Photo of food at Bistro Provence by dracisk

Today, D.C. finds itself with a new group discount program to clog the inbox and tempt the credit card. OpenTable, the popular online restaurant reservations website, has brought its Spotlight to D.C. after having piloted it in six other major cities.

Spotlight offers one deal each week. It will go live every Tuesday at midnight and, like many other deal sites, is not guaranteed until a minimum number of people have bought the deal. The deal can be purchased for the next 24 hours, until it closes, or an unannounced maximum quantity are sold. Most of the deals are for $50 worth of food (and sometimes drink) for $25. Most apply the usual rules that the deal must be used on a table of two or more, and it can’t be combined with other offers like Restaurant Week.

Prior to the deal’s late night Tuesday release, OpenTable will post hints on their site about which restaurant will be featured, so that purchasers can get a head start on their decision making. D.C.’s opener was billed as a steakhouse near the National Mall with big, bold American flavors. I was wrong with my guess of Capital Grill; it was revealed to be for Charlie Palmer Steak, which features an all-domestic wine list (I was once poured a fantastic Idahoan sparkling wine there). The deal is live until midnight tonight.