Questions for those who ordered from restaurant.com

[cam&phoebsmom]

Aside from House of Blues are there any other restaurants really close to WDW that will accept them?

We may be going to HOB on our next trip b/c we only have the meal plan for our 1st 4 days

 

[Buckeye Princess]

We've used them lots and only had problems twice. Neither would prevent me from using again.

1) We went to one restaurant for Mother's Day. The certificate did not exclude holidays. We told our waiter at the start we had a certificate and much like a previous poster we were told after the meal it could not be used that day. I threw a stink and in the end they accepted it.

2) One local restaurant closed unexpectedly before we had a chance to use it. But I only buy when they are 80% off so I wasn't too upset about losing $2.

 

[bpesch]

I've used restaurant.com certificates many times. The only thing you have to be careful of are the restrictions on each certificate. They are clearly spelled out but you need to know what they are before you try to use them.

 

[maggiew]

This site sounds to good to be true but I think I will give it a try. One of my favorite restaurants is listed. Do they also sell gift cards for chains restaurants like Olive Garden, AppleBees, etc. How can they sell these GC so cheap. I used a promo for today and can get 50% off which I think is a good deal. How often do they have 80% off that many of you only pay $2-3 for. Thanks

Usually at the end of each month they go to 80% off.

One thing to remember is to use the fine print on them. They usually have time restrictions, purchase amount restrictions, alcohol might not count towards total, etc. Tips are said to be included but sometimes aren't--we found this out the hard way. The place we use at NEVER puts mandatory tip on...so we went last summer with my sister. Used on of the coupons and after we got home we were talking about total---seemed like a lot so we figured out everything...in the end the waiter had added the 18% or whatever tip but didn't mention it. My sister had then tipped 20% on total bill..so he got hefty tip. I called manager who said employees were to mention when tip added so he re-rung bill without my sister's tip. Employee still got the 18% he should have but no the bonus 20% on bill which was before discounts $80-90.

.

All of the ones that I have used had wording that said "18% mandatory tip included on pre-certificate amount." It was very clear on the certificates.

I've used so many of these vouchers that I couldn't even begin to count them and I have never had a problem. We have 2 ordered already for our June trip (HOB & Giordano's). I'm really disappointed that BB Kings is no longer offered in Orlando as they were one of our favorites.

Hmmm. I just bought a BB Kings certificate a couple weeks ago for our Universal Studios trip in July. I will have to check it out and see if they will no longer accept it.

Aside from House of Blues are there any other restaurants really close to WDW that will accept them?

We may be going to HOB on our next trip b/c we only have the meal plan for our 1st 4 days

There are several restaurants at the Swan/Dolphin that are included and a couple at DTD area (Hilton, Royal Plaza).

Maggie

 

[richmond282]

Current 80% off code: MOM

Happy Mother's Day!

 

[Princess Glenda]

I've used the GCs many times and would recommend them. Like other posters, I wait until the promo is 70% or 80% off.

I was able to get 80% off this morning on two restaurants in the Orlando area using the MOM code.

We've also bought a couple of GCs and then the places have closed. Restaurant.com was very good about exchanging the GCs that could no longer be used for a Restaurant.com GC that I could use at a later time to purchase other GCs.

Glenda

 

[Dizneydaz]

I've used the certificates many times and have, mostly, been happy. In California the certs have never expired so I have a few that are several years old (bought when 90% off). I tried to use one at a restaurant we had used one at about 2 months before and they said they are no longer accepting. I found this out before we ordered, so we left.

Got a few before a trip last year to San Francisco. 80% off. One place we went to was not good, kind of dirty and we didn't find anything on the menu we liked. At another one the service/decor/menu didn't warrant 18% tip. It was pretty much a seaside funky dive. Oh well, live and learn

Have used them many times for HoB in DTD in Anaheim. If I figure it just right it works out to a 50% discount, which is pretty good.

If you are going to get some for vacation, the fine print states that you can only use one coupon a month. That's based on a calendar month, not 30 days. So if you plan on going to a location more than once in the same month, use a different email, etc. to get the second one.

We have never had a problem using them at HoB. The are one of the few restaurants that count beverages as part of your required total. Makes it much easier to reach the min. $35 with $25 cert.

I bought one for HoB in WDW last year and with free DDP didn't use it. I'm giving it to my DSis to use on her trip this month to WDW. If she doesn't use it, we can use it ourselves in October.

I have had a few of my restaurants close before using the certs but they do credit you back for the cert.

Someone asked if major chains participate (Applebees, Olive Garden, etc.) Not that I found. They don't need to to get people in the door.

Always wait for a sale. I never buy until they are 80% off. Makes the $25 ones only $2. So, for example, when I can get my check to total right around $35 (I even added a topping to a pizza at HoB for .70 to get this to work) this is my breakdown, at HoB, in Anaheim.

Meal, before tax, inc. beverages $35.00
Tax on $35. (8.75%)---------------3.06
Tip on $35 (18%)------------------6.30
Total----------------------------$44.36
Less $25 cerfiticate--------------$19.36
Paid for certificate----------------$2.00
Total paid for meal---------------$21.36
Total saved----------------------$23.00 saved over $51%.

Now this is the best case scenario. The more your total is before discount, the small your percentage. But I think it's worth it.

 

[lastminutemom]

Keep in mind that some of the restaurants are very pricey -- so you may spend more that you would at another restaurant without the coupon. If your intention is to save money and eat cheap, sometimes the coupons help you do this and sometimes they don't.

To the original poster, occassionally I have seen local chains on restaurant.com but I can't recall seeing ones like Applebees, Chilis etc.

 

[DAISYDUCKRN]

Thanks to all. I appreciate your input and opinion. Yesterday I purchased $140.00 worth for $30.00, today there is a promo code for 80% off, oh well, I called the 800 number to clarify some specifics, the girl was very helpful but could not credit me the difference. I would have saved some money, I do plan to order today to take advantage of the promo. I did ask about the one per month use, as I was going to give a few GC to my kids to use. She said that they would be able to them. For example if my DH and I go on a Friday night, my DS and his friend could go, on Sunday. She said the restraurants have not real way of knowing how many times someone was in that month, unless they are familiar with you and remember you used a GC. All in all, not a bad deal. Thanks again

 

[3boymthr]

I think they are a great deal, but not if the restaurant is not one you would not regularly go to. I bought one thinking it would be a great way to get out and try a new restaurant with the family for $20 or so plus the cost of the GC ($2)... It was just a sports bar and grill, family type place, not fancy - AT ALL. When I gave the girl the GC at the beginning of the meal as stipulated on the GC, she walked back to the hostess area taking back the menus that she had in her hand and returned with different menus. The menu was very small and burger prices started at $15 and no kid's menu Our total for the meal came to almost $100 less the GC and per the GC we still had to pay a tip of almost $20. And we just had sandwiches, burgers and hotdogs. And the food wasn't even any good. I could have gone to someplace nicer for less money (for that matter I could have eaten at WDW for less money). Needless to say we haven't been back.

 

[holden]

We bought one for Il Mulino (I think it's in the Swan) that we will use on our upcoming trip. We use them at home all the time. Never have a problem.

 

[MsPeggySue911]

I think they are a great deal, but not if the restaurant is not one you would not regularly go to. I bought one thinking it would be a great way to get out and try a new restaurant with the family for $20 or so plus the cost of the GC ($2)... It was just a sports bar and grill, family type place, not fancy - AT ALL. When I gave the girl the GC at the beginning of the meal as stipulated on the GC, she walked back to the hostess area taking back the menus that she had in her hand and returned with different menus. The menu was very small and burger prices started at $15 and no kid's menu Our total for the meal came to almost $100 less the GC and per the GC we still had to pay a tip of almost $20. And we just had sandwiches, burgers and hotdogs. And the food wasn't even any good. I could have gone to someplace nicer for less money (for that matter I could have eaten at WDW for less money). Needless to say we haven't been back.

I would have left when they brought me back different menus with higher prices. If you can see that they are obviously charging ppl more who use Restaurant.com GC's then they are doing something wrong and you did not have to pay $15 for a burger. I would have also called restaurant.com and reported them.

 

[disprincessatheart]

On the $50 certificate, you need to spend at least $100 on food, plus, the tip is based on the pre-discounted total. Seems like a good deal, but not too good to be true.

On some, but not all. That's why it's important to read all the fine print before you buy.

 

[disprincessatheart]

I would have left when they brought me back different menus with higher prices. If you can see that they are obviously charging ppl more who use Restaurant.com GC's then they are doing something wrong and you did not have to pay $15 for a burger. I would have also called restaurant.com and reported them.

I would have left too. Restaurant.com had been good about refunding money or letting you use it on a different cert if there are real issues.

 

[pampam]

Aside from House of Blues are there any other restaurants really close to WDW that will accept them?

We may be going to HOB on our next trip b/c we only have the meal plan for our 1st 4 days

We also bought one for the Giraffe restaurant in the Royal Plaza hotel a 7-10 minute walk from the Marketplace Downtown Disney on Hotel Plaza Blvd. We used our $25 certificate from restaurant.com. I had a steak dinner, and DD had a lovely Mediteranean Pasta dish. The restaurant was quiet and relaxing. We will do it again. I enjoyed it more than the buffet at the Dolphin where we used another coupon.

 

[billfatora]

I gave a bunch of them out for Christmas... and got some for at home. I have yet to have a problem, myself - no has anyone that I (we) gave them to....

 

[swilshire]

I've had good luck 50-75% of the time, but it really irritates my husband when it goes bad. It always seems that we've driven some distance to the ones that are not open at the hours or on the days on the cert, don't take the certs at all, or are just plain yucky. We went to one in Florida when they had a copy of the cert under the glass table tops with all sorts of nasty remarks about fraud. We got up and left but it made us feel like thieves.

Restaurant.com always gives you a credit to get another cert, but that's not really enough for all the trouble.

I've had good luck locally with Half Off Depot, but even there I've had one restaurant change owners and stop taking them and another close the doors with no notice. Still, you can save a lot of money.

Sheila