NEW YORK—Restaurant gift card sales were up 22% in 2021, compared to 2020, but still down 13% than 2019, according to a new report.
According to Paytronix's Restaurant Gift Card Sales Report 2022, sales in the family dining category shot up 106% when compared to 2020, while fine dining saw a 57% jump, demonstrating a pent-up demand for a return to on-premises dining.
While the total overall number of gift cards sold in 2021 increased year over year, other trends, such as per-card spending, remained relatively consistent when compared with previous years, Fast Casual stated in its analysis.
Digital card sales in 2021 were the highest they've been in the years included in the report. Sales were driven by the purchase of e-gift cards, particularly for fine-dining restaurants.