more you dine, the more HHonors bonus points you’ll earn–up to 10,000 HHonors bonus points! Every 2 dines increases the amount you can earn - so check out the bonus chart for your earning potential. How much you earn is up to you!
Here’s how to earn up to 10,000 HHonors bonus points:

1 Register for the Eat More Earn More Bonus*
2 Dine at participating restaurants at least twice by September 30, 2011, spending $50 for each visit and complete your reviews within 30 days of each dine
3 Keep dining to earn up to 10,000 Hilton HHonors™ Bonus Points (See chart for rewards structure)

I'm not that hungry.

Jett Rink was targeted for the 7,500 bonus miles for DL and UA, but not AA. Because of that, I created threads for those two in the respective airline programs.

I treated some folks for lunch, approx. $100, at a "new" restaurant that I was not aware of being in the RN program , and was using a card in my wallet that just happened to be my AA Dining enrolled card. Shortly thereafter, I was targeted by the AA RN.

I received an email today for Restaurant.com that states 90% off, one day only and no promo required. This would be a good deal for someone trying to get a hit for the US Airways promotion going on.

Not only was it good for the US promo, I'm sure, it was also a great deal. I got $200 worth of gift certificates for $11.

I am a current member of Skymiles Dining and I was still able to register for the exclusive welcome bonus. The bonus is 2,000 miles for new members after your first dine of $25 or more in your first 30 days. I do not know if it will post yet but it is worth a shot.

http://skymiles.rewardsnetwork.com/...-_-email-_-external-_-March_Primary_Exclusive

Thanks! I was able to register too as a current member.