Tastecard

Quentin

What are the tricks to get ongoing free tastecards?

We share things like that here!

EmmaJP

I was a member of Taste Card for 12 months and although it was OK we always felt like we were treated like 2nd class diners when ever we used it. In some cases you could even tell that dishes were different to those of 'regular' diners. Needless to say we did not review our membership the following year.

ticketcollector

I have been a member of taste card since it started as Taste London.

Most of the restaurants have gotten wise to the offers and are making even more restrictions on it.
You cannot use it in most new stores, for GBK, Pizza Express, Zizzi spring to mind.
You have to phone up, and then ask to book a table. As soon as you mention Taste London they mysteriously have no tables available.

It is now a scam and im shocked that MSE continue to allow this shabby, law breaking (ASA ruling) to advertise via MSE.

benjus

I live in London and have so far found a total of 2 restaurants that accept Tastecard and are good enough (both in terms of food and how they treat Tastecard holders) to make me want to return (there are several more that are on my list to try, but I haven't made it over yet).

Doesn't sound great, but when you consider that I've more than recouped the cost of the Tastecard on a single visit to one of these restaurants, I think it's still worth it...

Edit: Now up to 3 restaurants... although the new one is quite a way from both home and work, so I don't see myself going there very frequently.

Sunny_Saver

Squirrel2 wrote:

Of concern is that, Tastecard refused to publish my review as - even though the restaurant gives no additional discount to Tastecard holders than it does to non-holders (as everyone gets the '50% off' the inflated prices - Tastecard felt publishing my review would have reflected badly on the restaurant!

I would therefore take reviews that are on the Tastecard website with a bucketful of salt, as they only seem to publish the positive ones.

I have cancelled my Tastecard membership and would not recommend them at all if that is how they do business. They seem more concerned with protecting the restaurants than in helping their subscribers.

Toptable is the same, it refused to publish my bad review of Fredericks in London. I queried this and was told they thought it would be better to tell restaurant directly. So beware those good scores, as the poor ones aren't shown/ counted.

ticketcollector

Another refusal tonight and blatant as well.

Phoned up the local fire & stone restaurant to book a table for tonight. Asked if there was space available for 2.
Yes yes sir, not a problem, what time sir? Yep that's not a problem we shall see you then.

Then the curve ball.

Oh by the way I have a tastecard? Is that okay to use.
*Silence*
Err sir, my manager has just informed me that we are fully reserved for tonight. Sorry.
*Phone put down by them very quickly*

Babymumbles

I have not had a problem with my taste card before. I can't imagine it being worth it if you don't live in London, when I look for restaurants locally out of London the choice is very limited.

I mainly use it for Pizza Express, Zizzi's and the other common chain restaurants! I personally would only tell them on the phone I had a taste card if it stated you had to book via phone on the website. Most of the restaurants probably love the advertising on taste cards website but do not want to fulfill the offer.

There is no way I would accept to pay full price for a meal if I have the info in front of me that this restaurant is included on tastecard. I have the app on my phone so I usually just check the T+C's on there.

I would never pay more than £30 for the tastecard. I work in central London so it is really handy for me during the week if I want to eat out for lunch/dinner!

Before you sign up I would check whats available in your local area

creddish

Babymumbles wrote: »

I have not had a problem with my taste card before. I can't imagine it being worth it if you don't live in London, when I look for restaurants locally out of London the choice is very limited.

I live in rural Berkshire and there are the usual national chains within easy reach and a number of high quality restaurants ideal for special occasions which with a 50% tastecard discount are very good value and worth using more frequently than I would consider without the discount. I have used the tastecard for 2 years now and still have a list of good restaurants not yet visited. My wife and I frequently have short breaks away (usually on Groupon or Wowcher hotel deals) and sometimes the hotels restaurants take tastecard. Otherwise there are a number of interesting restaurants in the area. The only areas I have found a scarcity of tastecard restaurants is in Cornwall and North West Wales.

Groupon type deals can sometimes be better than tastecard particularly when wine is included in the package.

Colin

bugslet

Since getting Power of Attorney for my OH who has dementia, I now grade places by how helpful they are at cancelling things.

I didn't even know he had a Tastecard until the second year was debited from his bank account. Rang them up, explained the situation, they immediately refunded the money, which they didn't have to do.

Kildare

I've had tastcard since it was taste London and I have it one the £29.95 a year deal (renews at that price). The first year it was only places in London, but that was fine as I'm a commuter, but no-where at home took it at all. Then the offers got really good as outside of London started to take it - my favourite local restaurant took it 7 days a week no booking, local chains (pizza express) took it except Fri & Sat (as expected) and it didn't matter that I hadn't book.

However I think its now becoming a victim of its own success. My favourite local restaurant has stopped taking it - they said it was too successful for them, but they've switched to running their own discount scheme. No problems with the local chains. However in London its becoming really difficult to find any restaurant near work that will accept the card. The local pizza express, Ask, Zizzi have all opted out of the scheme - you can only spot this by searching for the specific branch on the Taste website.

It's becoming very dissapointing. I'm gauging how much I use it this year, and if not great I will cancel. There are loads of restaurant vouchers out there now anyway