Drink Deck the Halls
Deals in these cards
Posted by: John Chandler on Dec 08, 2011 at 03:00PM
6 Comments
How many times has this happened to you? After several rounds of cocktails and a few orders of funky finger food at a local watering hole, the check arrives and you have a petit mal seizure when you get to the bottom line. It’s not that you weren’t prepared to exchange currency for goods and services, but rather that the particulars of the evening somehow got away from you. Friends dropped by, had drinks and the lion’s share of the nachos, and then simply vanished into thin air like Flight 19 in the Bermuda Triangle. Who ordered Napoleon brandy? Did we really polish off 14 pints of porter? The upshot is, you’re stuck with a bill that’s quite a bit more than you were prepared to pony up. Enter the Drink Deck.
The brainchild of the appropriately named Will Glass, Drink Deck is a pack of 52 playing cards (yes, they can be used as playing cards), each worth $10 off your bill at a particular Portland eating and drinking establishment. Stuck for ideas about where you and your posse will spend your leisure time in pursuit of burgers and buzz? Just take a card, any card, and make plans for an excursion. Each card has an identifying photo, a descriptive (e.g., neighborhood joint, sports bar, bistro, hip hangout, etc), the bar’s website, address, and phone number, everything you need to make an informed destination decision. There is a catch: You and your buddies must spend at least $30 in order to receive the $10 discount, which seems reasonable to me. At the moment, there are Drink Decks in Portland, New Orleans, and Chicago, with more plans for an ever-expanding empire. And for technologically savvy types, there is a smart-phone version. Why is this a great idea? Because it inspires voyages of exploration instead of another dull evening at the same ol’ place. Think of Magellan, Admiral Byrd, and other notable drinkers torn from the pages of history.
If you’re thinking a Drink Deck would make a great Christmas gift for that lovable lush in your life, now is a good time to pounce, because the price of a deck is currently at $24.99 (normally $29.99). A visit to the website is a smart move, because there’s always news about special offers and even parties, like the Drink Deck One-Year Anniversary soiree, happening Dec 15 at Vendetta (an RSVP from the website is required). So deal those cards and shuffle off for an evening of adventure.
This is the fourth in an ongoing series of Christmas gift posts for the imbiber on your list. From costly to cut-rate, we’ll try to find a budget for every bank account. Any gifts that are not met with an immediate display of genuine enthusiasm can be dropped off at the Portland Monthly offices. Be sure to include the receipt.
I’ve been looking for a way to combine my love of gambling with my love of drinking. Thank you, universe. Oh, and Will Glass.
I bought the first deck (a new one has just been released) at that same discount several months ago. It’s a great deal, but, like any coupon, you gotta use ‘em. I’ve carried the deck in my car since the get-go, and have yet to 1) spend the requisite $30 (likely a good thing, considering that I’m driving) or 2) remembered to refer to the deck before deciding on where to meet a friend (when $30 is an easy spend, together). And yes, like you wrote, the company offers regular deals. Like ‘em on facebook to see what’s up.
I was an early adopter of the Drink Deck. At this point, I wouldn’t do it again. For one thing, the $30 minimum stipulation wasn’t exactly clear at the outset, so you can’t exactly use it to grab a quick one on your own, as is the wont of many who might buy something like this. Also, some of the establishments will only allow you to apply the discount toward food. One other more, admittedly, piddling thing: I’ve had at least one server toss my redeemed card, not realizing that they were supposed to tear the corner off as a usage indicator, as opposed to taking the entire card. So my “deck” will never be complete, which seems like part of the point of purchasing something like this. That is, users should be able to pore through the used cards, see what’s been used and reminisce with their friends about the time the card was used. This is a cool idea, but I’ve only used three cards so far in six months (and given away a fourth which has also not come back to me after being used). Maybe I’m just picky, but the Drink Deck seems like a fair amount of work for those of us who just want to grab a drink.
Ringworm, thanks for being a Drink Decker! I agree with your points here! We’ve made some great changes in the newest print run. Drop us a note through the contact us page on our web site, I’d like to send you a new copy on the house!
If you’ve used three cards, you’ve paid yourself back and the discounts never expire! Plus the new print has a number of spots offering a % off your bill.
The idea was never for you to drink alone and our bar partners (which are hand selected) would never go for offering $10 in free food and/or drink. Can’t blame em either.
Hope to hear from you!
Aitch, that goes for your too! Contact us! Again, this was meant to be a social thing. Get a group of friends together, at least one or two! Organize a food, drink and entertainment bar crawl to 2, 3, or 4 spots in one quadrant, spend the min, get the discount and move on! Instant fun and savings! Check out the new deck! Spots like Coalition Brewing, Vintage Cocktail Bar and others offer a % off, so the more you spend the more you save!
Hope to see you at the 1st BDAY Party http://drinkdeckpdx.eventbrite.com
Eric, you are welcome! Hope to see you at the 1st BDAY Party!
We have a special buy the 2nd print, get the 1st print for free deal for our guests at the event on 12/15/11 at Vendetta. DO IT!
Hope to see you at the 1st BDAY Party http://drinkdeckpdx.eventbrite.com