Palm Springs Restaurant Week wrapped up, but not without a few hiccups—especially for those who participated in the city’s “Love Local” gift card promotion.
One viewer, Alex, reached out after discovering that a $50 bonus gift card, offered free with a $100 gift card purchase, wasn’t accepted by many participating restaurants. While the deal sounded like a win, some diners found that their bonus cards were rejected at multiple locations.
The City of Palm Springs, which managed the digital gift card campaign, responded to the complaint, telling us they were sorry for the viewer’s trouble. They pointed out that on the same website where the gift cards were purchased, there’s a map listing all participating businesses that accept the “Love Local” digital gift card.
We checked it out—and this is where the confusion likely started. The site doesn’t just show restaurants. It features a wide mix of businesses, from shops to salons to eateries. While many restaurants are included, not all of them accept the card, and that detail wasn’t immediately obvious in the promotion’s messaging.
The offer, which encouraged diners to support local businesses during Restaurant Week, may have unintentionally led people to believe that all participating restaurants would accept both the purchased and bonus cards. In reality, only select businesses opted in.
So, for those like Alex who ended up with an unusable bonus card at their favorite restaurant—there’s still a silver lining. That $50 gift card might work just as well at another local business.
Explore: NBCPalmSprings.com, where we are connecting the Valley.
By: Fred Roggin
June 10, 2025
