Greetings to all, I just wanted to vent a little bit about a very touchy subject in the food server industry.....the gift certificate.
First of all, before you go out on a Saturday night to your favorite restaurant with your trusty gift certificate it is critical that you READ THE GIFT CERTIFICATE RULES AND LIMITATIONS.
Is it good on a Saturday night (or Friday night, or whatever day you are thinking of redeeming it)? A lot of restaurants have certain times and days where the gift certificate is valid. Others may say "Saturday when seated before 4PM".
Does the gift certificate expire, and has it expired? A lot of restaurants will still honor expired gift certificates, but CALL IN ADVANCE TO FIND OUT---don't leave it to chance that some restaurant will still honor the Gift Certificate. You could put yourself in an embarassing situation with the management, and your own family or guests.
Can this gift certificate be combined with other offers? If you are intending on redeeming a gift certificate AND using a "2 for 1" coupon you found in your local paper, make sure there aren't any limits on the gift cert. or on the coupon that prohibit them from being used together.
Oh, and don't blame the food server if you cannot use your "buy one get one free" promotion with your 20% off coupon or gift certificate.....
When using a gift certificate you should tip ON THE FULL AMOUNT of the check. If the check is $100 and you present the food server with a $50 gift certificate, don't leave the poor server $7.50. This is NOT a 15% tip....this is a lowly 7.5% tip. And the food server pays the restaurant tip share BASED ON THE ENTIRE AMOUNT OF THE CHECK, NOT THE DISCOUNTED AMOUNT.
Know limits on the gift card regarding getting change back, or if the gift certificate has no cash value. Gift certificates sold for money usually DO get change back. Gift certificates generated for a promotion or donated to charity (to be sold at auctions) or sent as an "OOOOOOOPS, I'M SORRY" from the restaurant typically DO NOT get change back.
What does this mean? If the check is $35 and the customer gives you a $50 gift certificate, a gift certificate with a cash balance (that DOES get change back) gets $15, or can use that for the gratuity. If the same $35 check redeems a gift cert. that does NOT get change back, the gift certificate is worth only $35----no change and the balance does not get carried over for a tip.
PLEASE read these little guidelines and remember them the next time you whip out a gift certificate. Your food server works very hard for their money, and when you stiff them on a gift certificate transaction you are depriving them of their earnings.
Peace out!
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2 comments:
Jeepers, it would be a much simpler world, indeed, if GCs were just like traveler's checks. Now it seems like the purchase of one creates an onis for the patron to go to school prior to dining out. Not that I can't dig your jive, but the whole "you can use this GC between the hours of 12-4, and it is reedeemable for the chicklets, but not the erasers" seems like madness.
Redeem for the Chicklets, BUT NOT THE ERASERS? Nice reference to THE JERK, my friend! Seriously though, after I wrote this blog the next shift I had three different occassions where there was something goofy or irregular with a gift certificate. It always happens when you are hopelessly busy or "in the weeds" at work.
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