New City Grill - Where are they now?

[Jerry]

I talked to my aunt today who has a $100 gift certificate for the New City Grill on Metairie Rd.
I have a $50 gift certificate as well.

Is the "New City Grill" re-opening somewhere where we can use these financial obligations?
Are those who received the cash for these gift certificates not obligated to honor their value - short of a bankruptcy situation?

I'm not going along with this "Oh well, they closed so they have no financial obligations" routine...

Old Metaire Bistro people - how about an honest answer?

[Jerry]

I was going to post the question of how much notice was given to gift certificate holders of the closing date of the restaurant.

Yesterday's "New Orleans Menu" site states:
"A couple of months ago the New City Grille--a classy, tasty bistro on Metairie Road at Labarre--suddenly closed down for no apparent reason."

Also:
"As for what happened to the previous owner, Derrick Todd: he had a distracting personal issue that forced him to close the place."
Mr. Todd, you've got our money...what's your plan?

Many states require former owners of closed business to refund the face value of gift certificates to holders.
I'm not sure of La. yet...

Could the lesson here be to avoid buying gift cards or certificates from any private owned local single location business?

[edible complex]

Jerry, I'm still holding my $100 certificates from both Braniff and Pride Air...good luck!

[sore_bluto]

Jerry, I'm still holding my $100 certificates from both Braniff and Pride Air...good luck!

New in 1979, fly Braniff's exclusive Concorde service from DFW to Dulles! It's cramped and subsonic, but it only costs slightly more than first!

[Isabella Maja]

I was going to post the question of how much notice was given to gift certificate holders of the closing date of the restaurant.

Yesterday's "New Orleans Menu" site states:
"A couple of months ago the New City Grille--a classy, tasty bistro on Metairie Road at Labarre--suddenly closed down for no apparent reason."

Also:
"As for what happened to the previous owner, Derrick Todd: he had a distracting personal issue that forced him to close the place."
Mr. Todd, you've got our money...what's your plan?

Many states require former owners of closed business to refund the face value of gift certificates to holders.
I'm not sure of La. yet...

Could the lesson here be to avoid buying gift cards or certificates from any private owned local single location business?

I currently hold some gift certificates that I personally bought that expired in 60 days. That is way too soon. I bought a bunch as gifts & had a few left over.

When I mentioned it to the owner of the restaurant he said I couldn't use them because they were expired. I'm a very regular customer at this restaurant. And bring lots of other people there as well as have had many group dinners at this place.

When I told him that I couldn't believe he was telling me this, he said his accountant would not allow acceptance of these gift certificates passed the expiration date. And later in the conversation he finally concluded that he would allow me to use them, but at 1/2 face value - which he would have to eat because he wouldn't be able to turn them in to his accountant.
I told him that while I place an expiration date of 1 Year on my gift certificates there is no way I would turn away an expired gift certificate.
It's not good biz & just puts a bad taste in the customer's mouth.
My accountant never says a thing & so what if he would.

Because I had misplaced them, I ended up not using them & stopped going to the restaurant for a while. Damn. I really like their food.
So, recently, I decided to forgive & return.
He's been making it up to me in little ways - but we haven't talked about it. I'm letting it go as of now.


BTW, I love receiving gift certificates as a gift, and giving them too . . .
I think, Jerry, the best possible thing one can do when one receives a gift certificate to any local joint - whether it's a restaurant or gift shop - is use the damn thing right away!!

[BTG]

Jerry, I respect your postings on this board, but this is a normal way of life for doing business. You can't really expect the new owners of the new place to honor the old businesses financial obligations can you?

I think I was mistaken when I said a former chef and manager purchased the place.

[Jerry]

Isabella,
Gift cards or dertificates sold in La. cannot have an expiration date less than 5 years form issue:
http://www.treasury.state.la.us/Lists/S ... 8dff&ID=59
We do not put an expiration date on our gift certificates.

BTG, I feel that the owner of the former restaurant who received the money is responsible for refunding the certificates value.
I wonder if he sold any on his last week in business...
Stiffing your customers doesn't seem like a "normal way of doing business" to me.

The new owners could use the situation to court new customers by offering to honor some portion of NCG's certificates if someone showed up with one.

[Isabella Maja]

Isabella,
Gift cards or dertificates sold in La. cannot have an expiration date less than 5 years form issue:
http://www.treasury.state.la.us/Lists/S ... 8dff&ID=59
We do not put an expiration date on our gift certificates.

BTG, I feel that the owner of the former restaurant who received the money is responsible for refunding the certificates value.
I wonder if he sold any on his last week in business...
Stiffing your customers doesn't seem like a "normal way of doing business" to me.

The new owners could use the situation to court new customers by offering to honor some portion of NCG's certificates if someone showed up with one.

Thanks, Jerry, I had no idea this law existed.
I remember getting a gift card from my uncle to Wal Mart.
I never go there & forgot all about it. $40 of $100 was deducted because I didn't use it for 18 months. I wonder about the law & this incident.

I'm in your camp, Jerry, but then again, I'm one that believes the customer is right.
I also believe in customer service, integrity & hospitality.
I've only gone against this policy once in all the years I've been in business & that was due to a mentally ill client being delusional & threatening me.
She was one customer that was not right.
However, I did not owe her $ or services.

I've had my own biz for over 20 yrs. During this time, I went to school to add a skill to my repertoire. I sold gift cards for services from the school to many people, including friends & regular clients. It was a great deal for my regular clients because I normally charged 7 times more in my own private practice than the school did. I sold tons of gift cards because of this, yes, my regular clients were thrilled. When school ended not all of them had used up their cards - which by this time had expired the previous month (some cards were worth $400).

I contacted each one & assured them that they could come to my studio & use their gift cards from the school at my place of biz. The school rec'd the entire funds from gift card sales. Students rec'd nothing & could not accept any $, not even tips. Why did I extend the offer without receiving any monetary return? Because I could. It's just how I roll.

[BTG]

Isabella,
Gift cards or dertificates sold in La. cannot have an expiration date less than 5 years form issue:
http://www.treasury.state.la.us/Lists/S ... 8dff&ID=59
Stiffing your customers doesn't seem like a "normal way of doing business" to me.

The new owners could use the situation to court new customers by offering to honor some portion of NCG's certificates if someone showed up with one.

Alot of times when a bad business closes up, they not only stiff their customers, they short change their vendors by a huge amount too.

I agree that the new place might want to offer to honor the gift card as a marketing tool.

[Low-N-Slow]

Alot of times when a bad business closes up, they not only stiff their customers, they short change their vendors by a huge amount too.

I agree that the new place might want to offer to honor the gift card as a marketing tool.

Selling a GC with the knowledge your business is about to close is tantamount to theft. Not saying that happened with NCG, just sayin'. IMO, a smart and savvy move by OMB might be to honor outstanding NCG gift certificates with a purchase of equal or greater value. I'd call that a win-win.