If a table of four wants to use a birthday card and another promotion, first tell them they may only use one. (All your restaurant promotions should say not combinable on them).  Since we assume that they are visiting on or close to their birthday, graciously offer to extend the other promotion if they balk at all.  If they prefer to use the other promotion however, offer to extend their birthday card expiration date by about a month.  You should write the new expiration date right on their birthday card.  In this way, you diffused the situation, impart good will by doing the customer a “favor” and, most important, gave them the incentive to return again.  This also applies to two birthday cards being used at the same table.  If the number of persons in the party is large, you may want to overlook this guideline.

While it is no doubt advantageous to entice customers to come in on or near their birthday, fact is, you still gain regardless of when they redeem their card.  Some customers will ask if their card can be used after the expiration date (usually because they had prior plans).  Whether they call or just show up, you handle the situation by letting them know that you are pleased to make an exception and extend the expiration date, which instantly makes them feel as if you are doing them a special favor.  Over the phone, an employee who takes the call should tell the customer to use their (the employee’s) name if anyone questions the extension.  In practicality, it should never be an issue since you don’t need to check the expiration date anyway.  You make the sale and leave the customer with a positive experience all the way around.

Birthday card redemptions will start off slowly, but they will increase dramatically in just a short time.  In our own restaurants our servers’ tips climbed over 50% with our birthday program.  Don’t leap to the conclusion that customers won’t tip based on the original amount.  In our restaurants, over-tipping is far more common than under-tipping.  After all, your customer perceives they’ve just received a gift.  Finally, remember, the vast majority of these tables are extra business you would not have had in the first place.

These do not bring in discount minded “2 chicken / 2 water” people.  These are your existing customers who are visiting you to celebrate.  The good will is powerful.  On average, birthday card tables will be larger, spend more money and leave larger tips.  Birthday programs are the most effective type of restaurant loyalty program you can run.  The good will this program generates is extraordinary.  Customers are excited to receive their personalized birthday cards, and their enthusiasm carries on right through their birthday celebration.  They genuinely look forward to receiving their birthday card year after year.  In our restaurants, rarely does a month go by that we don’t get 2 or 3 thank-you cards in the mail.  Within the restaurants, customers thank us virtually every day.  When was the last time one of your customers thanked you for any form of advertising promotion?

More customers means more tips.  Customer loyalty will be increased, so you will see familiar faces more often.  The more you get to know your guests needs and wants, the more you’ll know how to up-sell them.  These guests are out celebrating, and are usually quite pleased with their “gift.”  This is just one of many benefits.  Use this to your advantage. The result will be higher check averages yielding increased tips, as well as a higher percentage of gratuity, due to all of the above.  There is no easier time to thrill a guest than when they are in a celebratory mood to begin with.

In addition, it also generates extraordinary good will.  On average, roughly 25%+ of the customers redeem their birthday cards, and they do so every single day of the year.  Guests will be in a great mood, oftentimes celebrating in a large group, and are likely to be open to ordering something special.  Customers celebrating their birthday are your ideal customers!  Loyal word-of-mouth advertising is tremendous free benefit.