AIBU for expecting her not to pay with vouchers at a restaurant?

[NJE]

I'm meeting my friend the first weekend in February again. I haven't seen her for nearly three years as she was working abroad. We decided to go out for dinner and I ask her where she wants to go. She proposed an Italian restaurant because she can get vouchers on the internet for it. I feel slightly embarrassed by this but haven't said anything. Is it right to pay in a restaurant with a 50% voucher? She can easily afford it.

AIBU?

I assumed this was an aibu in reverse...maybe not

They just make money off the wine/beverages when people have 50% off meal voucher. It's psychological really in that you think you are getting a good deal so you order more to eat and drink and feel good about it. The mark up on food and drink is very high too so they don't lose out anything. You have nothing to feel guilty about! :)

I know when Prezzo does the 50% off thing they usually put the signage in their window so everyone can use the offer (not sure if this is all the time or just when it is quiet)

I understand exactly where you're coming from, OP... the vouchers are a very recent thing, I think. It used to have a bit of a stigma, like 'clipping coupons', but it doesn't have it now so much because so many people do it.

Use the vouchers and give the difference as a tip to the waiting staff, maybe? It will make no difference to the restaurant but a big difference to them.

btw in case anyone's interested there's a thing called Taste Card which I got for free when I got an O2 contract which lasts a year and gives you 50% off absolutely hundreds of restaurants; all the big chains but lots of independents too.

YABVVVVVVVVU!!

"family run restaurant"?? Let me tell you right now that if she has vouchers, it's not for a "family run restaurant" - it'll be a chain like Prezzo or Zizzi's or ASK.

If it weren't for the vouchers, do yu have any idea how many restaurants would have gone under in the recession?

The companies involved use the vouchers system for a reason - it gets bums on seats. "Buy One Main, Get One Free" deals also don't take into account how muc people will spend on starters, desserts and (the BIG money spinner) booze.

Trust me, you're not depriving them by not paying full price.

If you have plenty of money and feel guilty about getting 50% off, why don't you just donate the other half to a charity?

YABU

If the OP thinks she is being "posh" by having an issue with vouchers then she has this upside down. No one Upper class would raise an eyebrow about using a voucher. Only people who were insecure about looking like they couldn't pay full price would be bothered. People who are "posh" couldn't give a fig what anyone thinks and have no such insecurty IFSWIM.

I don't think these restaurants can justify their prices anyway. I went to one of them (not naming any names...:o) and the meal was nice, infact it was lovely, but it was still pretty ordinary cooking and they had obviously fried frozen frittes etc. So nicely presented meal which you could quite easily cook yourself for £15 per head. The mark up on that meal must have been huge, it's why they can offer the bogof's and 50%

Everybody uses them these days. They will be making up for it by charging £5.99 for a glass of wine. It's a way to get people through the door.

I agree, if she has vouchers, I doubt very much it is a family run business.

YABU

YABVU

If the business issues vouchers then clearly they think it is worthwhile - who are you to say that someone shouldn't use them?

What a great friend you to this poor woman! No wonder you've not seen her for 3 years! Are you for real?

Hahahahahahahahahahahaha! Brilliant joke thread by Hyacinth Bucket!

But seriously, I work in marketing and recommend voucher deals to clients. And it doesn't affect the service (if it does, it really isn't somewhere I am happy giving money to anyway). We use vouchers regularly for one specific restaurant, to the point that they ask us which voucher we have today when we ask for the bill. We get fab service, they always seem pleased to see us - we spend on the wine, desserts etc, often recommend them to other people, drop in for a cuppa if we're passing in preference to cafes because it's routine to go there now... Which is why they are pleased to see us!

It is probably Ask they have a 2 for 1 scheme at the moment and you download vouchers so you would benefit too why not? It makes good sense.

I'm always using the 2 for 1 vouchers in pizza express. And on "bookatable" there's loads of offers. Why the hell not?

We swap our Clubcard vouchers for Pizza Express and Prezzo. We've taken friends out for dinner there and paid in vouchers and nobody thinks anything of it.

The restaurant gets out business and makes a heap on the drinks as well as the excess over the value of the voucher and we don't hold back on tipping either so the staff are OK.

Paying full price in a chain restaurant is for tourists only!

When we use Tesco vouchers no one bats an eye lid as have of Pizza Express are doing the same

why are you embarassed dont be daft most people like money off things dont they a bit of a bargain vouchers are the in thing and its great companies put out these IMO yabu and a wee bit of a snob

I've been to Ask twice in the last month or so using the vouchers. We go during the day when it is very quiet otherwise - and for lunch, I would never go somewhere like that paying full price, we'd go to a cafe or something instead. So from their point of view, they are filling a table that would be empty, and still making a profit; we had soft drinks which offer good profit and stayed for coffee as we'd saved money on the main courses. The waitress got a tip on a table that she wouldn't otherwise have got etc etc.

Where would one get ASK vouchers if one wanted them please? :)

I used to have a High Life card.
That was amazing. There are hundreds of restaurants that you can go to and get up to 3 free courses.

I may look at joining it again sometime.

As I said before, I get that IABU. I can only say it again. In the country I grew up in it is not common to pay with vouchers at a restaurant. I use vouchers when I go shopping for clothes etc. I buy BOGOF, 3 for 2 etc. I just never used vouchers before and when my friend told me this I was like WTF? I didn't know that there are "nice" restaurants out there who give away vouchers. The only restaurant we have in my country that gives out vouchers is McDonalds.

I am not trying to be posh.

Vickles I haven't seen for such a long time because she was working in the Middle East.