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Restaurant.com Gift Certificate Coupon Codes & Tips
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I remember when I first heard about Restaurant.com a few years ago. Their offer back then is the same as it is now, you can buy a $25 Restaurant gift certificate for $10. Every few weeks, they run a 70% or 80% off promotion where you end up getting a $25 Restaurant gift certificate for two bucks. Two freaking dollars… three if you only use 70% off.
A few years ago, hardly anyone took them. You went on the site, did a quick search for your area, and chances are only a few obscure restaurants were available. When I first looked, I didn’t even recognize a single restaurant in the 15 miles around my zip code! That’s not to say there weren’t any popular restaurants, we just didn’t know about them.
However recently we’ve discovered two local restaurants that take the gift certificates, one of which accepts it for alcoholic beverages (it’s a local wine restaurant, Iron Bridge Wine Company), and that turns a non-deal into a deal.
Tips for Using Restaurant.com Coupons
Here are a few tips we’ve learned:
- Never pay full price: With some careful planning or internet searching, chances are you can find a 70% or 80% off coupon. If not, it’s still a pretty good deal but the huge discounts are almost always available.
- Read the rules: Different restaurants have different rules for how you can use the gift certificate. Sometimes alcohol is excluded, sometimes there’s an automatic gratuity, sometimes there are date and time restrictions, so review everything before purchase.
- Expiration period: They usually expire within a year of purchase, unless your state has gift certificate laws extending it (Gift certificates in Maryland can’t expire within 4 years). Since you can buy a gift certificate and print it out within minutes, I don’t see a point in stockpiling. Buy it if you have plans to go within a week.
- Tip on the regular amount: Some places add an automatic gratuity and others don’t, but remember to tip on the original amount.
- Use it to test out restaurants: If you’ve had your eye on a place, check if they offer a gift certificate through Restaurant.com to try it out on the cheap. Review the menu first, we did this once the other way around (saw it on Restaurant.com and decided to try it) and found the menu was slightly more expensive than we had anticipated (the gift certificate made it reasonable). Don’t do it the other way around!
Restaurant.com Coupon Code
I’m no longer updating the latest coupon codes, you can find the latest Restaurant.com coupon codes here.
Enjoy!
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I purchased two $50 card for $20 each. Used one of them to purchase 5 $10 certificates at my location. I realized afterwards that there is a minimum of $20 and 18% gratuity, alcohol not part of the coupon. Also, could not use two coupon in one visit even if you sat separately with your guest. I wind up paying $50 for our dinner, which cost me more if I had just paid without the coupon. I then used another at a pizza joint and paid $40 for a lousy pizza. I could have gone to a nicer pizza restaurant for $30, wine inclusive. I decided not to use the rest. This is a total rip off. I would not recommend this to anyone. Better go to Groupon, travelzoo or living social.
I just received my codes via email on this scam. I received four $25 certificates via Vonage for keeping my service for three months. I call this a scam because the advertisement said it was a card that could be used at any participating restaurants. It didn’t mention the restrictions:
1) I can only use one coupon per month, per party, per restaurant, even if the party is seated at separate tables and/or receives more than one check.
2) There’s a minimum of purchasing a $50 meal then use the $25 coupon toward half of it.
3) It doesn’t include alcohol with the meal.
4) Not valid for taxes, tips, merchandise or prior balances. This one I can understand.
5) Valid for dine-in only unless otherwise stated.
The coupon states “Top 3 Ways To Use Your Certificate”:
1) Order dessert (for $50?)
2) Try the appetizers (see #1)
3) Go for the Grand Entree (can’t use the four certificates so why pay more for something I wouldn’t order in the first place).
Total ripoff. Don’t fall for this scam. I threw mine into the garbage.
you threw away about a hundred bucks. Nice!
I totally disagree with the above comments. I get $25 coupons for some local restaurants in which I have to spend $35 or $40 minimum to use the coupon. My family of four goes and easily spends the minimum. I only buy if I have a coupon code so I do (yes I do) stack up for known restaurants that we like because I am usually paying $2 to $4 for the $25 off coupon. We go, we eat, and I save over $20 on the meal (net of the cost of the coupon) – how is this a rip off????
The restrictions above are correct for most restaurants but you still save money! Yes I wish we could use them for the same restaurant more than once a month. Yes, there are restrictions. No, I have never had a bad meal. we used them while on vacation in other states and recently I used them when I was traveling for personal business while in New Orleans – sat in the hotel lobby, printed it off, walked two blocks and saved $23 net of my restaurant bill right then and there!
You do have to know about and plan for the requirements such as the $50 minimum purchase, but the restaurant.com coupons can be a very good deal. I use them a lot a a barbecue place where we get two of the large sampler plates for about $50. We usually buy the coupons when a $25 one is going for $2, so it’s like getting a $50 meal for $27 bucks
Lots of great features now…
1) Certificates do not expire anymore
2) The site now tracks use
3) If a restaurant no longer participates, you get another certificate!!