Gift Certificate for Restaurant Etiquette

[NYGirl100]

A friend of mine, Lisa, got a gift certificate to a nice restaurant in New York from her boss for Christmas.  Her boss told her to take her husband and have a nice night out, and that this was his favorite restaurant.  This is a much nicer restaurant than she and her husband would normally frequent.  When she checked the menu online, she found out that this restaurant has a pre-fixe menu for dinner, where there is already a pre-set price for 3 courses and no a la carte options.  The gift certificate only covers one person's meal, including tax and tip.  The amount she and her husband would have to spend for the other person's meal is more than what they would normally spend for a night out for the two of them and frankly way out of their budget right now.  This is not even including any drinks or wine that they would get. 

My questions:

1) Is it rude to give a certificate for a restaurant that a person would not normally go to that only covers one person, especially when you know how much the meal would cost there? 

2) What are her options? 

a) She can try to save up the money for the other person's meal, but it seems incongruous to have to save up for a restaurant that you normally wouldn't go to anyways. 
b) She can not go and lie to her boss that she went, but obviously lying is bad and in this case she would probably get caught anyway since her boss was familiar with the restaurant. 
c) She can not go and find some other excuse to her boss, but that sounds bad, too, since he was nice enough to get her the certificate. 
d) She can tell her boss the truth, but that would make her boss feel bad and sounds like she's asking for more money.

Edited to add: I know option d above is rude - I just put it there as an option. 

What do you think, E-Hellions?

[Alida]

The restaurant is ONLY prix-fixe?

ETA: And now I'm really curious about the restaurant - heading back to the city this weekend and always up for a new restaurant

[NYGirl100]

The restaurant is ONLY prix-fixe?

Yes.  It's not unusual for a nice restaurant in NYC.  They also don't have lunch service, so that's out of the question. 

AlidaDmed, the restaurant is Veritas.  I have heard very good things about it, but it is expensive. 

[Ulla dances in a silly way]

She could just not go and never mention it again.

She already thanked the boss for the certificate, right? He doesn't need to know in-depth about how she used it.

-Ulla

[Alida]

Yes.  It's not unusual for a nice restaurant in NYC.  They also don't have lunch service, so that's out of the question. 

Huh.  I guess I'm frequenting all the wrong 4 star restaurants (I'm from across the river, originally).  But my tastes run more to One if By Land, Two if By Sea   - I do believe they also have an ala carte menu, though it isn't on the website.  Though this weekend, it's back to DD's favorite restaurant for her birthday - Sushi Samba (the one on Park)

Does she think her boss is going to ask her whether or not she went?  Or can she put him off with a, "Oh, we haven't had a chance to go yet"

ETA: Another idea... is the restaurant one of those taking part in Restaurant Week?  The prices are much lower for a smaller selection of the chef's dishes.

[NYGirl100]

Does she think her boss is going to ask her whether or not she went?  Or can she put him off with a, "Oh, we haven't had a chance to go yet"

She has been putting him off by saying that.  Ulla, not saying anything and not going wouldn't work.  Her boss is so excited that he keeps asking her whether she has gone yet and don't forget to tell him what she thinks about it. 

[Alida]

Oh that makes it harder.  He must really love the place.  "We're looking forward to going, but it's not doable for us in the near future."

[NYGirl100]

Though this weekend, it's back to DD's favorite restaurant for her birthday - Sushi Samba (the one on Park)

Yummmm...I love Sushi Samba.  In case you didn't see it above, the restaurant in question here is Veritas.

[Chocolate Cake]

Since people tend not to eat in restaurants like that alone, I think it was short-sighted of her boss to not ensure that the gift certificate was of an amount where two people could dine.  On the other hand, he's not obligated to give any gift in the first place and, presuming that the money for the gift came out of his pocket, it would be uncouth for your friend to select option D.

I would say that she should either not use the certificate or, if there is no expiration date, take a good bit of time to save up for the second person's dinner and use the certificate for a special occasion in the future.

Edited to add:  Did the boss give anyone else in the office the same gift?  If so, another option is that she could go to the restaurant with that person/those people some evening so that the certificate doesn't go to waste.

[CocoCamm]

Personally I dont think its rude to get someone a GC for a meal where they may have to put $ towards it, especially in this instance. The giver is her boss, not a cloe friend or family member therefore how is he to know that they cant afford to frequent this resturant?

I think your friend has 2 options. Either she and hubby save up and go when they can afford it or she can sell the GC. If boss asks she can simply say that they have not been able to try the resturant yet. FWIW I always give my parents GC to resturants for Xmas and I never check up on them to see if/when they have been used. I think that may be a little rude.

[Alida]

AlidaDmed, the restaurant is Veritas.  I have heard very good things about it, but it is expensive. 

Ooh - that's one on my list to try.  And, unfortunately, it looks like it doesn't participate in Restaurant Week.  Boo to that.  But Veritas does offer ala carte if you are seated at the bar, just not in the dining room.

[caranfin]

It might not be rude per se, but it indicates a lack of thoughtfulness. A gift shouldn't force the recipient to spend money they wouldn't have spent otherwise.

[Evil Duckie]

Normally, atleast where I live it is normal to give an amount to cover both people. To cover only one person would not be common, but I am not sure it is rude.

She can save up for her husband half of the bill. Making this a special night such as a night out for their anniversary.

or

Go by herself and maybe a friend. A couple of friends and I have a girls night out couple times a year. We go to one of the fancier restaurants in town and enjoy each others company and being girls. It is always pay for yourself with us.

I don't think that I would say anything to her boss about the amount of the gift certificate. This really sounds like being ungrateful and asking fro more money.

[NYGirl100]

Edited to add:  Did the boss give anyone else in the office the same gift?  If so, another option is that she could go to the restaurant with that person/those people some evening so that the certificate doesn't go to waste.

No, she's his secretary and she was the only one who got the GC. 

Ooh - that's one on my list to try.  And, unfortunately, it looks like it doesn't participate in Restaurant Week.  Boo to that.  But Veritas does offer ala carte if you are seated at the bar, just not in the dining room.

Oh, that's good to know!  She can probably afford to do the bar better.   

[Alida]

Oh, that's good to know!  She can probably afford to do the bar better.   

Drinks and appetizers at the bar, maybe?  Would probably come out to that amount