Missed this comment somehow…

You know, the deals can often be good for consumers Davian. They are usually very attractive economically, which, of course, is why they are often a bad bet for businesses. That being said, it’s good you’ve had positive experiences, because as Donna’s story shows, they can go bad pretty easily if the business is not customer minded.

Davina, you make a great point that customer focus can be more valuable for a business in the long run. Good food and good service are certainly the backbone for any restaurant, and being able to positively resolve a customer issue can be crucial for building a long-term customer relationship.

Needless to say, I will paying more attention to the fine print in the future! Thanks for commenting!

This is such a good example. I get the business behind the deal – this place wanted exposure to 4 potential new customers, increasing their odds of landing a repeater; that’s what they think make this discount worth it to them. But I agree w/ you – if time was running out, they should have either offered to honor the deal even past expiration the next time they had 4; or split the difference for these 2 instead when they saw it was becoming an ‘issue.’ As much as good food/service, that level of customer focus may be even more valuable in earning someone’s repeat – and full price – business. FWIW.