Restaurant .com

[Rattlesnake Guy]

So what is the deal with Restaurant.com. If I use a certificate does the restaurant get any money from the purchase of the certificate or only if I spend more than the value?

[brk-lnt]

Originally Posted by Rattlesnake Guy

So what is the deal with Restaurant.com. If I use a certificate does the restaurant get any money from the purchase of the certificate or only if I spend more than the value?

Well, you *have* to spend more than the value in most cases.

Even if the restaurant got 100% of the $5 you paid for the $25.00 gift certificate, they'd still be losing money.

IMO, these certs are a good way to try a new restaurant if you're unsure of it, but making a habit of dining only with a restaurant.com gift certificate is doing more harm than good.

[jetskier]

I think that this depends upon what the bill amounts to. I just used a $25 certificate to bring down a bill from $150 to $125. Since this was a high end restaurant, I doubt that they were losing money on that bill. By the same token, I used a $25 certificate at another restaurant and the residual bill was $9. I am sure that they lost money.

Jetskier

[nerual721]

The restaurant.com gift certificates are usually designed with all the restrictions (two dinner entrees, minimum purchase requirement, etc.) so that we at least cover our cost on the meal. As the restaurant owner we do not receive any money for the certificate, but we get a new or return customer on a 'slower' night and the opportunity to make them a regular customer.

As for Gift Certificate Sales this time of year - most restaurants have something going on. The Lyons' Den Gift Certificates are currently Buy One get the second 50% off. That runs through November and then it goes to 40% for the first week of December, then 30% etc.

Kauriel - we were closed for the first 12 days of November - we do that every year to clean and take a little vacation - but we are now back to Tues - Sunday until Memorial Day, then it's seven days a week!