Steak & Ale saga continues....

Well, I was taking consolation in the fact that I could probably take my Steak & Ale gift cards to Ponderosa and at least eat free lunches for a while... but co-workers let me know this morning that they had been there last evening to see a sign posted that they were refusing to accept Steak & Ale gift cards even though the restaurants are owned by the same management company.

Of course, maybe I should explain why I have $100 in Steak & Ale gift cards.... (Another $10 one came in the mail since my last post). I have a credit card I mostly use for work and it has a rewards system based upon a dollar per point. I think I figured it out to the return was about a half percent to a percent depending on which reward you picked. Since we just flew to Russia three time in the past three month, I had plenty of "points".  So I had turned them in for gift cards...

On with the saga... Thankfully yesterday I had emailed my credit card rewards program expecting they would tell me tough luck... but they emailed me back and said to print off this email, enclose the gift cards and mail them back and in 4-6 weeks the points will re-post to your account and you can pick new rewards... So I guess we will see how that goes because they are already mailed off...

Another co-worker let me know that Texas Road House was offering a "Free Entree certificate for every Steak & Ale gift card turn in" but the stipulation was that the certificate expired 8/31/2008. Knowing how fond I am of Texas Road House, it was an easy decision just to take my chances with mailing them back in.... 

I am also curious to know if anyone else has ever run across this?... Just after you get some gift cards - wham! The place closes up shop.