Restaurant.com Selling Worthless Gift Cards to The Jury Room

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Restaurant.com Selling Worthless Gift Cards to The Jury Room

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Started 1 year ago by lizless
Latest reply from Snarf

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KSquared
Literally Hell
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groundrules wrote >>

scarletandgrey wrote >>
Would the Jury Room really be out $30,000? There are so many restrictions on these coupons, regarding when you can use it, and how much the minimum bill must be, that I bet the restaurant ends-up ahead in the end. In addition, it would probably be considered good-will to honor the coupons for a short period of time.

i don't think you get how these work. your scenario might be possible if the same person who got the proceeds from selling the coupons was the same person that was redeeming them, but that's not the case here.

+1, was just typing something similar.

ETA: I have also seen several restaurants that have posted that they no longer take Restaurant.com coupons on the door (most recently Venky's and Nazareth). I think this is just being blown up more because of the popularity of the Lessner restaurants and the sheer number of coupons out there.

Posted 1 year ago #
ScottUlrich

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I guess my perspective, as a former student, still poor, I needed coupons to go to these places, and now I'm hooked. Once I make something resembling a salary, you'll have me for life, full-price.

Posted 1 year ago #
pez

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KSquared wrote >>

somertimeoh wrote >>
Lots of restaurants make bank on me because I buy DO's and Fudhas and then forget to use them before they expire, duhr. Wonder what the redemption rate is on those. For every coupon NOT used would it cover the expense of 2 or 3 that were? Maybe they end up coming out a little ahead? Or maybe I'm the only idiot throwing cash out the window :)

You and me both. I just realized that the Dine Originals discount certificates expire after 6 months. D'oh!
ETA: 100%, completely my fault and reflective of my intention vs. execution issue with these things. :)

We've been giving them to family for gifts for a few years and never noticed the expiration.

If they're full priced gift certificates, I'm pretty sure that Ohio requires a 2 year minimum prior to expiration. Dine Originals might be able to claim an exemption under C-6, but I think a good argument would be made that since they are a membership organization, they are in fact affiliated.

For a full price gift certificate, I'd check with the Ohio AG's office before tossing them.

Posted 1 year ago #
Andrew Hall
Dennison Place (The Circles)
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pez wrote >>

KSquared wrote >>

somertimeoh wrote >>
Lots of restaurants make bank on me because I buy DO's and Fudhas and then forget to use them before they expire, duhr. Wonder what the redemption rate is on those. For every coupon NOT used would it cover the expense of 2 or 3 that were? Maybe they end up coming out a little ahead? Or maybe I'm the only idiot throwing cash out the window :)

You and me both. I just realized that the Dine Originals discount certificates expire after 6 months. D'oh!
ETA: 100%, completely my fault and reflective of my intention vs. execution issue with these things. :)

We've been giving them to family for gifts for a few years and never noticed the expiration.
If they're full priced gift certificates, I'm pretty sure that Ohio requires a 2 year minimum prior to expiration. Dine Originals might be able to claim an exemption under C-6, but I think a good argument would be made that since they are a membership organization, they are in fact affiliated.
For a full price gift certificate, I'd check with the Ohio AG's office before tossing them.

If the discount rate expires, they are redeemable at purchase price in that time frame. If my understanding of the law is correct.

A.

Posted 1 year ago #
zp945
Clintonville/Short North
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KSquared wrote >>

groundrules wrote >>

scarletandgrey wrote >>
Would the Jury Room really be out $30,000? There are so many restrictions on these coupons, regarding when you can use it, and how much the minimum bill must be, that I bet the restaurant ends-up ahead in the end. In addition, it would probably be considered good-will to honor the coupons for a short period of time.

i don't think you get how these work. your scenario might be possible if the same person who got the proceeds from selling the coupons was the same person that was redeeming them, but that's not the case here.

+1, was just typing something similar.
ETA: I have also seen several restaurants that have posted that they no longer take Restaurant.com coupons on the door (most recently Venky's and Nazareth). I think this is just being blown up more because of the popularity of the Lessner restaurants and the sheer number of coupons out there.

I don't think that the new Jury Room should have to honor these. It was a shady move by the former owner (possibly, I don't know the details) and restaurants.com should have taken them down. But the 37k number is at full price, we are talking about 10-12k in actual cost to the restaurant. Which is still a big number that should be split with the current owners. Liz is a very successful restaurateur and I'm sure the Jury Room will be a success for her, I know I plan to check it out soon.

Posted 1 year ago #
takeasiesta
Harrison West
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zp945 wrote >>

KSquared wrote >>

groundrules wrote >>

scarletandgrey wrote >>
Would the Jury Room really be out $30,000? There are so many restrictions on these coupons, regarding when you can use it, and how much the minimum bill must be, that I bet the restaurant ends-up ahead in the end. In addition, it would probably be considered good-will to honor the coupons for a short period of time.

i don't think you get how these work. your scenario might be possible if the same person who got the proceeds from selling the coupons was the same person that was redeeming them, but that's not the case here.

+1, was just typing something similar.
ETA: I have also seen several restaurants that have posted that they no longer take Restaurant.com coupons on the door (most recently Venky's and Nazareth). I think this is just being blown up more because of the popularity of the Lessner restaurants and the sheer number of coupons out there.

I don't think that the new Jury Room should have to honor these. It was a shady move by the former owner (possibly, I don't know the details) and restaurants.com should have taken them down. But the 37k number is at full price, we are talking about 10-12k in actual cost to the restaurant. Which is still a big number that should be split with the current owners. Liz is a very successful restaurateur and I'm sure the Jury Room will be a success for her, I know I plan to check it out soon.

That and the fact that most new restaurants don't get out of the red for about 3-5 years if at all.

Posted 1 year ago #
Snarf
Dystopia
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I wished I'd have remembered this thread before buying a couple gift certificates to Erawan Thai through Restaurant.com. Sure enough Erawan isn't taking them, dude there says he can't get the people at Restaurant.com to call him back. Bummer. Side note: if you haven't been to Erawan, go!

Posted 4 months ago #