News

Restaurant gift cards are all the rage this season

Provided

December 17, 2019

Restaurant gift cards are in high demand, according to research from the National Restaurant Association, which found that 72% of people wanted one this holiday season.

"A sizable 47 percent of adults say they are planning to give a restaurant gift card to somebody this holiday season — and among consumers with children in their household, that goes up to a whopping 60 percent," Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of research and knowledge for the association, said in a company press release. 

Other findings included:

• More than half of consumers (56%) said they wanted a gift card from their favorite restaurant.
• Nearly a quarter (22%) would like to use a gift card to try a new restaurant.
• More than one in five (21%) would like a gift card for a restaurant they wouldn't otherwise get to visit.

Additionally, the research suggested that diners had specific plans for their gift cards. Twenty percent said they would use the gift as soon as possible, while 40% said they'd save it for a special occasion. More than a third said they would splurge and order more expensive items than usual.

The National Restaurant Association commissioned Engine to conduct an online survey of 1,004 adults Dec. 2-4 asking questions about their perceptions of restaurant gift cards.