This past weekend, I flew through Ronald Regan (DCA) airport in Washington, DC with a long 6-hour layover. I’d previously read that Priority Pass allows users to check in to the same restaurant again after 2 hours (see this post from Doctor of Credit or this one from One Mile at a Time that references the same info). I therefore didn’t worry about hitting the full $28 credit on my first visit to American Tap Room, a Priority Pass restaurant in Terminal C at DCA, figuring I’d visit again before taking off on my next flight. Unfortunately, when I went back about 4 hours after my initial visit, I was denied use of the Priority Pass a second time and shown a card stating that you can only use a Priority Pass card at American Tap Room once in a 24 hour period (see #11 in the pic below). Note that this likely only applies to visits to an individual restaurant (and not all of them).
This was a surprise to me, but at least I presented my card before my order was processed and subsequently had the chance to cancel (had I been served before presenting my card, I’d have been on the hook for the bill).
I looked for other data points via Twitter and our Frequent Miler Insiders Facebook group. While some people cited the same 2-hour restriction previously reported in the posts above, others asserted that there had always been a 24-hour limitation. The mixture of responses seems to match with what Priority Pass eventually had to say in response to my tweet:
Priority Pass’s response above indicates to me that this varies by restaurant, which makes sense since a manager at a Priority Pass restaurant had previously confirmed the 2-hour rule reported by Doctor of Credit. While some people say that the payment terminal is hard-coded to allow a second swipe after 2 hours, I’m not positive that’s the case as the waitress did swipe my card the second time before telling me it couldn’t be used twice within 24 hours. She recognized me from my previous visit as she was swiping my card, so it wasn’t immediately clear to me whether the terminal denied my second visit or she was just denying me based on the restaurant’s written rules. I intended to follow up when flying through DCA again the next day, but delays prevented me from getting a chance to discuss the rules further with staff there.
Note also that at least one member of Frequent Miler Insiders indicated that the 24-hour rule may actually be a calendar day rule as they visited the same restaurant on consecutive days within less than 24 hours without issue.
In my case, I was particularly disappointed since I didn’t use up the full $28 credit on the first round (since I figured I’d be back a second time and I was happy to allow the restaurant a bit more room for profit since I’m getting a great deal, too). Since I waited until relatively close to departure for my second visit, I didn’t have time to get to Terminal B to try the other Priority Pass restaurant. If I had that 6-hour layover to do over, I’d have headed to Terminal B on arrival to eat at that restaurant and saved American Tap Room for sometime before boarding my flight.
Again, note that this 24-hour restriction applies to restaurants, not lounges. I’ve never had a problem leaving a lounge and returning later (I do usually mention to the attendant if I’m going to be back in a little while and they usually just wave me back in).
Overall, I mostly just find it disappointing that Priority Pass doesn’t make the rules clear within the app. If your “local” restaurant has long enforced the 24-hour restriction, this post won’t be news — but especially for those who have become used to being able to visit the same restaurant twice in the same day, it’s worth noting that you can’t do that at all locations (and it would be useful for Priority Pass to note it in the restrictions). Perhaps I’d have been able to swipe a second Priority Pass card (I have many), but I didn’t get the sense that the waitress/restaurant was going to be flexible about the rule. I could be wrong as I did not ask to do it.
For those curious, here was the menu at American Tap Room. I do not recommend the burger for future reference.
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[…] one mentions a cap on the number of daily visits to Stephanie’s in Boston, but as reported by Frequent Miler, some Priority Pass restaurants are limiting how often you can check in. To their credit, those […]
in SFO, there is the Air France -KLM lounge as PP lounge, and there is also the “Yankee Pier” bar that each PP card holder entitled to $28 credit. Can i go to both, if i manage, before my departing fl ?
Yes, absolutely.
For the record, Timberline (DIA) has had this same policy for quite some time now. Moreover, at Timberline you cannot use two different Priority Pass memberships to circumvent (in the event, say, that you have one via AMEX Plat and another via Chase CSR). That is perhaps a more fundamental issue since it is two separate accounts paid for by two separate issuers.
I would have asked when I was there on the first visit, crisis averted.
Anyone try PP at Mise En Place at TPA airport. Any issues getting from Gate C to Gate F85? Service and food reviews not so hot, but like others have said in this post, it’s free! Any food recommendation?
I was just there two weeks ago . I thought their steak sandwich was good, the salad along with it very good, and the drink prices were reasonable. Didn’t try a second time though.
Can someone share experience of using PP in restaurant on arrival? Is it allowed? Is it allowed only in certain restaurants?
See my response one above.
Has anyone used the PP on arrival into DCA. I’d like to have breakfast. 😉
You should be able to use it on arrival. At American Tap Room, I showed my boarding pass on my phone. It looked like she was just checking to make sure that the name on the boarding pass matched the name on my Priority Pass card. I haven’t used mine at a restaurant on arrival, but I’ve used Priority Pass lounges on arrival without an issue.
How about lounge ? Can you also use it upon arrival ? I always thought only for departure.
Does the tip go from PP credit?
No. Officially, you can not use the PP credit towards gratuity. I’ve heard of places that have said you can, but I suspect they are not ringing it up that way for PP.
The new restaurant in SEA doesn’t seem to have this limitation as of last weekend. Our waitress recognized us about 18 hours later (on the next calendar day) and made us feel like regulars, in a good way. Our card scanned fine both times, so I can confirm there is nothing coded into the PP system to limit guests to one visit per 24 hours.
I used mine in Denver this weekend 2x within 24 hours. Maybe its per day? I used at 4pm at Timberline in Denver for an outgoing flight (which I missed…then had to take in the morning). I had breakfast at Timberline the next morning at 9am with no problems
Timberline is where the 2-hr limit originated. A manager from Timberline commented on a DoC thread to confirm that you could visit again 2hrs after the first check-in. Based on the fact that PP said “most” restaurants have the 24hr rule (not “all”), I would assume business as usual at Timberline.
I went there on April 15. Same thing. Just glad my companion has another card with her.
[…] Priority Pass restaurant restriction: one visit per 24 hours by Frequent Miler. Has anybody else run into this before? Would be interesting to know if it’s actually hard coded or not. […]
Had the same issue not too long ago. Decided to load ALL the PP cards into my travel card wallet. Just last week had an awful stair stepped delay and t DCA, so I sat. I ate. I drank. I closed tabs and swapped PP cards. Server was confused, but accommodating. I used four different cards to the max, with a single server. Tipped her $40 for the effort and she was ecstatic. Hate carrying all those cards though.
If the person didn’t recognize you, would you have been able to swipe again?