Phantom Gourmet gift card. Gone bust?

[tweetie]

Seems like something's gone very wrong with these and I have one valued at $100. Cannot find any info on their site, the list of participating vendors has disappeared and you cannot contact the boys as they don't answer individual questions (per the PG "contact us" page) I sent an email anyway but I'm not hopeful. Any information would be appreciated but I have a feeling this is a gift I've waited too long to use.

Supposing it is useless, do we have any recourse as consumers? Help me, Hank!

[MC Slim JB]

As I said earlier, I believe the Andelmans were publicly shamed into making good on these cards, though they certainly appeared to drag their feet for a long time. Exposure of this issue on Chowhound and Yelp probably helped prod them in the ethical direction, which you can imagine being terra incognita for them.

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

[lisa13]

skanks.

I'm glad they didn't get over on that one

[powerfulpierre]

Despite the "good intentions" of the PG group, has anyone actually seen any refund or re-issued card? They have had ours for nearly 2 months and we have heard nothing.

[tweetie]

My replacement card came in about 6 weeks. Still haven't used it though! It is supposed to be full face value plus 10% for the inconvenience.

[powerfulpierre]

Thanks, tweetie.

[Alcachofa]

Yes, I received a re-issued card plus10%. 6 weeks sounds about right. Maybe a little longer.

Looking forward to using it at Not Your Average Joe's. :-\

[smtucker]

Boston Globe reported today that all gift cards will be refunded for value:

http://www.boston.com/ae/food/restaur...

[MC Slim JB]

Good to see them making it right. I wonder how much the public exposure of this issue on Chowhound and Yelp nudged them along. Before this thread and the one on Yelp, people had been been digging for an answer on this issue for three weeks without a getting a response. I guess all's well that ends well.

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

[greygarious]

This speaks volumes about the PG organization's professionalism and commitment to its customers/audience - none of it good. As soon as the card company went under, it was PG's duty to do all it could to inform cardholders of the situation and how it would be dealt with. There should have been an immediate, conspicuously-placed announcement on the PG website. If PG has e-mail addresses or street addresses for cardholders, individual notices should have been sent as well. Their failure to promptly address the problem adds fuel to the flames of the disdain in which serious foodies already hold the PG people.

[smtucker]

Oh I suspect that chowhound, yelp and calls to the attorney general [who is now running for a senate seat] did a lot to nudge the PG folks to do the right thing.

[laurigolub]

hi, I had similar problem at first places we tried to with our 50 christmas present were no longer part of the program . Then Messa on treatmont at least gave us some answers. The mang. took our name adress and coppied the # on the back of our card . he said the card company they(phG) had gone under ane were reimbursing everyone 10% more--plus the amount. That was a week or so ago. i also emailed the people at Ph G. nothing yet.... I am sad because ... I have bad feeling about the whole thing. Lauri

[tweetie]

Well,wonders never cease. Got this reply to my inquiry. Fingers crossed that it turns out to be this easy.

We are going to be re-launching the gift card in 6 weeks. If you mail the gift cards to:
PGGC
P.O. Box 277
Allston, MA 02134
We will send you out a new card along with a list of restaurants it can be used at. Please include you name and address in the envelope. Keep a record of your gift card number on the back of the card as your tracking number just in case it gets lost in the mail.
Thanks Tina

[Seamus]

We were at DeNero's in Cohasset last Friday night and it had a notice posted that it would not honor the Phantom Gourmet Gift Cards. DeNero's had a letter from PG and a form to sign and send back to PG with your gift card. PG will issue new gift card and, for a limited time, PG will return the card with 110% of the remaining value of your card. I found it extremely frustrating that PG did not have this information on its website as of last Friday night. I checked PG's website to see what restaurants participated in its program and could not find any information. You would think PG would make people aware of the situation. Anyways, PG plans on having the new gift cards working as of October 15, 2009. By the way, DeNero's was excellent. Also, it has great deal on Monday and Tuesdays (at least as of a month ago); think $14 for a 3 course meal. Check it out.

[tweetie]

Thank you everyone! Something is definitely wrong when more information is available on this board than on the actual PG site. I wonder if all previously participating restaurants have the forms. How the heck do I get one otherwise? This is so frustrating.

[catsmeow]

I was at a restaurant in the last 2-3 weeks, and noticed a sign saying that they didn't honor PG gift cards anymore. I can't remember where it was. It might have been The Bay Club in Quincy.

[afty698]

I saw a similar sign at Not Your Average Joe's in Arlington maybe 2 weeks ago. It certainly looks like there is something going on with these gift cards.

[trufflehound]

Contact the Attorney General's office.