Gift Cards and Restaurants

[G00fyDad]

I have yet to do this on a trip before since we usually get the DDP lately and before that came around I always paid cash, but I bought several VISA gift cards to use so I am not carrying around a ton of cash. I have heard that some restaurants will add the gratuity to the card as a hold and if you pay gratuity another way, or decide not to leave gratuity then it could take a few days for that money to be placed back on your card. Is that true for Disney restaurants? If so which ones?

We are eating TS at:

T-Rex
Chef Mickey's
Sci-Fi Dine In
Be Our Guest

 

[Sweet Melissa]

Yes, it is true for Disney restaurants. It's best to assume that all Disney restaurants will leave 20% of the card's balance available for gratuity. So if you have a $50 gift card, they will only be able to charge $40 to it as Visa/AMEX/etc. "hold" the rest in case a gratuity is added to the receipt after the card is run. We've had it happen on the rare occasion we've attempted to use a gift card at a restaurant. La Hacienda de San Angel was the most recent example I can recall.

 

[G00fyDad]

Yes, it is true for Disney restaurants. It's best to assume that all Disney restaurants will leave 20% of the card's balance available for gratuity. So if you have a $50 gift card, they will only be able to charge $40 to it as Visa/AMEX/etc. "hold" the rest in case a gratuity is added to the receipt after the card is run. We've had it happen on the rare occasion we've attempted to use a gift card at a restaurant. La Hacienda de San Angel was the most recent example I can recall.

Oh great. We have three $500 gift cards. Looks like I need to go cash these in now.

A quick side note.... can't we just tell them to take the gratuity off and that I will be paying in cash?

 

[Sweet Melissa]

Oh great. We have three $500 gift cards. Looks like I need to go cash these in now.

A quick side note.... can't we just tell them to take the gratuity off and that I will be paying in cash?

No. My understanding is that the point of sale doesn't control the way these cards are processed. It's the issuer (Visa or whatever) that processes restaurant sales this way.

 

[G00fyDad]

No. My understanding is that the point of sale doesn't control the way these cards are processed. It's the issuer (Visa or whatever) that processes restaurant sales this way.

But why would VISA care whether I give a tip?

 

[Sweet Melissa]

But why would VISA care whether I give a tip?

I don't think it's that they care if you give a tip. It's that they want to prevent people trying to stiff someone with one of their cards. If you have a $100 gift card and use it to pay for a $100 meal at a restaurant, they run the card, then you leave a tip on the receipt after the card is run, you're using a $100 gift card to pay what then becomes a $120 meal. That's why Visa holds a portion of the card's total at the point of sale.

 

[G00fyDad]

I don't think it's that they care if you give a tip. It's that they want to prevent people trying to stiff someone with one of their cards. If you have a $100 gift card and use it to pay for a $100 meal at a restaurant, they run the card, then you leave a tip on the receipt after the card is run, you're using a $100 gift card to pay what then becomes a $120 meal. That's why Visa holds a portion of the card's total at the point of sale.

Then yeah, I'm cashing these things in. I'm not paying a 20% tip if I have horrible service.

 

[Sweet Melissa]

Then yeah, I'm cashing these things in. I'm not paying a 20% tip if I have horrible service.

It doesn't mean that you're compelled to leave a certain percentage for a tip, it just means that you wouldn't be able to use the gift card's entire value in one transaction. You likely wouldn't be using those high-value gift cards all in one place anyway. The only thing that might be tricky is when you get down to the end of the card's balance. When the card gets to the point where you can't have it pay the whole transaction with 20% to spare, just use it in shops instead of restaurants and you'll be fine.

 

[alissafalco]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but visa gift cards do not work in restaurants. You will not be able to use them at any restaurants.

 

[Sweet Melissa]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but visa gift cards do not work in restaurants. You will not be able to use them at any restaurants.

Visa gift cards definitely work in restaurants. Please see the below:

http://usa.visa.com/personal/cards/prepaid/gift_card_faq.html#anchor_23

Can I use my Visa Gift card at merchants where a tip may be appropriate?

• Yes. When using your Visa Gift card somewhere a tip may be appropriate (such as restaurants, bars, taxis, salons, barbershops, or health and beauty spas) the merchant or issuer may decide to authorize your transaction for an additional 20% above your total bill. The actual tip amount is your choice.
• Be sure that the balance on your card is sufficient to cover the cost of the bill plus the tip added. If not, the transaction will be declined.

 

[alissafalco]

You'll see...

 

[Sweet Melissa]

Except that, per my earlier posts in this very thread, I've used Visa gift cards in restaurants before, and at Disney specifically.

 

[Minthorne]

Only 47.42% of information on the internet is correct.

You'll see...