Qantas Restaurants scheme to close January 2019
By David Flynn, November 23 2018
Qantas is shutting down its Qantas Restaurants scheme which allowed diners to earn frequent flyer points with every meal.
The program encouraged Qantas frequent flyers to book a table at over 4,000 restaurants, with the person making the booking earning 100 Qantas Points for each member of the group. Not a large serve of points in itself, but still handy for business lunches and dinners, and add that to what you'd earn by paying the bill with the right Qantas partner credit card and that's better than a poke in the eye with a breadstick.
“Our research has shown us that the majority of our members have great enthusiasm for dining on a regular basis and do so both personally and professionally," espoused then-Qantas Loyalty CEO Lesley Grant when the scheme debuted in February 2014.
Qantas Restaurants was an early feather in the cap of Australian restaurant booking website Dimmi, which in May 2015 was sold to travel colossus TripAdvisor for an estimated A$25 million.
However, the Qantas Restaurants service will close from January 1 2019 - tables can be booked up until 31st December 2018, but you'll need to dine before 31st January 2019.
Qantas is believed to be following up new opportunities to reward frequent flyers for dining out.
Qantas Points can still be earned through the 60-odd outlets of the Rockpool Dining Group empire, at rates from two points per dollar spent at 'premium and casual restaurants' such as Rockpool Bar & Grill, Spice Temple, Rosetta Ristorante and Fratelli Fresh, with one point per dollar at 'fast casual restaurants' such as Burger Project.
Here are Australia's best Qantas Frequent Flyer credit card sign-up deals for November, earning up to 120,000 bonus Qantas Points from a single new credit card.
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
23 Apr 2015
Total posts 24
That’s a shame - I found it a great way of earning points particularly when organising work lunches and dinners.
Cathay Pacific - The Marco Polo Club
02 Jul 2018
Total posts 37
What a shame - that's the only way I can keep my QFF account alive.
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 1224
Shopping at Woolies is probably easier if all you want to do is keep your account ticking.over so the points don't drop off.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
05 Oct 2016
Total posts 117
Seriously if that's the only reason you keep a QFF account alive why bother....
QF
21 May 2014
Total posts 24
There are other simple ways, do you shop online at places like eBay?
01 May 2018
Total posts 10
Hopefully they come with a new dining program or partnership
Jetstar Airways - Qantas Frequent Flyer
03 Jul 2018
Total posts 50
If you like quality wines, go to Qantas wine to keep your account "alive" . Some of their specials can give you back the cost of the wine in the form of bonus points. (Basing the value of a thousand points as being worth $30 in exchange for an international business class flight.) This will keep your QFF account alive, your cellar full, and go towards your next vacation.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
13 Nov 2018
Total posts 118
What a pity, I used this quite often. I never snub my nose at a chance of earning extra points for thing I already do. The only change in my behaviour was that now I use Qantas Restaurants to book my favourite restaurants rather than call. I wonder how many I can squeeze in before I head overseas?
23 Feb 2015
Total posts 260
As long as the Rockpool points are still there. I never used this program so ambivalent re it’s closure, but the Rockpool one I use a lot
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
23 Jan 2019
Total posts 1
Such a shame that Qantas has dropped Dimmi (which is now re-branded to 'The Fork').
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