Get a $10 Restaurant.com gift certificate for 80 cents

If you think these prices are good, wait until you apply coupon code ENTREE.

We interrupt your regularly scheduled tech deals to bring you this important bulletin...

Food!

Specifically, restaurant food. As many of you know, Restaurant.com sells gift certificates for a fraction of their face value. And right now, you can buy them for a fraction of that fraction.

For example, $25 certificates normally sell for $10, but if you enter coupon code ENTREE at checkout, the price drops to $2. And $10 certificates, normally $4, drop to just 80 cents. Yowza.

For those unfamiliar with Restaurant.com, the only real "string" attached is a minimum food or drink purchase. However, it's not like you have to order the lobster tail and a case of wine. To use a $10 certificate, for example, your total bill usually has to be at least $20.

What's nice is that you can print the coupons right on your own printer; they're immediately ready for use. They're also transferable, so they make ideal last-minute gifts.

In these horrendous economic times, this offer is too good to pass up. Just make sure to read all the terms and conditions before you buy your certificates, just so you avoid any nasty surprises when the check comes.

Also, I'm not sure when this coupon code expires, so if you're interested, act fast. Bon appetit!

[benignotx]

I only wish that there were different restaurants offering coupons than the ones I always see.

[yanchineseguy]

I do sometimes see different restaurants join or leave the list, but it does take some time. I'm guessing that restaurants are trying this coupon deal for a few months or a year at a time, and then decide whether to stay in based on the business results.

[rickbroida]

I hadn't seen any new additions for about a year, but just today I discovered a boatload of new restaurants in my area. They nearly doubled the number! So keep checking...

[kuriou]

This may be a dumb question, but I haven't found the answer anywhere yet: can you buy two gift cards and use them both to arrive at the required amount? Or can you only use one gift card at a time?

Either way, this looks to be a great deal, thanks! I'm going to take my wife to an Indian restaurant in Minneapolis. We don't usually get to do that sort of thing.

[kuriou]

Never mind, found the answer. You can only use one per visit per restaurant per month.

[imapc]

Remember, these aren't gift cards that front the entire bill. They're certificates that pretty much lower the price of your visit but there will be some cost involved on your part (aside from the $2) but it's still a great deal! I use them as much as possible for the sushi restaurants around my place and I get to try new foods I wouldn't otherwise try!

[Mr_fleabite]

Here's the quick and dirty for those on the fence (at least on the certificates I got).

-limit 1 redemption per party, per month, per restaurant.
-limit 1 per party even if at different tables w/ different tabs (the restaurant calls a number on the certificate to see if it's legit, so they'll know). I think you can get around this if you use a different credit w/ different name/s address to pay @ checkout
-alcohol may or maynot be covered (varies) some say its up to the restaurant others flat out say no on the cert.
-cant combine offers
-most are dine in only w/ 18% gratuity
-you can't sell the certificate "unless done so in compliance with the law". (whatever that means)
-you can exchange the certificate w/ in 90 days, but no cash back.
-expires in 1 year except where prohibited by law

not too bad, hope that helps folks.

[imapc]

except in California (and elsewhere where prohibited) that gift cards and certificates NEVER expire :-)

[string97bean]

Great deal! Thanks.

[Mr_fleabite]

Cool thanks Rick! I picked up $105 in certificates for about $8.50. I think I'll pass some out to relatives and the wife and I will go out to a new restaurant this weekend.

[krubby]

For the record I saw this post at 11:00am eastern, went to the site, grabbed 2 $10.00 certificates for a restaraunt within walking distance of my work location, took one of them and 2 buddies, had a great lunch and saved $10.00 (well, $9.80 to be exact - ha ha) off the bill.

easy as pie.

I will say the only issue is when I pull up the restaraunts near me a LOT (I would say 75% or so) say their 'sold out' at one or all of their $ levels. How they sell out on an electronic certificate you print yourself is beyond me.

So if you CAN find a restaraunt works well, but my list was limited to start with then again a lot of them were 'sold out' anyway.

[Mr_fleabite]

I think the restaurant has some say over the terms and how many will be issued.

[mrura]

the same restaurants sell out very quickly month after month. best to buy every one that you might need at the beginning of the month.

[misterve]

Register with restaurant.com and you will get emails notifying you of the most current deals. Then you should be able to find what you want before it sells out.

[mrura]

sometimes there is a sale as low as 90% (e.g., $1 for a $25 certificate, which would usually cost $10).

also, sometimes they offer other promotions... but i find they aren't really worth the bother, since they usually involve buying more of something just to "save" money. (e.g. - a coupon for a discount at FTD flowers)

[Zyvxn]

The amount you save is often dependent upon how long the offer has been on the site. Items seem to get cheaper the longer they are online.

Do read the fine print with each certificate. Some have different restrictions than the "norm."

Also - DON'T tell your friends about this. The more people that know about it, the quicker the good restaurants reach their quotas. Best to keep this a secret.... <G>

[Joe Pires]

You and I have very different ideas about what the word friend means.

I agree with Joe. I don't think I'd want you for a friend.

[Ken Prax]

Guess I'm too late "add to cart" doesn't work. #^%%$%$#^!!!!

[bellewitch]

I've been using this site for a while. I don't live in a big (populated) area but I am still able to find a few listings. You can sign up for an account on the site where they will send you weekly specials/coupon codes. I usually wait til they go big like the 80%-90% off ones.
You don't have to print them out either. Once you purchase them, they store them with your account to print out later. You can also purchase dinner of the month club packs & use the coupon codes with them.
I think you can also purchase gift certificates for buying the certificates on the site. Another words a gift certificate for someone else to pick out what restaurants they want to buy.
I LOVE IT!!!!

[Nanzue]

I can't figure out how to obtain the certificates. When I click on "add to cart" nothing happens. Can someone tell me what I am doing wrong?

[raynardo]

Here's the math on an exactly $35 food bill:
8.75% CA sales tax = $3.06
18% mandatory tip = $6.30
price of a $25 certificate = $10.00
Total bill without drinks $54.06
less $25 certificate ( and you final end price ) = $29.06

[imapc]

yes, except we are getting the $25 certificate for $2
so it really goes: (For $35)

8.75% CA sales tax = $3.06
18% mandatory tip = $6.30
price of a $25 certificate = $2.00
Total bill without drinks $46.06
less $25 certificate ( and your final end price ) = $21.06

a savings of ~$15!
I eat at places I like. If I like where I eat and I like the service, I tip! 15% is a what someone typically gives so the extra 3% is not a deterrent for me.

Without the certificate, you would pay for a $35 bill:

8.75% CA sales tax = $3.06
15% suggested tip = $5.25
Total bill without drinks $54.06
FINAL PRICE = $43.31

even if you didn't place the suggested 15% tip (without the certificate) you would be paying more for the same amount of food and service! Why not save?

[imapc]

(disregard that last $54..forgot to remove it from the post and can't edit)

[linuxroadwarrior]

Couldn't find Canadian restaurants.

[wudt]

I tried to purchase Pageplus X4 from Buy.com, but the price is over $80.00. So this bit of information is not correct.

[aggie1993]

Are you seriously posting a comment here about one of Rick's posting from a week ago?!?! And then have the stupidity to say he is incorrect???

That bit of information WAS correct, if you had acted on it in a timely fashion. Did you bother to read the comments on the actual post you are referring to? Those who got in early got it. Those who waited didn't get the deal.

Like thw discounts, but don't find many of the popular restaurants in the DC area. Would like to see more variety.

Where is a list of the restaurants that participate?

[cesimmons79]

This is an amazing deal! I bought $105 worth of gift certificates for $8.40 to some wonderful places in my area. I eat out a lot, and am always looking for a great deal. I stocked up because the certificates are all good for a year. Rick you are the best! Keep up the good work :-)

I wasn't careful to read the minimum purchase amount on the restaurant I chose - it is $50 and not $35 - I've previously looked at (not purchased) these offers, and the meal minimum was always $35 then. The cost was $2.50 and not $2.00. It's OK - I've wanted to go to this somewhat expensive place for awhile and it gets good reviews. I'll take a couple of friends, and not just one!

[TaconeAlpharetta]

I decided to leave a comment, since I am on the other side of this. I own a restaurant in GA and I accept Restaurant.com coupons. I use this method since it raises the awareness of my location in GA. Since as you have mentioned, you get the coupon and you look at restaurants that you might not be aware of. For me this is less expensive than print advertising. It helps me as the owner when I get the feedback that you are asked to send in after you dine. You are getting a great deal of food for the price, and speaking for myself I am thrilled to get new customers. If you like your any new restaurant you find, please spead the word. I hope this is not mixed up with advertising, I just wanted to say; these are fantastic deals. If you want more restaurants in your area you can email restaurant.com and let them know. They send reps out to locations requested.

[wyomingsundancer]

I had a pretty bad experience with this in Lees Summit Missouri. A local Italian restaurant charged for a meal with their 18% gratuity, deducted the coupon, but later (two days) reentered my debit card information and added several dollars to the ticket. The manager of the restaurant did not seem too concerned about this and did not reimburse me. When I called the support at Restaurant.com they did not seem too concerned either, but I got a reimbursement on my card two days later.

[wbandoy]

Just bought 16 $25 cards for only $32. Wow. Thanks for the heads up!