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Using promotional gift cards

February 19, 2026 05:29PM
Around the holidays, when lots of restaurants offered bonuses for buying giftcards, I purchased some for a restaurant I already had scheduled a few weeks out. Then I saw the $20 bonus card. It can only be used on a $40 minimum order, with no other offer or discount. Seeing “discount” has me concerned it’s going to go through as a coupon rather than as a giftcard. We know that very few clients allow coupons. It feels odd to ask the server how it shows on check though I did once somewhere else under the guise of trying to get a few extra bucks reimbursed on my expense account if it went through as a GC rather than coupon.

Any suggestions on how I should proceed? Ask the MSC? Just ditch them? Sell them outside the restaurant for $10 each? I have 3 bonus cards and I have 2 upcoming shops within the restaurant group before the bonuses expire. I already feel funny not letting my rewards be applied when I’m on a shop (totally forfeited my $10 welcome reward).
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February 19, 2026 05:40PM
What restaurant? Someone here may have purchased/ used some too and can tell you how they show up if we know which place it is....
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February 24, 2026 07:31AM
If no one here knows you can probably contact the restaurant directly. I would suggest calling one of the locations that you are not going to do a mystery shop at. Tell them what you have and ask them why they say you cannot use them with a discount because you thought they were a gift card you were gettting. I am sure they have been getting people using them a lot as these xmas bonus cards usually expire fairly early in the year . So they probably know how they look. You might say you are treating a friend who might see the receipt and you would be embarrassed if your friend saw it was a "coupon" sort of thing that shows up. Make up some story.
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February 24, 2026 09:25AM
"Sell them outside the restaurant for $10 each?" That cracked me up. I can see Catmom outside the restaurant in a trenchcoat lined with inside pockets full of gift cards. In a secretive voice, "Pssst, hey you, lookin' for gift cards? I got 'em. Give you a good deal."
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February 24, 2026 02:14PM
I recently used one at a mid atlantic local group (Titan Hospitality: maybe 10 restaurants) and it showed up as Holiday GC *Discount*: $25 on the check.
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February 24, 2026 04:03PM
I'd ask the MSC. They are well aware of these cards and I expect they will make it crystal clear whether it is OK or not. No need to guess or try and game the system only to end up removed from that client.
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February 24, 2026 05:45PM
@viv0412 wrote:

What restaurant? Someone here may have purchased/ used some too and can tell you how they show up if we know which place it is....

Garces Group in Philadelphia. Only has 3 locations.

I guess I will try to ask the MSC now to allow them time to check with client if needed. If it weren’t $20 off $40 minimum, I’d just get a takeout order with one and have my friend use another. I tend to only be in the city for shops so no interest in another dine-in visit. They expire 3/31. Thx!
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