Holiday Gift Card Bonuses
If your family is like mine, chances are you have a few relatives who prefer to receive gift cards for their favorite restaurants as their holiday gifts. To stretch your budget, take advantage of a holiday gift card bonus cash deal. Restaurants generally start offering gift card bonuses in November, and the deals are often available through Christmas Eve.
Be advised: The type of bonus may vary—they may add it to the value of the gift card, give you an extra gift card, or give you a restricted-use coupon. Check with the restaurant before you buy.
- Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, Pappasito’s Cantina, Pappas Seafood House, Pappas Bar-B-Q, Pappas Burger, Pappa Bros. Steak House & Yia Yia Mary’s: Buy $50 worth of gift cards by December 24, 2012, get a $10 reward card free. Reward card valid January 1-February 28, 2013.
- Carrabba’s Italian Grill: Buy $100 worth of gift cards by December 31, 2012, get a $20 bonus card + sweepstakes entry free. Bonus card valid January 1-February 10, 2013.
- Outback Steakhouse: Buy $100 worth of gift cards by December 31, 2012, get a $20 bonus card free. Bonus card valid January 1-February 10, 2013.
- Bonefish Grill: Buy $100 worth of gift cards by December 31, 2012, get a $20 bonus card + sweepstakes entry free. Bonus card valid January 1-February 10, 2013.
- Fleming’s Steakhouse & Wine Bar: Buy $100 worth of gift cards by December 31, 2012, get a $20 bonus card + sweepstakes entry free. Bonus card valid January 1-February 10, 2013.
- Roy’s: Buy $100 worth of gift cards by December 31, 2012, get a $20 bonus card free. Bonus card valid January 1-February 10, 2013.
- California Pizza Kitchen: Buy $100 worth of gift cards, get a $20 rewards card free. Rewards card is valid from January 7-March 3, 2013.
- Maggiano’s: Buy $100 worth of gift cards by December 31, 2012, get a $20 bonus card + a one-year subscription to Food & Wine magazine free. Bonus card is valid from January 1-February 28, 2013.
- RA Sushi: Through December 31, 2012, buy $50 worth of gift cards, get a $10 bonus card free. The bonus card is valid from January 2-March 31, 2013.
- Macaroni Grill: Through January 1, 2013, when you buy $25 worth of gift cards, you’ll get a $5 bonus card free. The bonus card is valid from January 2-February 28, 2013.
- Half Price Books: Through December 24, 2012, when you buy $25 worth of gift cards, you’ll get a $5 bonus card free. Bonus card redeemable in-store only from January 1-31, 2013.
- Morton’s the Steakhouse: Through December 24, 2012, when you buy $300 worth of gift cards in one order, you’ll get a $50 Morton’s Reward card free. The Morton’s Reward card is valid from January 2-February 12, 2013.
- McCormick & Schmick’s: Through December 25, 2012, when you buy $100 worth of gift cards in one order, you’ll get a $20 reward card free. The reward card is valid from January 2-February 12, 2013.
- Benihana: Through December 31, 2012, when you buy $50 worth of gift cards in one order, you’ll get a $10 promotional card free (FYI–Be the Chef gift card purchases do not earn promotional cards). The promotional card is valid from January 2-March 31, 2013.
- Ruby Tuesday: Through December 31, 2012, when you buy $50 worth of gift cards in one order, you’ll get a $15 bonus card free with free shipping. Though the gift cards can be used with coupons & never expire, the bonus card is valid from January 2-February 28, 2013.
- T.G.I. Friday’s: When you buy $25 worth of gift cards in one order, you’ll get a $5 Bonus Bites card free.
- Applebee’s: For a limited time, when you buy $50 worth of digital gift cards in one order, you’ll get a $10 digital bonus card free.
- First Watch: Through December 30, 2012, give $100 worth of gift cards, you’ll get a $20 bonus bucks card free. Bonus bucks card valid from December 31, 2012-February 28, 2013.
- Ben & Jerry’s: For a limited time, get a free scoop of ice cream when you spend $10 or more on gift cards.
- Chipotle: Buy $30 or more in gift cards before December 31st 2012, get a free burrito, bowl, order of tacos, or a salad.
- P.F. Chang’s: Buy $100 or more in gift cards before December 31st 2012, get a free $20 bonus card.
- Boston Market: While supplies last, Buy a $25 gift card, get a free $5 bonus card.
- Chili’s: For a limited time, save 10% on gift card orders of $100 or more (Chili’s gift cards can also be redeemed at Romano’s Macaroni Grill, On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina, or Maggiano’s Little Italy).
- Ted’s Montana Grill: For a limited time, purchase a $100 gift card and get a free $20 thank you card. Thank you cards are valid from January 1-February 28, 2013.
- Gordon Biersch: Through December 31, 2012, for every $25 in gift cards purchased, receive a free $5 gift certificate.
- Olive Garden: Through December 31, 2012, buy $25 or more in gift cards in a single transaction and receive a $5 bonus card. Bonus cards are valid from January 1-February 13, 2013.
- Joe’s Crab Shack: Through December 31, 2012, for every $25 spent on gift cards you will receive a winning ticket with different offers including $5 & $10 off your meal, free appetizer, or free steampot
- Bucca di Beppo: For a limited time, purchase $50 in gift cards and get a $10 rewards card. Rewards cards are valid from January 1-February 10, 2013.
- Salsarita’s: Through Dec. 31, 2012, purchase $25 or more in gift cards and get a $5 rewards certificate. Certificates can be redeemed anytime from Jan. 2-31, 2013.
- CiCi’s Pizza: For a limtied time at participating locations, purchase $25 in gift cards and get a free buffet redeemable in January 2013.
- Ocean Prime: Through Dec. 30, 2012, purchase $100 or more in gift cards and get a $25 bonus card. Bonus cards valid Sunday-Thursday, January 2 – March 3, 2013.
- Qdoba Mexican Grill: Through Dec. 31, 2012, for every $25 you load on a single Q-Cash Card, you’ll get a $5 voucher. Voucher is redeemable at participating locations in January and February 2013.
- The Cheesecake Factory: Through Dec. 25, 2012, for every $25 you you purchase in Gift Cards, you’ll receive a Slice of Joy card, good for one complimentary slice of Cheesecake. Slice of Joy card is redeemable from December 26, 2012 – March 31, 2013.
- Red Robin: For a limited time, give a $25 gift card and get a $5 Bonus Buck. Bonus Bucks are redeemable from January 1 – February 28, 2013.
- Taco Bell: For a limited time, buy a $20 gift card and get a menu item for free.
One other thing: I like to dine out at familiar spots & try new-to-me places. Though I prefer an unrestricted bonus card, I’ll buy gift cards from restaurants that are my short list of places to go & then keep the bonus card to cut my bill.
Other freebies pop up throughout the year, so be sure to subscribe to email updates, follow @citiescheap on Twitter, like Cities on the Cheap on Facebook, or add us to a Google+ circle to save even more.
