Save 23-49% on Dining with Restaurant.com
I just discovered Restaurant.com where you can buy gift certificates for local restaurants at a discounted price. Most restaurants offer $25 gift certificates for $10 as well as $10 gift certificates for just $3. Some restaurants have other amounts available as well. The gift certificates are printed on your computer, so there is no additional charge for shipping.
That sounds like a pretty good deal. But it gets better.
Once you go to the checkout page, simply us the promotion code ‘SAVINGS’ to receive 50% off your total gift certificate purchase. That makes the $25 gift certificates just $5.00 and the $10 certificates just $1.50. But why stop there? Since restaurant.com has an CJ affiliate program you can get bonuses from sites like MyPoints or eBates.com. The best one I found was a 15% rebate from eBates.com - Making the actual price for your $25 gift certificate just $4.25, and the $10 gift certificates just $1.28.
Using those discounted prices for the gift certificates, here is a chart of some check amounts and how much you would save with each one.
| Check Amount | Gift Certificate | GC Cost | Discounted Check | 20% Tip | Regular Payment | Total Paid with Gift Certificate | $ Savings | % Savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $15 | $10 | $1.28 | $5 | $3 | $18 | $9.28 | $8.73 | 48% |
| $20 | $10 | $1.28 | $10 | $4 | $24 | $15.28 | $8.73 | 36% |
| $25 | $10 | $1.28 | $15 | $5 | $30 | $21.28 | $8.73 | 29% |
| $30 | $10 | $1.28 | $20 | $6 | $36 | $27.28 | $8.73 | 24% |
| $35 | $25 | $4.25 | $10 | $7 | $42 | $21.25 | $20.75 | 49% |
| $40 | $25 | $4.25 | $15 | $8 | $48 | $27.25 | $20.75 | 43% |
| $45 | $25 | $4.25 | $20 | $9 | $54 | $33.25 | $20.75 | 38% |
| $50 | $25 | $4.25 | $25 | $10 | $60 | $39.25 | $20.75 | 35% |
| $55 | $25 | $4.25 | $30 | $11 | $66 | $45.25 | $20.75 | 31% |
| $60 | $25 | $4.25 | $35 | $12 | $72 | $51.25 | $20.75 | 29% |
| Average Savings | 36% | |||||||
The gift certificates often have some reasonable rules for use. Common restrictions include not being valid for Friday or Saturdays, or for alcoholic beverages. Also, there are sometimes minimum transaction amounts. For example, many of the restaurants require a minimum check of $35 to redeem a $25 certificate. It looks like some restaurants automatically add an 18% gratuity as their way of ensuring that the tip is based on the full check amount.
Most of the restaurants that offer gift certificates are local restaurants that are not associated with chains or franchises. These are businesses that are using the discounted gift certificates as a way of winning new business.
I just bought a $25 certificate for Chevy’s which I have eaten at before and enjoyed (the only chain that I noticed) , and another $25 certificate for a new seafood restaurant in the mall that we have been meaning to try for a couple months now.
