UPDATE On Gift Card with No Value

I would email the Mom a simple note explaining what happened when you tried to use the card. They put the money on the card and should know that there was a problem so that they can look into it as well. Plus, if they like this restuarant, they may get another gift card as a gift at some point and I would not like to think of this problem happening to them a second time.

I think you do need to ask because the cashier may have made a mistake. OR it may have an expiration date on it. Maybe you could pose the question as to whether or not there is an expiration with that card?

I don't think they regifted it. I think if it was a regift it would have some odd amount on it like $54.87. Like they might have already gone to the resturant, used the card once, and given the rest to you.

I would tell them next time you see them that you and your husband went out to dinner, tried to use the card and there was nothing on it, but the manager is looking into it.

Hi J.,
Definitely tell the people that gave you the gift card. Quite possibly the transaction didn't take onto the card. I give gift cards frequently and it has happened before that I've paid for one - but it never scanned onto the card. I always keep my receipts just incase it happens to show proof that I did pay for it.

It would be a shame if you did nothing. I'm sure they would want to know!
Blessings,
D.

I would say something to them. Otherwise the restauraunt made a profit for something that they did not give out. Just say something like my husband and I got a chance to use your gift card on such a dat however we hd a problem on with it. For some reason there wasa computer snag or the card was defective and it was showing that there wasn't any money on it. Is there a number on the back of it? Sometimes the stip on the back can get demagnetised and it does not work prperly.

I think they should know since they probably PAID $100 for it!

HI
I would say something. I would say that I was concerned that they might have been charged the $100.00. There should also be a 1-800 # on the back of the card that you should call first. They might have picked it up at the grocery store and forgot to activate it. I work in retail and it should not take that long to look up. Our cards can be swiped at the register and it will tell you right away.

So call first and then say something to them if it was used or canceled. The person that put it in the register could have taken the money.

I hope that this helps.

i would definatly talk to them. its probaby not their error, it probably had more to do with the activation process...

is it a "credit card" type gift card? what i mean is it a scannable one or something?
if so, its possible that they paid for it, but the activation never happened, and that caused no money to be put on it.

this SUCKS. but i would just talk to them sometime when you have the time to talk, and people arent in a hurry to do something or go somewhere.... sometime when you can maybe help her remember or figure out what went wrong. im almost positive that someone wouldnt give you an empty card knowingly. its not like you wouldnt find out or something!
anyway, good luck. i hope that it works out

I agree with Meagn R. You should wait until you get more information. I think I would call the 800# myself. I'm sure the manager may be trying to help, but it doesn't hurt to look into it. If you can't get any help from either of them or if they need info from the gifters, then I would let them know.

J. - I gave a gift card from a restaurant one time as a coaches gift. It was from the whole team but I was the person who picked it up. The coach that I gave it to didn't say anything to me but another family did. I was horrified that there was no balance on the card. It was a mistake made by the restaurant and I quickly had it reversed once i learned of the situation. Like I said, I was horrified. I'm glad someone told me.

Imagine that they spent $100 and were excited to give it to you. I'm sure they would feel awful that the card had no value. I would want you tell me. I would want you to tell me face to face and not by email. I believe there is a way you can let them know in a gentle way. I'm sure they will want to fix the problem.

BTW - the restaurant didn't charge me anything to fix the problem. They made a mistake and fortunately i had a receipt to prove it.

Good luck,

Personally, I would wait and see what the resturant comes back with before pursuing it with the gift giver. If they can't help you, or the number on the back (like the other post mentioned) isnt an option, then I would mention it to them. If I gave such a gift I would want to be told. I don't think email would be too impesonal. I think you should be careful to word your email to say, I thought you should know rather than in a way that would make them feel like you just want your $100!

I think I would bring it up and tell them your not telling them this so they regive you the money, its not about the money on your side.. but you just wanted to let them know so that way they can find out where their money went to and they just didn't spend the money and get nothing out of it. $100 is alot of money to spend, its not like it was a $10-$20 gift card.

I agree I would want to know if it didn't show up on your gift.

I can understand that it would feel weird to say something, but if I were the person that gave it to you I would definitely want to know that the card didnt work. The have put 100 dollars down on this card and thats a lot of money just to be thrown away. I would do it in person but tell them you are not complaining or anything just that you think they should know so that they can find out where their 100 dollars went. I do think in person would be the best way to do it as it would be easiest to express that you are not mad or complaining just that you are concerned that they might have gotten ripped off or an error has occured. Those parents want you to have that present they would not have given it to you if they didnt so I'm sure they would want to know so they can help you figure out what happened.

I would for sure say something. I'm assuming they were charged the $100--wouldn't you want to know??

Even if they regifted it, someone, at some point, put $100 on it that is no longer there. It needs some looking into.

I would tell them about it via email. The reason is, they might be embarrassed and it could get awkward face-to-face. Also, this will give them time to do their own research (call their credit card company, etc.) before getting back to you.

Absolutely, you should tell them! I would be SO upset if I went out of my way to give someone a nice present that ended up being worthless. Since they made a big deal out of giving it to you, I seriously doubt they would intentionally do something to mess it up. I have heard of restaurant and store employees loading the money onto a card that THEY keep instead of the one the customer gets. Your friends should have a receipt that they can take to the restaurant as proof that they paid for the card. Please give them the chance to give you the gift they intended.

Chances are they didn't get it through the machine right. I worked in a restaurant and some of our employees didn't have a clue how to do the gift certificates on the credit card machine when handing them out. Please tell your friends who purchased it for you right away, they can get the reciept from the restaurant and get it straightened out much better. The way the machines work, you can't tell what kind of activity is on the card, or at least ours you couldn't. They might need the reciept.

I can certainly see your dilema with this particular situation. The best advice I can give is to put yourself on the giving end. If you were excited to bless someone you meant so much to you with such a gift and then this happened, would you want to know about it. I personally put great thought into the gifts I give and would never wnat any to go awry or to spend money for naught. In this case they spent $100 and with you not being able to use the gift card, that $100 was basically flushed down the toilet. I would not want $100 of my money flushed. Also, consider what you would say when they might ask you..."did you have fun using your gift card? how was the food? etc. Again, I make it a point never to lie so I would have to tell the truth and when that time would come I would hate to not be able to recoup the money if I were the gift giver due to too much time passing. Hope this is helpful. Sorry that you have found yourself in such a difficult spot.

I personally would want to know if I gave someone a gift card that didn't work. Especially if it was with a nicer restaurant, I'm sure they will figure it out or at least do something~

Now going about telling them...uhm, I would make my husband do it. HA

At Wal-Mart they sell gift cards for different restaurants and one time when I was working there we had a customer come in with the same exact problem, she bought a gift card for her parents and when they went to use it nothing was on the card. Well after I called the card company with the receipt in my hand we got it straightened out it took a while about a half hour but it got taken care of.

I would let them know about it. BUT in a way that makes you more concerned about them getting "ripped off" and not you not getting the gift. I too would want to know, because i would want to get my money back. I think if you make it sound like your concerned about their loss and not yours nobody will be offended.

I would...cause if they spent the money on the gift card, then they should be able to show the restaurant a bank receipt. If they spent the money, I'm sure they would want you to be able to use it.

I would say something and I would go at it as if there was a mistake that the restaurant made. Lets face it I bet you are pretty sure anyways that this is what happened.

I'd tell them you went to use your gift card finally and the restaurant said there was no money on it. You explained to them how that was insane and they have agreed to look into it. Tell them they aren't seeming to do this and you were wondering if they happened to have the receipt? Or maybe the CC transaction that showed they purchased it so you could get this all cleared up. If it was me and a restaurant did that to me when I purchased a gift card I'd march right in there. I know they wouldn't insist that i "regifted" a dead gift card if I was right in front of them. How unprofessional!

But you should definately tell them! I wouldn't let that restaurant get away with that. No matter how high end they are. Crooks!

Maybe it's just a computer problem. Don't you have to load money on them when you pay for them? I would wait until you hear something from the restaurant. If they still say there's no money on it maybe you could say that you just wanted to let them know that the gift card didn't work at that place, so then they would know in the future not to buy any for there.

i really doubt that they regifted. They would have to know that you would find out immediately. The restaurant probably sold the GC with no money on it. I work for a company that sells GCs and it happens when someone doesn't follow the process for selling one. Don't mention it to them until the Restaurant completes the 'investigation' but if they come back and say it was used, then you should tell them. They will probably have a receipt that they bought it or they probably put it on their credit card.

Contact the family and let them know. I had this happen with a gift card I had given. When I went to the restaurant and told them the situation, the manager immediately checked into the card and, through their computer system, was able to see that the money on the card hadn't been spent. He issued a new card immediately. The family who gave it to you probably has a credit card receipt that will help confirm that the funds were to be on the card. They may need to go to the manager to help things along a bit.

Hi J.,

I aksed my husband who is a restaurant manager that sells alot of gift cards(works for higher end restaurant)and he thinks the manager has not really checked into it yet. He said it should only take 1-2 days because he would call corporate to get the records. If you tutor for this family and they pay you ontime do you really think it was regifted as the manager suggested? I would push the restaurant to check their records because 95% of me believes the gift card was done inproperly. At Christmas time my husband's restaurant sells 20-40 somtimes more cards a day. SO the chance it didn't get money put on it seems greater than the people you tutor for regifted. Hope this helps because this would be an ackward converstion either face to face or by email.
L.

I personally think you should casually mention the problem. I do not think they regifted or gave you a gift card without money on it. If you mention it, perhaps the family has a receipt that proves the purchase which can be brought into the restuarant....
I give gift cards all the time. I would want to know. If I paid $100 for a gift that doesnt work or seems invalid, I would actually be offended if someone did not tell me the problem.

I agree with the others. First, did they buy it at the restraunt or at a diff. store? Was it ever really activated? I seriously doubt anyone would regift a gift card if they are handing out $100. gift cards never have an even amount on them once used, it would be a bit obvious.

Coming from a cashier's view point sometimes those cards do not activate. now days most registers are set up to print out an activation confirmation receipt for each gift card, besides the main receipt for the purchase.

The family would def. want to know. I would get all the information first then bring it up with the, hey thought you would want to know your $100 was basicly stolen from whomever it was that they bought the card from. (ok- dont really use those words lol)

good luck

Personally, coming from the perspective of the giver of the card, I would want to know if the card did not have anything on it!! Of course, I'm the type of person who would pitch a b****, and find my receipt for purchasing the card, but, I think anyone, after spending that kind of money, would want to know what's going on with it!!

It was a x-mas present...call them up and let them know. they are not going to think little of you. It's the best thing that you can do....they spent the $100 dollars on you and wanted to send the $100 dollars on you....just think it they came to ask you how was that restaurant and to find that you didn't use it or lie that you enjoyed it and fill guilty for lying.

Just give them a call first....if you get the msg machine...leave a message, if they are home tell them that you and your husband went to that restaurant and the card was invalid....then ask then if they have the receipt to show the manager at the restaurant to prove that the money should be on there. this should break the ice. GOOD LUCK!

I would totally say something. Especially since they were so excited to give it to you. I had the same thing happen when I bought a gift card for a friend. I could tell the girl issuing the gift card was having a hard time and couldnt get get it to swipe. She grabbed another card and tried that and got it to work. Somehow, the money didnt get put on the gift card. I luckily still had the receipt and was able to track the card I bought through the number on there. I am so glad she told me. I would have been mad had I spent that much money and they never used it.
Just ask if she still has the receipt. Then tell her the story. Even if it was a regift it should still have a balance on it, I am sure they know if they used it or not.
There was a scam going on not too long ago where people were taking the numbers off of gift cards at checkstands and writing them down. Once they are loaded they use the gift card before you have the chance. Good Luck--let us know what happens.

That's a tricky one! It is hard to imagine they would have given you a card that did not have money on it on purpose! I think I would say something, mostly because if they spent $100 on the card, they did not get what they paid for and they may have a receipt or cancelled check to take to the restaurant. I would also stay on top of the restaurant manager to get an answer for you!

Normally I would say not to mention a bum gift, but I'm sure they shelled out the money for it and should receive the product they paid for. I would try to fix it through the restaraunt first, without mentioning it to them.

I was on the other side of this story...I got a gift card from Walmart for my nephew and his mom called me and told me there was nothing on it but the store had taken the card and thrown it away so I couldn't "remedy" it with the store. I personally wish she hadn't told me because I ended up sending him $$ because it wasn't HIS fault that it didn't have money on it. If you tell them they will probably pay another $100 and your present will end up costing them $200.

I would wait and see what the restaurant has to say. If they come back saying that they won't honor you gift card I would contact the family. If they paid for it with a credit card or check card their statement should have the transaction number. The restaurant should be able to see what was purchased for that transaction.

Email may be appropriate form of communication if that is the way you normally talk to them. Make sure that your email doesn't sound accusing or anything negative.

I agree w/the other posts. I'd tell the family, especially if the restaurant can't figure things out, to see if the family has the receipt. Or, if the restaurant is anything but 100% awesome about this situation - so the family has that knowledge going forward when gift buying. It's just a gift, of course you would never be approaching the family to replace the $100 :-) Terrible birthday gift, though, right? Good luck!

Personally if it was me as the "giftor" I would want to know! Becuase if I spent the $$ to give someone a gift and the resturant messed something up....I wouldn't want the "receiver" to be on the short end of the deal!!! I wouldn't care how someone told me, email or person to person...but that is me. I know lots of people still prefer face to face. :) Hope it works out for you!

I work retail and occasionally have customers present gift cards with no balance. It's usually because whomever they were purchased from didn't activate it. Gift cards can be purchased so many places nowadays that it could have been any retailer. You should say something because that store (wherever purchased) got paid and your clients are out $100. Your clients should have a receipt and your gift card number and pin so that store can issue a new card. An inquiry can be done to prove all (or in your case) no transactions.

Hi J.

That is a hard one you do not want to hurt their feelings by saying some thing . On the other hand if they ask you if you have used the card you want to say yes and it was nice .
My friend just got a gift card from our boss and it had no money on it it was the resturants fault because she had bought a few at a time and they forgot to scan hers .
So mabey the family bought a couple cards at the same time and they did not scan yours .
I would not e-mail her that would sound like you are accusing them of messing up . I would say some thing when you see mom . I would say mabey tell her that you and your husband went out for your birthday and you were going to use the card but the resurant messed up and did not put any money on the card when she got it for you .
I am sure she will say she is sorry and want to fix it .

i would definetly say something. I had this happen to me for Christmas, too. It turned out the restaurant made a mistake and sold a card without adding the value on it. I had the reciept with me, so fortunately, they were able to credit us right away. I would simply mention to theperson that the card was of no value and the restaurant manager thinks they made a mistake but can't look it up without a reciept. It's been since Christmas, so they probably don't still have it, but at least then they can be aware of the problem. Just tell them it isn't a big deal, but you figured it was wortha shot to ask. what can it hurt? i think anyone would ask...i wouldn't be offended if someone asked me. i would feel bad, though :)

Dear J., I am not sure what you should do but I would not put it in an email. Emails make it difficult to get a true idea for the way a person is feeling. If it were me, I think I would let it go. Do you think the family is having money problems?

N. 36yo mother of 2

Yeah, I would definitely (tactfully) say something. I would just say, "This is really embarressing, but..." and tell them the story. I would say that they should check their records and see if they were CHARGED $100 for it, because they would want to know if they were charged for something they did not get!! You can act like you care more about their money than getting your gift. Good luck!!