Gift Card Guide (Overview)

Overview

This guide is designed for restaurant staff and managers to understand how to handle, load, and redeem gift cards across PAD (in-restaurant tablets), Online Ordering, and Kiosk. It covers operational procedures, troubleshooting, and reporting for seamless guest experiences and accurate financial tracking.

1. Where Gift Cards Work

PAD (In-Restaurant): Accept gift cards as payment at the table using the PAD. Guests may present physical or digital cards.
Online Ordering: Guests can enter their gift card number at checkout. Staff may need to assist with troubleshooting or questions.
Kiosk: Gift cards are accepted as payment at self-service kiosks (where available).

2. Loading Gift Card Balances

In-Restaurant (PAD)

Staff can load value onto new or existing gift cards via the PAD.
Navigate to Gift Cards > Card Load, scan or enter the card number, and process payment for the desired amount.
Multiple cards can be loaded in a single transaction if needed.

Online Gift Card Shop

Guests can purchase and send digital gift cards through the online Gift Card Shop (if enabled).
Staff should direct guests to the online portal for digital card purchases.

Bulk/Legacy Loads

Managers can upload legacy or bulk gift card balances using the import tool in Tabit Office.
Go to Customers → Import Customer → Load Gift Card, select the appropriate series, and upload the CSV file 1.

3. Redeeming Gift Cards as Tender

Online Orders

At checkout, guests select “Gift Card” as the payment method and enter the card number.
If the card balance is insufficient, split payment is supported (guest pays the remainder with another method) 2 3.

In-Restaurant (PAD)

Staff should ask if the guest wants to pay with a gift card.
Process the card by scanning, swiping, or entering the number.
Tips must be added before processing the gift card payment.
If the card balance is less than the total, process the remainder with another payment method (split payment).

Kiosk

Guests select “Gift Card” as the payment method and follow on-screen instructions.

4. Checking Gift Card Balances

Online: Guests can log in to their Loyalty account to view balances.
In-Restaurant: Staff can check balances on the PAD by selecting Gift Cards > Card Balance and entering the card number 4.

5. Reporting & Reconciliation

Daily Summary Report (DSR): View total gift card transactions (loads and redemptions) under the Prepay section in Tabit Office: Reports > Daily Summary 5.
Gift Card Summary Report: Run detailed reports on loads vs. redemptions for liability tracking: Loyalty > Reports > Gift Card Summary 6.
Transaction Center: For individual transaction details, use Loyalty > Customers > Transaction Center.

6. Troubleshooting & Best Practices

Offline Mode: Gift cards cannot be redeemed if the site is offline. Pause gift card use until connectivity returns 7.
Split Payments: If a gift card does not cover the full amount, split payment is available both online and in-restaurant.
Legacy Cards: Some older cards may require manual entry for redemption.
Permissions: Only managers should handle bulk loads and reporting. Assign permissions appropriately in Tabit Office 8.

7. Types of Gift Cards

Physical Cards: Can be loaded and redeemed in-person or online.
Digital Cards: Purchased online, delivered via email/SMS, and usable across all platforms.
Legacy Cards: Older cards, may require manual handling.

8. Need Help?

For guest issues, direct them to the Customer Hub or escalate to a manager if needed.
For internal questions, refer to the Tabit Help Center or contact your supervisor.

Gift cards are a valuable tool for driving sales and guest loyalty. Proper handling ensures a smooth experience for both guests and staff, and accurate reporting keeps your operation running efficiently.

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