Restaurant gift voucher website to launch
Independent restaurateurs are being offered the chance to sell gift vouchers for use in their restaurants through a new website.
Restaurantgifts.com launches on May 4 and will give restaurants who don’t already sell vouchers via the internet a platform from which to do so.
Co-director Diane Horner came up with the idea after she wanted to treat friends and families to meals at their favourite restaurants as gifts, but did not want to make a visit to the restaurants in person to buy vouchers or give out her credit card details over the phone.
“Every Christmas for three years, I drove into Brighton to buy gift vouchers for my sister-in-law’s favourite restaurant and on my parent’s wedding anniversary I had to call the restaurant in Norfolk where they were having a meal, and pay by credit card. I know that if our site had been available, I would have used it six or seven times during the year,” she said.
Restaurants wanting to sign up to sell their vouchers through the website can do so for free and there is no monthly fee, but Restaurantgifts.com take 15 per cent commission on whatever is sold through the site.
Horner added: "We are excited about helping restaurant owners take advantage of the opportunities to sell online. Instead of discounting, it makes sense to create more ways to attract full paying customers into your restaurant, treat them well, and work hard at making them regulars.”
