Toby Carvery, Miller and Carter and Harvester have one million £10 meals to be claimed – are you owed a free meal?

TOBY Carvery, Miller & Carter and Harvester have one million £10 meals to be claimed when restaurants reopen next week.

Mitchells & Butlers, the company behind the brands, has extended the expiry date on all gift cards that ran out during lockdown.

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It’s also re-validated unused gift cards that have expired since March 2020. Now, all gift cards already issued won’t run out until the end of September.

The restaurant firm, which also All Bar One, O’Neill’s and Browns, reckons that thanks to the move, there are now up to one million £10 meals up for grabs.

The amount left on each gift card will vary though depending on the purchase value and whether it has been partially used.

Hundreds of Mitchells & Butlers restaurants will welcome back customers from Monday, May 17, when indoor service can resume.

This includes 150 Toby Carvery pubs, 180 Harvesters and 51 All Bar One branches.

Shoppers lost almost £100million in vouchers that expired during the first coronavirus lockdown, according to a report by consumer group, Which?.

Now, diners are being urged to check old wallets, drawers and even the top shelf to hunt down their old gift cards.

Mitchells & Butlers only offers one type of gift card, the Dining Out Card, which can be used at any one of its pubs and restaurants. They can be bought for between £20 and £250.

The gift cards can be used to pay for your meal in full or go towards the bill, depending on how much is on the card and how much your meal cost.

Usually, you forfeit the amount on a gift card if you let it expire or lose it.

However, if you know you had a gift card that ran out after March 2020 but you’ve lost it or thrown it out, Mitchells & Butlers can track it down and reissue it.

To do this though, you’ll need to provide proof of purchase, such as a receipt, and correct details of the order, such as your payment method.

Unfortunately, gift cards bought through a third party retailer, such as Wilko, Amazon or highstreetvouchers.com can’t be reissued.

Diners can already book a table at their local Mitchells & Butlers for when they open next by visiting their local branches’ website.

Opening times may vary compared to before lockdown so it’s best to check ahead.

Customers will also have to follow a strict set of Covid-secure rules when visiting, such as checking in on the NHS Test and Trace app and wearing a facemask when not sat at their table.

It will be table service only and customers are being encouraged to order via the restaurant’s app.

In order to avoid missing out, Mitchells & Butlers is encouraging customers to book tables ahead of time although restaurants will accept walk-ins if there’s availability.

A Mitchells & Butlers spokesperson said: “We’re happy to be able to reopen indoors next week and it’s going to be great welcoming back so many of our guests again, they’ve been sorely missed.

“However, the restrictions our industry will still be under significantly reduce our capacity and our ability to trade at the levels we need to, and this is why we urge the Government to stick to their roadmap and allow hospitality to trade without restrictions no later than the June 21.”

Ahead of May 17, we’ve looked at major restaurant chains’ reopening plans.

Not all high street restaurants chains will be opening again from next week – here are the chains that have faced collapse during the pandemic.