Best CC for entertainment, bars, and restaurants

[Anonymous]

As with more rewards cards that award via category, it depends on how the merchant reports itself to the CC network.  I know 2 bars that I have visited are marked as restaurant, and I got the bonus points, while one other was not, and only received 1 point. Unfortunetely you generally don't know until you get your statement.  You will however know for future visits.  Also remember that 5 TY Points != 5 cents on statement credits.  The conversion for statement credits is anywhere between 3 to 3.571% depending on redemption amount.  Student Loan Rebates are 1 point  = 1 cent, along with many gift cards.

[UFGuy2006]

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@Anonymous wrote:

citi's website says:

5 ThankYou Points for every $1 spent on purchases at restaurants (including fast food), bookstores, music stores, video rental stores and movie theaters; 1 ThankYou Point for every $1 spent on all other purchases

does a bar really count as a restaurant?  i mean if you go to a dance club that only sells alcohol, would you get the 5 points per dollar spent there?

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Hrm, I hope so!

[trumpet-205]

There are two versions of Citi Forward. One with 5 TY points on bonus categories and one with 2 TY points on bonus categories.

Each TY point on average worth around 0.6 to 0.8 cents. Certain redeemptions do allow 1:1 redeemptions ratio.

[haulingthescoreup]

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@UFGuy2006 wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

citi's website says:

5 ThankYou Points for every $1 spent on purchases at restaurants (including fast food), bookstores, music stores, video rental stores and movie theaters; 1 ThankYou Point for every $1 spent on all other purchases

does a bar really count as a restaurant?  i mean if you go to a dance club that only sells alcohol, would you get the 5 points per dollar spent there?

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Hrm, I hope so!

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Hmm, I really doubt it. 

The way that you get rewards (on any card) depends on how the merchants codes the transaction. I'd be awfully surprised if a dance club with a bar coded itself as a restaurant.

[tntexans72]

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Hmm, I really doubt it. 

The way that you get rewards (on any card) depends on how the merchants codes the transaction. I'd be awfully surprised if a dance club with a bar coded itself as a restaurant.

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Went to one of a few nightclubs I frequent a few wks ago and when I looked at my statement online, it showed that they processed it as: dinning & entertainment. So I am wondering the card I have which gives 2pts per $1 is something my bank will honor?

[haulingthescoreup]

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@tntexans72 wrote:

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Hmm, I really doubt it. 

The way that you get rewards (on any card) depends on how the merchants codes the transaction. I'd be awfully surprised if a dance club with a bar coded itself as a restaurant.

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Went to one of a few nightclubs I frequent a few wks ago and when I looked at my statement online, it showed that they processed it as: dinning & entertainment. So I am wondering the card I have which gives 2pts per $1 is something my bank will honor?

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That would definitely be worth calling you CCC to ask. IMO, one problem with rewards programs is that they have often not been very transparent as to whether you're really being credited the full amount. A few are changing to monthly updates as to your current rewards status, but even that can require some detective work to determine which purchases are getting what level of rewards.

I was just now trying to figure out which of my accounts shows two different categories for a reward, and now of course, I can't find it. But it was something like Retail and then Restaurants, or something goofy like that. Anyway, all the more reason why it's worth calling the CCC and asking how your purchases are getting sorted for rewards.

[tntexans72]

@haulingthescore

As always..thanks!

[stan_the_man]

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@trumpet-205 wrote:

Citi Forward --> 3.2% return per dollar spent on entertainment, bars, and restaurants.

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If if you use it for student loan rebates and mortgage rebates then the cash back increases to 3.9%

[stan_the_man]

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@Anonymous wrote:

citi's website says:

5 ThankYou Points for every $1 spent on purchases at restaurants (including fast food), bookstores, music stores, video rental stores and movie theaters; 1 ThankYou Point for every $1 spent on all other purchases

does a bar really count as a restaurant?  i mean if you go to a dance club that only sells alcohol, would you get the 5 points per dollar spent there?

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Most bars I go to are coded as restaurants -- of course, most of them also serve some kind of food (whether or not I'd eat there is a different discussion point).

[stan_the_man]

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@Anonymous wrote:

As with more rewards cards that award via category, it depends on how the merchant reports itself to the CC network.  I know 2 bars that I have visited are marked as restaurant, and I got the bonus points, while one other was not, and only received 1 point. Unfortunetely you generally don't know until you get your statement.  You will however know for future visits.  Also remember that 5 TY Points != 5 cents on statement credits.  The conversion for statement credits is anywhere between 3 to 3.571% depending on redemption amount.  Student Loan Rebates are 1 point  = 1 cent, along with many gift cards.

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True on the 1 point does not equal 1 cent, however, I show the best conversion ratio  for points to cents at 0.8 cents per point if you use the student loan rebate option. This rate corresponds to a 0.8% cash back rate for non-bonus categories and 4.0% for bonus categories:

https://rewards.thankyou.com/b2r/merchandise/itemDetail.do?itemId=TYNPARENT1852986&parent=&merchantId=31000&supplierId=600&supplierCategoryId=12135&categoryName=Student+Loan+Rebates