A family visiting Zizzi in Port Solent, Portsmouth, was left feeling short-changed after staff refused to honour the Blue Light discount and Kids Eat Free deal, both of which were advertised on the restaurant's website at the time.
Samantha Bartlett, Assistant Editor for Social News, visited the restaurant with her family on Monday, August 10, after noticing the offers on Zizzi's website. The Blue Light discount, available to NHS, emergency services, social care workers, teachers, and the armed forces, offers 20% off, while the Kids Eat Free deal is a summer promotion.
Refused at the table
Bartlett's mother, a teacher, was set to use the Blue Light discount. However, when they told the waitress, she said they 'weren't taking the QR codes' at the moment and 'didn't know why'. Bartlett then tried to use the Kids Eat Free code from the Zizzi app, but the waitress again refused, saying they're 'not taking them at the moment'.
The meal included a Chicken Milanese main at £18.25 per portion, a glass of pink Prosecco, and a kids' meal costing £7.83 plus £2.19 for a drink. Bartlett noted the potential savings of £8 or £9 would have covered another activity or meal for her son.
Zizzi's response
When contacted, a Zizzi representative said the terms and conditions state that both offers cannot be used at the Port Solent restaurant. Bartlett replied asking why the deals were listed on the 'Offers' section of the Port Solent page if that were the case. Zizzi then said the offers had been removed, but at the time of writing, they were still visible on the website.
Bartlett expressed concern that other families could face the same issue, especially after her mother visited another restaurant that refused a voucher. She said the experience has put her off eating out because she can't trust what restaurants advertise if they won't honour it.
Impact on customers
Bartlett also highlighted rising prices, noting cocktails at Zizzi listed at nearly £13. She said Zizzi used to be one of her favourite 'affordable' restaurants but she won't return until she feels more confident about pricing and deals.
