Restaurant.com Gift Certificates (code, meal, food)
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Has anyone used one but not presented it before ordering when it says to do so on the coupon? If so, did the restaurant refuse to honor it when you presented it with payment?
(My wife is always getting these things, and I HATE the ones that make you present before ordering. I just find it awkward and embarrassing, and I resent having to do it. And I then wonder if we're getting smaller portions or lower quality. It's enough to make me not eat at that particular establishment.)
It's a stupid and pointless stipulation. Not all the restaurant.com certificates have it--and none of the ones from the Entertainment Guide do. You can save a lot of money with these things and try new places.
OK, so does anyone have any actual experiences? Thanks.
I THINK we have done that, at a local place that wasn't crowded. They accepted it. I think it best to let them know ahead of time, but less snooty and/or less packed places will likely be willing to let you use it even if you didn't follow the rules exactly. But I wouldn't go somewhere just to test this
Edited to add: I doubt they are going to short you. The restaurants agree to be listed on that site. They do it to get people in the door. Most places have a minimum order to use the thing anyway. And tax and gratuity are NOT included.
We use Restuarant.com about once a month or so. Every time, we've shown them the certificate right before we order, and every time, the server has said,"I'll just take that when you pay your bill"
This morning, Dh and I went out to a late breakfast with a restuarant.com certificate. We forgot to show our waiter the cert. before we ordered, and Dh mentioned we had one some time after the food came. It was no problem at all.
ETA:
I've never felt like I've received a lower standard of service or food when using a restaurant.com certificate. Most of the restaurants we've used the certificate at, we've also been to without a certificate.
It's a stupid and pointless stipulation. Not all the restaurant.com certificates have it--and none of the ones from the Entertainment Guide do. You can save a lot of money with these things and try new places.
OK, so does anyone have any actual experiences? Thanks.
I'm not sure if it is pointless. I believe the reason is that the server is supposed to call a phone number with the code on the certificate to make sure it is valid.
I suppose they could do it at the end, but if it wasn't valid (because of a mix up or because you printed up an old certificate that you already used) it is setting up an awkward situation and potential argument at the end of the meal. If you knew up front it wasn't going to work, you could just leave and go to another restaurant if you didn't want to pay full price.
Anyways, I always ask prior to ordering whether Entertainment Book coupons are accepted too. The reason is a number of restaurants do not accept the coupons even before the expiration date. I was told by one owner that he canceled his restaurant's participation in the Entertainment Book because of poor results in turning the users into repeat customers, yet they put in a coupon for the next year's book without his permission. It's happened to me twice. Plus, the time a restaurant wouldn't honor it because it was MLK day (the restaurant was completely empty that day).
I'm pretty sure that I have and I've never had an issue using one. A really snooty place isn't likely to put themselves on restaurant.com anyway. They'd be too good for that.
We use Restuarant.com about once a month or so. Every time, we've shown them the certificate right before we order, and every time, the server has said,"I'll just take that when you pay your bill"
This morning, Dh and I went out to a late breakfast with a restuarant.com certificate. We forgot to show our waiter the cert. before we ordered, and Dh mentioned we had one some time after the food came. It was no problem at all.
ETA:
I've never felt like I've received a lower standard of service or food when using a restaurant.com certificate. Most of the restaurants we've used the certificate at, we've also been to without a certificate.
Thanks! Good to know.
We've used these a number of times over the years, but usually you show it at the end. The few times it's had this stipulation, I've honored it but found it to be nearly humiliating. I just hate having to basically announce from the get-go that we're "coupon people." (We do tip well for good service.) I don't think we're going to buy any more that have this rule on there.
I use these all the time. I typically point to it on the table just after we have ordered. I ask do you want this now or later? Sometimes they pick it up then or say just show it when we pay. I might have forgotten once or twice to show it at the beginning, but it's never been an issue. I usually buy a bunch when they have they offer the $25 coupons for $2.
I use these all the time. I typically point to it on the table just after we have ordered. I ask do you want this now or later? Sometimes they pick it up then or say just show it when we pay. I might have forgotten once or twice to show it at the beginning, but it's never been an issue. I usually buy a bunch when they have they offer the $25 coupons for $2.
That's a smart idea. Yeah, my wife scoops those up during those big sales as well.
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