Timewaster

Hello there
Do you know any restaurant ,a good one,in London ,where i can pre-pay my lunch or dinner iwth my credit card ,as it would be a surprise gift to my friend?
Thanks in advance..
Panos

janisj

Too many variables - unless it was a set meal and no drinks were involved. Just quietly tell the maitre d on arrival that you'll want the bill.

nytraveler

Any decent restaurant will do this. Just call and tell them a gift for your friend and give them the card info in advance. They don;t need your signature really to submit the charge. We order meals all the time for delivery with no signature.

janisj

Not sure it would work that way in London - since the OP most likely doesn't have a chip cc.

But it <i>might</i> - if so, just about any restaurant could accommodate you.

But I read this as you were going to be dining with your friend. So it shouldn't be an issue.

Odin

I can't see that working in London. The idea of passing a credit card number by phone in the first place is not very safe. Even if you order a pizza delivery and pay by credit card on the website, they still want to see the card and ask for signature when delivered so that's why I doubt you can prepay this way. Perhaps restaurant gift voucher might be an option, or if you are with your friend just pay the bill at the end.

alanRow

I must be missing something here - why can't you pay at the end of the meal like other people?

Cathinjoetown

Toward the end of the meal, just excuse yourself as if going to the loo and have a word with your waiter or waitress, handing them your card. They will take care of it discreetly.

Christina

I think this is an odd idea, myself, and wonder why you don't tell your friend before the meal that it is your treat as a gift. Are you trying to make sure they don't order something expensive, or what? I just think while it may be a nice gift to treat, the idea of keeping it a secret is strange. And it almost sounds like you aren't even going to be there, in which case I don't understand how you would know they are going to be in a certain place for a certain meal.

I think you should tell the friend before the meal, not make it a surprise. And assuming you are with them, just take the bill to pay, that's all.