Andrew S.

Over the past two years, I have received $300 in Restaurant.com "Gift Cards" from attending various promotional events. In attempting to redeem these cards, I have discovered that they do not function as gift cards in the sense that other gift cards function. And this information was confirmed by one of the customer service operators at Restaurant.com's toll free service number.

If I receive a gift card for a traditional store or restaurant--Lowe's, Target, Staples, Chili's, etc.--or a Visa gift card, the card is good for the value initially indicated on the card, whether it's as low as $5 or as high as $100. I do not need to pay Lowe's or Target or Staples or Chili's any additional amount for goods or services in order to redeem the card, or in the case of a Visa gift card, any additional amount at point of purchase. Further, if my purchase is less than the value of the card--let's say I have a $25 gift card and my purchase totals $18.69--the remaining balance is still available to me on the card; and in the case of individual store cards such as Lowe's or Target, the receipt indicates my remaining balance.

With the "gift cards" at Restaurants.com, the card can ONLY be redeemed through the website. I cannot present the gift card at the point of purchase for redemption. The certificate I receive is then for a multiple of $5, usually $10, $20, or $25. If I have a $50 "gift card" and choose to redeem for one $25 and one $20 gift card, unless I am very lucky and there happens to be some outlet that offers a $5 gift certificate (there are none in my immediate area), I apparently lose the ability to redeem the remaining $5 on the "gift card", as I cannot combine offers according to the terms and conditions of Restaurant.com.

Further, the few participating restaurants only accept the redeemed certificates as part of a much larger purchase. Example: a local pizza restaurant allows me to redeem $15 certificates from my "gift cards". And in presenting these gift cards, I may only redeem on per visit; but I must make a minimum purchase of $30 in order to redeem the certificate! That's not a "gift card"! It's a DISCOUNT card!

Restaurant.com misrepresents itself in issuing these cards labeled with the words "gift cards". And this labeling, which is on the reverse of each card, is clear, in boldface type, in the largest font size on the reverse of the card. Further, in allowing corporations (such as a major timeshare entity) to issue these cards, and instructing their point-of-contact representatives that these are "gift cards", they are causing these corporations to misrepresent themselves, probably without being aware that there is any hint of impropriety.

In the future, if such "gift cards" are offered me at some promotional event, I shal make the representative issuing the cards aware of the facts.

And I am definitely considering contacting an attorney specializing in class-action lawsuits over the mis-representation. If Restaurant.com had called the cards what they actually are, I would have no issue with the cards.

I am only too glad that I did not do the foolish thing, redeeming a portion of one of the cards for $30 in certificates for the restaurant, go and order $30 worth of food, and find out after a friend I had already eaten that I could not pay for the meal in it's entirety with the two certificates.

CAVEAT EMPTOR!