Total reward comp questions- please help- I can't remember!

Ok, it's been a while since we've been there so I have a few questions I know you all can help me with:

I have have the Total Rewards Via and currently have 14,400 points. I am staying at Paris. We are going to eat at Mesa Grill in Caesars. Can I just hand them my players card to have them take the credit off the card to pay for my dinner or the portion it covers? I made reservations yesterday for Mesa Grill and asked the woman on the phone. She seemed very unsure and then told me that I can only use my card at buffets and coffee shops and that if I want to eat at a restaurant like Mesa Grill, I have to get a voucher at the Caesars cage to pay for the food. Is that true? So, I just guess what my dinner will cost and get a voucher for that amount?

Also, I saw someone was mentioning before about if you do charge your meals to your room that they charge you tax on that amount or something like that? I'm just wondering if I should just charge everything to our room and then pay it at the end with comp. Also, do I have to go to the host at Paris at the end of our trip to get the comp amount or can they just use the amount I have on my card at the front desk to remove it off my bill?

I remember one time we were checking out at Caesars and the clerk was so hopped up on drugs that he couldn't figure out how to type our room number in. I kept saying 8434 (or whatever it was) and he kept making me repeat it a zillion times. He was so embarrassed (and I'm sure didn't want us to blow him in) that he just took all of our charges off. SCORE!!

Thanks for your help. We haven't been to Vegas since 2010 because we were in the middle of a move from NY to GA and I am just so excited to be going back!!! (Also the reason why I can't remember what to do)!!

 

First off, you may wanna log into MyTR online and check your RC credits there. RC's (Reward Credits) expire after 6 months of no new updates to your account. If you had a recent purchase on the TR Visa, you should be ok.

You can use RC's for your meal at Mesa Grill; just to be sure the waitress doesn't charge the mael to your TR Visa, instead of using your 14,400 RC's, I would give her your players card and ID instead.

Here is the list of restaurants you can use your RC's to pay for meals at Caesar's:
Las Vegas Hotels - Quick Rewards
Your Quick Rewards are accepted at:

Caesars Palace
Cypress Street Food Court, Bejing Noodle No. 9, Guy Savoy, Old Homestead, Bacchanal Buffet, Mesa Grill, Rao's, Payard, NOBU Restaurant, Empress Court, Munch Bar, Snackus Maximus, Gordon Ramsey Pub, Serendipity 3, Starbucks, Java Coast, PURE, Cleopatra’s Barge, and Race/Sports, Seahorse Bar, Colosseum Bar, Galleria, Neptune, Shadow, Slice, Spanish Steps Bars. Pool Store, Caesars Exclusively, Emperor’s Essentials, Color Salon, Qua, Bottlehood, HOME, King Baby, Jimmy Crystal, Pussycat Dolls Kiosk, Forum Essentials.

Not sure about the tax thing on charges to your room.

 

I have my auto/homeowners debit on the Harrah's Visa every month so I won't lose the rewards. I also just opened the Visa a few months ago to get the platinum status and get the free buffet for 2 for 24 hours thingie so there's no issue there. So, what you're telling me is that I don't need to get a voucher as long as it's on the list, right? I just hand them my card and id (good point there because I don't carry my huge purse when in Vegas- need both hands to gamble) and they take it right off the card. Exactly the opposite of what the woman on the phone told me. She actually said that Mesa Grill is independently owned so I needed a voucher.

What if a restaurant we want to eat at is not on the list? I can still eat there but use a voucher?

Thanks!

 

She could be correct about the voucher thingy, though I have never had to get one for all the meals I have used RC's for over the years. Just ask at the restaurant first, before you sit down to eat, if they take RC's or what!

If it's not on the list, again, just ask. It may be some place that has not been updated on the list and they might take your RC's there.

Maybe someone else will chime in with more info on this voucher thing!

 

The only time I have not been charged tax when using Total Rewards points to pay is at the buffet's. Both the Paris and Planet Hollywood buffet did not charge me the tax when paying with points. Earl of Sandwich , Burger Brasserie and Ramsey Steak all charged tax even when paying with points. The first two times at Ramsey Steak they had a problem figuring out how to pay with points so now I just charge to the room and have points applied before checkout. Much easier. It has been years since we ate at Mesa grill so I don't remember how we applied points but I know I didn't take a voucher.
Mark

 

depending on the resturant you will need a voucher.

mon ami gabi in paris u need a voucher and they charge tax.

at most place you dont pay tax if you use your tr rewards to pay one of the advantages

 

Mon Ami is one of the very few exceptions. The person at MESA is working the desk for a reason - she does not have a clue about how to pay.

 

Typically the tax is taken off the bill if paying with your total rewards card. This has worked for me even when only paying a portion with the TR card (they usually take off all of the tax which benefits the whole table if dining in a group). However, I still typically just charge everything back to the room - far easier to keep track of spending that way and I usually get it comped at the end.

 

I wouldn't always assume you are speaking to someone at the actual restaurant when you make reservations. Lots of different areas have access to the reservations systems. That being said, you don't need a voucher. You will not be deducted for the tax if you pay in the restaurant with your comps but you will be deducted for them if you do a room charge. You don't have to see a host if you want to pay your room charges with points, they can handle that at check out just fine or you can see the Total Rewards desk. The advantage to seeing a host would be to get a discretionary comp that won't use your points. But I would speak to a host before making a ton of room charges if that's your goal because of that tax thing.

 

One note

never mind...my error...deleted post

 

We always pay with TR credits and have never had the tax remain on the bill @ Earl of Sandwich or Burger Brasserie.....odd.

 

I've used TR points this week at Carlos and Charlie's, Margaritaville, and Bacchanal. No tax on any of them.

 

I'll double check but I could swear they charged tax unless it was on the receipt but not deducted from my points. I'll see once I receive my Total Rewards statement from September.
Mark