CLEAR CHANNEL GIFT CERTIFICATERestaurant gift certificates, what is your experience??

[deelovesdis]

OK> I am thinking of purchasing the Bergamo's Clear CHannel Gift certificate and the Pat O'BRiens gift certificate.
Has anyone used them and how were you treated when you handed them the gift certificate??
I have purchased several gift certificates from restaurant.com , Girabaldi's, GIordano's and I was wondering how the staff treats you when you have a gift certificate. Do you tell them at the beginning? Or just use it when you get the check??
Please let me know how your dining experience was.
I am buying these gift certificates and now I am feeling I may be embarrassed to use them. Please respond and tell me I am crazy, and to use them.
I want all opinions, thanks,
Dee

 

[Cindy B]

Well, the Pat O's has sold out on the website, so you will have to purchase from a private party or Ebay.

No, I was not embarassed to use them. No, I wasn't given any hassle at all. I never told them I had a cert. I have a APH, so I would ask for the APH rate before they printed out a check.
They would then print the check, and I would put the cert in the envelope/holder. I would also use cash for tip/tax, and any remaining money.

I had no hassles with the Le Peep restaurant.com certificate either.

I also used coupons at the McDonalds as well. In fact my family stated that we could never eat WITHOUT A COUPON! I am a coupon queen, so I had no problem using htem. It was a joke with my family because I never NOT use a coupon.

 

[deelovesdis]

yes, someone is selling the Pat O'Briens on ebay. I went to clear channel and they have Bergamos restaurant certificates there. I love to save money too! I am glad for the input.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

We had no problems at all with the Clear Channel GC's. Some places we used 2 at once, and LQ was the only one that even questioned it, but ended up letting us use both. The only time we mentioned them in advance was when we were using 2, and wanted to make sure it was okay. We used 2 at Pat O's with no problem. My suggestion; buy up as many as you can, this is a great deal. FYI, we ordered all ours from the CC website. I've heard good and bad about buying them on ebay. Good luck!

 

[2BigKIdz]

We used 2 for our July trip, Pastamore and Lulu's Bait Shack. At Pastamore I showed them in advance along with my AP. The service was horrendous but I don't think it had anything to do with the gc's as he seemed to be providing equally bad service to his other tables. At Lulu's I just left them with the check. I did sort of feel "cheap" using them, but it is a good deal and I would definitely use them again.

 

[deelovesdis]

What bad things have you heard about getting them from ebay? If a ebayer has excellent feedback I would think they would be honest. ITs the ones with little or no feedback or any negatives I feel really questionable about buying anything from.
Clear channel has Bergamo's right now. I think I am going to get one. ITs a $50 one for $25. No blow out specials this week.

I too, think I would feel "cheap" using them. BUt would the restaurants have them out there if they didnt want us to use them?? :

 

[tarynsmom]

Are these places to eat all in City Walk?? We have never been to Universal and are booked for RP from Sept. 23 - 25th. We won't have transportation so if you could tell us the places to eat nearby,where I could get GC/coupons for it would be great!! Is there a McDonolds in City Walk??
Any help/information would be greatly appreciated!!
TIA
Helen~tarynsmom

 

[Cindy B]

Pat O's, Pastamore are in City Walk (along with many ohter restaurants)

There are no McD's at City walk, but some in a close drivable distance. There is one on Kirkman, and one at Sand Lake (International drive area)

As for the Clear Channel certificates, I would check the Clear Channel website(I'm sure the link is somewhere), or check on Ebay. Some people sell them here on the board as well. I've had no problem buying them off private sellers.

I see your from Browns Mills. I used to live there, back in the mid-late 70's! My parents still live near Pemberton Township

 

[tarynsmom]

Originally posted by Cindy B
I see your from Browns Mills. I used to live there, back in the mid-late 70's! My parents still live near Pemberton Township

Thanks for the info. We will not have a car so I was wondering what GC/coupons to look for. I will check CC friday.
I have lived in Pemberton practically my whole life.In the '70's we lived in Presidential Lakes now my husband and I live on Junction in BM. Don't see many people who ever heard of Browns Mills on here!!
If you have any other suggestions for a new to Universal traveler we would appreciate it !! We have an entertainment card,but not a book,I know that helps with the reservation,but I don't know if anything else........... I work at Buttonwood and I have the HR dept. checking if we are fan club members. We use to be for Disney,but she had to check for US.
Anyway.thanks for the reply!!

 

[Cindy B]

Originally posted by tarynsmom
Thanks for the info. We will not have a car so I was wondering what GC/coupons to look for. I will check CC friday.
I have lived in Pemberton practically my whole life.In the '70's we lived in Presidential Lakes now my husband and I live on Junction in BM. Don't see many people who ever heard of Browns Mills on here!!
If you have any other suggestions for a new to Universal traveler we would appreciate it !! We have an entertainment card,but not a book,I know that helps with the reservation,but I don't know if anything else........... I work at Buttonwood and I have the HR dept. checking if we are fan club members. We use to be for Disney,but she had to check for US.
Anyway.thanks for the reply!!

Buttonwood, wow! I haven't heard of that for a long time. I had an old friend from grade school that worked there for a long time! She may still work there.

I used to live on Concord Drive in BM. (I can't remember which section of town that is.. we were the first residents in that development) I also lived in Pemberton Boro.

As for the Entertainment card, you can also sign up for a paperless card onf Mouse For Less. This is a Yahoo group (I think) that you sign up for. I think they have an affiliation with the Fan club card.

Other Citywalk restauarant GC's to look for would be Pastamore, Bob Marley's, Pat O Briens', Margaritaville, Latin Quarter, Nascar Cafe, Motown, Hard Rock Cafe, NBA City, .. there may be more, but thats all I can think of off the top of my head.

Don't forget Hard Rock Cafe usually runs coupons in the Sunday Philly Inquirer. If they don't specify a location, you may be able to use it there.

 

[deelovesdis]

When you use the gift certificates do you tell them upfront you have them? or do you just whip them out when its time to pay.

 

[Cindy B]

Originally posted by deelovesdis
When you use the gift certificates do you tell them upfront you have them? or do you just whip them out when its time to pay.

I whipped them out at the end. I usually don't tell any server about discounts, coupons, etc, until the bitter end. I find that the service is better.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

We used ours ($50) ones twice at the Kitchen at the HRH. We didn't tell them until we paid, but we didn't have any problems at all. I hope they have more for our next trip in July, 2005.

 

[bratray]

HI

i think i have used every CC certificate there is (except NBA) i have never had a problem & even used 3 at once at Motown (several drinks )

we always used more then one at a time since there were 5 of us- three being very growing boys - with no problems

i always stated i had them up front so i could make sure it wouldn't be a problem using more then one GC

sometimes the server didn't seem to thrilled to have the GC....but who cares??.... the majority of the time my tax was included in the GC amount and i always left a nice tip

don't feel cheap....just enjoy being able to save the money for something you want to buy on your vacation

 

[Prince Eric1]

How they treat you depends on the place. At Pastamore, they treated us like gold. Great service and friendly, I have to assume they treat everyone well.
We never told them at Motown or stuck around to see the reaction. They check came and we put the GC in the folder with a generous tip and left both times.
Our one bad experience was Pat O'Briens. We got the bill and the waiter walked by as I was putting in the GC. He was, in my opinion, suddenly very rude (he had provided good service until then) and made a comment that I should have told them about the GC upon entering. I told him it didn't say I had to and he responded that it was on the paperwork I got with the GC, which it wasn't, at least that I am aware of.
I would not feel cheap using the gc's, but I would also not present them until payment as I can see where some waiters/waitresses could become less than what they may have been otherwise.

 

[Cindy B]

We did a similair thing to Prince Eric. Pastamore treated us fantastically! Motown, we just sort of cert'd and left the cash.

At Pat O's the service was just eh. It was eh to begin with, and the cert sort of made it worse.

 

[Prince Eric1]

Maybe it wasn't just me then. Sounds like we had similar plans.

 

[tarynsmom]

Is MOTOWN on City Walk also?? I assume the Kitchen is good to use as it's another onsite property and is BOB MARLEYS on City Walk?? I'm sorry for all the questions but we need 5 days worth of deals if we're gonna eat!!*LOL*

 

[tinaluis]

We had the same experience at Pat O's -- very mediocre service every time we went there (and we were there about 4 times during our 2 week trip). Sometimes we mentioned the GCs in advance, other times not, so I don't think it had anything to do with the GCs. We always made sure to leave at least a 20% tip plus the tax amount so I'm not sure what the problem was. I didn't feel cheap at all using the GCs -- in fact, I felt like we'd saved quite a bit of $$ over what we would have paid otherwise -- we got the GC's at the $15 blowout.

Tarynsmom,
Bob Marleys and Motown are both at Citywalk.

 

[Prince Eric1]

Originally posted by tarynsmom
Is MOTOWN on City Walk also?? I assume the Kitchen is good to use as it's another onsite property and is BOB MARLEYS on City Walk?? I'm sorry for all the questions but we need 5 days worth of deals if we're gonna eat!!*LOL*

The kitchen is at the HRH. Marleys and Motown are on Citywalk.
As for us at POB's, the service was a bit slow but the place was packed, so it was understandable. The waiter was really nice, which goes a long way, until he saw the gc's. Then he acted as if we were somehow beneath him.