What do I expect: when I use my Entertainment Card?
Yeah I know, I'm a disgusting pesky fly. But just because I slurp food off the plate with my proboscis doesn't mean I should have to pay full price when I have a handy-dandy gold entertainment card to get a free meal.
Here's how it went down... we went to Finc on a Friday night - for the simple reason that it is in the Entertainment Guide. We ordered two mains both worth around $34 each and an entree for $8. The deal in the Entertainment Guide is:
"you and your guest are invited to enjoy one complimentary main course when another main course of equal or greater value is purchased. Up to $30.00 value".
We were told that as our mains were both over the value of $30 we would receive NO discount. When we also asked them why was the entree not taken off we were told that we did not intend to have this as a main so they would not discount that either.
To read the shocking conclusion click "read more"
While we were trying to discuss with the owner he was rather rude and tried to put the blame on me not reading the terms and conditions of e-book properly or pass the blame onto e-book not making the rules clear enough.
This was, however, balls. We used the gold card last year at Finc and we received the discount in the same situation.
When we asked the owner why this had changed he said he decided this year he would change how he interpreted the offer and it would be different. He also told me I had to see it from a business point of view and that if everyone came in with an entertainment card in one night he would go out of business. (Cue violins)
Perhaps he'll go out of business faster by pissing off folks (and flies).
In conclusion, this Arthropod is not impressed with Finc and their cockdiscount-blocking. I would warn Entertainment book users to be wary of being misled.
And if all else fails, we could organise a flash mob (do people still do that?) in which we all use our gold cards and see what happens.
We had a problem with Finc two years back where they claimed a lunch item (from the menu) did not count as a main and we'd have to pay full price for both.
We argued, paid the full price, complained to the Entertainment Book people and got a very nice bottle of wine as a "sorry".
It's not just the folks with the Entertainment Book that have problems with Finc. I've never eaten there personally, but I tried to rearrange a lunch meeting for my boss and the employee who answered the phone bluntly informed me they were "booked out" and hung up on me. Even if their food were that good, I'm not sure I'd bother going after service like that.
I've never had any problems there, with service or otherwise, and the food has always been delicious. I think a lot of places have trouble with the Entertainment Book, and that's one of the reasons I've never bothered with it. Often when there's a change of management or even a menu change it can render some of the previous deals meaningless or awkward, and in several places I've gone to pay and got stuck behind someone arguing the details of the fine print with the owners.
Another reason I don't like the e-book is when you're eating out with a bunch of people and some of them veto anywhere that doesn't have an e-book special, so you end up going somewhere tragic rather than somewhere good for the sake of someone saving a few bucks. Good food is worth paying for. While some specials are worth hunting down, too many of the e-book ones just end up being fiddly and not worth the bother.
My experiences with entertainment book-type things have led me to always confirm before the meal -- with the waiter or maitre de -- how the book/card special will be interpreted at the till. No surprises.
And not because I'm all cool and mature and shit, it's just because I find arguing with people over that kinda stuff to be cringingly embarrassing.
I had lunch with my girlfriend at Katipo last year and tried to use my entertainment book coupon, only to be told that the vouncher applied to "Mains", and what we were having was a "Lunch", so we had to pay full price.
About a week later, we had lunch at Arabica. I ordered a meal from the kitchen, girlfriend ordered a panini or something from the counter. They told us that the coupon didn't cover counter food. So girlfriend changed her order to a steak -- about twice as expensive. Plus they'd started cooking the panini already, so probably had to throw it out. Net loss to the cafe: about $15..
(that said, all our other experiences with the entertainment book have been trouble-free)
I've got my Entertainment book. When shall we descend en masse for our $29.95 mains?
This is the first year I've had an entertainment book and I've been most impressed with how the staff handle it. A little courtesy helps a lot.
Most of the times have been at places I've never been before and I make a point of saying to the person sorting out the bill "We had a fantastic time, We've never been before but we saw it in the entertainment book and were glad we gave you a try."
Most business people know that you have to spend the most on advertising to get a new customer. When the cost of getting that customer is losing one $30 meal (would cost them max 40% of that in materials) out of a $120 - $160 bill, that makes excellent business sense. Especially as it doesn't require a big upfront investment like other forms of advertising.
Also the fact that my food bill usually pales in comparison to the wine bill helps :)
I've had average service at Finc during the day, but fantastic service there at night, so this saddens me to read it. Then again, I've never seen a man behind the counter there, so perhaps that changes things a little, if he is the owner, as so many times staff are much much more capable than owners at doing the right thing.
I had a business lunch at Finc about 2 years ago and both me and my guest got violently ill at around 4:30pm resulting in me having to drive 100 yds, vomit, drive another 100 yds, vomit.... The owner was damn rude about it and completely refused to listen to any complaint and denied that we even ate there. I haven't stepped back in since. Vote with your feet!
well new owners since then i think
i just love their big tables, it's great having a few coffees and spending time doing a bit of work there
With regard to the general gold card discussion: we've had the gold card for the last three years (maybe four) and we've had more issues with general bad service than we have with places refusing or disputing the discount.
You don't have to tell the staff at before you order.
You don't have to tell the staff at before you order.
I know you don't HAVE to, it just seems like a good idea to clear up any misunderstandings beforehand rather than when you have a belly-full of product you are compelled to pay for.
I've had problems with the card at Flying Burrito Bros, Zico and Medina(when it was Medina).
I won't bore you with the details (I was right of course haha) but just the whole point I want to make to these places is that the Entertainment card brings ALL of them in in extra business so why the frick piss people off?
Geesh! That one's for my pal Frubakka..
oops double up
Rule #6 for discount shopping: When using any kind of voucher present the voucher BEFORE your order and ask the staff what you have to do in order to claim the discount. Show them the disclaimer/ conditions and discuss any irregularities before you buy.
Be aware, I think that there is a limit of 4 Ent Book discounts per booking. So if you flash mob Finc don't do it in one table/booking :-) I found this out the hard way as the 5th couple to use their discount at a large group lunch.
That was the only disappointing experience I had using the Ent Book which I otherwise thought was fantastic. I ate out so much more during that year and tried lots of new places.
We had a problem once in that the restaurant thought that we were going to get 25% off our group's bill and wouldn't accept the cards. We were actually only asking for 25% off three of the group's meals (a lesser discount). Again we relented and then complained to the E-Book folks.
I'm with stephen it just seems a nice thing to mention when you arrive. it also means you are never in for a shock
I totally understand the logic behind it, but it makes me feel like a shill* if I say it at the beginning. Although when we use the coupons (as opposed to the card) we often ask if they still accept them.
*i think I'm using that word correctly
Yeah yeah, that's the way.. ask something innocuous -- "Oh by the way, do you still honour this card?"
Guess it's horses for courses; I hate a fight after I've just eaten, you hate feeling like a cheapskate beforehand. You pays your money and you takes your choice. And other clichés ;)
i think I'm using that word correctly
'Fraid not.
I've had a couple of problems in the past with restaurants "creatively interpreting" the discount terms. The book sets them out pretty clearly, and if the restaurant tries to change them I've found a quiet word to the e-book people will get them to change their ways. :-)
"Up the value of" would mean that you should have gotten $30 off and paid the remaining $4 - he has plainly misinterpretted it.
I've had misunderstandings before too - just misinterpretations - but we paid, and let the e-book people know, who quickly sorted it out with the restaurant, and were very apologetic to me about it (and we were reimbursed).
I now *usually* take the book with me (not ideal but just in case) - because sometimes I forget if the restaurant is on the gold card, or only a voucher in the book.
Read the T&Cs and be firm with wayward restaurants! They can always back out the following year if it's not working out for them, but until then they are contractually obliged to give you that discount.
:)
So different from my experience using the Gold card at Finc a few years ago - we were given a coupon for a free breakfast to encourage us to come back again. Seems things have changed drastically since then!
I'll never go there again. Simple
They were always rude bastards, now I know it.
Goog to know. I still had Finc on my list of places to go from the e-book. But I'll leave that off my list now.
Thanks for the tip.
Guess this is one way to get a bad reputation.
I find the Entertainment Book handy to save a few dollars, but I too have had embarrassing moments with it.
if everyone came in with an entertainment card in one night he would go out of business
Hmmmm. Shame on him for planting the idea.