AMEX BCP and BCE Dining Category?

[Anonymous]

Hi, everyone.

I noticed that AMEX BCP and BCE had a 10% dining bonus offer for new cardholders for six months.

It got me to thinking that a permanent dining category of 3% (BCP) and 2% (BCE) would be a great replacement for the crappy 3% department store category currently in place.

I called AMEX and actually got all the way to a supervisor of the csr's supervisor (two levels up?) and suggested this. She told me that it was a great suggestion, but would require many more requests for this to happen.

She also agreed that department stores as a category was no longer so great since department stores are dying (except for Target and Walmart which are not really department stores), since so many people shop online. The few people who actually go into a department store today are pure loyalists who probably have that store's store card anyway (like my wife with her Kohl's card).

This would make a killer card: 6% groceries, 3% gas and dining, 1% EDS for BCP, and 3% groceries, 2% gas and dining, and 1% EDS for BCE.

I feel that these categories truly reflect today's "everyday" spend, since stressed out families often eat out (even if only McDonald's) because today's working couples have no time to cook.

How do others feel? 

Let's call in and request this dining category !!!

Johnny50    

[kdm31091]

The problem is that dining represents a large amount of spend for many people, similar to groceries and gas. Especially on BCE with no annual fee, they aren't likely to pay out 3% on dining, groceries, and gas. Most cards with that type of structure do not hit every "major" spend category. Department stores are increasingly a niche category, you are correct; but one card is never going to do it all. There's always a limitation.

It's not that it's a bad suggestion -- it makes sense. I just doubt it would happen.

[HeavenOhio]

I think the thing to do is to request dining as an additional category rather than as a replacement.

My gripe about the department store category has specifically to do with Bon Ton Stores. The chain includes The Bon Ton, Bergner's, Boston Store, Carson's, Elder-Beerman, Herberger's, and Younkers. According to AMEX, only the Bon Ton brand is eligible for the extra reward. I can confirm that even though Boston Store generates the same "Merchandise & Supplies - Department Stores" designation, it doesn't get the additional reward. I'd assume that the same thing happens across other Bon Ton brands, even though the stores are virtually identical.

If I were to order an item online, I'd order from Bon Ton's site to get the reward. If the item doesn't work out, I'd return it to the nearby Boston Store or Carson's. That seems kind of silly. Even sillier would be to place an order in a Boston Store or Carson's and ask the salesperson to run it through Bon Ton so I could get the additional discount.

[Anonymous]

Personally, it would be a waste for me as I already have 3% dinning with Costco Citi, not to mention the 5% with both Discover (10% CB match) and Freedom this quarter.  Furthermore, department stores aren't completely dead, most of their on online deals can be as good as anyone's and regardless how good of a deal you can find online, you still can't beat dealing face to face with a desperate sales person trying to push everything out the door during the holiday season.  I purchased a new fridge and a set of washer/dryer during last Black Friday at JCPenney for about 35% below the lowest price I can find online, including JCPenney's own website.  The deal was so good that 2 of my sisters jumped on the washer/dryer deal as well even though they didn't need them.

[Anonymous]

Meh.  It wouldn't excite me.  As mentioned, the costco card is already 3% and the Discover 5% for this quarter.  Also, the Costco card is a good gas card at 4%, so the Amex wouldn't replace it for me even if it included restaurants at 3%.  Lastly, my allied is 3% on everything for the first year, so yeah -- meh.

[UpperNwGuy]

Amex won't do it because it would make the BCP/BCE too much like the PRG which already rewards both supermarket and restaurant spending.  Amex won't undermine the PRG with an in-house competitor.

It's fairly rare to find a single card that rewards both supermarkets and restaurants, because that combination would be a money-loser for the bank.

As for me, all my dining goes on my Chase Sapphire Reserve for a 4.5% rate of return.

[CreditCuriosity]

Won't happen.. They might come out with a dining card eventually for cash back vs. MR's, but it won't be for the BCE/BCP line of cads IMO as the BCP is the best grocery card as well if I am not mistaken if you spend alot on groceries.

[Anonymous]

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@CreditCuriousity wrote:

Won't happen.. They might come out with a dining card eventually for cash back vs. MR's, but it won't be for the BCE/BCP line of cads IMO as the BCP is the best grocery card as well if I am not mistaken if you spend alot on groceries.

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It depends what you mean by "a lot".   If you spend enough, the Old Blue Cash is better.   And if you really really value MR, PRG can be better.

And also depends where you get your groceries, some Targets/Walmarts don't count for this category

[Anonymous]

If you spend a lot on dining, go for the Cap1 premier dining. The BCE is already a phenomenal card for groceries, and the 2% on gas is just a little gravy if you don't have a better one already. They have no reason to add another category. Besides, (in my neck of the woods at least) restaurants are disproportionately V/MC only.

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

It depends what you mean by "a lot".   If you spend enough, the Old Blue Cash is better.   And if you really really value MR, PRG can be better.

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Naw.  Just put your first 6K on the preferred then swap to another card that gives 3% (there are more than 1 that do this for grocery.