Deal not working at the counter? What to check and what to say

The short answer

If a FIG deal will not apply at the counter, check three things in this order: that you are showing the live code from your Deals page (not a screenshot), that the deal is running right now on those days and hours for those dishes, and that it has not reached its daily cap. If the code still will not scan, staff can type the short code, or you can scan the restaurant's own counter code if it has one.

This guide goes through what to check before you leave, what to try at the till, and how to ask in a way that gets a quick, kind answer. Deals start in Markham on January 1, 2027, and the web app works today in a browser.

Before you leave: a 30-second check

Most problems are easier to fix on your couch than at a busy till. Before you head out:

• Open the deal. Read the days and hours. Many deals run only in quiet hours, such as weekday afternoons and early evenings.
• Check the dishes. Some deals cover the whole order. Others cover specific dishes from the restaurant's menu.
• Check dine in or takeout. A dine-in deal is for eating at the restaurant. A deal that also allows takeout is ordered in the app.
• Look at your Deals page. Your claim should be there, with the deal's name. If it says Expired, the deal ended.
• Charge your phone and turn the screen brightness up. A dim screen is the most common reason a camera cannot read a code.

A claim has no time limit of its own. It works for as long as the deal runs, so you can claim at home and go when it suits you. How a deal works, from claim to counter.

The code will not scan

Staff scan your code with the restaurant side of FIG on a phone, tablet or computer. If it does not work the first time, try these in order:

1. Show the live code. Open your Deals page and tap Show QR. The code keeps changing, so a screenshot or a photo of the code will not scan. Only the live code in your own app works.
2. Raise the brightness and hold the phone steady, close to the scanner but not touching it. Take off a glare-heavy screen protector if you can.
3. Let them try again. A scanner that is moving, or a lens with a fingerprint on it, often fails once and works the second time.
4. Offer the short code. If a camera will not cooperate, there is a short code that staff can type in instead. Ask if they would like to try that.

None of these steps needs you to be the expert. The staff member at the counter can try the same things, and a restaurant that has trained its team will know what to do. What restaurants are taught.

The restaurant uses a counter code

Some restaurants show their own code on a screen at the counter, and it changes all the time. You scan it yourself, so the staff member does not have to do anything.

1. Open your Deals page and find the claimed deal.
2. Tap Scan the counter.
3. Point your camera at the restaurant's code, and hold steady until it confirms.

If you cannot see a counter code, ask. Many restaurants use staff scanning at the till and the counter code at the table, so the one that works may depend on where you are standing.

What you see, why it happens, and what to do

One thing to know: a courtesy is the restaurant's decision. The app tells staff what the deal is, but the owner decides what to do in a gray area, and the answer can reasonably be no.

Check your bill

A deal should be visible on the receipt. In Ontario, HST (13%) is worked out on the price after the restaurant's own discount, the same way a store coupon lowers the price before tax. So a deal also lowers your tax. This is general information, not tax advice.

Takeout and pickup problems

If you ordered takeout with a deal, the deal is already applied in the app, so there is nothing to scan for it. What you need is your pickup code. A few things that help:

• Tap I'm here when you arrive. It tells the restaurant you are outside, and it keeps the order from counting as missed.
• Show your pickup code so staff can scan it.
• Check the bag against your order before you leave. Allergies and changes are worth confirming with a quick call. How takeout with a deal works.
• If you will be late, still tap I'm here when you reach the door. An order that is not picked up closes as Not picked up two hours after the pickup time, and restaurants can see a diner's missed pickups.
• Need to change something? Call the restaurant. They can also tell you if they are waiting on you.

What to say at the counter

Staff are juggling a line, a kitchen and a till, and a short, friendly sentence helps them help you. Some examples you can copy and change:

If the answer is no, thank them anyway. Next time, you will know what to look for, and the next person in line will have a better afternoon.

Still stuck? Two ways to follow up

You can message the restaurant from the app, or contact FIG through the contact page. When you write, say which deal it was, the day and the time, and what you saw on your screen. A short, factual message helps the restaurant fix its own settings if a deal was posted with the wrong hours.

After a scanned visit you can rate it. Only diners whose visit was scanned can review, so a rating describes a real visit. Rate the food and the visit, and mention the deal if it was handled well. How reviews work on FIG.

Questions