3-minute read ---

As the warm summer breeze starts to roll in, restaurants gear up for the influx of patrons seeking delicious meals and refreshing drinks. While summer is undoubtedly a bustling time for the hospitality industry, savvy restaurant owners understand the importance of leveraging every opportunity to maximize revenue. One often overlooked yet highly effective strategy is promoting gift cards during the busy summer season.

​Here are five compelling reasons why restaurants should prioritize the promotion of gift cards to boost their summer revenue.

Switch to biodegradable or reusable alternatives made from materials like paper, bamboo, or stainless steel

1. Capitalizing on Increased Foot Traffic
Summer brings an uptick in foot traffic as people venture outdoors to enjoy the sunshine and engage in various activities. Restaurants located in popular tourist destinations or near beaches, parks, and entertainment venues experience particularly high volumes of visitors during this season. By promoting gift cards, restaurants can tap into this increased foot traffic and convert casual visitors into loyal customers. By promoting gift cards as convenient souvenirs or thoughtful gifts for tourists and locals alike, restaurants can extend their restaurant's reach beyond its immediate customer base.

2. Generating Revenue During Off-Peak Hours
While summer evenings and weekends may be bustling, weekdays and off-peak hours often see a decline in patronage. Promoting gift cards encourages customers to pre-purchase meals, thereby generating revenue during slower periods. Offering incentives such as bonus gift cards or discounts for off-peak dining can further incentivize customers to buy gift cards, effectively smoothing out revenue streams throughout the week.

3. Boosting Cash Flow and Liquidity
Gift card sales provide an immediate cash infusion for restaurants, improving cash flow and liquidity during the summer months. This influx of funds can be particularly beneficial for covering seasonal expenses such as increased staffing, seasonal marketing initiatives and events, and facility upgrades. Additionally, gift card sales represent deferred revenue, meaning that the restaurant receives payment upfront for goods and services that will be redeemed at a later date, thereby enhancing financial stability.

4. Driving Repeat Business and Customer Loyalty
Gift cards offer more than just a one-time transaction; they present an opportunity to cultivate long-term relationships with customers. Recipients of gift cards are likely to return to the restaurant to redeem their cards, providing additional opportunities to deliver exceptional dining experiences and win their loyalty. Moreover, satisfied customers are more inclined to purchase gift cards themselves to share their positive experiences with friends and family, creating a cycle of repeat business and customer referrals.

5. Expanding Brand Awareness and Market Reach
Gift cards serve as miniature yet powerful marketing tools, effectively weaving their way throughout the community promoting the restaurant's brand to a wider audience. Whether purchased as gifts or self-indulgent treats, gift cards introduce new customers to the restaurant's offerings, ambiance, and hospitality. Furthermore, recipients of gift cards may share their dining experiences on social media platforms, amplifying brand visibility and attracting potential customers. By strategically promoting gift cards during the busy summer season, restaurants can capitalize on the influx of patrons to expand their brand awareness and market reach.

In conclusion, promoting gift cards during the busy summer season offers numerous benefits for restaurants, ranging from generating immediate revenue to fostering long-term customer loyalty. By capitalizing on increased foot traffic, boosting cash flow, driving repeat business, and expanding brand awareness, restaurants can leverage gift cards as a powerful tool to thrive during the summer months and beyond. Embracing this strategy not only enhances financial performance but also strengthens the restaurant's position in the competitive hospitality landscape.

​Aldelo Express is a cloud point-of-sale platform that supports native physical and digital Masa+ Gift Card solutions, as well as:

• Physical and/or Digital Masa+ Loyalty and Rewards
• Masa+ Promo Cards (smart coupons)
• QR code Masa+ Digital Menus, Online Storefront, and Online Ordering
• And More!

Learn more by contacting an Aldelo representative today at [email protected] or 925-621-2410

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​Restaurants that use ultra-competitive
Aldelo Pay or Aldelo Partner Merchant Services
obtain access to
a Centralized Multi-Store Restaurant Technology Platform
that includes Masa+ Online Ordering,
Unlimited Software Releases,
​Unlimited Software Upgrades, and 24/7 Technical Support!


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Please contact an Aldelo representative today for more details, 
including a free Aldelo Express POS demo trial

[email protected] | 877-639-8767 | [email protected]

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