sale on restaurant certificates

[jessyoo]

There's a mega sale right now at www.restaurant.com I just purchased a few tonight for home and the areas that I'm going to TS next year.

Most of the restaurant certificates are worth $25 and purchased for $10.

However, for a limited time you get an additional 80% off the sale price. So you end up paying $2 for a $25 value certificate. Each restaurant has a different terms like No Fri-Sat, min purchase, dinner only, etc..

You print out the coupons or email them as a gift. They expire 1 year after purchase.

80% Code code at checkout = SANTA

 

[pjrose]

WOW

Wow.

I've never used restaurant.com before, but have read about it on TUG. I just got a bunch of certificates for DH's stocking - he is impossible to shop for and but likes to eat out and loves saving money. What an amazing deal!

How long is code SANTA good for?

 

[jessyoo]

The email wasn't specific...when the offer would end

The email I received was not specific when the coupon code would expire. However it simply stated "code: SANTA 80% off (12/22)." So my guestimate is midnight Dec 22.

Be sure to just type in " SANTA " though.

I saw this offer last year but didn't jump on it quick enough before all the decent deals were gone. I believe it's like bargain airfare...only a few seats are available until they sell out. Earlier this evening a few of the popular restaurants near home were already sold out on the website (typically sold out by the first week of each month).

 

[pjrose]

Be sure to just type in " SANTA " though.

Eeeeeekkkkk I placed two separate orders and forgot SANTA on the second one. The customer service line isn't open till tomorrow - we'll see how helpful they are at getting this corrected!

 

[jessyoo]

Good luck. Let us know how they handle the cancellation.

Their service so far seems very good. I received my certificates via email and they allow you to email forward the certificates you intend to gift away.

 

[DJensen]

Gift Certificates

From a previous posting and suggestion, you can purchase general certificates on restaurants.com, have them sent to yourself via email. You can then either send to family and friends or use yourself over the course of the year selecting the restaurant that meets your cravings at the time.

 

[Timeshare Von]

I highly recommend the "buy them for yourself as gifts" and then convert them to actual dining certificates throughout the year. We took advantage of the last 80% discount and are still using them

 

[pjrose]

So you can use the 80% for certificates that are not linked to specific restaurants? I'm going to try that!

I called customer service this morning to try to fix the order on which I forgot to type SANTA - the representative said their claims department would issue a credit for the 80% difference within 2 business days. I'll post back with the results.....

I justlooked at their dinner of the month deal - if you buy 3, 6, or 12 months of certificates, you also get an extra one free, and the 80% still applies - so that's seven $25 certificates for $12.

I'm not sure if they are linked to specific restaurants or if you choose the restaurant later, and I'm also not sure of date restrictions - is each one only good for that specific month? I'm trying the customer service #, but can't get through.

You can even earn UPromise points (15%!) and if you charge it with your mileage card...of course that's just based on the 80% off price, but still.....

 

[Luanne]

So you can use the 80% for certificates that are not linked to specific restaurants? I'm going to try that!

My understanding, which could be wrong is, that you purchase the gift certificates for yourself, then use them later to buy the specific restaurant certificates (for face value) on the restaurant.com website. So, so I don't think you can use them except for restaurants that are available on their website. But, if that's not the case I'd love to know as I have a few I haven't used yet.

 

[pjrose]

My understanding, which could be wrong is, that you purchase the gift certificates for yourself, then use them later to buy the specific restaurant certificates (for face value) on the restaurant.com website. So, so I don't think you can use them except for restaurants that are available on their website. But, if that's not the case I'd love to know as I have a few I haven't used yet.

Face value would be the $25 on the certificate, not $10 usual cost or $2 SANTA discount, right?

 

[Jbart74]

Thanks Jessyoo,

I just stocked up on local favorites for next year. $16 for $200 worth of coupons. Not bad!

 

[judyjht]

The site is frozen right now! I'll have to do it later - I have 2 on hold!

 

[Luanne]

Face value would be the $25 on the certificate, not $10 usual cost or $2 SANTA discount, right?

Right. But, since you may have only paid $3.00 (or more) for the $25.00 certificate, you're still getting a deal.

 

[jessyoo]

Jbart74 - my pleasure. My advance "frugality" drives my better half insane. Glad I'm not the only savings planner out there.

Pjrose- I didn't try the monthly certificate plan. However, I did look ahead at the resorts and business trip locations that I am traveling to and booked a few restaurants for those areas.

I cross referenced the non-local restaurants with reviews from www.yelp.com and only purchased certificates at restaurants that had 4 star reviews or more from Yelp.

 

[jessyoo]

Pjrose- the t&c state that only 1 certificate can be used per month per pre-pay plan.

I went back and purchased the 12 month plan today. I wish I saw this last night, you get an additional $50 certificate if you purchase the 12 month plan.

However, I advise that you purchase your favorite restaurants ahead too. The really great restaurants sell out in the first 1-2 weeks each month until they post more.

Also, just saw on Travelzoo that there is another code "GIVE" that expires on Dec 25 (vice SANTA - Dec 22).

 

[javabean]

tried it today

This is great.
I just tried restaurants.com earlier today for the first time also. What a great deal. Stocking stuffers paradise. I had entered through the portal www.ebates.com and will get a cash rebate on my purchase. Granted it will be on the 80% discount but that's fine with me.
If anyone tries ebates please put my name in when you do--Javabean7052. I think we each get a $5.00 rebate. This is my first day trying all this out, so I'm not sure how reliable it works.
I'm still not following how the gift certificates that are not restaurant specific work. Could someone run that by again. I'm glad I checked the lounge. I feel even better about it now. Tuggers are the best.

 

[Luanne]

I'm still not following how the gift certificates that are not restaurant specific work. Could someone run that by again. I'm glad I checked the lounge. I feel even better about it now. Tuggers are the best.

If I remember correctly, when you go to restaurant.com and want to purchase a specific restaurant coupon, you can use your gift certificate for the purchase. I don't remember exactly how I did it, I somehow had to find the gift certificate number in my records and apply it, but it worked.

 

[Timeshare Von]

Yep it is pretty straight forward to redeem your "generic" g/c for a specific restaurant later. We do it especially for those primo places that have limited inventory that you can typically only get on the first day of the month.

 

[pjrose]

Pjrose- the t&c state that only 1 certificate can be used per month per pre-pay plan.

I did see one per month per restaurant for the ones for specific restaurants, but I didn't see that for the dinner of the month.

*One (1) free Restaurant.com Gift Certificate per Dinner of the Month Club order.​

​

(presumably referring to the free one you get on top of the ones you buy)

and these:

Terms and Conditions for Dinner of the Month Club

• Deliveries are made on the 5th, 12th, 19th and 26th of each month.
• Customer will receive his or her new Dinner of the Month Club Certificate on the first delivery date of the following month after his or her club activation date. For example, if the customer activates his or her club on January 17th, the next certificate will arrive on February 19th.
• Restaurant.com Dinner of the Month Club Certificates have no expiration date.
• Restaurant.com Dinner of the Month Club Certificates may be redeemed solely for merchandise via www.TheIdealMeal.com.
• Restaurant.com Dinner of the Month Club Certificates have no cash value and are not redeemable for cash at any time.​

 

[DJensen]

Gift Certificates

The gift certificates must be used for a restaurant that is on the restaurants.com website (and available for purchase). You can either plan ahead and purchase for later or we did a last minute purchase and were at the restaurant 30 minutes later enjoying our meal!

 

[Kozman]

Face value would be the $25 on the certificate, not $10 usual cost or $2 SANTA discount, right?

Yes. They would be worth $25. Remember they have a one coupon per person per restaurant per month limit so if you are going to be at a certain timeshare for a week, be careful not to buy more than one for the same restaurant unless you plan to be back within the years time. That doesn't stop you from using one at a different restaurant however. I recently bought more than one for the same restaurant accidentally and then requested credit on the extra ones. They promptly sent me an e-mail credit toward other certificates of my choice. Found out then that if you don't redeem them right away the one year time limit starts from the day you make up your mind, not from your original purchase date. I'd guess it would work the same way if you purchase as a gift.

 

[judyjht]

Yippee - I just got $125 worth of certificates for $10

 

[pjrose]

Eeeeeekkkkk I placed two separate orders and forgot SANTA on the second one. The customer service line isn't open till tomorrow - we'll see how helpful they are at getting this corrected!

Follow up - A few days after I phoned, I got an email from customer service that they had credited the 80% sale to my credit card. yay!

 

[Bernie8245]

I just used coupon code CELEBRATE and got 80% off. I'm not sure how long it's good for. If you spend more than $11.00 you also get a free $25.00 certificate. I ordered six $25 certificates for $12.00 and got another $25.00 certificate free. Plus by using www.ebates.com I get a 15 % rebate. What a deal!!
Bernie

 

[pjrose]

I just used coupon code CELEBRATE and got 80% off. I'm not sure how long it's good for. If you spend more than $11.00 you also get a free $25.00 certificate. I ordered six $25 certificates for $12.00 and got another $25.00 certificate free. Plus by using www.ebates.com I get a 15 % rebate. What a deal!!
Bernie

Cool. Where did you find the code CELEBRATE?