Comments on: Ever use Restaurant.com?

By: cdiver

cdiver — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 18:18:16 +0000

I would call them potentially high value coupons. I usually keep track of what restaraunts are on there and we usually buy one just before going to eat.

By: echidnina

echidnina — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 18:12:00 +0000

I looked into Restaurant.com a while ago, and I did indeed find a number of restaurants in my area that I recognized. However, the rules are just way too restrictive for me. They like to call them “gift certificates”, but if anyone gave me one of these as a gift I would be slightly annoyed. It’s a lot of hoops to jump through.

By: Joshua K

Joshua K — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 18:03:06 +0000

I’m in Dallas, which has more restaurants per capita than any other city in the Union, and my wife and I buy these REALLY REALLY cheap on eBay… you do have to read the fine print though, because many of them have strange stipulations (such as the one you mentioned).

By: jim

jim — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 12:48:11 +0000

No wonder they constantly offer these 40/50/60% off coupons… I’m hoping one day that my favorite restaurant pops up magically on the list but I doubt that’ll happen. I’m satisfied to just wait for the 10% coupons that come in those community magazines.

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 10:01:05 +0000

I’m with you, I have never found a restaurant on their list that I want to go to either. Add in all the horror stories about how hard it is to actually redeem the thing (you have to mention it in the reservation, or before you order or they won’t take it, or the restaurant drops out of the program after you buy the coupon), and I am just too lazy to bother.

Good thing I don’t have worry about my date thinking I’m cheap… my wife KNOWS I’m cheap!

By: EN

EN — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 04:12:03 +0000

I think you hit the nail on the head. I picked up some of these “dining certificates” and found that they are a decent bargain, if you follow the rules and play your cards right. It’s also an interesting way to check out new places to eat (and go out on the weekdays).

Most of the restuarant coupons cost you $10 for a $25 certificate, which restricts to food only and a minimum purchase of $35. With the 60% off code, the certificate costs $4.

The cheapest meal would then cost $14 ($35 meal – $25 coupon + $4 certificate). Which is a $21 savings, or 60% off. Finding the perfect combination of a good restaurant, not too restrictive rules on the certificate, and a date who doesn’t look down on your crazy internet penny-pinching schemes: priceless.

By: mapgirl

mapgirl — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 04:09:14 +0000

I bought one of their discount coupons/gift certificate thingies but was really dissatisfied with it. 1) It signed me up for some service I didn’t want.
2) There were severe restrictions on when I could use it, i.e. 2 for 1 entrees but only lunch time on checks over $30. That sort of thing.

I ended up wasting money because I never used the coupon before it expired. I’ll never do it again.