If you take advantage of restaurant.com, you will see that after you visit a restaurant and use your certificate, you will be e-mailed a survey to fill out about your dining experience.

I always filled these out honestly, but I was never sure who they went to—restaurant.com or the restaurant itself.

After our visit to Fonda Isabel and my subsequent survey, I received an e-mail from Fonda Isabel thanking me for my comments. In addition, as their way of saying thanks, they offered me a free meal if I came in and purchased a $20 gift certificate.

We loved this restaurant, and the follow up customer service is quite impressive. We plan on buying the $20 certificate and taking advantage of the free meal.

Further, I received another e-mail offering a free appetizer if we bring in the e-mail on the visit. That nets us at least two more times where we can eat at a discounted price at this restaurant—once using the free appetizer e-mail and once at half off when we get a free entrée with the purchase of another.

Melissa Batai

Melissa Batai

Melissa, a mom to three little ones (ages 7, 3 and 1), blogs at both Mom’s Plans where she writes about living a fulfilling life on less and paying down debt, and Fiscal Phoenix where she writes about rising from the ashes of your financial mistakes.