10 gift voucher ideas for salons, restaurants and shops
A good gift voucher is DL (99×210 mm), 210×100 mm or A6 (105×148 mm), printed on 300–350 g/m² board from a 300 DPI file with 3 mm bleed. It should show a monetary value or the name of the service, a specific expiry date, a unique serial number, space for a signature or stamp, and brief redemption terms set in type no smaller than 6–7 pt. Numbering combined with a register of vouchers sold is the simplest and most effective protection against forgery.
A gift voucher is something a customer buys for someone else, so it needs to look elegant and make sense without any extra explanation. Below you'll find 10 tried-and-tested voucher ideas for salons, restaurants and shops, a list of the essential details, print specifications and ways to protect yourself against forgeries. At the end, we suggest the occasions when vouchers sell best.
10 gift voucher ideas for salons, restaurants and shops
The best-selling vouchers are the ones the buyer can hand over without having to explain what the recipient is getting. Pick 2–3 ideas that suit your business and create a separate design for each, rather than one catch-all voucher.
- Fixed-value voucher – print a series in €10, €25 and €50 denominations instead of leaving a blank box for the amount. A fixed value speeds things up at the till and is harder to alter than an amount written in biro.
- Treatment voucher (salon) – e.g. 'Gel manicure' or '60-minute relaxing massage'. Naming the service rather than an amount protects you if your prices change while the voucher is still valid.
- Dinner for two (restaurant) – spell out exactly what's included: e.g. two main courses, dessert and drinks, or a tasting menu. Add that redemption requires booking in advance.
- 'Me time' package – combine 2–3 services on one voucher, e.g. cut, colour and treatment. A package is worth more than a single service and raises the average spend.
- Multi-visit voucher – several visits, or say five coffees, on a single card with boxes to tick or punch. Works well for cafés, car washes and fitness studios.
- Workshops or tastings – a cookery class, wine tasting or make-up lesson. An experience voucher makes a great present for someone who 'has everything'.
- Seasonal voucher – a Christmas, Valentine's or Mother's Day theme. Create a separate design for each occasion and keep your standard design for the rest of the year.
- Corporate voucher (B2B) – a series of vouchers for another company's staff or customers, with their logo alongside yours. Agree the number range and the bulk invoicing arrangements in advance.
- Voucher in an envelope or wallet – a DL voucher in an envelope sealed with a sticker, or in a folded wallet. The packaging makes the gift look far more expensive than it costs to produce.
- Referral voucher – a first-visit voucher that a regular customer passes on to a friend. State that it cannot be exchanged for cash or combined with other offers.
What must a gift voucher include?
A voucher is a promise to provide a service or sell goods, so anything that could cause confusion is worth stating plainly. Keep the front for your business name, the value and an eye-catching design, and move the terms to the reverse.
How VAT is accounted for depends on whether the voucher is single-purpose (a specific service with a known VAT rate) or multi-purpose (an amount to spend on any products). Check this with your accountant before you start selling, as it determines when you issue the receipt or invoice.
- Business name and logo, address, phone number, website or social media profile.
- The monetary value or the exact name of the service or package.
- Expiry as a specific date ('valid until…') rather than 'valid for 3 months'.
- A unique serial number.
- Space for the date of issue, a signature and a stamp.
- Terms: no cash alternative, whether change is given, whether partial redemption is allowed, booking requirements, combining with other offers.
- Optionally, 'To' and 'From' fields to emphasise that it's a gift.
Which format, paper and finish should you choose?
DL is the most popular format because it fits a standard envelope and feels good in the hand. The slim 210×100 mm format gives a similar effect, while A6 works well when you want to show a larger photo or illustration.
Print on 300–350 g/m² board, matt or silk coated. If you fill in the date and signature by hand, avoid gloss lamination on the side with the fields, as the ink will smudge – uncoated or matt stock is better. For a premium feel, consider soft-touch lamination, spot UV or a gold-foiled logo.
Prepare the file in CMYK at 300 DPI with 3 mm bleed on every side; keep text and the serial number at least 3–5 mm inside the trim line. If you don't have a designer, you can order a voucher design in DL, 210×100 mm or A6 from plakaty.shop from €12 and receive a print-ready PDF with 3 mm bleed; a reverse with your terms is available for an extra charge.
| Format | Trimmed size | Size with 3 mm bleed | When to choose it |
|---|---|---|---|
| DL | 99×210 mm | 105×216 mm | Classic voucher in an envelope, salons and restaurants |
| Slim | 210×100 mm | 216×106 mm | Elegant landscape voucher, service packages |
| A6 | 105×148 mm | 111×154 mm | Large artwork or photo, shops, workshops |
| Business card | 85×55 mm | 91×61 mm | Wallet-sized multi-visit card, cafés, car washes |
How do you protect a voucher against forgery?
Numbering is the foundation: every voucher carries a different number, printed using variable data, e.g. with a business prefix ('SAL-0001', 'SAL-0002'). Keep a simple register in a spreadsheet: number, date sold, value or service, date redeemed. When someone brings in a voucher, you check the number in the register and can see straight away whether it was sold and whether it has already been used.
For a small business, sequential numbering with a register, a stamp and a signature is enough. For high-value vouchers, add a random code next to the number or an element that's hard to copy on an office printer. Keep redeemed vouchers, punch them or mark them as used.
| Security feature | How it works | When it's worth it |
|---|---|---|
| Numbering + register | You check every number against your sales record | Always – it's the bare minimum |
| Stamp and signature | The voucher is only valid once stamped at the point of sale | When you print a stock of blank vouchers |
| Perforated counterfoil | A tear-off stub with the same number stays with you | Handwritten vouchers, multi-visit cards |
| Foiling or hot-stamping | A metallic sheen an ordinary printer can't reproduce | High values, premium image |
| Spot UV | A glossy element you can feel and see at an angle | When you want security and visual impact |
| Hologram sticker | A separate element that's hard to counterfeit | Large runs, B2B vouchers |
How do you set the validity and terms?
You decide the validity period yourself; 3, 6 or 12 months are the most common. Too short a period puts buyers off, while too long a period on a service voucher leaves you redeeming it at an old price. If you raise your prices regularly, consider a monetary voucher rather than a service voucher.
Keep the terms short and unambiguous, ideally as bullet points on the reverse. Each sentence should answer a question a customer might ask at the till.
- 'This voucher cannot be exchanged for cash.'
- 'No change will be given' or 'May be redeemed over several visits'.
- 'Redeemable by prior telephone booking only.'
- 'Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.'
- 'Valid only when stamped and signed.'
When should you sell vouchers? The best occasions
Vouchers are a classic last-minute purchase, so promote them well in advance: an A3 poster in the window, a display stand by the till, a post and story on social media, a mention on the menu or price list. Ready-made vouchers in envelopes at the till sell better than ones written out to order.
| Occasion | Who usually buys | What to offer |
|---|---|---|
| Christmas | Family, employers | Fixed-value vouchers, packages, a festive version in an envelope |
| Valentine's Day | Couples | Dinner for two, couples' massage |
| International Women's Day, Mother's Day | Partners, children | Beauty treatments, 'me time' package |
| Father's Day | Children, partners | Barber, tastings, workshops |
| Birthdays and anniversaries | Friends, family | Fixed-value vouchers |
| End of the school year | Parents | Vouchers for teachers, fixed-value |
| Corporate gifts | HR departments, business owners | B2B series with the client's logo and bulk invoicing |
Checklist
- The monetary value or service name is stated unambiguously
- Expiry is given as a specific date or there's a field for the date
- Every voucher has a unique number and a sales register is ready
- Redemption terms are on the reverse, in type of at least 6–7 pt
- File in CMYK, 300 DPI, with 3 mm bleed and a 3–5 mm safe margin
- Fields to be filled in are on matt or uncoated stock
- Business name, address, phone number and website checked letter by letter
- VAT treatment agreed with your accountant
FAQs
What size is a gift voucher?
Most commonly DL (99×210 mm), which fits a standard envelope. 210×100 mm and A6 (105×148 mm) are also popular, and multi-visit cards are printed at business card size, 85×55 mm. Whatever the size, add 3 mm bleed on every side of the file.
What paper should vouchers be printed on?
Ideally 300–350 g/m² board, matt or silk coated. If you fill in details by hand, choose matt or uncoated stock on that side. Soft-touch lamination, spot UV or foiling add prestige and make the voucher harder to forge.
How should vouchers be numbered?
Each voucher should have a unique number, ideally with a business prefix, e.g. 'SAL-0001', printed using variable data. Record the numbers in a register with the date sold, value and date redeemed. For high-value vouchers, add a random code to the number.
Does a voucher need an expiry date?
You set the validity period yourself, but it's worth including one, as it protects you from vouchers being redeemed years later at outdated prices. 3, 6 or 12 months are the most common. Write a specific date rather than a period counted from purchase.
What if a customer loses their voucher?
That depends on the terms you print on the voucher. If you keep a register of numbers, you can verify the purchase, cancel the lost number and issue a replacement. Without numbering, you have no way of checking that the original won't be used by someone else.
Do I have to refund an unused voucher?
That depends on the terms printed on the voucher or in your terms and conditions, and on how it's accounted for. A typical rule is 'this voucher cannot be exchanged for cash'. If you're unsure about a specific situation, check your wording with a solicitor or accountant.
