Be Judge & Jury -Restaurant Coupon Ruckus

[kaneohe]

Coupon reads......
2 for 1

2nd entree free for equal or lesser value of 1st entree
Maximum discount $15

party of 3; entrees cost $20, $18, $10.
What is the discount?

The conditional line: 2nd entree.......................
doesn't seem worded correctly but you'll probably get the idea.
How would you word it so it is proper English, clear, and unambiguous?

 

[MichaelB]

Coupon reads......
2 for 1

2nd entree free for equal or lesser value of 1st entree
Maximum discount $15

party of 3; entrees cost $20, $18, $10.
What is the discount?

The conditional line: 2nd entree.......................
doesn't seem worded correctly but you'll probably get the idea.
How would you word it so it is proper English, clear, and unambiguous?

$10?

The problem with clear and unambiguous in the US is so many people spend so much effort to find a way to reinterpret to their advantage.

edit to add my final comment was not intended toward kaneohe but a general observation on how difficult it is to be unambiguous

 

[youbet]

The discount is $10.

I'm a restaurant coupon junkie seldom dining out locally without one. (Coupons are still somewhat common in our area despite the improvement in business conditions for restaurants since the depth of the recession.) The situation of having 3 diners with a 2 for 1 coupon does leave some room for confusion, but the generally accepted condition is that the least expensive 2 meals will have the coupon applied to them.

Always discuss your coupon with your server prior to ordering so that there is no possible misunderstanding. We sometimes use Restaurant.com coupons and with those it's important to know whether alcohol is included in the minimum required purchase and the wording is sometimes unclear. So, we just ask and have excellent results.

Edit: I love the $18 and $20 choices on the survey when the coupon states "Maximum discount $15!" I bet servers can tell a lot of hilarious stories about customers and their ideas of what a coupon is worth!

 

[Texas Proud]

I agree with Michael...

You have three meals... $20, $18 and $10...

You get one of these free as long as it is not over $15... since there is only one that is not over $15 then the free one is the $10 item...


NOW, from what I have experienced... they would usually take off the full $15... but that is not what you asked...


To word it properly,

2 for 1

Receive up to a $15 discount on a second entree that is equal to or less than the first entree......

 

[donheff]

If two people got entre 2 ($18), the first person pays $18 and the second person pays $3. The second entre is equal or less than the first. Max value is $15. Done deal. I would not accept $10 in those circumstances.

 

[youbet]

If two people got entre 2 ($18), the first person pays $18 and the second person pays $3. The second entre is equal or less than the first. Max value is $15. Done deal. I would not accept $10 in those circumstances.

I agree with that Don. But that isn't the scenario OP described of course.

 

[Texas Proud]

If two people got entre 2 ($18), the first person pays $18 and the second person pays $3. The second entre is equal or less than the first. Max value is $15. Done deal. I would not accept $10 in those circumstances.

The problem with your example is that you only have two meals... the OP has three.... and I have been to places where they give the lowest cost meal free.... it does not matter if the second was $15 or not...

 

[Rustward]

Just depends on how the restaurant wants to handle it.

I signed up for a restaurant's email list and they sent me a printable coupon for a free birthday entree -- was good for about a two week period. Took them up on the offer. I ordered maybe a $12 entree, and DW ordered a ~ $16 entree. They comped the more expensive one. Go figure.

 

[donheff]

I agree with that Don. But that isn't the scenario OP described of course.

Actually, I just realized the OP actually posted a scenario. I misread the post. Answer is $10 off - restaurant always goes with the cheapest entre governs. The wording sucks.

How about this though. Same scenario. The $10 guy says he is separate and wants his own bill. The other two split their bill and use the coupon. Does the restaurant honor the deal and give them $15 off?

 

[powerplay]

I would expect the discount to be $10 for this coupon.

 

[TromboneAl]

The answer "We never saw that cheapypants guy before in our lives. $18 discount please."

Proper wording: "Lowest cost entree at your table is free."

 

[kaneohe]

Thanks all for the replies. This is turning to be more interesting than I thought. Originally, I was going to use the results to buttress my position but since the jury is going against me (though we did pull almost even for a while), I can only use it to show significant misunderstands are possible because of the poor wording.

I agree w/ T-Al that the proper wording is "lowest cost entree is free"
with the added condition of $15 max if this was the intent.

The original wording: 2nd entree free for equal or lesser value of 1st entree
maybe should have been:
2nd entree free IF equal or lesser value THAN 1st entree
which I would interpret as you pay for the highest and get the 2nd highest free..............but I suppose you could argue w/ that conclusion.

I must admit that I don't know if taking the lowest off is common practice.
This is the first time there was a ruckus and we have been there with 3 before. Perhaps there is inconsistency even within the personnel at this one restaurant......I would love to do a poll there.

I think I will suggest T-Al's wording to the manager if I can every figure out who that is......if they don't change the wording , I will take that as a sign of
intent to be ambiguous.

 

[TromboneAl]

You have to understand that the people who write this promotions, are not rocket scientists, and probably did very poorly in English class. To them, this kind of thing is a silly, smartypants nuance that goes way over their heads.

I'd say that the best possible response you'll get from the manager would be "Sure. Whatever."

 

[youbet]

Actually, I just realized the OP actually posted a scenario. I misread the post. Answer is $10 off - restaurant always goes with the cheapest entre governs. The wording sucks.

How about this though. Same scenario. The $10 guy says he is separate and wants his own bill. The other two split their bill and use the coupon. Does the restaurant honor the deal and give them $15 off?

You ask the server how to handle it at the beginning. We never order and wonder how it will work out. We just show the server our coupon and ask him/her how it works. They'll tell you and generally be friendly about it. And I usually find a way to slip in the comment that I understand I'll be tipping based on the full, pre-coupon cost.

Some coupons we use allow separate checks at the table, others do not. Read the coupon but also ask the server.

Many of these coupons are great deals. Tomorrow night we're going to Ballydoyle Pub and use a coupon that gets us $25 off our tab with the only requirement being that the tab be a minimum of $35 and they add 18% tip to the pre-coupon bill. The coupon cost $4 on Restaurant.com. Sweet. It's not easy to find cheap Guinness.........