Restaurant gift card sales peaked earlier during the Thanksgiving weekend in 2024, with customers buying 13.2% more dollars per card on Black Friday and spending 17.7% more over the weekend, while Cyber ​​Monday sales remained flat compared to the same days in 2023, according to data from Paytronix, the digital guest engagement platform.

The Newton, Mass.-based company also said 2024 saw “renewed confidence in in-person dining experiences with consumers spending $7.8 million on in-store cards compared to $7.3 million on digital card sales, reversing last year’s trend.” “

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“With gift card sales increasing as much as two weeks before the holiday weekend, it appears that brands are front-loading their gift card offers earlier in order to take full advantage of shopping traffic both on Black Friday and during the Thanksgiving weekend,” Lee Barnes, Paytronix chief data officer and chief of staff, said in a statement. “Paytronix data also indicates a renewed, post-COVID enthusiasm for in-person dining experiences with FSR (full-service restaurant) sales outpacing QSR (quick-service restaurant) sales.

In total, $12.3 million was spent on gift cards for full-service restaurants and $5.2 million on cards for fast-casual restaurants, Paytronix said. On average, consumers loaded $66 on FSR cards versus $31 on QSR cards.

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Throughout the four-day weekend, shoppers spent 10% more, while the total number of cards sold increased 6% compared to the same weekend in 2023. Additionally, the average dollar loaded on all cards sold was higher ($57) on Black Friday than over the weekend ($49) or on Cyber ​​Monday ($47).

According to Paytronix data, the total dollar value of cards sold during the four-day weekend in 2024 reached $17.5 million, up from $15.8 million in 2023.

Paytronix Thanksgiving card sales surveys include data from gift card sales from November 29th to December 2nd. Data for 2024 included 366 brands, while data from 2023 included 351 brands.

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