Ruths Chris - half price gift card
Seeing that I couldn't afford going there before, now I can!!
-
Has anyone used their gift cards yet? If so, was there any problem using it to cover taxes.
›3 Replies -
So, even though this promo is over, Ruth Chris decided to screw things up even more! They now have a policy that you can't use the giftcard to pay for tax or tip. That is complete BS. I don't even think it is legal for them to change their policies. I was planning on going this week but probably won't get out until next week. Will definitely argue their policy if I am forced too...
›8 Replies-
re: ylsf
Yes, they have painted themselves into a funny corner with respect to PST and GST (not to mention tips!).
If you have dinner and the bill with tax is $176.00 and you plunk down two $88 cards for which you paid $44 per or $88 total, they still have to remit $20 in tax, so they only gross $68 on a meal for which they would normally charge $156.
It is worse if the bill with tax and tip (20%) is $176 (to use easy numbers) and the customer assumes reasonably that he can pay it all with the cards. In this case they gross $47 after tax and tip for what normally they would get $135.
If there is no disclaimer on the card or the original offer then the $88 cards may be exchanged for $88 in goods, taxes and services no matter what you paid for them, end of story.
-
-
re: OnDaGo
No tax would have been charged on the cards.
When you buy the cards you are really just buying cash on which there is no tax.
Ruth"s Chris just screwed up and are trying to cover it off with a "policy".
Don't fall for it, however I feel sorry for the servers having to explain (or sell) an untenable "policy".
-
-
re: sumdumgoy
To. Sumdumgoy
From. MangikikeMy experience with promotional restaurant coupons has been inconsistent with respect to the sales taxes. Can a place issue a coupon that says, dinner, half price, or dinner, two- for- one and have taxes exigible on only what actually get, 50% of the regular price?
-
re: Vinnie Vidimangi
My understanding of the rule basically is that you pay tax on the net amount you pay.
So a 50% discount or 2 for 1 means you pay tax on the net total.
In the same way, if you bought a TV at 50% off you would not expect to pay tax on the undiscounted price.
In the case of a gift card you have effectively bought cash which you can trade to pay for the goods and/or services and any taxes (and tip). It doesn't matter what you paid for the card.-
re: sumdumgoy
jayt90
Jun 24, 2009 07:13 AM
If there is a discount coupon, even in-store and automatic, it should state "plus applicable taxes." The taxes are applied before the discount.
The Federal and Provincial governments are concerned only with the selling price, and the discount is applied after their usual take. -
re: sumdumgoy
If you bought a gift card, it is cash. The $100 gift card for which you paid $50 is worth $100 when you pay for your meal.
They were free to put limitations on its use but, if they didn't do this, they can't impose different rules later. They could have said something like "valid on food purchases only, not valid for alcohol, gratuities, or taxes". If they didn't, it is really their problem. This isn't a mom & pop, so I don't feel the tiniest shred of sympathy.
At bill time, taxes aren't an issue. You are taxed on the total bill, period. Assuming decent service, I would not use the card for a tip, but that is my decision.
I'm not sure about the tax implications, if any, when the card itself is purchased. I suspect this is something that they tossed into the market without considering all of the implications. Perhaps these are different in the US.
Discount coupons used at the time of purchase are a different issue. Some venues total a bill, apply taxes, and then apply the discount. Others discount the bill and then tax the final selling price.
In both cases, I have sometimes been told upon asking they they followed their tax adviser's or comptroller department's advice. Often they are "just following policy" that emanates from who knows where?
I'm not going to find out because I accidentally provided a wrong cc expiry date. Someone did call and leave a message to this effect. However, only one person seemed able to handle this and she was never there when I called back.
Especially given the problems reported here and their uncertainty over whether the card would be billed in $C or $US, it was just too much trouble to sort it out.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
I mentioned this to my two daughters (12 and 15), and asked if they wanted to go. "No" they chorused "We went there in February and it was awful". Keep in mind my elder daughter is a JCIT - on her last trip to Chicago, she insisted her mom take her to Alinea, which she thought was great. So these aren't kids who think the Outback is wonderful, or the Keg is great. No Ruth's for us!
›2 Replies-
-
re: mikefly
The whole promo has been a disaster from the get-go!!!
As we all know, they had to cancel it after a few days.I ordered 5 gift cards on the FIRST day of the promo, and paid extra to have them sent Xpresspost to me.
Today is June 12th, and while my credit card was charged over a week ago, I have confirmation today that they haven't even sent them out to me yet!!!
I am NOT impressed!!!!
-
-
-
-
-
I wouldn't go to Ruths Chris if you paid me. I am utterly turned off by all the chauvinistic bragging about how they only serve US beef.
I've had plenty of Canadian beef, both in restaurants and store purchases, that was every bit as good as anything I have had in the US. There are some things done better in the US (IMHO, cottage cheese), but beef isn't one. Pfui!!
›2 Replies-
re: ekammin
ekammin, I can only agree with you based on a recent experience at Costco here in Montreal. I always buy their Canada AAA rib eyes and last week, all the packages had a label for USDA choice and thinking this was the equivalent, I bought them. Bad choice - I found them to be really devoid of good beef flavour. The Canadian AAA are far superior, IMHO.
-
-
-
re: neighborguy
I went to the website and did not see any restrictions. There is a prime time/early bird menu for $54 and $64 which includes choice of appetizer, limited choice of entree, vegetable, dessert and coffee that looks really good as well. Lots of deals these days in these tough times - which is good for chowhounds.
-
-
re: Aardvark
I went to the Downtown location this evening. I purchased 7 for a total of $308.00 CDN. The Hostess said they've been selling really well already, even though the promotion is not supposed to begin until tomorrow! They had the cards already processed, with a special sticker on the back. They are worth $74.58 US, if one so desires (18% exchange).
-
-
