Digital Meal Vouchers - FlyerTalk Forums (2024)

dparkinson

Join Date: Jul 2010

Location: NYC

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MatthewLAX

Join Date: Feb 2007

Location: Los Angeles / Basel

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MBS MillionMiler

Join Date: Sep 2000

Location: Saginaw, MI (MBS)

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Posts: 5,724

Semi off-topic, but I love the web/app-based hotel selection process as the OP had. Lets you choose the hotel from a list, almost as if you're browsing hotels.com or the like within the United app/website.

Meal vouchers were a little difficult and cumbersome. Had to literally hand my phone to the waiter at the B22-ish Italian restaurant at ORD, where he disappeared with it for 5 mins as he manually entered the card info behind the scenes. I wasn't super worried about anything in particular, just the normal feelings I'd have if I handed any stranger my unlocked and opened phone, out of sight, for a few minutes. There's got to be a better way for that part of it.

Since that experience, I've also had manual food vouchers as well (different trip, different canceled flight) and still maintain a strong preference for those over the app-based vouchers because of the redeeming process at a sit-down restaurant.

Nomos

Join Date: Sep 2019

Location: Colorado

Programs: UA Premier 1K

Posts: 44

I was able to use the digital vouchers to add to my Starbucks balance. I can't speak to off airport restaurants.

goldelite8

Join Date: Feb 2009

Location: FLL

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thejaredhuang

Join Date: May 2012

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Ari

Join Date: Aug 2005

Location: Chicago

Posts: 11,513

Yes.

dinoscool3

Join Date: Mar 2010

Location: PIT

Programs: OZ Diamond, UA Gold

Posts: 10,002

Anyone still able to use the digital ones outside the airport? Would love to get takeout after arriving tomorrow from a non-airport restaurant if I can.

MBS MillionMiler

Join Date: Sep 2000

Location: Saginaw, MI (MBS)

Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM, Marriott Titanium w/Lifetime Plat, Hilton LIfetime ♢, National Exec, Amex Plat

Posts: 5,724

Well, I’ve had 2 different hotel restaurants take the meal vouchers this year, not sure if that counts. Since they see them regularly, in neither case did they bat an eye. Last time was mid-April.Your run-of-the-mill corner restaurant may vary.

Last edited by MBS MillionMiler; May 17, 2022 at 9:06 am

fumje

Join Date: Aug 2015

Posts: 11,616

I used them in downtown Denver recently. You just need someone to have a way of entering all the card info, which is displayed on the voucher. It worked on first try for me, so not sure how relatively rare or common that might be. I've more often used them at a hotel restaurant, who are more likely to be familiar with vouchers, as mentioned above.

zebtron

Join Date: Nov 2013

Posts: 31

livitup

Join Date: May 2007

Location: IAD

Programs: UA/MAR

Posts: 724

I used one yesterday far off airport. I got 3 due to a recent IRROPS overnight, spent one on dinner for myself that night, bought dinner for the guy next to me with my second, and still had one left over when I got home. Hit up a Chik-Fil-A on the way to the house. Did a mobile order to avoid cashier confusion and it worked like a charm. The vouchers include the credit card number, expiration, CVV, and billing zip code.

The hotel I got put up at was very familiar with the vouchers; waiter gave me a piece of paper and asked me to jot down the 4 pieces of info. I used a mobile order for the Chik-Fil-A specifically to avoid trying to explain to a teenager how to manually run a CC.

The only sucky part is that the guy whose dinner I bought didn't tip, so my generosity cost me, as I made up the difference to the waitstaff.

eng3

Join Date: Aug 2008

Location: PHL

Programs: UA 1K 1MM, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum, Raddison Platinum, Avis Presidents Club

Posts: 5,369

You have to be careful with online orders. The card number can only be used once. So if it decides to do one of those "test charges" to ensure your card is real then your voucher gets used up. I suppose if you are buying something, it shouldn't do that. But if you are using an app/account and adding a card to your account for future use, there is more danger of "test charges". It's good to know the chickfila app doesnt do it. Maybe we should create a list. It's a nice solution since some merchants won't do manual transactions without a physical card because of a perceived risk of fraud.

It also helps to use all three at once if possible to reduce the amount of leftover wasted value.

It's good it has the zip code. I had a taxi voucher that didn't have one and caused some trouble but I eventually figured out to use United's zip code. I wondered about using Uber or Lyft but wasnt sure if they would do a test charge.

As for the guy that you bought dinner for, it's kind of on him for not tipping unless he wasn't planning to eat there in the first place. Did you find a homeless guy on the street and decide to treat him to dinner?

Last edited by eng3; Jun 9, 2022 at 6:08 am

SPN Lifer

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Presumably his flight seatmate?

livitup

Join Date: May 2007

Location: IAD

Programs: UA/MAR

Posts: 724

Nope. I had dinner at the hotel bar… my bill was < $20 (put alcohol on a second check at the bartender’s advice). The guy next to me was leaving when I was about half way done and offered as he was asking for the check if I could take $20 off his bill. Turns out his was < $20 also, so his dinner was free. He left without tipping and I didn’t want the bartender to suffer because of my offer. I ended up tipping about 50% on my bar bill to cover all three. Not too worried about it, but thought it was funny.