IHG Food and Beverage Rewards – A new perk for IHG members

IHG updated its loyalty program in early 2022 to include new elite tiers and higher earning rates. One of these benefits was IHG Milestone rewards.

IHG One Rewards members can now choose from three reward options after staying 20 nights within a calendar year.

IHG has launched this option for members starting February 2023, after a delay.

How to get IHG Food & Beverage Rewards

Milestone Rewards is one of IHG’s new perks for frequent guests. It allows you to earn IHG Food and Beverage rewards. After accumulating 20 nights of qualifying nights, IHG One Rewards members are eligible to choose their first Milestone Reward.

Members can get 5,000 bonus points and a suite upgrade at 20 nights.

Members earn an additional Milestone Rewards choice (or more, depending on their level) for every 10 nights.

Each Food and Beverage Rewards is worth $20. NerdWallet also values 5,000 IHG Points at $35. The points and the Food and Beverage Rewards options offer almost equal value. It all depends on the perk that you choose to use.

The rewards options available can vary depending on the reward level. This includes how many choices you have, what rewards you receive, and how many. All Milestone Rewards options can be viewed here.

How many Food and Beverage Reward Points can you earn at each milestone?

This means that an IHG One Rewards member staying 100 nights per year could earn up to $980 in Food & Beverage Rewards.

IHG doesn’t limit the number of Food and Beverage Reward points that can be earned per stay. This means you could use all your rewards to pay for a luxurious meal or a bar tab.

But, IHG guests who stay that many nights would be eligible for Milestone Reward options. These include an annual lounge membership and one guest.

IHG will send you an email once you have reached a Milestone Reward threshold to inform you that it’s time for you to select your reward. To begin the selection process, click the “Select Now” button in the email.

You can also log in to your IHG One Rewards account to browse IHG’s Milestone Rewards page for more information and to make a decision.

Remember that you only have 90 days to choose a Milestone Reward reward after you earn it. If you do not choose one within the time limit, you will lose your benefit. IHG will not automatically give you the option that you choose, like Marriott Annual Choice Rewards. You can keep track of all your IHG emails and create a reminder on your calendar so that you can make your choice in the quickest time possible.

IHG Food and Beverage Reward Points are valid for 12 month after they have been selected.

What is the value of IHG Food & Beverage Rewards?

All IHG Food and Beverage Reward Points are equal in value, regardless of the Milestone Rewards level.

IHG One Rewards members who are based in selected countries will receive Food and Beverage Reward in their local currency. These are the six currencies available:

• 
  20 U.S. dollars.
  

• 
  15 pounds sterling.
  

• 
  125 Chinese Yuan.
  

• 
  2,000 Japanese Yuan.
  

• 
  70 Saudi riyal.
  

Members who are based in countries with another currency will be eligible for Food and Beverage Rewards up to $20.

IHG will convert your credit value to the hotel’s local currency when you are ready to redeem your reward. IHG members who are based in the U.S. can receive up to $20 worth of value regardless of where they take their IHG Food or Beverage Rewards.

How to Use IHG Food & Beverage Rewards

Reward points can be used to pay for hotel restaurant charges, in room dining, minibar products, and related tax and gratuity. You are not eligible for third-party restaurants, third party food delivery services, or marketplace items.

These properties are now available at premium IHG luxury, lifestyle, and premium hotels in the U.S.A and Canada. More properties will be added through 2023.

How do I redeem IHG Food & Beverage Rewards

The revamped IHG One rewards app allows you to redeem IHG Food & Beverage Rewards. Throughout your stay, you will need to make purchases and charge your room. Make sure you redeem your reward prior to checkout.

I was able to see the process in action during my visit to IHG’s U.S. headquarters, Atlanta.

Only the Crowne Plaza Ravinia was able to redeem Food and Beverage Rewards at the time.

Open the “Reward Wallet”, in your IHG One Rewards App.

Expand the section “Rewards that enhance your stay” and click “Redeem” to select the Food and Beverage Reward to be redeemed. IHG will display the details of the reward on the next screen. To redeem this reward, click “Redeem this reward”.

IHG will then display a list showing which stays are eligible for the Food and Beverage Reward redemption. Click “Continue redeem” to confirm that the hotel and room details are correct. IHG will then confirm that you wish to redeem the Food and Beverage Rewards and apply the $20 credit towards your hotel bill.

This is a brand new benefit and IHG wants you to be careful not to redeem it accidentally. Before the credit can be applied to your account, you will need to confirm that you wish to redeem it one more time.

Full disclosure: IHG provided two $20 Food & Beverage Rewards to me and my spouse in order for us to try this new benefit. IHG elite night credits totaled more than 40 in 2022. Instead of choosing Food and Beverage Rewards, I chose to confirm my suite upgrade, bonus points, and an annual lounge membership.

Let’s now get to the fine print. These IHG Food and Beverage Reward points are very easy to use. However, there are some limitations.

• 
  Rewards cannot be transferred to another room or used for multi-room bookings.
  

• 
  Before you can check out, redeem the IHG Food & Beverage Reward.
  

• 
  Beverage and Food Rewards cannot be used at Holiday Inn Club Vacations or Mr and Mrs Smith properties, or at InterContinental Alliance Resorts Las Vegas and Macau.
  

• 
  To be eligible, charges must be charged to your room. This means that restaurants that charge extra for guest rooms, vending machines, or other vendors are not eligible.
  

You might consider IHG Food & Beverage Rewards to be a Milestone reward

IHG One Rewards now offers food and beverage rewards. This reward allows you to accumulate food credits which you can use whenever you like.

You should also consider other Milestone Reward options. Two Food and Beverage Reward points are available to travelers who reach 20 or 30 elite nights. This is a modest $40 milestone reward.

With a minimum of 40 nights, you can choose from five Food or Beverage Rewards. This really adds up.