Gift cards are one of the simplest ways for your restaurant to increase your income and profit. They are a great gift idea at this time as they allow people to either dine-in, save the gift card for later, or use it for delivery and takeout. They’re are also great because they encourage new customers to give your restaurant a try when they receive one as a gift. But selling gift cards isn’t easy! Lucky for you, we’ve collected some tips that will make creating restaurant gift card promotions a breeze.
E-Gift Cards
Digital gift cards are a great promotion idea for your restaurant. They allow people to buy gifts for people on the fly and from home or on-the-go via their smartphone. Plus, e-gift cards allow people who live elsewhere to buy gifts for people who live in your town, whereas otherwise they would have to travel to your restaurant to make a purchase. Digital ones are also cheaper than physical ones because you don’t have to order actual gift cards–simply send them out via email.
How to Advertise Your Gift Cards
Creating restaurant gift card promotions requires some creativity. We recommend using stands in your restaurant, near the check-out desk or hostess stand, so people can stop by quickly to buy them for gifts. Diners will also see them there and realize what a perfect gift idea it would be for an upcoming celebration! But beyond this, you’ll also want to promote them on all of your social media platforms, your website, and in your app. Finally, use your menu–both digital and physical–to your advantage, and advertise there, too!
Offer Discounts or Gifts
Even if you advertise your gift cards extremely well, you might still find that sales are slow. Maybe it’s time to step up your gift card promotion game! Including discounts on or free gifts with gift card purchases will make people more likely to purchase one. You can offer a discount on the gift card purchase itself, or you could offer discounts on order totals when they’re paid for with a gift card. You can even offer restaurant gift card promotions that are marketed towards specific deals. For example, you could offer a $25 gift card and couple it with a $25 deal that includes two entrees and an appetizer.
Gifts are also a great add-on. If your restaurant sells merchandise such as branded mugs, baseball caps, pens, or any other items, consider including one of these products with your gift cards! Not only will it be an extra bonus that may make someone more likely to purchase a gift card, your branded merchandise also serves as free advertising for your business!
