In a tweet asking whether or not gift cards for its now closed CAU spin-off could be redeemed at Gaucho restaurants, Gaucho replied that CAU vouchers were not valid at its remaining restaurants.
Gaucho now says that it was referring to discount vouchers rather than pre-paid vouchers and giftcards.
The steak chain's representative says that those with CAU gift cards will be able to redeem them at Gaucho.
Drinks on us
Confusion arose when Gaucho was asked on Twitter yesterday if it was accepting vouchers for its failed chain of CAU restaurants in its eponymous steakhouses.
In a now deleted Tweet, Gaucho replied: “Due to CAU going into administration, your vouchers are not valid at Gaucho."
British steakhouse Hawksmoor then tweeted offering all holders of defunct CAU vouchers a free round of drinks at Hawksmoor restaurants and its sister Foxlow.
“Administration is sh*t,” the restaurant’s post reads.
“Anyone with an unusable CAU voucher is welcome to swap them for a round of drinks at any Hawksmoor or Foxlow when they eat with us to soften the blow of not being able to use them at Gaucho either.”
Reponses on social media describe Hawksmoor’s gesture as “classy”, while Gaucho’s decision to not accept the vouchers is “harsh” and “destroying what is already a business hanging in the balance”.
The entire CAU restaurant chain closed earlier this month as its parent company Gaucho enters administration.
The sites immediately shut their doors, causing around 540 job losses.
The chain was “significantly loss-making” and suffered negative like-for-like sales for three years, says its administrator, Deloitte.
Matt Smith, joint administrator at Deloitte, says its 16-strong sister Gaucho brand continues to “trade well”.