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1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s In 1949, Frank McNamara dines in a New York restaurant and discovers that he cannot pay for the meal because he has forgotten his wallet. Although his wife rescues him from his dilemma, he resolves never to face this embarrassment again. 1950: With his attorney, Ralph Schneider, Frank McNamara creates Diners Club. The first charge card is offered to 200 people, most of whom are personal friends and acquaintances. Fourteen New York restaurants agree to accept the card. The business expands so rapidly that Diners Club has to change its offices three times. The business begins on the 24th floor of the Empire State Building, and then expands to the 32nd, and finally to the 77th floor. By the end of the year, 20,000 people carry Diners Club cards. 1960: Diners Club opens franchises in Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, and New Zealand. Establishments in Bolivia, Ecuador, Yugoslavia, Jordan, Ceylon, Thailand, Okinawa, Suriname and Zanzibar begin to accept the Diners Club card. Northeast Airlines accepts the Diners Club card. Miami's Tropical Park becomes the first racetrack to accept the Diners Club card. 1970: Howard Johnson's Motor Lodges accept the Diners Club card. The Hilton Hotels Corporation (U.S.) honors the Diners Club Card. Diners Club introduces a credit card authorization program that utilizes an auditory response system manufactured by the Audac Corporation. Diners Club sells International Floatels, Inc., to ex-CEO Alfred Bloomingdale and a group of private investors. Diners Club sells Diner-Fugazy Travel's incentive and executive travel divisions to General Leisure Inc. Diners Club installs a Honeywell computer system to implement an audio response authorization system that will provide voice replies to inquiries from businesses about the validity of customer credit cards. 1980: Continental Corp. Chairman John B. Ricker, Jr. introduces Diners Club cards in China, where it becomes the first credit card used in that country. Establishments in Honduras and Portugal become Diners Club agencies. Diners Club Norge opens in Norway as a subfranchise of Diners Club Nordic. 450,000 establishments accept the Diners Club card. There are 4.2 million Diners Club Cardmembers. 1990: Life magazine declares Frank McNamara one of the 100 most influential Americans of the 20th century. A Diners Club franchise opens in Costa Rica. Iceland's Islandsbankin becomes a Diners Club agency. A travel company in Mongolia becomes an agency for Diners Club. Diners Club Venezuela opens a branch office in the Netherlands Antilles. Citicorp sells its minority interest in the Diners Club Japanese franchise to Fuji Bank Group and Japan Travel Bureau. |
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