Hilton Honors Dining Program (Restaurants, Rewards) [2018]

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Hilton Honors Dining program is a great way to earn extra Hilton Honors points and get closer to staying in Hilton hotels for free.

But how much can you earn from this rewards program and how does it work?

I’ll highlight everything you need to know about the Dining program including how to maximize your points and find the restaurants best suited for your tastes. 

What is the Hilton Honors Dining program?

The Hilton Honors Dining is a special program that allows you to earn extra Hilton Honors points when you dine at various restaurants. It is part of the Rewards Network Dining Program that many other loyalty programs participate in.

How many Hilton points can you earn?

  • Members earn 2 Honors Bonus Points per $1 spent if you elect to not receive email communications from Hilton Honors Dining.
  • Online Members earn 5 Honors Bonus Points per $1 spent if you elect to receive email communications from Hilton Honors Dining.
  • Elite Members earn 8 Honors Bonus Points per $1 spent if you elect to receive email communications from Hilton Honors Dining AND have already completed 11 qualified transactions in the calendar year.

*(Members start earning at the Elite level on their 12th qualified transaction.)

Hilton Honors points are worth around .5 cents per point so that’s like earning an additional 2.5% back on your dining which is in addition to the points earned by credit cards.

Compare that to the AAdvantage dining portal:

  • Members earn 1 AAdvantage mile per $2 spent if you elect to not receive email communications
  • Online Members earn 3 AAdvantage miles per $1 spent if you elect to receive email communications
  • VIP Members earn 5 AAdvantage miles per $1 spent if you elect to receive email communications AND have 12 or more qualified dining transactions in a calendar year.

If you value American miles at 1.4 cents per mile then you’d be earning 4.2% back compared to the 2.5% back you’d earn with Hilton Dining. This is a major consideration to think about since the Hilton Dining program is not offering you the most lucrative deal for cash back value. 

How do you sign-up for the Hilton Honors Dining program?

  • You can sign up here

Make sure to  use the same name, email address, and Honors number
on file with Hilton Honors.

Be sure to check the box for receiving occasional emails if you want to maximize your points.

You must remain opted in to receive emails from Hilton Honors Dining, with a valid, deliverable email address, to remain eligible to earn any of the bonuses offered under the program. Members who do not remain opted in to receive email only earn two Honors Bonus Points per two dollars spent dining.

Honestly this is an annoying requirement for this rewards program but if you really want to maximize your earnings with the Hilton Dining program then you might as well opt-in to emails.

You’ll then be asked in input more personal information, including your Hilton Honors number.

After that you’ll need to link your credit to your account.

How to use the Hilton Honors Dining program

How to search for restaurants

Search for dining spots by city or ZIP code with the Quick Search field, located on every page of Honorsdining.com. You can also use the Advanced Search to search by neighborhood or nearby address

Search results for Los Angeles

Here’s what came up when I searched for Los Angeles.

Filters

There are a lot of filters that you can use to help you find the restaurants that are just right for you.

Establishment

  • Bar/Club/Lounge
  • Fast Food/Quick Serve
  • Restaurant and Bar
  • Casual
  • Restaurant
  • Upscale

Neighborhoods

  • Beverly Center/Mid Wilshire
  • Greater Riverside Area
  • San Fernando Valley East of 405
  • South Bay/East County
  • Beverly Hills/West Los Angeles
  • South Bay/Long Beach/Central LA
  • And many more….

Cuisine

  • American (New)
  • Dessert/Bakery
  • Jamaican
  • Scandinavian
  • American (Traditional)
  • Diner
  • Japanese
  • And many more….

Features

  • Bistro
  • Beer and Wine
  • LGBT
  • Piano Bar
  • Sports
  • And many more….

Open for

  • Breakfast
  • Catering
  • Late-Night Dining
  • Party Packages
  • Brunch
  • Dinner
  • Lunch

Price

  • Under $10
  • Under $20
  • Under $30
  • Over $30

Proximity

You can search up to 30 miles within your location.

Viewing your results

List view

The results will be listed in order of what closest to your destination. You’ll be able to see the name of the restaurant along with its neighborhood, Member rating, average entree price, and all of the days of the week that you’ll be eligible for rewards.
You have the option to hide locations not offering rewards if you’d like to remove them from your results.
By clicking on the restaurant you’ll be taken a page where you can get a helpful overview of the restaurant. You can check out its member rating, menu, features, and directions.

Map view

The map view is great and allows you to see exactly where the restaurants are located.

New locations

You can see which restaurants are newly enrolled into the program.

What you might like

They will provide you with options that you might like based on your preferences.

Bonuses

You’ll often be eligible for bonuses as a new member, such as:

  • 1,000 Bonus Points for your first $25 spent dining.

Hilton Dining FAQ

How many cards can I add?

You can add up to 5 cards in your Account Center.

How much does it cost to join the program?

The program is free to join.

Do I have to give my credit card information to sign up?

Yes, you’ll be required to input your credit card information. According to Hilton, “there are no membership cards to show, coupon codes to enter, or deals to pre-register for. You just dine on a registered card and earn.”

Will my membership ever expire?

Yes, but only after 36 consecutive months of no dining activity with your registered credit or debit cards.

When do my points get added?

Hilton Honors Bonus Points will appear in your Hilton Honors Dining account as soon as the transaction is registered by the restaurant, usually within 5 days.

However, it’s going to take much longer for the points to appear in your personal Hilton account. Bonus Points earned through Hilton Honors Dining will appear in your Hilton Honors account 6-8 weeks after the transaction occurs.

How often do they run bonuses?

Hilton Honors Dining runs special bonus offers to members periodically based upon specific criteria at different times, including:

    • joining (new member bonus)
    • opting in to receive email notifications from Hilton Honors Dining
    • completing a survey
    • frequenting more restaurants
    • spending a specific amount per visit
    • adding a new card

Final word

The Hilton Honors Dining program is a great way to earn extra Hilton points but make sure that you opt-in to the emails to earn the most Hilton points.