Alinea $600 gift certificate

I am looking to sell a $600 gift certificate to Alinea (never used). I want as close to the full value as possible. Not in a hurry to sell so please no low ball offers.

My parents had good intentions. They know I am a burgeoning foodie and I had spoken so highly of Alinea's reputation. Considering I just graduated from school they wanted to insure that I would be able to enjoy a meal at Alinea without worrying about tip or the cost of the meal by giving me a very generous $600 gift certificate. I don't really have anyone I want to spend $300 on to eat with me, would not consider going by myself cause a meal like this needs to be shared with another, and as I start my new career am not in a situation where spending this much money on a meal is a responsible thing for me to do. I'd rather just take my son for great chicago style hot dogs, italian beefs, and Kuma's bugers until he's old enough to appreciate Alinea and then we'll revisit the idea.

I am willing to verify the authenticity of the gift certificate in any way you would feel comfortable. Including meeting at the restaurant to verify the balance on the certificate.


1723 North Halsted,
Chicago Illinois 60614
312-867-0110
www.alinea-restaurant.com

Maybe you could take mom out to dinner.

How long is it good for? If you have a while to use it, maybe a special occasion will arise.

Good idea, I thought of that as well and offered but she didn't like the idea of giving a present that in the end benefited her. In the end, she politely declined.

I appreciate the suggestions but I've made up my mind to sell the certificate. I know many will wonder how I could pass this meal up but I have more pressing needs at the moment then either using the certificate or holding on to it. (even though it does not expire)

Jasemer - I know you've got your mind made up, but I just have to say that even if you get the full $600 for this gift certificate, you won't remember 2 years from now what you did with that money, but you would remember your meal at Alinea 10 years from now. Now, I don't know what your financial situation is (or if you're on the verge of something catastrophic, like eviction, or you can't afford medicine), but barring financial catastrophe, we all have bills that we'll be paying until we're toes up. Trading a gift certificate for $600 you don't currently have can seem tempting in the moment, but in the whole scheme of life, it's not a lot of money. Please keep that in mind.*

*I say this having passed on eating at El Bulli 9 years ago, hoping to save money because I felt guilty, having law school loans and other bills to pay. Do I remember what that saved money went to? No, but I would have remembered El Bulli. My workload since increased, I didn't have time to go back, and now, it's closing. Alas . . .

I agree with aschie30. You say you don't have anyone you want to spend $300 on to eat with you, but it can be a group gift to a good friend or relative who's getting married, graduating, etc. Since it doesn't expire, it won't hurt to hang on to it for a while, at least.

Believe me, if I could I'd make a bid. But at this point all I could make is low-ball offers! Good luck to you though.

What would you consider a reasonable offer?

I'll pay about three fiddy

Marija wrote:What would you consider a reasonable offer?

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say he want's $600...

I am willing to negotiate and will entertain all reasonable offers. mhill95149, of course I want $600 but as the Rolling Stones said "You can't always get what you want." I am looking for as close to $600 as someone is willing to offer.

Why would I pay this guy $600 for a gift certificate when I could just go and spend my $600 at Alinea without the hassle? Is there something magical about gift certificates that I am missing?

Sure, but if you could buy a $600 gift certificate off him for $500 or $550 and save some money, why wouldn't you?

jasemer wrote: I don't really have anyone I want to spend $300 on to eat with me, would not consider going by myself cause a meal like this needs to be shared with another, and as I start my new career am not in a situation where spending this much money on a meal is a responsible thing for me to do. I'd rather just take my son for great chicago style hot dogs, italian beefs, and Kuma's bugers until he's old enough to appreciate Alinea and then we'll revisit the idea.

jasemer, while this is a food forum, I'm guessing those who could afford it would just go on our own, and many of the remainder are in the same situation that you are. I hope you find someone, but you might consider broadening where you post your offer (Linkedin? IDK if there's a way to use that network in that way, but your best bet might be some kind of corporate-type wanting to make a splashy gift - if you do the legwork on their behalf) FWIW, years ago I got a wedding present from Tiffany's that I decided to return - yes, I'll never own anything like it again - but I made rent that month, which was very dicey at the time. My gratitude for that present stands out in my mind to this day.

In the meantime, I'd guess that thinking about a small percentage off the face value might be incentive for someone to buy - after all, when is the next time you'd get a discount, even a small one, at Alinea? It might cover the cost of some wine a drink or two, or something.

Maybe someone here would like to go to Alenia, but they don't have anyone to go with. You could sell half the certificate, have a great dinner, meet someone new and pocket $300! Personally, I would not pay this much for any meal...unless I was wealthy!

Why don't you consider donating the certificate to a charity to be used for a silent auction? You get the tax deduction and the charity also wins.

From the OP, I hardly think he needs a tax break.

Do your parents know you are trying to sell it? (I ask b/c you did invite your mom.) If so, perhaps Alinea would refund the certificate. I'm suspect it is not allowed by the terms and conditions, but being a high service restaurant, perhaps they might oblige anyway? Or perhaps they would even refund (all or some portion) to you? Just an idea.

razbry wrote:Maybe someone here would like to go to Alenia, but they don't have anyone to go with. You could sell half the certificate, have a great dinner, meet someone new and pocket $300! Personally, I would not pay this much for any meal...unless I was wealthy!

Yeah -- I too was thinking that would be the ideal scenario -- though I would and have spent that much for a meal, and I know others have, too. So I'm sure that sort of thing could be worked out.

However, a son has been mentioned, so perhaps that is the greater consideration. Buying food for a child would defiinitely take priority over indulging one's own food fantasies.

As for those who have asked, "Why would you bother?"-- I'm thinking maybe because it's a nice thing to do for someone with a child. If I weren't broke, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

If I were in the market for meal at Alinea, which I'm not--but imagining that I were--my gut feel is an offer to sell the $600 certificate for $400 would get me to respond quickly. You might do better setting a price on it like that, rather than waiting for someone to make you the "best offer," because no one wants to go through the process of trying to guess what you'd take, and making you an offer, only to have you tell them it's not high enough. No one likes to lose. Just putting that forward in case it's helpful.

As others have posted, there's zero financial incentive for anyone to buy the certificate at full price. My advice is to figure out the lowest price that you can live with and offer the certifcate at that price. Maybe you'll get a taker.

Good luck,

=R=

Indeed... It is typically considered good form to put up an asking price when selling something with a direct cash value or a one-of-a-kind item.

As a general sales rule - Make it easy and comfortable for someone to do business with you.

Will interesting trades be considered?

Jasemir-
If I were you, Iwould decide on a price that youwouldaccept for it ($500-$550) andpostit either on Craigslist or Groupon discussion board. I know that if I were going there anyway, I would certainly buy your certificate at a discounted rate, no matter how much the discount is for. It would just be smart.
Good Luck!

When I originally posted this thread I thought, why wouldn't someone who is going to go to Alinea anyway be willing to buy my gift certificate if it would save them $50 or $75 off their meal. As far as I know Alinea doesn't offer coupons or discounts so this would be a good way to justify buying another bottle of wine or something like that.

Lime Bella stated, it's a great opportunity for someone. And like I've said from the start if someone would be motivated by a different price-- we should talk.

I know others are trying to be helpful but in the end I'm trying to sell something, not enter into a discussion about the many ways a gift certificate can be used, or discuss the reasonableness of my request with those who have no intent on purchasing the certificate.

Not interested in trades but thank you for the offer. The certificate has been posted other places as well. Hopefully someone else will be in a better position to enjoy the certificate then I am.

jasemer wrote:in the end I'm trying to sell something, not enter into a discussion about the many ways a gift certificate can be used, or discuss the reasonableness of my request

Hmm...then maybe a discussion board isn't where you meant to come? Wrong turn at Albuquerque?

i'm pretty surprised this isn't locked, actually.

dudefella wrote:i'm pretty surprised this isn't locked, actually.

Why? It's a pretty polite discussion. Locked threads are pretty rare events.

Regards,

Hmm...then maybe a discussion board isn't where you meant to come? Wrong turn at Albuquerque?

Man, this is why I sometimes hate that I hang out at this place called LTH forum. Yeah, it's a first time poster that came here to sell something but he/she is selling a gift certificate to Alinea. This isn't someone trying to pawn the Ruth Chris gift cards he keeps accumulating because it's the only decent thing in his Chase Rewards program, it's Alinea. The original poster knows enough about food that their mother thought to buy them a $600 certificate to Alinea, obviously poster is someone who cares about food and restaurants. Cut someone having a hard time some slack.

I'd hang out at Yelp but I hate the word yummy and also I have a self-imposed ban on going there after someone called me "the nice older gentlemen that is always there". Since when did 32 become "older"? Ass*ole.

pizano345 wrote:this is why I sometimes hate that I hang out at this place called LTH forum.
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I'd hang out at Yelp but I hate the word yummy

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