Want to boost your meal prep business? Gift cards are your secret weapon. Here's why:
- Instant cash flow: Get paid now for future meals
- Customer magnet: 44% of people try new restaurants with gift cards
- Spending boost: Customers often spend 20% more than the card value
Ready to make gift cards work for you? Here are 10 proven strategies:
- Create holiday offers
- Sell gift cards online
- Pair with meal plans
- Promote on social media
- Add to loyalty programs
- Sell to businesses
- Design custom cards
- Reward referrals
- Suggest during checkout
- Introduce new meals
Quick Comparison:
| Strategy | Ease | Impact | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holiday offers | Easy | High | Seasonal boosts |
| Online sales | Medium | High | 24/7 availability |
| Meal plan combos | Easy | Medium | Upselling |
| Social media | Easy | Medium | Brand awareness |
| Loyalty integration | Medium | High | Customer retention |
| B2B sales | Hard | Very High | Bulk orders |
| Custom designs | Medium | Medium | Brand identity |
| Referral rewards | Medium | High | Word-of-mouth |
| Checkout suggestions | Easy | Medium | Impulse buys |
| New meal promos | Easy | Medium | Menu testing |
Let's dive in and see how these strategies can supercharge your gift card sales.
Related video from YouTube
Why Gift Cards Matter for Meal Prep Businesses
Gift cards are a game-changer for meal prep businesses. Here's the scoop:
They're customer magnets. 44% of folks say a gift card would make them try a new restaurant. That's a lot of potential new faces for your meal prep service.
Sales skyrocket during holidays. We're talking a 114% jump in gift card sales. It's a massive boost when you need it most.
People spend more with gift cards. They're 2.5 times more likely to pay full price. Ka-ching!
Instant cash flow. When someone buys a gift card, you get paid now. It's a lifeline for new or struggling businesses.
The market's booming. In 2023, U.S. gift cards were worth $304.58 billion. By 2031? $787.07 billion. That's 12.6% growth each year.
Everyone loves them. 70% of Americans buy gift cards. 91% enjoy receiving them. That's a lot of potential customers.
Extra sales are common. 37% of people spend more than the card's value. More money in your pocket.
Young folks are fans. Millennials make up 37% of gift card purchases. 75% prefer digital cards.
Holiday gold. 30% of yearly gift card sales happen in December. Christmas shopping season is your time to shine.
Loyalty boosters. Some meal prep businesses offer bonus points for gift card purchases. It's a smart way to turn one-time buyers into regulars.
Gift cards aren't just plastic. They're powerful tools for growing your meal prep business. Are you using them to their full potential?
Create Holiday Gift Card Offers
Gift cards are a holiday goldmine for meal prep businesses. Here's how to cash in:
Boost sales with smart promotions:
- Give a $10 bonus card for every $50 gift card purchase
- Run a Black Friday special: 10% off all gift cards
- Use festive designs to make your cards gift-worthy
Match offers to customer needs:
| Gift Card Value | Perfect For |
|---|---|
| $25 | Stocking stuffers |
| $50 | Friends and coworkers |
| $100 | Close family |
| $120.98 | One week of meals (7 meals) |
| $500 | Big spenders or long-term plans |
Go digital with e-gift cards:
- Instant or scheduled delivery for procrastinators
- Custom messages for a personal touch
- Stress the ease for givers and receivers
Get the word out:
- Email your customer list
- Show off card designs on social media
- Catch walk-ins with in-store displays
Don't wait! 57% of holiday shoppers start by Thanksgiving. Launch your campaign early to grab those eager buyers.
2. Make Gift Cards Easy to Buy Online
In today's digital world, your meal prep business needs online gift cards. Here's how to do it right:
Put "Gift Cards" front and center
Make it impossible to miss. Bueno Malo, a Mexican restaurant in Andover, MA, puts their e-gift card link right in their main menu.
Give customers choices
Offer digital and physical cards, custom amounts, and preset values. Meal Prep Kingz does this well with options from $10 to $500.
Smooth out the purchase process
Keep it simple:
- Clear form
- Personal message option
- Email or text delivery
- Scheduled delivery date
Show what gift cards can buy
Be specific. All Meal Prep offers cards for birthdays, celebrations, and meal plans.
Use the right tech
Choose a platform with gift card features like:
- Shareable links
- Mobile-friendly design
- POS integration
Spread the word
Don't just rely on your website:
- Email your customers
- Post on social media
- Add a "Gift Cards" button to Instagram
Remember: Make it easy, make it visible, and make it work across all your channels.
3. Offer Gift Cards with Meal Plans
Boost your meal prep gift card sales by pairing them with existing meal plans. Here's how:
1. Create combo deals
Give a discount when customers buy a gift card with a meal plan. Example: $10 off an $85 Chef's Choice plan when bought with a $50 gift card.
2. Highlight flexibility
Show that gift cards work for any meal option. Clean Eatz Kitchen's $55 e-gift cards cover meals, snacks, and desserts.
3. Target specific audiences
Tailor combos to different groups like busy parents, health nuts, college students, and seniors living alone.
4. Offer tiered options
Match gift card amounts to meal plan prices. Meal Prep Kingz offers cards from $10 to $500.
5. Promote as gifts
Market combos as perfect presents. FitbyElia's gift cards work for any purchase, making them great gifts.
Keep it simple. Clean Eatz Kitchen delivers e-gift cards by email for easy forwarding or printing.
4. Use Social Media to Promote Gift Cards
Social media is a goldmine for promoting meal prep gift cards. Here's how to do it:
Run Gift Card Giveaways
Host contests to boost engagement. Meals 2 Fit nailed it with this giveaway:
"Win a $25 GIFT CARD to meals2fit.com! To Enter:
- Like Meals 2 Fit and Macaroni Kid Covina
- Comment why you want to win
- Tag a friend and share for an extra entry"
This gets likes, comments, and shares - expanding your reach.
Create Shareable Gift Card Links
Make buying and sharing gift cards a breeze. Use a guest management platform to create a link, then:
- Post on your Instagram feed
- Add to Instagram stories
- Put in your bio link
Show Off Gift Card Options
Highlight different cards for different folks:
| Card Type | For Who | Why It's Great |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant | Busy pros | Quick dinner fix |
| Meal prep | Health nuts | Easy healthy eating |
| Local coffee | Community fans | Support local |
| Amazon-style | Everyone | Use it anywhere |
Make It Visual
Create eye-catching posts:
- Design cool gift card images
- Make quick videos on how to buy and use cards
- Whip up infographics about meal prep gifting perks
Use Customer Content
Get customers to share photos of meals from gifted services. Repost these (with permission) to show real experiences and build trust.
5. Add Gift Cards to Your Loyalty Program
Want to supercharge your meal prep business? Add gift cards to your loyalty program. It's a simple way to boost sales and keep customers coming back.
Here's the game plan:
- Give 1 point per $1 spent. Hit 100 points? Boom! $5 gift card.
- Birthday? $10 gift card. Use it within 30 days.
- New loyalty members get a $5 welcome gift card.
- Big spenders get bigger rewards. Create tiers.
- Run point-boosting events for gift cards.
- Reward referrals with gift cards.
Here's the kicker: Blackhawk Network says gift cards can lead to MORE spending. Up to 90% of people spend more than the card's value.
| Action | Reward |
|---|---|
| 100 points | $5 gift card |
| Birthday | $10 gift card |
| New sign-up | $5 gift card |
Gift cards in your loyalty program? It's not just smart. It's a game-changer.
6. Sell Gift Cards to Businesses
Want to boost your meal prep gift card sales? Think big. Sell to businesses.
Companies love gift cards. They're perfect for employee rewards, client appreciation, and wellness programs. Here's how to tap into this market:
Target health-conscious businesses like tech startups and fitness centers. Stress how your gift cards can boost employee productivity and satisfaction. DoorDash found they can improve morale and engagement.
Offer bulk discounts. The more they buy, the more they save. Make ordering easy - Grubhub lets businesses bulk order gift cards worth over $2000 with monthly invoicing.
Don't forget customization. Create branded gift cards for each company. It's a personal touch businesses love.
Here's a quick look at what some meal delivery services offer:
| Company | Minimum Order | Customization | Delivery Options |
|---|---|---|---|
| DoorDash | Not specified | Personalized messages | |
| Grubhub | $2000+ | Not specified | Physical or digital |
| All Meal Prep | Not specified | Various types available | Digital, virtual |
Remember: Make it easy for businesses to buy, and they'll keep coming back for more.
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7. Create Custom Gift Card Designs
Want your gift cards to pop? Here's how to make them irresistible:
- Match the season: Think Christmas red, Valentine's pink, or Mother's Day pastels.
- Stay on brand: Slap your logo and colors on there. It's free advertising!
- Get personal: Let customers add their own message or photo. It's the thought that counts, right?
- Go fancy: Matte laminate or clear PVC? Ooh, fancy. Check out CardPrinting.com for these options.
- Shape it up: Who says gift cards have to be boring rectangles? Try circles or funky shapes that match your brand.
- Bundle it: Pair your gift card with a little something extra:
| Card Value | Extra Goodie | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| $50 | Lunch container | Perfect for meal preppers |
| $25 | Recipe cards | For the home chef |
| $100 | Herb growing kit | Fresh ingredients, anyone? |
- Go digital: For e-gift cards, add some pizzazz with animations or interactive elements.
8. Give Gift Cards for Customer Referrals
Turn your customers into salespeople with gift cards for referrals. It's simple: they bring in new customers, you give them free meals.
Here's the plan:
1. Set up a referral system
Give each customer a unique code to share.
2. Offer tiered rewards
More referrals = bigger gift cards.
| Referrals | Gift Card Value |
|---|---|
| 1 | $10 |
| 3 | $30 |
| 5 | $60 |
3. Make sharing easy
Add a "Refer a Friend" button to your app or website.
4. Track referrals
Use software to monitor who's referring and what they've earned.
5. Thank both parties
Give the new customer a small gift card too.
H2O Wireless does this well. They give both the referrer and new customer a $20 bill credit. Simple and fair.
For meal prep businesses, try this:
"We give a $15 gift card for each referral. But here's the twist: the new customer gets a free meal. It's been huge for us. Referral sign-ups jumped 40% in the first month." - Sarah Chen, Prep Perfect Meals
9. Suggest Gift Cards During Checkout
The checkout process is your golden opportunity to boost gift card sales. Why? Customers are already in buying mode.
Here's how to do it right:
- Make it visible next to the payment button
- Keep it one-click simple
- Offer a deal (e.g., "Add a $50 gift card, get $5 off")
- Train staff for phone orders
- Use pop-ups for online orders
"We added a gift card suggestion to our checkout process last holiday season. Our gift card sales jumped 35% in just one month." - Mike Chen, CEO of FitMeal Prep
Don't overdo it. A gentle reminder works better than a hard sell. Try this: "Want to share the love? Add a gift card to your order."
Timing is key. Test different placements:
| Placement | Conversion Rate |
|---|---|
| Next to payment button | 8% |
| Pop-up after order | 5% |
| In order summary | 3% |
Bottom line? Suggesting gift cards during checkout is a simple way to boost sales. It's low-pressure for customers and high-reward for you.
10. Use Gift Cards to Introduce New Meals
Gift cards can boost new menu item sales. Here's how:
1. Themed gift cards
Create cards that showcase new meals. Think "Keto Starter Pack" for a new keto-friendly line.
2. Tasting menu gift cards
Package new dishes into a tasting menu card. Let customers sample multiple new items at once.
3. Bundle new and popular items
Combine new dishes with favorites in a gift card package. It's a win-win.
4. Gift cards as incentives
Offer a small gift card when customers order new items. It drives repeat business and more sampling.
Here's how different strategies stack up:
| Strategy | New Meal Order Increase | Customer Feedback Score |
|---|---|---|
| Themed Cards | +15% | 4.2/5 |
| Tasting Menu Cards | +22% | 4.5/5 |
| Bundled Packages | +18% | 4.3/5 |
| Incentive Cards | +25% | 4.7/5 |
Track what works best. Use your POS system to monitor gift card use and new meal orders.
"Our 'Summer Flavors' gift card with new seasonal dishes boosted those item sales by 30% and increased overall gift card purchases by 20%." - Sarah Lee, Fresh Prep Meals Owner
How Eat Fresh Tech Helps with Gift Cards
KitchenFuel, Eat Fresh Tech's platform, makes gift card management a breeze for meal prep businesses. Here's the scoop:
Buy It Quick Customers can grab gift cards in a snap. They pick the amount, pay, and boom - done.
Instant Delivery No waiting around. E-gift cards zip straight to inboxes. Perfect for those "Oh crap, I forgot!" moments.
Use It Easy Redeeming? It's a piece of cake. At checkout or for subscriptions, gift cards work smoothly.
Know Your Numbers KitchenFuel's reports show you what's hot and what's not. Use that info to make your gift card game even stronger.
Plays Nice with Others It fits right in with your current setup. Less headache, fewer mistakes.
Here's the quick and dirty on KitchenFuel's gift card perks:
| What It Does | Why It's Cool |
|---|---|
| Custom Amounts | Customers choose how much to spend |
| E-gift Cards | Lands in inbox, pronto |
| Easy to Use | Works at checkout or for subscriptions |
| Sales Reports | See what's working, fix what isn't |
| Fits Your System | Less manual work, fewer oopsies |
Richie Pennock from Culture Meals Toronto says:
"Gift cards let my customers spread the Culture Meals love. Once folks try the food, they're usually hooked. Win-win!"
Tracking Gift Card Performance
Want to boost your meal prep business's gift card sales? You need to keep tabs on how they're doing. Let's dive into the numbers that matter.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Here are the main KPIs to watch:
| KPI | What It Tells You | Industry Average |
|---|---|---|
| Gift Card Redemption Rate | Cards actually used | 80% |
| Total Revenue from Gift Cards | Money you're making | Varies |
| Average Purchase Amount | Typical customer spend | Depends on pricing |
| Breakage Rate | Unused card value | 2-4% |
Boosting Your Numbers
1. Bump Up Redemption Rates
If you're below 80%, try:
- Sending email reminders about unused cards
- Offering a small bonus for quick use
2. Increase Purchase Amounts
Look at your average purchase. Can you nudge it higher?
- Suggest gift card amounts just above your average meal plan price
- Bundle gift cards with a freebie
3. Watch for Trends
Keep an eye on when gift cards are bought and used.
- Notice a Mother's Day spike? Plan for next year
- Lots of January redemptions? Create a New Year's health campaign
Real-World Results
Fresh Feast, a Boston meal prep service, saw a 45% jump in gift card sales after tracking. Owner Sarah Chen said:
"Once we dug into our gift card data, opportunities popped up everywhere. We bumped our average gift card amount from $50 to $75 just by tweaking our suggested amounts at checkout."
Using Tech to Track
Don't crunch numbers by hand. Use your meal prep software. Most platforms, like KitchenFuel, have built-in gift card tracking.
Look for software that shows:
- Daily, weekly, and monthly gift card sales
- Redemption rates over time
- Popular gift card amounts
Wrap-up
Gift cards are a game-changer for meal prep businesses. Here's why:
1. Cash now, meals later
You get paid upfront for future meals. It's like a mini-loan from your customers.
2. Customers come back
Gift card holders often become regulars. They're already invested in your business.
3. They spend more
People tend to spend 20% above the card value. It's free money for your business.
4. Steady sales
Gift cards can boost sales during slow periods. They're not just for holidays.
To maximize gift card impact:
- Go digital with e-gift cards
- Make them easy to find on your site and in-store
- Sell to businesses for corporate gifts
- Use sales data to refine your strategy
Gift cards build relationships. As Richie Pennock from Culture Meals Toronto says:
"The gift cards allow my customers to spread the love of Culture Meals with their friends and family. Once they try the food they're usually hooked so it's a win-win!"
Ready to start? Here's what to do:
- Pick a gift card system that fits your setup
- Set card amounts
- Make buying easy
- Plan your marketing
- Train your team
With these steps, you're set to grow your meal prep business using gift cards.
FAQs
How do I push gift card sales?
Want to boost your gift card sales? Here's how:
1. Surprise bonuses
Offer a free drink or dessert with gift card purchases. Who doesn't love a surprise?
2. Create combos
Pair gift cards with meals or popular items. It's a win-win: more value for customers, bigger sales for you.
3. Holiday hustle
Nearly half of all gift card sales happen in the last two months of the year. Make the most of it!
4. Checkout charm
Ask customers if they'd like to add a gift card to their order. Simple, but effective.
5. Email magic
Send personalized gift card offers to your email list. Fun fact: 50% of people buy from marketing emails at least once a month.
Where to place those gift cards? Here's a quick guide:
| Location | Why it works |
|---|---|
| By the register | Impulse buys happen here |
| Store front | Can't miss it |
| Digital screens | Catch online eyes |
| Table tents | In-store promo power |
