Blackboard Eats
Help
General
What is BlackboardEats?
How do I sign up?
Who are you people?
Can restaurants pay to be featured on BlackboardEats?
Specials
How do I get Today's Special?
What if I come to the site and all I can see is a signup box on the home page instead of a special?
How long do I have to sign up for the special?
Do I have to use the special the day I sign up for it?
How long do I have before I have to make a reservation if I want to take advantage of the special?
Do I have to take the passcode to the restaurant?
Can I use the special without making a reservation first?
Should I tip based on the original bill or the discounted amount?
What's Send to Phone for?
Can I take advantage of the same special more than once before it expires?
Can I give my passcode to someone else?
What if I don't end up using a special I signed up for?
What should I do if I signed up but I'm still not getting any e-mails?
What should I do if I'm getting the e-mails, but I can't see the pictures and/or the links don't work?
I forgot my password. Now what?
Are you going to sell my e-mail address or other info?
How do I unsubscribe?
How do I change my e-mail address?
Other Questions
What's Side Dish and how does it work?
What's My Blackboard?
What if I have an idea for a restaurant BlackboardEats should feature?
When will BlackboardEats be available in my city?
Advertising
What if my company wants to advertise on BlackboardEats?
If my restaurant advertises on BlackboardEats, is it still possible you'll write about us?
Don't see your question here? E-mail us.
General
What is BlackboardEats?
BlackboardEats is a free daily e-mail and website delivering exclusive deals at restaurants and on products handpicked by seasoned food writers and editors. We also highlight the best food-related specials that LA, NY and SF have to offer, including prix fixe discounts, tasting events, weekly dinner bargains and more.
How do I sign up?
Click here—it's free and it only takes one minute (promise!).
Who are you people?
We’re experienced food writers and editors who love dining out and want to make discovering new places more affordable for everyone. For more info, see our About page.
Can you pay to be featured on BlackboardEats?
All our features are handpicked by editors who eat at every restaurant and taste very artisanal product. We accept payment for Best of BlackboardEats (the second run of a special), Extra Specials, Partner Plates, Sponsored Bites and banner ads. For more info, see our Editorial Policy.
Specials
How do I get Today’s Special?
Click on the "Get This Special" button on your e-mail or our home page before the special runs out. In some cases you have 48 hours, and in others you have 24 hours or less to get a passcode, so act fast! Some specials are limited to a certain number of passcodes—they may disappear even faster. The early bird gets the good eats! You’ll be given a passcode to redeem at the restaurant or on a product’s website.
What if I come to the site and all I can see is a signup box on the home page instead of a special?
If you see the sign box instead of a special it means that we do not have a live special on that day. You can check out our side dish section featuring great specials around town or browse through our past specials. Just watch your e-mails to find out when the next special goes live!
How long do I have to sign up for the special?
Twenty-four or 48 hours, depending on the special. If you want the special, you have to click to get your passcode sometime in that time frame.
Do I have to use the special the day I sign up for it?
Nope, you have 30 days to use the special (unless specified otherwise). However, we recommend that you make a reservation (and/or use your passcode) as soon as possible, since there are only so many tables in a restaurant and only so many days in a month—don't miss out!
Do I have to take the passcode to the restaurant?
You don't need to physically show or hand in a coupon. Mention your passcode to the host at the restaurant when you make a reservation or when you arrive.
Can I use the special without making a reservation first?
Yes, unless the restaurant requires a reservation, you can just walk in if you prefer, but just like any other time you go to a restaurant without a reservation, there’s no guarantee you’ll get a table quickly or even at all on that visit.
Should I tip on the original bill or the discounted amount?
Be kind to your server—tip on the bill before the discount.
What's Send to Phone for?
Click on "Send to Phone" after you get your passcode to have it sent to your cell phone via text message so you don't have to write it down or print it out.
Can I take advantage of the same special more than once before it expires?
Sorry, no...each BlackboardEats member can only get one passcode per offer, and it's for one-time use only.
Can I give my passcode to someone else?
Technically yes—but that means you can't use it. Instead of giving them your passcode, just forward them the special from your e-mail or click on "Send to a Friend" at the bottom of the special featured on the site. That way, they can sign up to get it themselves, plus get the scoop on all future BlackboardEats specials!
What if I don't end up using a special I signed up for?
No worries. While we prefer that you don't sign up for specials you're not going to use, there is no penalty if you find you aren't able to use one before it expires.
What should I do if I signed up but I'm still not getting any e-mails?
Your e-mail program has probably mistaken your BlackboardEats e-mails for SPAM. To fix the problem, sign in to your e-mail and add today@blackboardeats.com to your e-mail address list (sometimes also called your contacts list or safe senders list).
What should I do if I'm getting the e-mails, but I can't see the pictures and/or the links don't work?
It's probably because your e-mail program is blocking images and/or links. Unblock them in your account preferences, settings or options, or, if you have AOL, by clicking on "show images and enable links: always for this sender" at the top of the e-mail.
I forgot my password. Now what?
Click here.
Are you going to sell my e-mail address or other info?
No, we would never do that. For details, check out our Privacy Policy.
How do I unsubscribe?
Click here—but if you just want to change your e-mail address, click here instead.
How do I change my e-mail address?
Click here. That will ensure your BlackboardEats e-mails still get to you and ensure your My Blackboard page (if you have one) stays current.
Other Questions
What’s Side Dish and how does it work?
Side Dish is our list of the best food-related specials LA, NY and SF have to offer, as well as cool products and killer deals sourced from all over the Web. Unlike Today’s Special, these are not exclusive to BlackboardEats, so you don’t need a passcode to take advantage of them.
What's My Blackboard?
My Blackboard is the page where all the specials you've signed up for (and the passcodes you'll need to use them) are stored. You can also change your e-mail address or password from there.
What if I have an idea for a restaurant BlackboardEats should feature?
E-mail us and we’ll check it out, thanks!
When will BlackboardEats be available in my city?
If you live outside LA, NY and SF, stay tuned!
Advertising
What if my company wants to advertise on BlackboardEats?
Great! Contact us via our Advertise page and we'll get back to you pronto.
If my restaurant advertises on BlackboardEats, is it still possible you'll write about us?
Sure, it's possible. Editorial and advertising are totally separate at BlackboardEats, so if we deem your restaurant worthy, we want to write about it. But advertising with us does nothing to affect the chance of that happening one way or the other.
Don't see your question here? E-mail us.
