Food Deals in Cudo Groupon Scoopon etc Are They Really Worth? (I Don't Mean Money Wise)

jrt2020 on 20/09/2018 - 08:52
Last edited 22/09/2018 - 10:02 by 1 other user

Have used 3-4 vouchers but seeing the treatment and facial expressions and the way we get served I really don’t think saving around $30 for a dinner for 2 is worth that much.

1. Restaurant will be almost empty but when u try to book u will be told all bookings closed and next available is after 3 weeks or so. This has happened quiet sometimes

2. U get welcomed as normal guest first and as soon as u say voucher dea the face shrinks for most of the hotel employees

3. Not all but most people actually turn their face from smile to bland as soon as hey see hear voucher

4. And it is usually very slow to be served

Is anyone else also facing similar things or just me being too conscious ?

Related Stores

Cudo

Groupon Australia

Marketplace

Scoopon

Marketplace

• 

  HighAndDry on 20/09/2018 - 09:57

  +2

  I hear this a lot so it's not just you, but I can't honestly say I've ever had this experience. I treat the wait staff as I would anywhere else (so courteously) without vouchers and I feel they treat me the same way also. I also dress appropriately/well so maybe they think there's a better chance of repeat business or a tip (and I do tip but they don't know that until the end anyway)?

  But I think most wait staff are professional and don't really consider if you're using a voucher - it's no money out of their pocket right?

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  tomclancy on 20/09/2018 - 10:41

  +1

  OP, I've had the same experiences as you. Bought maybe 5-6 discounted "meal-for-2" vouchers and had bad experiences at almost all of them - pretty much exactly what you wrote. The requirements of the vouchers is that you notify them as you enter and straight away the bad service begins. One time we bought the food voucher, booked for 7 days later and when we arrived at the restaurant we discovered that it had closed permanently! That was the last time we will ever buy a discounted meal voucher from these sites.

  I always got the impression the restaurants doing these deals are in dire straits and on the verge of closing down. In my business I work closely with restaurants and they tell me Groupon/Cudo/Scoopon et al take 35-50% of the fee. On a related side note: Menulog charge 10% normally or 19% if you want your restaurant to be featured at the top of reviews; and uber Eats/Deliveroo charge 35%

  • 

    trilby on 20/09/2018 - 10:53

    Yes, a lot are on the verge of closing down and quite a few times you book, using the tool, only to arrive and see the place is closed, which is very frustrating.
    On the other hand, many that are opening use these sites as a way of getting a leg up and advertising their business and often give good service. It always looks good to have a few people dining, rather than an empty restaurant and may even attract full paying customers to come in.
    That being said, I always tip and comment positively and find that usually it's a great saving and a chance to try quite a few different places and varieties of food.

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  kolorijo on 20/09/2018 - 12:07

  I have never had any bad experience with these coupons. I went to Bistrot Gavroche Sydney couple weeks ago and it was great.

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  ihbh on 20/09/2018 - 12:25

  +1

  The food deals were better in the past and have deteriorated over time as businesses realise that you can't hope to get repeat business using this business model.

  We've had great meals - e.g. Teta's buffet for 2 for $30 with stacked discounts was outstanding. There were a few poor ones that we thought weren't worth what we paid, but it wasn't much less.

  • 

    HighAndDry on 20/09/2018 - 13:06

    +1

    While I use the coupons, I've always questioned their usefulness to businesses. It can't possibly attract much return business because people who use these coupons are usually those unlikely to pay full-price for the same meal (including myself, though I have gone back to a few). If there are a lot of coupons being used, it can affect the ambience and atmosphere of the restaurant itself because now your restaurant is filled with more thrifty OzBargain types (again, including myself) than its usual clientele. And lastly - even though I haven't experienced it, it obviously happens: worse-than-usual service really really defeats the use of the coupons as a marketing tool.

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  Love a bargain on 20/09/2018 - 13:12

  +2

  I've used them plenty of time. Some are good, some are so-so, some are disappointing. I've only had terrible service once.

  I always do my research before purchasing (the reviews tell you lots), and avoid those that are forever offering deals (unless they're reputable, part of a chain, fast food outlets where there's a genuine reason for them to be offering discounts, etc). Indeed, I find that you'd generally get better service/ offerings from new businesses that are trying to build up their customer base and reputation.