FabuLESS Dining

You can buy a $25 gift certificate for $10 at Restaurants.com. But if you are following Fabulessly Frugal, you will notice that we post about the latest whenever we find them. This week Click here to save 70% off of the $25 gift certificate. Just use the code SAVE now thru 3/31/09! That means you will get your $25 certificate for just $3.

There's a catch right?
Well kind of. When you redeem your certificate you have to have a bill that is at least $35. So you buy the certificate for $3. Go to your restaurant, get your bill up to at least $35. Then you will be able to redeem your certificate. That brings the bill back down to $10. You are then required to tip 18% on the original bill. Total cost for you will be $19 including the original $3 for the certificate and an 18% gratuity.

Have you guys actually done this?
Yes, I would not put it on here if we hadn't. I have redeemed certificates at Ono Hawaiian Cafe, and twice at Donnie Mac's Trailer Park. I have certificates waiting to spend at Asiago's and Cafe Vicino. I am not worried I have one year to use them! Cathy has purchased them as well. I think she chose Asiago's.

I have never heard of those restaurants, is this only for local readers?
No, When you get to the site you enter in your zip code to get restaurants local to you! I love it because it gives me an excuse to try and support local restaurants in my city (46 to choose from). If I was to go to Portland for the weekend I could buy one and try out their local digs.

I want to eat out tonight. Do I have to wait for the certificate to arrive in the mail?
No, you print it from your home computer. I think if you can't print right away they will email you the certificate. I am not positive on that one.

Anything else I should know?
Yes, After you pay and are getting ready to print a window pops up it is a $10 rebate offer if you join some discount club... scroll to the bottom right and click "no thanks" to continue on to print off your gift certificate. The 1st time I did this I accepted and then they sent me a letter saying that my first month was free, but starting next month they would bill my credit card for my membership. I did not try the trial membership I just called and canceled. I knew I would likely forget about it and have my credit card billed. So hit "no thanks" and you will not have to hassle. Maybe the discount club is awesome? I just didn't want to mess with it.