Visa Signature Concierge Service

The printable version is no longer supported and may have rendering errors. Please update your browser bookmarks and please use the default browser print function instead.

<adsense> google_ad_client = 'pub-0027270078582348'; google_ad_width = 728; google_ad_height = 90; google_ad_slot = '9003651073'; google_ad_format = '728x90_as'; google_ad_type = 'text_image'; google_ad_channel = '3267063621'; google_color_border = 'FFFFFF'; google_color_bg = 'FFFFFF'; google_color_link = '3D81EE'; google_color_text = '000000'; google_color_url = '3D81EE'; </adsense>

I have a British Airways Visa Signature Card, and one of the 'benifits' is the Visa Signature Concierge Service. I haven't used this before, as usually I'm fully capable of figuring out where I want to eat and making a reservation. Last week I decided I wanted to go to Peter Luger's Steakhouse. Since reservations are difficult to get at this restaurant, I thought I'd see if the concierge could help me out.

I called the service number at 1-800-953-7392, and first had to verify that I was in fact a card holder. After that, the representative was able to help me with my reservation. Here's basically how the conversation went:

Me: I'd like to see if you can get a reservation for me at Peter Luger's.

Rep: Is that a restaurant?

Me: Yes.

Rep: Where is it located?

Me: Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Rep: What state is that in?

Me: New York.

Rep: <long pause> O.K., I can help make a reservation for you. What date & time would you like?

Me: Next Thursday, closest time on or after 7:00 pm.

Rep: Would you like to hold while I call them.

Me: Sure.

Note: The phone number for Peter Luger's is often busy, and I was hoping it would be this time, and he would have to spend his afternoon trying to get through

Rep: ...a few minutes later... They have a 9:45 PM opening. Would you like for me to confirm that for you.

Me: No thanks. I'll have to think about this.

So, I spent twice as long getting someone else to make the same phone call as I could. I suppose that it doesn't help that Peter Luger's doesn't take credit cards, so having a credit card company call them probably doesn't help much. What I did learn is that the Visa Concierge is a far cry from the Amex Centurion Concierge.