DID WE CREATE A HOLIDAY GIFT CARD PROMOTION THAT WILL BE THE GIFT THAT WILL KEEP ON GIVING TO OUR GUESTS, EMPLOYEES, AND OUR P&L?

Did Your Holiday Gift Card Promotion Set You Up for a Strong Start in Q1 2025? Here’s How to Find Out

The holidays are a key time for restaurants, and a successful gift card promotion can do more than boost year-end sales—it can set the tone for a strong start to the new year. If you ran a holiday campaign, now’s the time to prepare to measure its impact and see how it’s going to drive your Q1 2025 earnings. Here’s how to gauge success and plan for future growth.

1. Start with the Numbers: Total Gift Card Sales

How many gift cards did you sell during the promotion? Look at:

Sales compared to the same time last year.
Whether you hit or exceeded your sales goals.
Any changes in week-to-week trends during and after the promotion.

Understanding your baseline sales helps paint a clear picture of your performance.

2. Track Redemption Rates

Gift cards are great for encouraging return visits, but the timing of those redemptions matters. Pay attention to:

When Customers Redeem: Are people coming in early in Q1, or holding off until later? Early redemptions can help keep the lights on during slow months like January.
Bonus Card Use: Did customers come back to use their bonus cards, and if so, did they spend more than the card’s value?

These patterns will show how well your promotion is supporting Q1 revenue.

3. Measure Incremental Spending

Gift cards often bring in more than their face value. Look for signs that your promotion is driving additional revenue, such as:

Guests spending above their gift card balance.
Gift card recipients returning for repeat visits.
New customers discovering your restaurant because of the promotion.

This kind of spending can make a big difference in your bottom line.

4. Evaluate Your Marketing ROI

Was the promotion worth it? Compare the costs of running it—advertising, printing, and the bonus card values—against the revenue generated. A strong ROI means the campaign not only paid for itself but also added long-term value by boosting customer loyalty.

5. Check Customer Engagement

Was your promotion well-received? Consider:

Online gift card sales and traffic to your website.
Social media activity, like shares, comments, and likes on your posts.
Feedback from customers and staff about how easy the process was and whether the offer appealed to them.

The better the engagement, the better the promotion’s reach and effectiveness.

6. Look at Q1 Impact

Holiday gift card sales are all about setting yourself up for success in the slower months. Check if your promotion is helping by analyzing:

Foot Traffic: Are more customers coming in now compared to last year?
Average Check Size: Are customers spending more when redeeming gift cards?
Cash Flow: Did the upfront revenue from gift card sales help you stay ahead in Q1?

Final Thoughts

A well-executed holiday gift card promotion does more than fill seats during the holidays—it creates momentum for the months ahead. By analyzing your results and learning what worked, you’ll not only maximize Q1 earnings but also set the stage for an even better campaign next year.

How did your promotion perform? I’d love to hear your success stories or help you strategize for next time—reach out anytime!

– Tim @ MarcJax