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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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