josephstern

I just bought some more to get some qualifying partners, and while I was in there, I saw that there is a list of my older certificates. And it shows the status.

Several I have used; several, of course, I haven't. Such is life.

But the ones I think I "used" all show "not used" in the righthand column. This seems like it must just be a mistake since not a single one shows "used." But I'm tempted to print them out and go again. Maybe I had two and I only used one? Certainly possible, but I'd hate to get caught double-dipping here.

Has anyone tried this? Do they just tell you "no, it's been used" and you just pay in full?

Eastbay1K

Fraud fraud fraud fraud fraud. Even if somehow the idea was tempting to me, the certs are nearly free with some of the frequent discounts, and I'd really not want to screw the restaurant participating in the program, who is going to suffer from accidentally taking a cert with the same number twice. Do you also return a rotisserie chicken carcass to Costco after you've eaten almost all of it, asking for a refund because "I didn't like it?" (People actually do this.)

simba_az

Used status is self managed. Restaurant.com provides a tool for you to track your certificate usage, but the status will never be updated by restaurant.com.

josephstern

Fraud, if I've used it. Yes.

But what if I haven't but it's not in my stack?

But the answer of it being self-managed is the key, I guess. If I lose it, it's gone.

Yankeeflyer

This certainly should get nominated for an "overreaction of the year" award.

To the OP, maybe email restaurant.com with a list of the ones you're not sure about?

josephstern

I like the idea of emailing them.

In particular, there was one that they unilaterally canceled due to a problem with the restaurant, and I don't think I ever got credit for it.

mmargel

OP..check your PM. I sent you the name of a customer service rep with Restaurant.com.

chemist661

In most states, they state a 1 yr expiration except where prohibited. In CA, there is no expiration on these. I have a few I'd bought a few years ago but never used.

icurhere2

Correct - you would have to update the status online (one can also say "gifted to XXX", if I recall correctly). If one tries to re-use a certificate, I would hope the restaurant calls the 1-800 number as per the instructions to verify the certificate, then confronts the customer. I simply print them out and keep them in a desk drawer - if I can't find it, I assume "used".

Counsellor

Not necessarily. If you still have the e-mail they sent you when you purchased the certificate, with the link that you used to print the certificate, the link is still good and you can print off another one. I've done that when I've misplaced the original certificate but haven't used it.

Always save that e-mail until you've used the certificate(s).

CalItalian

One way you can tell if the restaurant called the 1-800 number to validate your certificate is if you get in the next day(s) an email asking for a review of the restaurant.

I live in California so I could care less about reusing a certificate. I do know which ones were not called in (rarely). So many restaurants leave the system or go out of business but I have a lifetime to get replacement certificates so I buy a lot of them.

Slightly off topic but I believe I've only had one restaurant that was listed in the system ever reject its use. I always present when ordering to avoid this problem. When I go out of town, I will pre-call or email the restaurant(s) to make sure they will accept them.

JonathanIT

Gimme a friggin' break.

One of the things that bugs me about the Restaurant.com website is the "self managed" certificate status. Why they can't simply add an automatic status update is beyond me. I have pages of unused certificates and I always forget which ones are used. Some of them are multiples from the same restaurants I like to visit.

Sometimes I'm heading to a place that I know I've used certs before, but I don't know which ones. So I print several that I know have some valid ones and head to the restaurant. Once, when paying the bill, the server came back with the certificate and said that it had been used. No problem, I just pulled out another one and said try this one! They had no problem with it and it worked fine. If the certificates are validated (used) they are no good anymore, it's as simple as that.

At the same time, I have no problem using a certificate that was never validated. If they fail to call in and validate it, it's certainly fair game to use it again. It's not my fault if they forgot or didn't care too. And as I explained, most of the time I don't know if I've used it before or not.

mvoight

So, even if you know you used it, it is still OK for you to use it againt, if the restaurant makes an error. Would you contact the restaurant if they accidently charged your credit card $1.00 instead of $100.00, since after all, it is their fault for not checking.

3rivers

While I dont agree with the "fraud fraud etc" part, I do agree that the certs are so cheap, why bother screwing the restaurant?

At the moment, an offer for 80% off (Code SPECIAL) up to may 25th.

So a $25 cert for all of $2

Just getting to know this forum - and I am sure this must be mentioned elsewhere - but you can buy one of these certs for a partner activity with Delta and NWA for their Pile on the Miles promo.

Make sure to go through the shopping portal on their websites

Yankeeflyer

Of course, the implication of both your and Eastbay1k's "morality" is that it should be practiced only when it is convenient/inexpensive to do so.