I found that out the hard way Aug. 12 at Fred's Steakhouse in my part of suburban Dallas.
Our newspaper group celebrates staff birthdays every month, and on the editorial side, we have a story of the month contest. The winner usually gets a small check and a gift certificate to some area restaurant.
Well, I won the August honors and my certificate was to the aforementioned Fred's.
The certificate was for enough that if I ordered a lower-priced entree (I'm single and not escorting anybody around right now) it would fully cover two dinners. So, I ordered something more basic -- a smothered chopped steak.
When I got my bill, I presented the gift certificate.
And was surprised when, unlike any other area restaurant for which I've received a gift certificate, I didn't get it back afterward.
I asked, and only then was explictly told what was not printed anywhere on the certificate: We don't treat them that way; it's a one-shot deal.
Well, hell, tell me that in advance and I'll order an 18-ounce ribeye, with dessert, and be a glutton. But don't pull that out ex post facto.
Sidebar: Not in a legal sense or anything, but is this another way of not thinking about the interests of unattached single people?
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