Eat out to help out Scheme, can restaurants restrict how many diners can have this?

[bumbleb33s]

So, if you don't know, the way it works is, if you eat out at participating restaurants Monday to Wednesday you receive 50% off food and drink or to the maximum discount of £10 per person, it will appear on the menu at full price, but the restaurant will take the money off the bill before claiming it back from the government.

I've booked a table tomorrow evening and been told by the owner we are booked up for the eat out deal now.

Am I not right in thinking every diner has a right to this government offer as restaurants claim it back from the government and they are being CFs as will charge us full but will still be able to claim back?

Is the restaurant its self not just fully booked?
I went out last night to a restaurant that said we had the last reservation as they were now fully booked. When we arrived there was only around 10 tables (differing in sizes from 6 to 1) taken and 10 empty but they were all distanced very well.
I thought they probs just decided to "sell" a certain amount of tables during the scheme. Due to maybe staffing or cash flow as their was only one waitress.
But everyone recieved the discount.

Right, I've had clarification that it's now fully booked, even though in her first message her words were "it's fine" and I replied, see you Wednesday at 7 and she didn't correct me! so, things have got lost in translation somewhere.

I've booked somewhere else now where I know the owner, thankfully, as everywhere is booked, the food is amazing and I'm going to guzzle wine

When they took my booking they said they are booked up for the eat out deal, meaning they are giving it to some diners, but not others, so we have to pay full price

I would have assumed that meant they were full on the Monday Tuesday and Wednesdays for August.

I have tried to book somewhere really nice for a special occasion on one of the dine out days and I have had a similar reply
When I found the online booking they are completely full.

If they don’t take the money off they can’t claim it” what I’m thinking is they can claim it by being a bit sneaky, not saying that’s what they will do, but it seems odd and unfair they are giving the deal to some and not others

I am wondering how?

Are they going to somehow change the bill and the time stamp on the bill?

I really don’t see how they could because the 50% off is taken off your bill not put through as a separate entity.

Glad you have found somewhere. We are still looking as any place a bit special seems to be completely full and not just for the dine out deals

Glad to see it's all sorted. Some restaurants are trying to pull a fast one, however. Interestingly I had a café try to swizz me last week, and they were initially very obstructive when I politely challenged them; when I mentioned that I'd report them for not implementing the deal correctly, the manager totally freaked out, applied the correct discount, then gave me an additional discount and a grovelling apology. For whatever reason he was VERY keen not to be investigated!

Some restaurants seem to be taking exception to the deal. Looks as if it’s not necessarily that easy to work out as alcohol exempt, locally restaurants complaining that it’s leading to increased waste as people order more because it’s cheap. Also that they’re packed out on the deal days so waits are long and people complain then empty on non deal days. A restaurant near to me has been giving the deal to “everyone who asks” so despite advertising as participating lots of people are being presented with full price bills. Said restaurant announced today they are pulling out of the deal due to abuse they got for this.

It seems like everyone wins to me but lots of restaurants aren’t happy about it.

Restaurants here are booked solid. I had to book a dinner three weeks in advance for Tuesday evening. Maybe they are just fully booked?

All the really good places around here are full regardless of the day of the week.