Some business do better some less during the holiday season. All of them can can crash it with a good gift card promotion. It's just about the time to get in on the Gift Card Game
‘Tis the season to be jolly…unless you’re struggling to find ways to increase incremental revenue for your restaurant brand. Truly, the holiday season can be challenging as guest behavior and spending veers into unpredictable territory. But one thing stands true, people spend more on restaurants around the holidays.
One thing you can count on: People will buy gift cards. In fact, American consumers plan to spend more than half of their holiday gift-giving budget on gift cards. For restaurants, that translates into immediate revenue — and could also be a way to appeal to new guests.
Per Entrepreneur, gift cards allow you to “increase your brand's appeal to customers you wouldn't otherwise attract.” Of course, one of the most obvious benefits to gift cards is that you’ll earn a new guest — with minimal output on your part. A current customer purchases the card for a friend, and you’ll have the opportunity to get a new guest in the door.
And once they’re in that door, they’re likely to spend more than the value of the gift card. In fact, 80% of guests spend an average of $59 more than the gift card value when redeemed. And that’s if they even redeem the card — nearly half of Americans have an estimated $21 billion in unused gift cards.
With AppFront, you can launch a gift card program with just a few clicks. And like all of AppFront’s programs, it’s completely customizable — and loaded with ways to incentivize your guests to participate.
You can encourage guests to purchase cards by adding “bonus” value to each card. For example, a $50 card can be worth $55. You can even establish a tiered system where guests get more value the more they spend, encouraging them to purchase cards of a higher monetary value. So a $25 card is worth $30, a $50 card is worth $60, and a guest who buys a $100 gift card is rewarded with $120.
Remember, most guests spend more than the value of the gift card, so you’re almost guaranteed to recoup that incentive.
And the gift card recipient isn’t the only one who can benefit! Buyer perks can encourage your guests to purchase gift cards. Maybe they receive 10% off their next visit if they purchase a gift card — or receive a gift card of their own as a “thank you” from the brand. Incentivize your guests and encourage customer loyalty with buyer rewards.
Best of all, these cards go where your business is. They can be physical cards, perfect for slipping in a holiday card or attaching to a gift. You can also opt for digital cards, which are perfect for those last-minute presents and the overall shift to a contactless dining experience. Similar to cards used by Amazon and Starbucks, these can be redeemed online or in-store, or linked in the app for ease of use — wherever you do business.
So make it a merry season with guaranteed sales with gift cards, available now in Appfront.
It's already been tested and approved as successful by market leaders, so why are you waiting for? Launched by Panera Bread, whose Unlimited Sip Club entitles the guest to unlimited beverages for $10.99 a month, and Taco Bell, whose limited-run Taco Lover’s Pass offered a taco a day for $10.
UpSells A.I. - an automatic upsell mechanism that will automatically suggest to your guests the one (or more) thing they really want just before checking out and placing their order.
Appfront is announcing a new integration with Order with Google so you can easily accept pickup or delivery food orders directly through Google Search and Maps. Now, customers already searching for food on Google can find, order, and reorder food from your business profile in just a few taps.