Understanding coupons and gift cards

[Deleted]

I did a favor for my cousin, staying all day with my 98-year-old aunt because she was having major problems, etc.

Anyway, my cousin sent me a gift card and a coupon for $4 off.

We went to Olive Garden today, and my DH was so confused. He didn't want to use the coupon because he said it would mess his tip up. The bill was for $29.something, and the gift card was for $30.

I kept trying to explain, but I gave up. I think part of the problem was our confusion as to whether you can tip via a gift card. I'm not sure how this would have really affected his $29.something, but that was his worry.

He ended up using my coupon and saving the giftcard to eat lunch with my DIL next week. She definitely doesn't care about coupons, etc. as long as he covers the bill

Can anyone explain whether you can use a gift card to cover the tip?

[Deleted]

I would have chanced it. They either would have processed it like a charge card and brought you back a slip to add the tip to, or they would have used your coupon and brought your gift card back with a $4 and something balance. (I would expect the latter, but who knows)

My only hesitation would have been how much cash I was carrying. If I didn't have enough cash for the tip, that could be awkward because I am not sure if they can run a credit card just for a tip. That may have been the source of concern for DH.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

We did it once, but I realize now, I don't know what the results were.
We had a $35 dinner and left a $50 gift card. We didn't intend to go back to the restuarant because we were moving from that city.

[azphx1972]

You can just ask the people at the restaurant. I went to a local eatery and they said they didn't, so I left the tip in cash.

[jeffreymo]

I think most chain restaurants allow you to use the available gift credit as a tip. So if you had a $50 card and your bill came to $33 you could tip $7 and they would give you back the card which would now have a $10 value.

I've used a combination of gift card, coupon, and credit card at a restaurant before. The amount available on the gift card for a tip wasn't enough, so I gave my credit card to leave an additional amount.

[qofcc]

A normal gift card has a cash value, so yes you can use it to pay for the tip or anything else at that restaurant. A coupon cannot be used for the tip, it's just a reduction from the bill absorbed by the merchant and you should tip on the amount pre-coupon. You should be able to combine gift cards and coupons.

[whoisjohngalt]

I had a GC for a hairsalon and they wouldn't let me use it for the tip, which kind of ticked me off. I have to go there two more times to use up the card and I guess I will bring cash with me, but after that they won't see me.

Lena

[fairlycrazy23]

Wait staff probably prefer to get paid in cash over GC or credit, so you may not get unbiased information if you only ask your waiter.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

The resturant chain I worked for would let you tip from the gift card. It was just taken off the balance of the card along with the rest of the bill. Worked just like a credit card when it came to calcuating cash out at the end of the night.

Only gift card I had an issue running was an American Express. I tried it as everything I could think of and the computer rejected it.

[oreo]

I've used some leftover gift card money for a tip or part of a tip many times. They frequently give you a receipt to sign for using the gift card so maybe that is how it ends up being tracked?

[Deleted]

Olive Garden lets you use the GC for a tip. A $25 GC is the perfect amount for lunch for 2 + tip in my area.

Many places don't like to do that, because then there is a record of what the server makes in tips. The server would prefer cash....