topic Re: Uber VISA Playing Games With Categories in Credit Cards

Uber VISA Playing Games With Categories

vV35Hszm — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 18:47:05 GMT

Anyone else have issues getting the 4% from Barclay’s UBer VISA? I checked my cash back and they seem to be playing games. Like if I get coffee and donuts in the morning that’s not “dining” (4%) it’s a “bakery” (1%). That’s just one example.

I get that they don’t assign the codes, however they DO get to decided what categories they give 4% back in which should be anywhere you buy prepared food and eat it there... right? I mean if the city inspects and says it’s a restaurant then it’s a restaurant.

Re: Uber VISA Playing Games With Categories

FinStar — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 18:51:02 GMT

OP, this isn't the CC playing games with your category spend. This is strictly tied to the establishment and their MCC. So, it's not like you're getting 1% with your morning coffee and donuts only to be switched to 4% later in the day at the same establishment.

Re: Uber VISA Playing Games With Categories

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 19:29:05 GMT

I try to only do cards that pay the same cash back no matter what. 2% on everything is better than having to play the games there. Its not right that you are not getting the rewards.

Re: Uber VISA Playing Games With Categories

kdm31091 — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 19:32:50 GMT

They are not playing games. It relies on the merchant coding. Barclay apparently doesn't consider bakery purchases to be dining.

If you don't want to hassle with this type of thing, then yes, a flat rate 2% card is probably better for you. At the same time, rewards on your morning coffee are going to be pretty neglible regardless, so not sure it's worth too much stress.

Re: Uber VISA Playing Games With Categories

sammyfire2001 — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 19:52:05 GMT

I've encountered this. Usually when I use my uber visa card at Dunkin Donuts, I get the 4%. However, when I go to the Dunkin in Penn Station, it's coded as a bakery, not a restaurant. So it really depend on the coding.

Re: Uber VISA Playing Games With Categories

vV35Hszm — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 19:54:47 GMT

@sammyfire2001 wrote:
I've encountered this. Usually when I use my uber visa card at Dunkin Donuts, I get the 4%. However, when I go to the Dunkin in Penn Station, it's coded as a bakery, not a restaurant. So it really depend on the coding.

I feel like a lot of people didn't read my post before they replied.

I UNDERSTAND that Barclay's doesn't decide the coding. But they DO decide which codes to include inthe 4%. In your example, they COULD include "bakeries" but they don't because apparently you can't dine at one?

And there are other catagory examples that didn't get the 4% like "fast food".

Re: Uber VISA Playing Games With Categories

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 19:59:51 GMT

We actually understood what you meant. But as others said, it depends on the RETAIL on what their MCC is. Some Walmarts are categorized as 'Discount Stores' while some are 'Groceries' even though both are pretty much the same. This will determine if one or the other get to have the bigger Cash Back. So 'Dining' and 'Bakery' can be completely two different MCC even if both sells food..

Re: Uber VISA Playing Games With Categories

DaveInAZ — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 20:38:17 GMT

@vV35Hszm wrote:
@sammyfire2001 wrote:
I've encountered this. Usually when I use my uber visa card at Dunkin Donuts, I get the 4%. However, when I go to the Dunkin in Penn Station, it's coded as a bakery, not a restaurant. So it really depend on the coding.
I feel like a lot of people didn't read my post before they replied.

I UNDERSTAND that Barclay's doesn't decide the coding. But they DO decide which codes to include inthe 4%. In your example, they COULD include "bakeries" but they don't because apparently you can't dine at one?

And there are other catagory examples that didn't get the 4% like "fast food".

Well, I agree that Barclays Uber does play a little fast & loose on what merchant codes they decide to include in their categories. Ok, they may argue that a "bakery" is not exclusively dining, you could just be buying a cake for a birthday or wedding. But then Pizza Hut is surely coded as restaurant, but couldn't you also just be buying a takeout pizza for a birthday or wedding?

And their 2% "online" is also pretty hit or miss. They said PayPal was included so I used it for a couple eBay purchases paid through PP and got 2%. But then I used PayPal to buy postage for some items I sold on eBay and only got 1%, and then they next PP purchase also only got 1% so I said to heck with it, I have the PP 2% MC so just use that and not take a chance on Barclays being fickle.

So now I just use Uber at restaurants that I'm sure will code as dining. And yes, it works for fast food, I've used it at Wendy's, McDonalds and even Dickey's BBQ and always get 4%.

Re: Uber VISA Playing Games With Categories

vV35Hszm — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 20:55:37 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
We actually understood what you meant. But as others said, it depends on the RETAIL on what their MCC is.

My point is NOT that the MCC codes are wrong, my point is that Barclay's isn't including as many codes in the 4% as most people would consider dining. I think we can all agree on that?

Re: Uber VISA Playing Games With Categories

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 20:58:11 GMT

I guess... I don’t know, I’m not complaining. Everything I’ve expected to code as a restaurant has done so, except an ice cream shop I went to on vacation. Even the casino buffet, mobile app orders for restaurants, and a vending machine in my office code as restaurants.

Re: Uber VISA Playing Games With Categories

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 20:58:43 GMT

@vV35Hszm wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
We actually understood what you meant. But as others said, it depends on the RETAIL on what their MCC is.
No, it doesn't. As others have ALSO said it's up to Barclay's to decide what catagories to INCLUDE. My point is NOT that the MCC codes are wrong, my point is that Barclay's isn't including as many codes in the 4% as most people would consider dining. I think we can all agree on that?

This might help you:
https://www.visa.com/supplierlocator-app/app/#/home/supplier-locator

I see what you're saying but of course as most of the terms, they are 'word by word' per agreement, even if you consider 'Bakery' as Dining; Barclays might only accepts 'Resturants'

Re: Uber VISA Playing Games With Categories

imaximous — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 21:30:46 GMT

@vV35Hszm wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
We actually understood what you meant. But as others said, it depends on the RETAIL on what their MCC is.
My point is NOT that the MCC codes are wrong, my point is that Barclay's isn't including as many codes in the 4% as most people would consider dining. I think we can all agree on that?

I agree. But, if I'm not mistaken, Barclays isn't the only one that won't include bakeries. I could've sworn my Savor didn't either.

ETA: I'll take that back. It was my BofA Premium Rewards card that didn't count a bakery as dining.

Re: Uber VISA Playing Games With Categories

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 21:12:34 GMT

I think this is why they do Categories such as "Dining", not just across the board "Eateries". Otherwise they would be giving out more rewards/CB then they actually want to.

What i find odd, is that one Dunkin Donuts is "Dining" but another DD across town is not. IMO, they all should code the same so that you know where to go consitantly for that Category. Whether it's Dining, Grocery or whatever. Same with Starbucks, the stand alones code correctly, yet the ones inside stores do not. lol <which I can understand this one, as they're using the same POS system as the store. So you'd need to reach for the Grocery earner in this instance.

Re: Uber VISA Playing Games With Categories

difringe — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 21:15:07 GMT

@vV35Hszm wrote:
@sammyfire2001 wrote:
I've encountered this. Usually when I use my uber visa card at Dunkin Donuts, I get the 4%. However, when I go to the Dunkin in Penn Station, it's coded as a bakery, not a restaurant. So it really depend on the coding.
I feel like a lot of people didn't read my post before they replied.

I UNDERSTAND that Barclay's doesn't decide the coding. But they DO decide which codes to include inthe 4%. In your example, they COULD include "bakeries" but they don't because apparently you can't dine at one?

And there are other catagory examples that didn't get the 4% like "fast food".

This is pretty annoying. You'd think that they'd make this as convenient as possible, but no, gotta be annoying.

Re: Uber VISA Playing Games With Categories

UpperNwGuy — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 21:22:13 GMT

@vV35Hszm wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
We actually understood what you meant. But as others said, it depends on the RETAIL on what their MCC is.
My point is NOT that the MCC codes are wrong, my point is that Barclay's isn't including as many codes in the 4% as most people would consider dining. I think we can all agree on that?

Just be happy you don’t have the Amex Gold card. Amex is even more erratic than Barclays as to which establishments are considered to be restaurants. Barclays is acting like most other banks in this situation. Chase seems to be the only bank that casts a wide net in its definition of restaurant.

Re: Uber VISA Playing Games With Categories

imaximous — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 21:27:16 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I think this is why they do Categories such as "Dining", not just across the board "Eateries". Otherwise they would be giving out more rewards/CB then they actually want to.

What i find odd, is that one Dunkin Donuts is "Dining" but another DD across town is not. IMO, they all should code the same so that you know where to go consitantly for that Category. Whether it's Dining, Grocery or whatever. Same with Starbucks, the stand alones code correctly, yet the ones inside stores do not. lol <which I can understand this one, as they're using the same POS system as the store. So you'd need to reach for the Grocery earner in this instance.

And just to throw another curveball, if you reload your card on the Starbucks app, it doesn't code as restaurants either. I did that with the Uber card and got 2% back for online purchase. If I load the card in-store, I do get 4% back.

Re: Uber VISA Playing Games With Categories

HeavenOhio — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 22:13:30 GMT

@UpperNwGuy wrote:
Chase seems to be the only bank that casts a wide net in its definition of restaurant.

Capital One is very inclusive.

Re: Uber VISA Playing Games With Categories

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 22:25:45 GMT

@HeavenOhio wrote:
@UpperNwGuy wrote:
Chase seems to be the only bank that casts a wide net in its definition of restaurant.
Capital One is very inclusive.

So is BBVA.

Re: Uber VISA Playing Games With Categories

SBR249 — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 23:01:20 GMT

@imaximous wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
I think this is why they do Categories such as "Dining", not just across the board "Eateries". Otherwise they would be giving out more rewards/CB then they actually want to.

What i find odd, is that one Dunkin Donuts is "Dining" but another DD across town is not. IMO, they all should code the same so that you know where to go consitantly for that Category. Whether it's Dining, Grocery or whatever. Same with Starbucks, the stand alones code correctly, yet the ones inside stores do not. lol <which I can understand this one, as they're using the same POS system as the store. So you'd need to reach for the Grocery earner in this instance.
And just to throw another curveball, if you reload your card on the Starbucks app, it doesn't code as restaurants either. I did that with the Uber card and got 2% back for online purchase. If I load the card in-store, I do get 4% back.

I think it makes sense that often times different types of purchases at the same business or company through different POS would code differently.

For instance, if you went to a ski resort to ski and ate at their restaurant, you'd expect that your lift tickets and your dining check would be different categories even though presumably the same business operates both. As another example, if you bought a phone from AT&T store, it's unlikely you'd get rewarded as if you've paid your cell phone bill if that's a rewards category for the card you used.

As for the example of DD from earlier in the thread, it is possible that the two DD locations have different franchise owners and their coding would depend on the arrangement the owner have with their payment processor.

Re: Uber VISA Playing Games With Categories

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 23:49:57 GMT

From the T&Cs:

You earn 4% Back/4 Points ($0.04) for every $1.00 spent on Net Purchases made through UberEATS and at restaurants, as defined by merchant category codes, which includes restaurants, fast food restaurants and bars (“Restaurant Purchases”).

So while it is not as inclusive as you might like, they did specify before you applied!