Restaurant.Com Website Review

If you were offered a $25 gift certificate to the restaurant of your choice for only $10, would you take it? That's the idea behind Restaurant.com, a website dedicated to finding you great deals when dining out. In this article, we'll take a closer look at Restaurant.com and whether it's worth it.

First Impressions

When I first pointed my web browser to Restaurant.com, I found the site well designed, easy to navigate, and aesthetically pleasing. Up front was a bright blue informational box explaining the service in three simple steps: find a restaurant using Restaurant.com's search engine, purchase a gift certificate, and print out the certificate using your printer. I also noted options to give gifts including gift certificates and Dinner of the Month Club membership. Corporate gifts and incentives are also an option.

Finding a Participating Restaurant

To the right of the informational box was the Step 1: Find a Restaurant search box which allows you search for a restaurant using your zip code, state, or city. Because Dallas wasn't one of the featured cities, I opted to select Texas from the Select State popout to go to the southwestern-themed Texas page. I then clicked Dallas/Ft Worth & Vicinity and narrowed my search until a list of restaurants for my little corner of North Dallas displayed.

To the right of each restaurant listing is a blue box indicating that restaurant's gift certificate options. I noted that the $10 gift certificate for $3 was standard for most restaurants on the list, as was the $25 for $10 gift certificate. However, I did see one restaurant offering $50 for $20, $75 for $30, and even $100 for $40. However the fine print said, "Valid with a minimum purchase of $35."

Displaying Restaurant Info

Even if you don't use their service, Restaurant.com is a great resource for learning more about your local area restaurants. Clicking the link to any restaurant displays exterior and interior pictures of the facility, address and contact information, hours, payment types accepted, cuisine type, atmosphere, and cost. Read their menu or find the location of the restaurant on MapQuest. If you're a Restaurant.com member, click the Make Reservation button on the left-hand side of the screen to make an online reservation.

Purchasing the Gift Certificate

If you're a Restaurant.com member and you like what you see, simply select your desired gift certificate option and click the green Add to Cart button in the Gift Certificates box in the top left corner of the page to go to your shopping cart. Review the items in your shopping cart, then click the Proceed to Checkout button. When you're done, print the certificate and hand it to the restaurant staff for your discount.

Final Thoughts

Restaurant.com is a unique service designed to save you a few dollars on your next restaurant outing. You won't find discounts for major chain restaurants, but you will discover new, exciting, and possibly delicious local restaurants you may not have known about. Even if you don't use their service, it's worth directing your web browser to their website and discovering new places to eat in your area.