In nearly 20 years of using an exclusive discount package as a premium for Las Vegas Advisor members, everything that could possibly happen to, with, about, because of, or surrounding the coupons has happened. This includes, but is not limited to, casinos closing, casinos no longer honoring the coupons (with and without telling us), misprints on the coupons, and every different means of printing, packaging, mailing, renewing, replacing, and controlling the Pocketbook of Values imaginable.
Perhaps the most serious challenge we've faced with our coupons has been people counterfeiting them. On the one hand, it shows how valuable many of the coupons in the POV are. On the other hand, the abuse of our coupons is extremely problematic, both for the casinos that accept them and for us. The solution to the situation, simply, has been for the coupon user to demonstrate its authenticity by tearing out the coupon in the presence of the casino employee who redeems it (waiter, slot club attendant, box office agent, etc.).
It's true that there's a certain amount of awkwardness, in general, to using coupons, especially the first few times you do it. This awkwardness, however, tends to dissipate the more you use them, especially in this town, where they're so commonplace. But there shouldn't be anything especially uncomfortable about handing a coupon book to a waiter, even a snooty one in an upscale restaurant. Even if there is, our thinking is that saving 50% or getting a free entrée or something is worth the moment of discomfort.
But the waiter or other employee doesn’t have to do the actual ripping. All that's required is for the waiter to see you ripping the coupon out of the book. Then you can hand him the coupon, along with with the rest of the money going to pay for the check.
We believe that this process is a small price to pay to protect the efficacy and support the value of the coupons in our POV.
