A friend recently mentioned an article they had read, suggesting it to be tacky to use a gift card at a restaurant you select for an evening out amongst friends? The article suggested the card should be used to lower the overall tab prior to dividing the check. Anyone familiar with the piece or have thoughts on whether using it on one's own tab is ill-mannered?
2007-09-10 08:39:21 · 5 answers · asked by davidsohn1 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
Never use your gift card or other card to lower the tab before the bill is divided. Your friend was just trying to cash in on your gift card. Let them divide the bill and then use your gift card. That is like them saying you should use all the cash in your purse to cover as much of the bill, and then they can divide the bill and everyone pays what they owe. Then you would be paying twice wouldn't you, and you would be paying a larger percentage of the bill than everyone else. Your 'friend' and I use that term lightly, was trying to take advantage of your gift card.
I disagree with the person that says giftcard should be used to cover the total bill. They are like cash, treat them like you would cash. If you want, ask the other people to give your their part of the bill in cash, and then you can use the card to cover the whole table, or just tell the waiter to only take X amount of dollars off of the bill. Never let anyone tell you to use your card to pay and then the balance will be divided amongst everyone. They are just trying to con you.
2007-09-10 08:56:04 · answer #1 · answered by Haveitlookedat 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
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2016-04-14 08:00:33 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I asked a similar question and just about everyone had the same response (at least the non nasty responses).....
" Gift cards should be kept until one is dinning alone or with the significant other (I even think a close family member or friend would do) but it should always be applied to the total bill -not your own meal. As for group outings or getting together with another couple gift cards/certificates/coupons should be left home."
I agreed but wanted to see what others thought...
2007-09-10 08:47:16 · answer #3 · answered by ppnj4 3 · 1⤊ 3⤋
it's your gift card, to be used how YOU chose. If you want to be a great friend and use it to lower the overall tab first, that's really generous of you, but I surely don't think it's expected. I think, among friends, its' perfectly acceptable to use a gift card in a group setting, just on your portion of the bill. I've heard people say it's tacky to use them on a date, but that's a different story. But among a group of friends, I think they're fine :)
2007-09-10 08:44:47 · answer #4 · answered by GEEGEE 7 · 7⤊ 1⤋
What the ?!
If its my gift card (a gift to me) it going towards reducing MY tab at the restaurant.
Don't let people leech off you with hokus ideas like that.
2007-09-10 08:44:09 · answer #5 · answered by tabulator32 6 · 6⤊ 0⤋