restaurants.com

I have heard quite the variety of opinions about Restaurants.com.
Wanted to get this forums take on pros and cons, especially from the industry side.
Sounds like the public could benefit from learning some of the pitfalls for local businesses.

Talk amongst yourselves.

Axel.!

Is that Ox-el, "The German" Cooper?

Is that Ox-el, "The German" Cooper?

Is that from SNL ?

Is that Ox-el, "The German" Cooper?

Is that from SNL ?

Nope...it's from the Louisville music scene - if my guess is right.

One owner told me she gets no money from restaurants.com, only advertising.

She put a limit on the number of certificates issued per month.

Over two years ago I bought $250 for like $15. I still have some money left, mostly because I forget to print one out.

Just say no!!!!!! From both a consumer and a proprietary standpoint, there is way too much hassle involved for anyone to have to deal with that mess!

Is that Ox-el, "The German" Cooper?

Is that from SNL ?

Nope...it's from the Louisville music scene - if my guess is right.

Ahhhhh...... that explains where I have heard that before
SNL ? what the hell was I thinking....

[Robin Garr]

It looks like a link farm.

As the owner of a local internet food business, I feel about Restaurant.com (and Yelp.com, etc.) as Doll's or Burger's probably feels about Meijer's: National firms, geared for profit, trying to act "local" but only marginally succeeding, nevertheless diluting the market. Keep Louisville Weird: Buy local, and surf local, too.

As the owner of a local internet food business, I feel about Restaurant.com (and Yelp.com, etc.) as Doll's or Burger's probably feels about Meijer's: National firms, geared for profit, trying to act "local" but only marginally succeeding, nevertheless diluting the market. Keep Louisville Weird: Buy local, and surf local, too.

While I agree with you that they are not local, most of the restaurants they use their service are local. In reality restaurant.com is nothing but another way for a restaurant to advertise. Of course they make a profit but especially when they're running the 80% off deals they aren't making very much per transaction. I think it all depends on how much business they attract to the restaurant whether it's a good thing for them or not. I realize in many ways they are a competitor to Louisville Originals but it does seem like they fill a niche that many restaurants think is a good deal more they wouldn't use it.

[Robin Garr]

restaurant.com is nothing but another way for a restaurant to advertise.

In competition with local media businesses. You're right in your comments, Mark, but it comes back down to the Walmarting of America. A lot of people are happy to go to Home Depot to buy a plumbing fixture. I'd rather go to Oscar's Hardware or Hammer's in St. Matthews.

restaurant.com is nothing but another way for a restaurant to advertise.

In competition with local media businesses. You're right in your comments, Mark, but it comes back down to the Walmarting of America. A lot of people are happy to go to Home Depot to buy a plumbing fixture. I'd rather go to Oscar's Hardware or Hammer's in St. Matthews.

You are certainly correct in that assessment. I think the place where restaurant.com really comes into play it for the people who are not from Louisville (or any other participating city). In that case I really think that the advertising received from restaurant.com can be a big asset because those people don't know about the local places.

Edit: As pointed out, this thread is about restaurantS.com, not restaurant.com. My entire post is about restaurant.com not restaurantS. So open mouth insert foot. Unfortunately I know nothing about restaurants.com

How restaurant.com works is that they issue gift cards with the restaurant specific limitations on it. These gift cards are usually priced at a discount ($40 for a $50 gift card for example). Of that purchase price the restaurant recieves 0% of the sale, instead what they recieve is a chance to attract a new customer, as well as any further stipulations on the ticket. The above gift card will likely have a minimum purchase of $100 on it. So the restaurant recieves $50 from the sale of $100 worth ot items, and restaurant.com recieves $40 from the actual gift card sale. The purchaser pays $50 (restaurant) and $40 (restaurant.com) saving themselves $10. Where it gets fishy from a restaurant pov is that restaurant.com DEEPLY discounts their end of the deal, its very easy to find at least 70% of the purchase price, and common to find 80% or even sometimes 90%. Restaurant.com generates less revenue per purchase, but their cost are only website hosting and bandwidth etc, and the restaurants have real cost associated with it.

The problem for the restaurants (and why we are discontinuing our restaurant.com relationship), is very rarely do we see any repeat business from a restaurant.com customer, and when we do they come in with another gift card they bought at 90% off, and get a $100 meal for $54 (losing proposition). Sure, its nice to be able to attract a new client, but not if they have a stack of restaurant.com certificates in their pocket, and just rotate through a half dozen restaurants a month, causing each restaurant to lose money on the sale.

From a consumer POV its a great deal though, hard to argue with it. The individual locations need to be aware of what they are signing up for, and if they don't evaluate their various advertising/promotions, I know I'll use them, even if that makes me somewhat of a hypocrite.

restaurants.com is different from restaurant.com, although the singular advertises on the plural.
Plural is more chatty and singular is the coupons.

Are they owned by the same corp?

My post was in regards to the singular, and not the plural website.
Thank you for making the distinction. I have heard of some businesses opting to only offer
the discounts on food for legal reasons, and as a result have ended up with displeased customers.
Is there a contractual agreement that is entered with this service?
And is it Ok for a business to maintain it's own policy as to how they will accept these Coupons?



( and yes.. nicknames will haunt )