What happen to bon-i-fay???
 

went there today for a $3 martini..and they don't serve it any more...ever since they open orange bloosom...they want YOU to purchase a loyalty card ($20)..to get good deals...BUT you have to go there and spend $$$ 20 times a month....hello?????? thats 5 FIVE times a week??!!??!! wow...are they dreaming???? i don't know of anyone who goes out to eat the same place 5 times a week....what happen....these 4 c/c joined together..and are going to fail...if they pull this stuff on their customers...bon-i-fay has great food....but 20 TIMES a month ?? insane !!!

it's a shame things change around here..and not always for the best...some c/c just get tooo big...and they lose customers...i always remember my dad saying you take care of your customers and THEY will take care of YOU !! not anymore i guess..they get tooo big and don't need your business...went there today...not a soul there...hmmmm i wonder why ????

Don't buy the card !!!!!!

Complaining...
 

about choices...*sigh*

Per the OP there seems to be a link between the loss of the $3 martini and the start of the $20 Loyalty Card.

There is always a choice. Just buy the card or don't buy the card. Simple as that. No biggy.

I believe the OP is referring to the ad in the paper that said with the loyalty card you could get $3.00 martinis.

Yes. Bonifay did have the $3.00 martini, but now it is only if you have the loyalty card and it's good at all of their restaurants.
If you like martinis, the loyalty card will pay for itself if you compare what martinis are other places.
Most places sell martinis $6 - $7. That's a savings of $3 - $4 per martini. Sounds like a great deal to me. 6 - 7 martinis will pay for the $20.00 loyalty card.

I think what she's complaining about is that there used to be $3 martinis and now there aren't unless you spend some extra money. So basically they've raised their prices.

All these afore mentioned country clubs also did away with the $3 Margarita special. We found out two days after they went up and were not told by the bartender until it was time to cash out. Not that it's going to break me, but at the new price of $4.50 each, and by the time you buy two drinks (wife & I) it now equals what three drinks used to cost! Throw in a couple dollars tip and you are now up to $11 for two drinks. I thought they hit on a good thing with the $3 drinks as we would usually drink a couple Margaritas each and then stay on for dinner! Now we don't. I have noticed that food and drinks were cheaper around tv during the summer months here and that many restaurants were offering a lot more coupons in the papers. I guess it's snowbird plucking season now. I never could understand this mentality. If I owned a restaurant here, I would still offer the incentives to attract even more customers while maintaining year round loyalty to the ones that live here full time.

I'm sorry to hear that the $3 martinis are gone. It was a good deal, and great while it lasted. I don't understand the "indignation" that some folks have about a restaurant changing or doing away with "specials", but I agree that the concept of a "loyalty card" for a CC restaurant is not very "classy".

If you advertise the loyalty card brings with it the 3 dollar martini then cancel the deal after the card was bought then it seems to me something is rotten in Denmark.

My understanding from reading this thread is that the $3 martini has not been canceled,
but that you now need to purchase a loyalty card to get this special rate.
As Bonny pointed out, for martini lovers this card will "pay for itself".

Anyone selling Martinis for $3 is probably using something akin to rubbing alcohol instead of quality Gin/Vodka.

Do prices vary depending on the season? Some beach communities have lower prices during the off season for the "locals" and the summer they charge more, because they can. Is it possible the specials will return when the snow birds leave?

Maybe I'll be able to get a seat at the bar now.

They run loyalty card specials. Right now you get the $3.00 martini "if" you have the loyalty card.

Don't knock it if you haven't tried it !
They have very good martinis. I have them quite often.

I disagree. It won't pay for itself because the martinis were $3 before the card was instituted. Now you have to spend $20 to get the martini at the former $3 price. So that equals a raise in the martini price for not only the people who spend the $20, but an even bigger raise in price for the people who don't.

I don't drink martinis, so it doesn't affect me, and I think a martini at $4.50 would be a bargain anywhere else. But those who think they're getting a "deal that will pay for itself" are missing the fact that they just spent more $ for the same thing.

Some places you buy the loyalty card. It just depends on the deals, whether they are good or not. Lopez has a loyalty card that costs $20.00 that many people have and love it. 1 perk I think they still do is you get 10% off lunch plus other perks.

Not so loyal
 

We have a loyalty card from a local pizza place and it was given to us for free. From my experience, a loyalty card has alway been given to customers to encourage them to frequent their establishment. Where we lived, we had a pizza loyalty card, a milk loyalty card as well as a coffee loyalty card. You buy say 10 gallons of milk and get the 13th free, you buy a dozen pizzas and get the 13th free. I would never pay for a loyalty card. I agree with other posters, paying for a card isn't a deal because you are paying more for the product in the long run. What are they trying to pull???? Sounds greedy to me.

I don't think they are trying to pull anything over on us. They are a business and trying something different. The specifics were all spelled out. The choice to buy or not is up to us as individuals. It seems for some it is a good deal and others not so much. We did not feel the card would work for us. It does not make them a bad business to deal with. I enjoy their restaurants and food. The only thing that would stop me from going someplace is bad food and/or service and even then we usually give them a "three strikes" chance.

I would like to thank all the restaurant and business owners here in The Villages for investing their hard earned money to provide us who live here with pleasant and safe environments to enjoy. I have found that most all offer decent to outstanding fare at very reasonable prices, compared to other cities across the country. I don't lose sleep worrying about the price of beer, cocktails and martinis as all are more affordable here than most anywhere in the country. Should there be a gift card or loyalty card program, thankfully I still have enough sense left to make that decision to participate, or decide it's not for me. Why not walk up to that shop or restaurant owner this week and just says thanks, thanks for your investment in this place we call home. A warm handshake will make you feel better than a cold complaint.

What if you buy a Loyalty Card and they catch you eating someplace else. Do they take it away? I do have a disguise.

They cancelled the $3 martinis for the high season like all restaurants cancel special deal when high season comes. They are offering specials like the $3 martinis and the 1.50 draft beers for the month of Dec. to Loyalty card holders. Other specials will be offered other months (some food specials) and the opportunity to make reservations for parties of 4 or more which will be great during high season. The other offers, like getting cash back for very frequent diners, is above and beyond the specials. You don't have to eat there 5 times a week unless you want the cash back on top of the specials.
It's just an offer. You still have the option to buy or not. I was willing to try it. If I don't think it's worth it, I won't buy it again.

Did anyone read the Loyal Tee info???? For your $20.00 you get to make reservations for a party of 4 or more. Standard policy is 16 or more. For 20 visits you get $15 in credit, etc. Credits do not expire at the end of the month..they carry over. READ THE CARD information !!!!

They will make you eat the kale slaw at Havana.

I may be wrong, but I believe they backed off on the opportunity to make reservations for a party of 4.

Here's the card info:

9. How many visits do I need to earn Credits?

You must visit any of our family of restaurants a minimum of 20 times in a calendar month to earn $15. 30 visits earn $25 and 40 visits earn $50. These amounts are not added together just one full amount.

11. When does the 1 month time frame start and end?

The time frame starts on the 1st day of Each month and ends on the last day of the month.

12. After 40 visits in a month can you still acquire points?

The $50 Credit after 40 visits is the maximum amount of credits that any member can acquire in a 1 month period.

13. Can your earned credit rewards be carried over to the next month?

Yes, credits only expire after your membership expires.

So visits only add up during a calendar month. Once you reach 20 visits you earn $15. They are giving you 75 cents a visit no matter what you spend on each So let's say you are a 1 martini a weekday after golf person. You drink 20 martinis at $3 each in 20 days and at the end of the month you get $15. Now your martinis are only costing you $2.25. You will have your $20 back in 26 days.

I believe another caveat is that you must spend a minimum of $10 to constitute a "visit".

Personally, I dislike pre-paying for any service... It works for some folks, just doesn't work for me. For what it's worth, most of my friends have purchased the cards...

You have to spend $10.00 at each visit.

I didn't read the card I only read the FAQ sheet. click here

Oh well,,
My son says math problems are good for my brain.

The sheet at the restaurant when I bought mine said $10.00 per visit. Maybe they changed that since I bought mine. We always spend at least $10.00 when we go.

Reservations
 

We called today for a reservation for 10 people and were told by the person answering the phone that if you did not have a "Loyalty Card" you could not make a reservation and there is a minimum of 16 "Per her Manager". The answer is rather simple..Stop eating at establishments that want you to pay up front and commit to set usage. This is just another crazy idea by an owner that wants to guarantee his restuarant usage and if he serves less than adquate food that is your problem. He has his money up front. I guess he thinks all Villager's are senile and don't understand this stupid idea. :cold:

Why would you not go to the restaurants ?
You don't have to buy the loyalty card.
Very few places take reservations. except maybe a call ahead.

:agree:

Is it true that once you own a Loyalty Card the parking no longer free?

I like a Grey Goose martini now and then at Nancy Lopez. Cost is about $4.50 during happy hour. Not too shabby

I agree but I think that the CCs are trying to get you to buy the loyalty cards to be able to get reservations. I was thinking about the Lopez loyalty card mainly for the for reservations but I though the requirements were a little much for the $20. I decided to stand in line to get it and then I went someplace else.

Like Bonanza said, a loyalty card used to be free. You got a card and they punched the number or dated it and after xx clicks you got a free whatever. That is a loyalty card. Not something you pay for. That is a membership card.

Z