Morton's gift card for a frugal person
January 10, 2010 12:42 PM Subscribe
What's the best use of a Morton's Steakhouse gift card?
My girlfriend and I received a gift card to Morton's Steakhouse for $150 as a Christmas gift. I find spending $9 for an order of french fries obscene. I'm very frugal. Should I just enjoy the gift or can I go a different route?
My girlfriend and I received a gift card to Morton's Steakhouse for $150 as a Christmas gift. I find spending $9 for an order of french fries obscene. I'm very frugal. Should I just enjoy the gift or can I go a different route?
Or sell it to someone for an agreed-on price.
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 12:44 PM on January 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 12:44 PM on January 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
I'm very frugal.
Right, so don't order anything that gets you a bill over $150. I'm pretty frugal, so I won't ever spend my own money there, but I'll shamelessly spend the money of someone less frugal.
I understand the difficulty though. I have about $50 in gift cards to the local coffee shop, and I can't bring myself to buy a drink any more often than my usual 2-3 times a month.
posted by niles at 12:49 PM on January 10, 2010
Right, so don't order anything that gets you a bill over $150. I'm pretty frugal, so I won't ever spend my own money there, but I'll shamelessly spend the money of someone less frugal.
I understand the difficulty though. I have about $50 in gift cards to the local coffee shop, and I can't bring myself to buy a drink any more often than my usual 2-3 times a month.
posted by niles at 12:49 PM on January 10, 2010
You can e-Bay it, but be prepared because at Christmas time Morton's had promotions on gift cards. Be prepared for 80-85 cents on the dollar. Or give/sell it to someone that would appreciate it.
posted by 6:1 at 12:52 PM on January 10, 2010
posted by 6:1 at 12:52 PM on January 10, 2010
Spend it, order as much food as you can, and take the leftovers home. Your giftcard will get you at least two meals, which will help you with your food budget for that week.
posted by mmmbacon at 12:55 PM on January 10, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by mmmbacon at 12:55 PM on January 10, 2010 [2 favorites]
Ugh, it sucks when this happens-- someone spent $150 to give you much much less than $150 worth of utility. This is why I love Amazon wishlists.
If you'd like to try to maximize what you'd get out of this, perhaps consider: 1. peddling it on one of those giftcard exchange websites, 2. selling it at a slight discount on Craigslist (might have to swing by Morton's to get some kind of verification of the amount on the card), or 3. saving it to regift for a local wedding or birthday, thus effectively saving yourself $150 in cash later on?
posted by Bardolph at 12:55 PM on January 10, 2010
If you'd like to try to maximize what you'd get out of this, perhaps consider: 1. peddling it on one of those giftcard exchange websites, 2. selling it at a slight discount on Craigslist (might have to swing by Morton's to get some kind of verification of the amount on the card), or 3. saving it to regift for a local wedding or birthday, thus effectively saving yourself $150 in cash later on?
posted by Bardolph at 12:55 PM on January 10, 2010
Your frugality is irrelevant. It's someone else's money and it's already been spent.
posted by rhizome at 1:05 PM on January 10, 2010 [7 favorites]
posted by rhizome at 1:05 PM on January 10, 2010 [7 favorites]
Should I just enjoy the gift or can I go a different route?
You should just enjoy the gift.
posted by fixedgear at 1:06 PM on January 10, 2010 [9 favorites]
You should just enjoy the gift.
posted by fixedgear at 1:06 PM on January 10, 2010 [9 favorites]
You might try selling / exchanging it at one of the many sites that offer this service. Google "gift card exchange".
posted by Perplexity at 1:10 PM on January 10, 2010
posted by Perplexity at 1:10 PM on January 10, 2010
Buy a steak. Eat the steak.
posted by kylej at 1:12 PM on January 10, 2010 [12 favorites]
posted by kylej at 1:12 PM on January 10, 2010 [12 favorites]
are you sure your girlfriend is as frugal as you are? she might not mind getting dressed up and enjoying the splurge with you, sans complaints about the hefty tab neither of you will be paying, especially if you are both normally frugal it will be a nice change of pace
posted by saraindc at 1:24 PM on January 10, 2010
posted by saraindc at 1:24 PM on January 10, 2010
I went to Morton's last year and they were doing a fixed-price dinner for two for $99. Compared to their regular prices, this was a good value and a ton of food (salad, appetizer, steak, and dessert per person). Just one way of stretching the card if you do decide to eat there.
posted by supramarginal at 1:24 PM on January 10, 2010
posted by supramarginal at 1:24 PM on January 10, 2010
Don't think of it as a $150 gift card. Think of it as a steak dinner at a fancy place. That was nice of your friend, even if they did pay too much.
posted by ctmf at 1:48 PM on January 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by ctmf at 1:48 PM on January 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
It is entirely possible that the person who gave it to you got the card themselves as a gift, or won it in a raffle, or otherwise got it and did not pay the $150 for it. If that helps make the whole situation more palatable for you, then I'd consider that. So, if this place is a place that you would eat at but balk at the prices, you could think of it as "Coupon for Two Meals" and skip the money aspect of it. If it bothers you that he other person paid a lot for it, make sure that's actually the case.
For what it's worth, I'm in the same boat at you, frugal to a fault, have a very hard time ordering a drink out when someone else is paying because "that's too much to pay for a soda/beer/cocktail" I've been learning to try to moderate this to the occasion [i.e. I can use old plastic bags to wrap my cheese in at home, but really if I'm out with other people making snarky noises at the menu is just sort of being the unfun person there unless we're all feeling the same way"] and I've found it decently helpful. Try to do whatever you can do that will be enjoyable to you because your friend likely intended to give you something you'd enjoy. If that means selling it on Craigslist and buying a month's worth of groceries, do that.
posted by jessamyn at 1:59 PM on January 10, 2010
For what it's worth, I'm in the same boat at you, frugal to a fault, have a very hard time ordering a drink out when someone else is paying because "that's too much to pay for a soda/beer/cocktail" I've been learning to try to moderate this to the occasion [i.e. I can use old plastic bags to wrap my cheese in at home, but really if I'm out with other people making snarky noises at the menu is just sort of being the unfun person there unless we're all feeling the same way"] and I've found it decently helpful. Try to do whatever you can do that will be enjoyable to you because your friend likely intended to give you something you'd enjoy. If that means selling it on Craigslist and buying a month's worth of groceries, do that.
posted by jessamyn at 1:59 PM on January 10, 2010
They have a lunch for $25 that includes soup or salad, choice of entree, and dessert.
posted by found missing at 2:00 PM on January 10, 2010
posted by found missing at 2:00 PM on January 10, 2010
I'm fairly frugal too, but I have enjoyed a few pricey meals on my company's dime. I wouldn't drop my own hard earned cash on something like that mind you, but if someone is treating me, well, okay, if you insist. This is the equivalent of someone taking you out for a very nice meal, but realizing you'd rather enjoy it with your girlfriend instead. So, accept and enjoy the gift, and have a fun night out on the town. Also, for what it's worth, Morton's is an excellent restaurant, and you are bound to have a delicious meal.
posted by katemcd at 2:02 PM on January 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by katemcd at 2:02 PM on January 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
1. Enjoy the gift. $9 fries taste great -- free fries taste even better. Same goes for a $50 steak.
2. Think of it as getting the opportunity to enjoy something that you would never get if it were up to you. If someone paid for you to stay at a fancy Hawaiian hotel, would you turn it down because you would never spend $1000 per night on a hotel?
3. Imagine you bought a $150 gift for somebody. How would you react if you heard they sold it on the internet for $120?
posted by puritycontrol at 2:08 PM on January 10, 2010 [3 favorites]
2. Think of it as getting the opportunity to enjoy something that you would never get if it were up to you. If someone paid for you to stay at a fancy Hawaiian hotel, would you turn it down because you would never spend $1000 per night on a hotel?
3. Imagine you bought a $150 gift for somebody. How would you react if you heard they sold it on the internet for $120?
posted by puritycontrol at 2:08 PM on January 10, 2010 [3 favorites]
I've heard that their happy hour food and drink specials are really good. You'd easily be able to enjoy that three or four times.
posted by mmascolino at 2:17 PM on January 10, 2010
posted by mmascolino at 2:17 PM on January 10, 2010
When I get gifts like this, I think of it thusly: Most likely, the giver in question knows that I would never spend that kind of money on dinner. They want me to enjoy something that they know I enjoy, but won't pay for.
Go nuts and spend it all.
posted by InsanePenguin at 2:44 PM on January 10, 2010 [2 favorites]
Go nuts and spend it all.
posted by InsanePenguin at 2:44 PM on January 10, 2010 [2 favorites]
You need to re-evaluate your life. You don't want $9 fries? That's the thought that runs through your mind when you receive a $150 Morton's gift card?
You know it's a steakhouse, right? It's not McDonald's. People don't go to Morton's for fucking fries.
They have top notch cuts of steak that they cook in a broiler at something like 1500 degrees.
Do you have a broiler at home that gets to 1500 degrees? No, you don't.
Go eat a steak and realize why life is worth living.
posted by mullacc at 3:13 PM on January 10, 2010 [4 favorites]
You know it's a steakhouse, right? It's not McDonald's. People don't go to Morton's for fucking fries.
They have top notch cuts of steak that they cook in a broiler at something like 1500 degrees.
Do you have a broiler at home that gets to 1500 degrees? No, you don't.
Go eat a steak and realize why life is worth living.
posted by mullacc at 3:13 PM on January 10, 2010 [4 favorites]
Give it to me. If you decide this is the right choice, MeMail me for my address to mail it and enjoy your clear and unconflicted conscience.
posted by Brian Puccio at 3:13 PM on January 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Brian Puccio at 3:13 PM on January 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
I'm dying to know what 9 dollar fries taste like, You HAVE to tell us.
USE THE CARD
posted by Max Power at 3:13 PM on January 10, 2010
USE THE CARD
posted by Max Power at 3:13 PM on January 10, 2010
Maybe they gave it to you because they know you are a frugal person, and would never otherwise enjoy this kind of food?
If you were vegetarian, I'd understand your position, but frugality as a matter of your everyday life has no bearing on a gift that someone gives to you.
posted by sageleaf at 3:24 PM on January 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
If you were vegetarian, I'd understand your position, but frugality as a matter of your everyday life has no bearing on a gift that someone gives to you.
posted by sageleaf at 3:24 PM on January 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
Do they have a bar? You could get drinks and appetizers with a bunch of friends at the bar.
posted by hazyspring at 3:26 PM on January 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by hazyspring at 3:26 PM on January 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
Take your girlfriend out for an awesome meal. If it's her thing, get dressed up, order the shrimp cocktail, get a pile of meat (medium rare or medium--don't get it any more done than that or you might as well just sell the giftcard), share dessert, and take your overstuffed selves home. Most girlfriends, even frugal one, like to be taken out extravagantly every once in a while. Even if it's not on your dime, she'll remember the experience and likely thank you for it. Enjoy!
posted by BlooPen at 4:23 PM on January 10, 2010
posted by BlooPen at 4:23 PM on January 10, 2010
Response by poster: Thanks for all the advice. I will use the gift card and enjoy the meal and will keep the bill as close to $150 as I can.
Wasting money, mine or not, doesn't sit well with me but I'll try it.
Those $9 fries better be good!!!!!!!!
posted by boby at 5:12 PM on January 10, 2010
Wasting money, mine or not, doesn't sit well with me but I'll try it.
Those $9 fries better be good!!!!!!!!
posted by boby at 5:12 PM on January 10, 2010
Morton's had a bonus gift card special on before the end of the year - "Buy $500, Receive $100 or Buy $300, Receive $50". So perhaps the gift-giver got a free $50 gift card if they also bought someone else a $150 gift card. That's equivalent to about a 15% discount, so your $9 fries (kind of - work with me here!) only cost $7.50. I hope that makes them taste even better!
posted by nelvana at 6:21 PM on January 10, 2010
posted by nelvana at 6:21 PM on January 10, 2010
Alternatively, can you stretch it 2 or 3 visits? Sit in the bar, have a couple nice drinks and a fancy appetizer or two. There are many of us that would rather have a light, low-key, late-evening experience as opposed to a giant steak followed by impending feelings of explosion. Perhaps you're one of us?
posted by everythings_interrelated at 8:30 PM on January 10, 2010
posted by everythings_interrelated at 8:30 PM on January 10, 2010
Response by poster: Sounds good. I hope a domestic beer or glass of wine is less than $10!
posted by boby at 2:02 AM on January 11, 2010
posted by boby at 2:02 AM on January 11, 2010
Don't forget you still have to tip, and you probably can't use the gift card for that part of the bill.
posted by electroboy at 7:01 AM on January 11, 2010
posted by electroboy at 7:01 AM on January 11, 2010
At least presumably, the purpose of a gift card is to allow someone to buy something they would never buy for themselves. If your friend knows you're a frugal person, he/she gave you the card because he/she knows if he/she gave you cash, you'd spend it on rent and wouldn't have any fun. In reality, you might get more than $150 of utility out of it if this is the only time you ever splurge on yourself.
posted by l33tpolicywonk at 4:11 PM on January 11, 2010
posted by l33tpolicywonk at 4:11 PM on January 11, 2010
i know i'm late to the game on this, but i never liked chocolate cake until i had the molten chocolate cake at morton's.
posted by anthropomorphic at 12:29 AM on January 12, 2010
posted by anthropomorphic at 12:29 AM on January 12, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 12:44 PM on January 10, 2010