Last month I wrote a column about what a good deal restaurant.com is. When the site runs an 80 percent off sale, you can get $25 gift certificates for $2. (March 31 is the last day to get the current 80 percent discount. Use COOK as the discount code.) I included mentions of several recently added restaurants such as Game Works. I should have known better. I had read recent reports that Game Works was trying to sub-let its lease on Block E to another tenant.

Yesterday it was announced that Game Works in Minneapolis has closed, along with several other locations nationwide. If you are out $2 or $4 or so because you saw it in my column, I am sorry. But there is good news if you still have unredeemed gift certificates from Restaurant.com for Game Works.

According to Restaurant.com's PR manager Stephanie Peters, buyers of those certs will be notified by e-mail and given a credit toward a future purchase. If you have not received an e-mail, you can call 1-800-979-8985. Restaurant.com has a satisfaction guaranteed policy on all purchases, she said.

I recommend redeeming any restaurant gift certificate/card ASAP in a recession. If you have a certificate or gift card purchased directly from the restaurant, there is nothing you can do to get your money back after the restaurant closes. My sympathies go out to those who held certs from restaurants that closed abruptly in the past such as Bennigan's, Steak & Ale and Stuart Anderson's Cattle Company.

If you know of other restaurants closing locations around the country but not in the Twin Cities, let us know that it might be buyer beware.