Restaurant.com Gift Certificates - Philly

[KatieLoeb]

I'm on the Restaurant.com mailing list, having purchased some certificates from them awhile back. There's a sale on them ending today 2/28, that will get you a $25 gift certificate for $2, if you use the discount code DINE. Granted, a lot of the restaurants are places I'd never set foot in or even heard of, but there are some surprising participants in this program. Amongst the restaurants participating are:

Zhi Wei Guan

Ly Michaels

Meju Korean (where the lamented Mandoline once resided)

Pat Bombino's

South Philly Tap Room

Wokano

World Cafe Live (if one were going to a show...)

Taste of Portugal (Adams Avenue, NE)

Derek's (Manayunk)

Drafting Room (Springhouse)

Good Dog was not surprisingly sold out, as was Snockey's Oyster House. But the Chinatown entries were surprising to me, as was South Philly Tap Room. Those are all places whose doors I've been known to darken.

There's a bit of navigating to do once you get to the site, and sometimes things aren't where you think they'd be categorized geographically, but this is a pretty good deal if you intend to visit any of the participating establishments.

[Buckethead]

I have no experience with restaurant.com one way or the other, buy have read some pretty bad stories about them, from them selling GCs to restaurants without the restaurant's knowledge, restaurants not accepting them, and the company billing customers monthly for no reason (stealing, in other words):

http://consumerist.com/5159826/help-this-r...urantcom-coupon

http://consumerist.com/5141188/buy-a-gift-...monthly-service

http://consumerist.com/201324/restaurantcom-leaves-us-hungry

[KatieLoeb]

I've never had a problem with them before myself. I spent $4 for $50 worth of certificates and paid with PayPal, so Restaurant.com doesn't have my financial info and can't bill me again. If I lose the $4 I'll consider it a pretty cheap lesson learned. It'll make me go to a couple of places I've either wanted to try (Meju) or go back to again (Zhi Wei Guan) so that should be fine. If I go and they don't accept my certificates I'll either eat there anyway or not. I was definitely going out to eat that night, so it's hardly an inconvenience.

[Capaneus]

I've never had a problem with them before myself.  I spent $4 for $50 worth of certificates and paid with PayPal, so Restaurant.com doesn't have my financial info and can't bill me again.  If I lose the $4 I'll consider it a pretty cheap lesson learned.  It'll make me go to a couple of places I've either wanted to try (Meju) or go back to again (Zhi Wei Guan) so that should be fine.  If I go and they don't accept my certificates I'll either eat there anyway or not.  I was definitely going out to eat that night, so it's hardly an inconvenience.

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I've only used their certificates at the Bubble House, largely because I was there at someone else's behest and resented paying retail. But in that limited experience I've had no problems.

Two things, though: there are often conditions imposed by the restaurant on the use of the certificates, so make sure to read before buying. Also, this isn't really a "Sale!!!", insofar as they do it every month, starting out at 50% off and increasing the discount as the month advances.

[KatieLoeb]

Bubble House had certificates on sale too. I defintitely recall seeing them as one of the options available...