Question Regarding Etiquette

Whenever I give a gift card to a restaurant, I always make the total enough to cover two people whether the person I'm giving the card to is married or not. The way I see it, I wouldn't want the person who's receiving my gift to either dine alone or have to pay money out of pocket for someone to join them. That's really not a gift anymore.

I also don't see a gift card as a tawdry gift. Some people can be difficult to buy gifts for, myself included. I would much rather have someone give me a gift card so I can pick out what I want rather than having an embarrassing moment for both myself and the gift giver should I want to return or exchange the gift they bought.
 

One warning about gift cards, though. I once sent one for Bed Bath & Beyond to my granddaughter, who was setting up her new apartment. Somehow, it got lost in the mail, and she never received it. There was no way to
recover any of that money, it was just lost. No better than sending cash through the mail.
 
Big Horn said:
A gift card is an extraordinarily tawdry gift; it implies (almost certainly correctly) that giver didn't wish to be bothered picking out a gift. It's unsuitable for someone of the same social class as the giver. It's suitable only for a servant. I'll give Christmas gifts to several regular service people as well as my maid. I'll give them cash. That would be unthinkable at a social function, but how is a gift card different?

I do have another employee, an elderly lady who has been cataloging books and other items. I respect her enough to give her something that I believe she'll enjoy. She's not a servant.
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I strongly disagree. I think a gift card is a fine gift, and they are being given more and more these days, and, at least in my circles, do not bear any connotation that the receiver is considered in any way a servant. Most people I know, especially as we get older, have all the "stuff" we need and I, at least, sure don't need or want any more useless "stuff" -- I'm already going through my stuff and getting rid of piles of it.

But a gift card to a nice restaurant or for something else I'd enjoy, would be very welcome, and I think it does show a lovely thought.
 
oldman said:
Do we buy the gift card with enough cash on it to cover the cost of both meals or just his meal since it is his present?
We couldn't even find the answer in my wife's etiquette book.
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Oh I don't know

it creates a vivid scene in my mind;
QBo4C1V.jpg
 
neotheone said:
Forget the gift cards, send a really nice floral piece to decorate their home for the holidays.
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I think the gift card is a much nicer idea, especially for an older person, and gives them a chance to do something they may not have ordinarily done for themselves. I got a gift card for a fancy massage once and LOVED it. Much better than flowers, which just sit there and wilt.
 
Sunny said:
One warning about gift cards, though. I once sent one for Bed Bath & Beyond to my granddaughter, who was setting up her new apartment. Somehow, it got lost in the mail, and she never received it. There was no way to
recover any of that money, it was just lost. No better than sending cash through the mail.
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If you saved your receipt you should have been able to go to the store where you purchased the card and so long as the card hadn't been used yet they can cancel that card and give you another one. The bar code for the gift card is scanned into the system when you buy it, they will have that info stored in their system so long as you provide the receipt.
 
Heck, I’d take a gift card anytime instead of a an item that I may need to return, although I did get some pretty nice things at my retirement party, including gift cards.
 
It seems the rules of gifting have changed whether we want to accept it or not, due to these plastic cards which are so convenient, so practical, make so much sense, but the monetary value is disclosed when formerly it was not.

As has been said, a person's age can have a lot to do with gift cards. Some of us are fortunate enough at our age to have amassed enough stuff to last the rest of our lives, so a gift card is perfect. I love to get them as gifts.

Laurie said with regard to a restaurant gift card for 2, the giver should book the table and pick up the tab. That sounds proper to me!

But, by the same token, if I wanted to gift some one with an item of their choice from a nice store instead, do I offer an unlimited card or a blank check and let them order anything in the store and then "pick up the tab"?

I could get stuck paying for a piano and diamond earrings!

It seems the value between a restaurant gift and a shop gift is on the side of the restaurant gift card, so I'll be accepting those, and thank you all very kindly.
 
I'm personally sick of getting gift cards in lieu of presents(not that I really need/want presents to begin with).

And, I'm feeling that giving gift cards has become a quick & easy cop-out. It used to be that gift giving meant that the giver spent time thinking about what the recipient would really enjoy. Of course, the ultimate gift is one that the giver had spent time making. That showed an elevated level of thoughtfulness and love.

Of course, I'm not trying to sway the OP, I'm just talking about the theory of gift giving, in general.


My daughter's birthday was last Sunday, rather than sending her the usual card with the usual eatery gift card, I had a really nice floral arrangement delivered, along with a card and balloons.


She loved that...alot!
 
It surely depends on the recipient ? I wouldn’t give any of my friends a gift token but I would to their grandchildren

In reply to the OP, I would have made the gift card enough for both meals without question
 
oldman said:
It is really unusual for my wife not to know the answer to questions regarding proper etiquette about almost anything. She is a retired law professor from a major university here in the East and has attended many functions. But anyway, here is the question; We are invited to a friend's 70th birthday party that his wife is having for him next Saturday. We know that they both enjoy eating out, so we have decided to buy him or them a gift card to a pretty nice restaurant. We have asked other invitees this same question and they too did not know the answer.

Do we buy the gift card with enough cash on it to cover the cost of both meals or just his meal since it is his present? I mean, if I were to buy him a watch for his present, I wouldn't buy two; one for each, right? We are not cheap by no means, but we just don't want to show up our friends who may only buy a gift card that covers only one meal. The restaurant will probably require a $100.00 card to cover the two meals and my wife and I are leaning on doing just that, but like I said, if our other friends only buy a card that covers the cost of one meal, it may look to them, or at least some of them, like we are trying to show them up. You know how it is, some people can look at things different from what the intention is or was.

We couldn't even find the answer in my wife's etiquette book.
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Yes, people do look at things differently, and I think for me, I would follow my heart on what I want to give them. I don't think I ever even think of what other's are giving on a birthday. I ewwwwwww and awe over what others give, but I think people on the whole appreciate the thought that goes into giving a gift;)
 
neotheone said:
I'm personally sick of getting gift cards in lieu of presents(not that I really need/want presents to begin with).

And, I'm feeling that giving gift cards has become a quick & easy cop-out. It used to be that gift giving meant that the giver spent time thinking about what the recipient would really enjoy. Of course, the ultimate gift is one that the giver had spent time making. That showed an elevated level of thoughtfulness and love.

Of course, I'm not trying to sway the OP, I'm just talking about the theory of gift giving, in general.


My daughter's birthday was last Sunday, rather than sending her the usual card with the usual eatery gift card, I had a really nice floral arrangement delivered, along with a card and balloons.


She loved that...alot!
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One of my fave gifts came from a lady that is now 85. She makes little crafts, and she gave me an amazing little Angel ornament. I'll stick with gifts from the heart, and a gift card can be that if folks really love going out for a nice meal and don't get to do that often;). One thing I've learned, is get someone something I think "they'd" like, not something I like. My his and hers Sock-puppets may not be someone else's cup of tea, LOL!!
 
Ive given as a birthday presant a card for a resturant with enough money for two meals .I wouldnt dream of giving enough for one , that would be an insult ..
 
I just want to say I should have "thought" more before I answered because you (asked which you should get). To answer your question instead of me rambling on with a "gift-giving" lesson, I'd like to say enough for two at dinner;) on the gift card Oldman;) I do apologize :( I read some of the other answers and saw where I messed up. Who says you can't teach an "old dog" new tricks;) Denise
 

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