10 Meal Prep Gift Card Strategies to Increase Sales

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.

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.

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	Email
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.

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

10 Meal Prep Gift Card Strategies to Increase Sales

Why Gift Cards Matter for Meal Prep Businesses

Create Holiday Gift Card Offers

2. Make Gift Cards Easy to Buy Online