Bad Form?
 

Is it considered bad form to dine using these coupons more than once per week at the same place? Is there an actual limit on usage, other than only one coupon per visit, either by the locale or restaurant.com? I have written to the company but have not received any reply as to this matter.

IMO, absolutely not. I use one everytime I can!

I just called Restaurant.com and asked several questions concerning the program. Among the questions was a query about using the certificates often.
The response was that the program calls for ONLY 1 CERTIFICATE USE AT THE SAME RESTAURANT PER MONTH!!

http://www.restaurant.com/terms.asp
"• Limit one (1) redemption per party, per month, per restaurant.
• Limit one (1) Restaurant-Specific Certificate per redemption. Only one Restaurant-Specific Certificate can be used per party, even if the party is seated at separate tables and/or receives more than one check.
• Use of Restaurant-Specific Certificates for alcoholic beverages is at the sole discretion of the restaurant. Restaurant agrees to comply with all state laws pertaining to the same.
• Restaurant-Specific Certificates cannot be combined with any other restaurant certificates, third party certificates, coupons, or promotions.
• Restaurant-Specific Certificates cannot be used for taxes, tips or prior balances.
• No cash value for Restaurant-Specific Certificates.
• No cash back upon redemption or at any other time.
• Valid for parties of two (2) or more unless otherwise stated.
• Valid for dine in only unless otherwise stated.
• The issuing of restaurant credit is at the sole discretion of the restaurant unless otherwise required by law.
• Neither the seller nor the restaurant is responsible for lost or stolen certificates or restaurant certificates reference numbers.
• Reproduction, sale or trade of this Restaurant-Specific Certificate is prohibited unless done so in compliance with the law.
• Any attempted redemption not consistent with these terms & conditions will render the Restaurant-Specific Certificate void.
• Void to the extent prohibited by law.
• Restaurant-Specific Certificates can be exchanged for Restaurant.com Store Credit Certificates within 90 days of purchase date (“Restaurant.com Certificates,” as used in these Terms and Conditions, refers to the certificates printed from the Restaurant.com website that are of general use and are redeemable through the Restaurant.com website or an affiliated site for any Restaurant-Specific Certificate or Merchant Certificate available at such time). No cash back on Restaurant-Specific Certificates.
• Expire one (1) year from date of issue, except in California and where otherwise prohibited by law.
• With 50% OFF certificates party size may not exceed 8 people."

Very interesting.

I wonder if this is a 30 day rolling or calendar based, because I've used 2 at the same restaurant in under 30 days, though they were in different months.

I will try to print and go again to the same place and see what happens.

My take is that although these are the official terms and conditions, it's up to the individual restaurant in how far they want (or don't want) to enforce it. At least that's been my experience.

On another subject, I've found in my hometown 4 restaurants are no longer participating in the program, or have changed their terms and conditions. Is this a sign the worst of the recession is over and restaurant business, in general, is on the upswing?

Where I live, one restaurant said they're no longer selling certificates, however will honor those still outstanding. Another restaurant stopped selling them altogether, and if you have any outstanding certificates you can either refund it through Restaurant.com or this particular establishment will discount your bill by 15%. Another restaurant has stopped selling certificates and has a sign on their door "Restaurant.com certificates no longer accepted." I do have some outstanding certificates, but haven't contacted them on how to remedy. Finally, the 4th restaurant is still selling certificates, however new ones are sold with the stipulation they're not valid Friday & Saturday nights. I have previous certificates still outstanding with no day of week restrictions. Will they still honor my certificate on a Friday or Saturday night since it was purchased without restrictions?

I'm somewhat surprised to see four different restaurants all handling things differently. I would have thought Restaurant.com would have some sort of official policy with participating vendors with regard to how outstanding certificates are to be handled when the vendor has stopped selling them or changed the terms and conditions, such as the new day of week restriction.

Same here.

Latest 70% off discount
 

Code: DISH
Discount: 70% ($25 certificate for $3)
Expires: April 11, 2010

Code: TREAT
Discount: 60% + free $10 GC with every order*
Expires: Thursday, April 15, 2010

* Fine print: The code for your FREE $10 Gift Certificate will be emailed to you within 24 hours. Please note the FREE $10 offer is not valid on Dinner of the Month purchases.

Similar to Poster Beav, I found two places this weekend that are no longer accepting the certificates and have signs up saying so. Both places are still being sold on Restaurant.com though. That makes me nervous to purchase from them now. One place would take them if they had been purchased before a certain date; the other would not take them - period. That place said they have been trying for months to get restaurant.com to remove them from their site but can't get them to do it. I e-mailed restaurant.com and asked why they would still be selling certificates for businesses they know are not accepting them and they replied back that I can exchange for a different certificate within 90 days, they have contracts with the restaurants, etc.

Not sure I'm too excited to purchase anymore, even though with the discount codes we get them very cheap.

From my experience (and as you have noted) ....

If a restaurant is closed, changed hands, and/or simply refuses to honor a certificate, Restaurant.com will give you a credit to get another certificate of the same denomination. Although someone mention a refund earlier, I've never received a refund from Restaurant.com.

The only issue for me is the inconvenience of finding out the restaurant isn't honoring the certificates (which they certainly signed a contract allowing Restaurant.com to offer).

When that happens, I let the restaurant (i.e the manager) know that I hold them accountable and I am taking my business elsewhere. In a few instances, the restaurant manager reconsidered and decided honor the coupon .... even once when the restaurant had changed hands, the new owner decided to honor the cert as a gesture of goodwill.

But I use a lot of them (both at home and during my travels) so it's not too inconvenient for me to use a credit.

Over the last few years I have used more than 100 certs and only on a few occasions can I remember them being unusable .... usually because the restaurant recently closed. There were also those few occasions when the restaurant changed their mind and allowed me to use one after initially refusing it.

In every case where the cert was unusable, Restaurant.com gave me a credit I was able to use later.

Note that the coupons are good for 1 year and that's a long time in the restaurant business.

FYI
I always present the coupon before ordering and make sure it will be honored.

Thanks!

Note that you can get 15 VS miles/$ for Restaurant.com purchases: http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/us...ping/index.jsp

Obviously not many miles for these small purchases, but the shopping partners helped top me off to a OW in business class to London. :cool:

AA shopping is up to 18:1.

Thanks. Also worth noting: VS OW to LON in Upper Class is only 45k. ;)

Code: FEAST
Discount: 70% off
Expiration: Thursday, April 22, 2010