Gift cards have become a necessary evil in today’s society.  Even if you don’t buy them, they are so ubiquitous and easy (read, lazy) as last-minute gifts, you are bound to receive one or more per year.  So anything that makes gift cards easier to use is Ok by us.

It is no great secret that close-loop (store specific) gift cards are the better deal vs open-loop (Visa-type) gift cards; they typically have no up-front charge and do not carry fees.  Most state laws, and the new Federal laws, make them last a long time and you can cash out the last few bucks in many states.

That why this multi-restaurant gift card that a group of restaurants in Connecticut have created is such a good idea; it combines the convenience of an open-loop gift card with the value proposition of a closed-loop one.