Abstract: A computer-implemented method for determining objective restaurant cost characteristics for one or more merchant restaurants. The method is implemented using a restaurant cost ratings (RCR) computing device. The method includes storing transaction data for a plurality of restaurant transactions. The method further includes receiving a request for one or more restaurant cost characteristics for one or more merchant restaurants. The method also includes determining the one or more restaurant cost characteristics for the one or more merchant restaurants based on the transaction data stored in the memory. The method further includes transmitting the one or more restaurant cost characteristics for the one or more merchant restaurants to a remote computing device.

Abstract: A system and method to provide a reward during a cashless transaction, i.e., in real-time, that is immediately applied to the cashless transaction to reduce the amount due from a customer. The system and method link the reward to a group comprised of the customer and his/her friends, family, colleagues, and adds a gaming aspect to a rewards program in that there is a possibility that a cardholder wins a reward each time he/she uses the credit card. The system and method calculates a probability value for the customer and/or for the group, generates a random number for the cashless transaction, and provides a reward if the random number and probability value are the same.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for determining objective restaurant cost characteristics for one or more merchant restaurants. The method is implemented using a restaurant cost ratings (RCR) computing device. The method includes storing transaction data for a plurality of restaurant transactions. The method further includes receiving a request for one or more restaurant cost characteristics for one or more merchant restaurants. The method also includes determining the one or more restaurant cost characteristics for the one or more merchant restaurants based on the transaction data stored in the memory. The method further includes transmitting the one or more restaurant cost characteristics for the one or more merchant restaurants to a remote computing device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for recommending merchants at a travel destination of a cardholder are provided. A travel analyzing computing system may include a retriever configured to obtain transaction data including addendum data from a travel-based transaction of a cardholder, an analyzer configured to analyze the addendum data and extract a travel destination of the cardholder from the addendum data, a categorizer configured to determine a spending category of the cardholder, from among a plurality of spending categories, based upon historical transaction data of the cardholder, and a processor configured to recommend one or more merchants to the cardholder based upon the extracted travel destination and the determined spending category of the cardholder.

Abstract: A method is provided for alerting the establishment of new merchants to a user. The method generally includes parsing transactions processed over at least one payment device network, using a computing processing unit, to extract financial transaction data. By evaluating the extracted financial transaction data and comparing the extracted data with data stored in one or more databases, candidate new merchants may be determined. For an identified candidate new merchant, user-defined preferences are compared with details of the new merchant database to determine if a match exists. In response to determining a match in the new merchant database, an alert notification is generated and sent to the user using user contact information.