Restaurant Voucher Campaigns: More Revenue with a System

Vouchers work on several levels at once. They bring money into the till immediately, because the guest pays at purchase but uses the service only later. The voucher is often redeemed during a visit on which the guest spends extra, so the actual revenue frequently exceeds the voucher value. And because vouchers are popular as gifts, you reach new people through your existing guests who might otherwise never have walked through your door.

• Vouchers create immediate cash flow, because payment happens before the service is delivered.
• When redeeming, many guests spend more than the voucher value and generate additional revenue.
• Vouchers given as gifts bring new guests into your restaurant through your regulars.
• A voucher is a flexible gift and therefore in demand all year round.
• A voucher campaign is quick to set up and needs no large marketing budget.

Compared with pure discount actions, vouchers have a major advantage: you do not give away revenue, you simply shift it in time and broaden your reach. Especially in quieter periods or ahead of seasonal peaks, this lets you take in money in a predictable way.

Not every voucher suits every occasion. Once you know the types, you can choose the right form for your venue and your guests in a targeted way. In principle, you distinguish between value vouchers, experience or menu vouchers, and occasion-based actions.

Value, experience and seasonal vouchers

• Value vouchers for a fixed amount are universally usable and the classic gift – the guest chooses freely what to redeem them for.
• Experience or menu vouchers bundle a specific offer, such as a menu for two, and make the visit tangible as a gift.
• Seasonal gift vouchers for Christmas, Valentine's Day or Mother's Day meet the demand for a fitting gift at set occasions.
• Discount or promotional actions can drive short-term footfall but should be used sparingly and with clear limits.
• Combinations, such as a value voucher with a small extra for an occasion, link flexibility with a special hook.

Discount actions are the sharpest but also riskiest instrument: they cost margin directly and accustom guests to lower prices. Use them in measured doses, for example to introduce a new dish or to fill quiet days, and never as a permanent state.

A successful campaign is not created spontaneously but in a few clear steps. The key is that the terms are simple and understandable from the start – for you as well as for your guests.

1. 1Choose the occasion and voucher type, such as a seasonal gift voucher for Christmas or a value voucher for Mother's Day.
2. 2Set clear terms: validity, how it can be redeemed, and whether remaining balances are paid out or kept for later use.
3. 3Enable online sale so guests can buy the voucher around the clock – including on the go as a gift.
4. 4Promote the campaign via newsletter, social media and your website, ideally with a concrete hook and occasion.
5. 5Keep an eye on redemptions to assess success, capacity and predictable revenue.
6. 6After the campaign, review what worked well and carry the proven elements into your next action.

Keep the campaign deliberately simple. The clearer a voucher is – fixed value, clear validity, easy redemption – the more readily it is bought and given as a gift. Complicated terms tend to deter buyers and create questions at the counter.

Vouchers only become a real gain if the campaign does not erode your margin. The most common mistake is an overly generous discount that drives footfall in the short term but costs profit in the long run. With pure value vouchers, by contrast, you give away nothing – you receive the full amount and record it later as revenue.

• Avoid discounts that are too high; an attractive value voucher beats a margin-eroding permanent discount.
• Set sensible but fair terms for validity and redemption and communicate them transparently.
• Note that vouchers usually remain valid for several years – very short expiry periods are often legally ineffective.
• Distinguish carefully between single-purpose and multi-purpose vouchers, as VAT treatment differs between them.
• Record sale and redemption properly so that accounting and cash-register management remain traceable.

The tax and accounting treatment of vouchers, such as the distinction between single-purpose and multi-purpose vouchers or the permissible expiry period, depends on the details of your business. This article offers general orientation and is not tax or legal advice. Clarify specific questions with your tax adviser or qualified counsel.

The biggest difference between a good and a very good voucher campaign often lies in the sales channel. If you only offer vouchers in your venue, you reach only guests who are there anyway. Selling online makes your vouchers available around the clock, gift-ready, and reachable even for people who cannot visit right now – for example as a spontaneous gift from further away.

Buying vouchers directly through online ordering

With online ordering from gastronomx, your guests can buy vouchers directly online without having to come to the venue. The purchase is possible at any time, the voucher can be given as a gift with ease, and you receive the amount immediately. This combines the voucher revenue lever with the reach of the internet, without you having to build a separate system.

gastronomx sees itself here as a practical tool, not a magic bullet: the success of a campaign still depends on a good occasion, fair terms and your promotion via newsletter, social media and website. Online ordering takes care of the technical part so that buying a voucher becomes as simple for your guests as placing an order.