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                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.19

                            [Transmedia Letterhead]

Gene M. Henderson
President & CEO

March 30, 2000

Mr. Gerald J. Hughes
2440 North Lakeview Avenue
Chicago, IL 60614

Dear Jerry:

On behalf of Transmedia Network Inc. ("the Company"), I am very pleased to offer
you the position of Vice President of Business Development in iDine.com, Inc.
("iDine"), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. In this position you will
report directly to the President and CEO of iDine.

The terms of the offer include the following:

Duties and Responsibilities - As Vice President of Business Development you will
be responsible for:

..       Identifying and evaluating all strategic partnering opportunities

..       Working with CEO to prioritize desired partnering relationships

..       Initiating contact with and follow-through on all partner candidates

..       Using other resources and personnel in iDine and the Company to address
        issues and clarify opportunities

..       Negotiating (with input from CEO/board/others) and closing partnering
        relationships

Starting Date - I would like you to start as soon as possible; however, I would
expect you to assume this position on or before April 17, 2000. This offer will
remain valid and in force until April 7, 2000.

Base Salary - Your annual base salary is $195,000 and is paid weekly. You
compensation will be reviewed in April 2001 and annually thereafter.

Annual Bonus - At the discretion of the Compensation Committee of the iDine
Board of Directors, you will be eligible for a cash bonus in Fiscal 2001
(October 1, 2000 - September 30, 2001), of up to a maximum of fifty percent
(50%) of your base salary. Based upon the achievement of specific goals to be
set and agreed to at the beginning of the fiscal year, you may earn from zero to
100% of your bonus potential.

Stock Options - Subject to the terms and conditions of the Company's existing
1996 Long Term Incentive Plan ("LTIP"), you will receive options to purchase
3.0% of the initial fully-diluted shares of iDine exercisable at the strike
price which is 140% of the post-money valuation of the subsidiary or $35 million
divided by the initial number of fully-diluted iDine shares. If iDine

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does not engage in a public offering, spinoff, merger, sale or other change of
control event by October 1, 2001, then you will be entitled to exchange your
iDine options for restricted Transmedia shares or options equivalent in value to
50% of the increase in equity market value of Transmedia (from the period of
April 1, 2000 through October 1, 2001) less the exercise price of the options
times your fully-diluted percentage ownership in iDine.

        .       Vesting - These options will vest ratably on each of the first
                through the fourth anniversaries of your starting date. Vested
                options will remain exercisable by you for ten years following
                the date of their grant or, in the event of the termination of
                your employment, for the period provided in the LTIP. If you are
                terminated for any reason other than "cause" (as defined below),
                that period is ninety days from the date of termination. All
                unvested options will terminate upon the termination of your
                employment for any reason, except as stated below.

        .       Annual Grants - You will be eligible for annual option grants at
                the discretion of the President and CEO of iDine and the
                subsequent approval of the Compensation Committee of the Board.

Executive Employee Benefits - In addition to all normal Company benefits, you
will participate in the following Executive Benefit Plan:

        .       Transmedia Dining - You may register a personal credit card in
                the Transmedia program at no charge. As a Transmedia officer,
                you will be reimbursed for the first $500 of spend in Transmedia
                restaurants each month and receive a 30% rebate thereafter.

        .       Severance Arrangements - If your employment is terminated by
                Transmedia Network Inc. in the first year of employment for any
                reason other than "Cause" (as defined below), disability or
                death, you will receive payments equal to twelve (12) months
                base salary (paid pursuant to the Company's normal payroll
                practices) and the options granted for the first full year of
                employment will vest. You will have the option to continue
                coverage in the Company's health care plan for the statutory
                period provided by COBRA and we will pay for your costs
                associated with such participation. After the first year, the
                provisions of the Company's Severance Plan will be applicable.
                In addition, prior to the second anniversary of your starting
                date, the Company will provide accelerated vesting of your
                options on a pro rata basis.

                The Company will require that you sign and comply with a
                Termination Agreement as a condition of receiving severance
                benefits. This agreement will include a Non-compete Agreement
                (as described in paragraph 8 below), a general release of
                liability and a covenant not to sue the Company or any
                affiliated company or any officer, director or employee thereof
                (provided, however, that no provision of such release shall
                excuse the Company from full performance of its obligations as
                set forth in this offer). "Cause" shall mean (a) your willful
                failure to substantially perform the duties hereunder, (b) your
                willful failure to follow a written, lawful order or written
                directive from the President and CEO of iDine or

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                the iDine Board of Directors or (c) your conviction of a felony
                of any kind or any misdemeanor involving moral turpitude. Your
                receipt of any severance payments or benefits hereunder shall be
                conditioned upon your compliance with the con-compete provision
                below.

        .       Change of Control - Upon a change of control event as defined in
                the LTIP and for a period of one (1) year after such date, if
                you are terminated by the Company other than for cause,
                disability or death, the severance payments will be twelve (12)
                months base salary from the separation date, plus the greater of
                the guaranteed bonus for the year (if any) or the pro rata
                portion of the full bonus potential for that year. Upon a change
                of control, unvested options will immediately vest as provided
                in the LTIP. You shall be entitled, for a twelve (12) month
                period (or shorter if you receive coverage and benefits under
                the plans and programs of a subsequent employer), to continue
                participating in employee welfare benefit plans in which you
                were participating on the termination date. You shall be deemed
                to have been terminated without cause if, after a change of
                control, there is any material diminution of the scope of your
                duties and responsibilities or a reduction in your base salary,
                target bonus, bonus plan parameters and a reduction, not
                applicable to executive employees generally, in employee welfare
                benefits (it being understood that the changes, if any, in
                employee benefits shall be viewed in their entirety and not on a
                plan by plan basis).

Non-Compete - In the event you, voluntarily or involuntarily leave iDine or
Transmedia's employ, for a period of one year following your termination date
or, if longer, for as long as you are receiving severance payments and benefits
as provided above, you will not directly or indirectly (i) be employed by or
perform work as a director, officer, independent contractor, partner or
consultant for any business, which in any case shall not include SalonSavvy,
Inc., or any of its successors, in which the Company or any of its affiliates is
engaged at such date in any geographic region in which the Company conducts
business ("business" shall be defined as the marketing and sale of any program
substantially similar to the Transmedia program and/or the marketing and sale of
discount restaurant, hotel, resort, travel or leisure products or services as
more particularly set forth in the Company's 10-K filing effective as of the
date of this offer).

Confidentiality - You shall treat as confidential and not disclose to any person
not affiliated with Transmedia all non-public and proprietary information and
data about the business, operations, employees, programs, plans and financial
results, projections and budgets of Transmedia and its affiliates which are
disclosed to you during your employment. The confidentiality agreement shall
survive the termination of your employment for any reason.

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On behalf of Transmedia Network Inc., I am delighted to offer you the position
of Vice President of Business Development in iDine and I look forward to your
joining our team. If you have any questions, please contact me directly at
305-892-3314.

Sincerely,                              Agreement Accepted:

/s/ Gene M. Henderson                   /s/ Gerald J. Hughes
-------------------------------         ----------------------------
Gene M. Henderson                       Gerald J. Hughes
President and CEO

                                        Date: 2 April 2000
                                              ----------------------

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                Transmedia Non-Compete/Confidentiality Agreement

                A.      The Employee acknowledges that the business of
Transmedia is nationwide in scope. Accordingly, during the Restricted Period (as
defined below), the Employee shall not: (i) directly or indirectly own, manage,
operate, finance, advise, assist, join, or control, or participate in the
ownership, management, operations or control of, or be connected as a director,
officer, employee, partner, member, stockholder, consultant, financier or
otherwise with, any business or organization located in or doing business in the
Restricted Areas (as defined below) which competes with the business of
Transmedia and its subsidiaries, licensees or franchisees as conducted at any
time during the Term (which business or organization shall in no case include
SalonSavvy.com, Inc. or any of its successors); or (ii) interfere with, or
divert or attempt to divert from them the benefits of, any relationship with
employees, agents, suppliers, restaurants and other merchants, marketing
partners, corporate sponsors, membership card holders or other customers
maintained by Transmedia and its subsidiaries at any time during the Restricted
Period. However, if the Employee's employment hereunder is terminated with Cause
(as defined below) and the Employee does not receive after such termination the
Accrued Obligations and Termination Payment, as provided by Transmedia's
severance policy, if applicable, then the provisions of this document shall
cease upon such termination. For the purposes of this Agreement, (i) "Restricted
Period" means the twelve-month period commencing upon the termination of the
Employee's employment with Transmedia and (ii) "Restricted Area" means any
geographical market in or with respect to which Transmedia, within twelve months
prior to the commencement of the Restricted Period, is then operating or has
taken significant affirmative steps to commence operations. Nothing in this
document shall be construed to prevent the Employee from owning or dealing in
any stock actively traded over-the-counter or on any recognized exchange and
issued by a corporation which may compete directly or indirectly with Transmedia
and its subsidiaries so long as the Employee does not participate in the
management, control, or operations of any such corporation and the Employee's
holdings do not at any time exceed two percent (2%) of the outstanding shares of
any class of stock of such corporation.

                B.      All confidential and proprietary information or data
which the Employee may now have or may obtain during his employment relating in
any way to the business, plans, programs, financial or operating results,
projections or budgets of Transmedia and its subsidiaries shall not be disclosed
by him to any other person, either during or after the termination of his
employment, unless Transmedia has given its prior consent to such disclosure or
such disclosure is a necessary incident to transactions which the Employee is
pursuing in accordance with duties assigned to him. The Employee shall promptly
return all tangible evidence of such confidential and proprietary matters to
Transmedia at the termination of his employment or upon Transmedia's earlier
request. Confidential or proprietary information, as used in this document,
comprises any technical, economic, financial, customer, supplier, marketing or
other information of or relating to Transmedia or any of its subsidiaries which
is not in the public domain, including, without limitation, information with
respect to operational or marketing plans and programs, training methods,
bidding techniques, contracts, leases, franchises, partnering agreements,
concessions, partnering agreements and licenses, purchasing methods and
procedures, accounting systems, merchant, partner and cardmember names and

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requirements, routes, sales or other costs, sales volume, prices, products,
business systems and computer programs, any formula, pattern, compilation,
program, device, method, technique or information relating to any product,
service, long-range planning financial plans and results.

                C.      During the Restricted Period, the Employee shall not, on
behalf of himself or any business with which he may be associated, offer
employment or a consultancy position (or assist any other person in offering
employment or a consultancy position) to any person who is an employee or a
consultant of Transmedia or any of its subsidiaries.

                D.      The Employee acknowledges that damages are an inadequate
remedy for any breach of the terms or provisions of this document and that
Transmedia shall, whether or not it is pursuing any potential remedies at law,
be entitled to equitable relief in the form of preliminary and permanent
injunctions, without having to post any bond or other security, upon any breach
or threatened breach of any of such term or provision and to the remedy of the
specific performance to restrain the Employee from committing or continuing any
such breach and to enforce the Employee's obligations hereunder.

                E.      It is expressly understood and agreed that although
Transmedia and the Employee consider the restrictions contained in this document
hereof to be reasonable for the purpose of preserving the goodwill, proprietary
rights and going concern value of Transmedia and its subsidiaries, if a final
judicial determination is made by a court having jurisdiction that the time or
territory or any other restriction contained in this document is an
unenforceable restriction on the Employee's activities, the provisions of the
Document is an unenforceable restriction on the Employee's activities, the
provisions of this Document shall not be rendered void but shall be deemed
amended to apply as to such maximum time and territory and to such other extent
as such court may judicially determine or indicate to be reasonable.
Alternatively, if the court referred to above finds that any restriction
contained in this document or any remedy provided herein is unenforceable, and
such restriction or remedy cannot be amended so as to make it enforceable, such
finding shall not affect the enforceability of any of the other restrictions
contained therein or the availability of any other remedy.

                F.      If any court or tribunal of competent jurisdiction shall
refuse to enforce any or all of the provisions of this document because,
individually or taken together, they are deemed unreasonable, then the parties
hereto understand and agree that any such provision or provisions shall not be
void, but for the purpose of such proceedings, and shall be revised to the
extent necessary to permit the enforcement of such provisions.

                G.      The Employee acknowledges that during his employment, he
may conceive of, discover, invent or create inventions, improvements, new
contributions, literary property, material, ideas and discoveries, whether or
not patentable or copyrightable, which relate to the business of Transmedia and
its subsidiaries (all of the foregoing being collectively referred to herein as
"Work Product"), and that various business opportunities appropriate for
Transmedia and its subsidiaries may be presented to him by reason of his
employment. The Employee acknowledges that all of the foregoing shall be owned
by and belong exclusively to Transmedia, and he shall have no personal interest
therein. The Employee, at Transmedia's expense, shall further: (a) promptly
disclose any such Work Product and business opportunities to Transmedia; (b)
assign to Transmedia, upon request and without additional compensation, the

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entire rights to such Work Product and business opportunities; (c) sign all
papers necessary to carry out the foregoing; and (d) give testimony in support
to his discovery, invention, or creation in any appropriate case.

                H.      For purposes of this Agreement:

                        "Cause" shall mean an event where the Employee: (i)
commits any act of fraud, willful misconduct or dishonesty in connection with
his employment or which injures Transmedia or its direct or indirect
subsidiaries; (ii) breaches any material representation or warranty or any
covenant or condition in this Agreement or any fiduciary duty to Transmedia or
its direct or indirect subsidiaries; (iii) fails, refuses or neglects to timely
perform any duty or obligation under this Agreement and such failure, refusal or
neglect is not cured by the Employee within seven (7) days from the date
Transmedia notifies the Employee thereof; (iv) engages in willful misconduct or
negligence in the performance of his duties, which conduct injures Transmedia or
its direct or indirect subsidiaries; (v) commits a material violation of any
law, rule or regulation or any governmental authority (state, federal or
foreign), any securities exchange or association or other regulatory or
self-regulatory body or agency applicable to Transmedia or its subsidiaries or
any general policy or directive of Transmedia or its subsidiaries communicated
in writing to the Employee; (vi) is charged with a crime involving moral
turpitude, dishonest, fraud or unethical business conduct, or a felony; (vii) is
subject to the occurrence of an event or condition which makes it unlawful for
the Employee to perform his duties hereunder, including the issuance of any
order, decree, decision or judgment; or (viii) gives or accepts undisclosed
commissions or other payments in cash or in kind in connection with the affairs
of Transmedia or any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries or their respective
clients.

Agreed to by:                           Agreed to by:


/s/ Gene M. Henderson                        /s/ Gerald J. Hughes
---------------------------------       ---------------------------------------
Gene M. Henderson
Transmedia Network Inc.



Date: 30 MAR 00                         Date: 2 APRIL 2000
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