A restaurant chain takes gift certificates to the Internet

McCormick & Schmick`s Restaurants have agreed to sell gift cards provided by Givex Corp., a gift card and loyalty transaction processor which uses the Internet to create a secure real-time gift card and loyalty transaction management system. Portland, OR-based McCormick & Schmick`s is a privately owned company which operates 35 full service restaurants.

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Givex’s technology will be integrated with McCormick & Schmick`s POS system, allowing the restaurants to conduct gift card transactions directly through their point-of-sale systems without additional hardware processing devices. McCormick & Schmick will be implementing the system through the summer.

The cards will replace McCormick & Schmick`s paper-based gift certificate program. "The Givex program will virtually eliminate many of the problems caused by paper-based programs," said Thomas Yee, manager of information technology of McCormick & Schmick Management Group. "We will be able to eliminate security concerns with duplicate use of paper-based systems, as well as substantially decrease our administrative costs with the new program."

Restaurants will be able to sell and activate the cards at their locations and online as well as redeem the cards at all locations within McCormick & Schmick`s restaurant group. Cards will be tracked in real-time, allowing restaurants to view a customer`s balance on the card instantly and on demand. Every time a customer uses the card, the remaining balance is immediately printed on the receipt. Customers will also be able to view their card balance and transaction history online at McCormickandSchmicks.com.