Utterly stupid little things, its money that is less useful in EVERY situation and expires! Even at the store where you can use it, what do you do with the money that's leftover but too little to spend? Especially at expensive places, you could very well end up with 10-20$ OF YOUR OWN MONEY, that you can't even use!
I was given a dunkin giftcard for volunteering at a repair cafe. First of all I'm on a diet but secondly I stuffed it in my wallet so quickly I completely forgot about it. The day I remember and go through the trouble of attending such a wretched establishment I was told it expired after I finished giving my order! After such bother to try to use this cursed thing I refuse to return fruitless from my endeavors so I paid with my own cash.
It is now, sulking into my hashbrowns and Boston cream do I realize I am now poorer, fatter and fucking miserable. FUCK gift cards.
For a specific purpose at a specific vendor. And that’s why I hate gift cards. What if I want to go out to eat at a nice restaurant, but not the one they gave me the gift card for? Now you can’t go to the place you wanted to go to.
Or what if I want to buy something online, and it’s 50% off at vendor A but full price at vendor B and the gift card is for vendor B? Now your stick between paying for the item like normal, or wasting money getting it from the place that takes your gift card.
Going to the restaurant they recommended is the point of the gift. That's not a bug.
That's kinda the point, isn't it? Do you get mad if someone plans a fancy dinner, but you happen to be craving a burger that day?
Mad? No. Unhappy? Yes. If I don't want the food I'm not going to eat the food. I don't want people to waste their money on something I don't want.
Even if it's not my money I don't like unnecessary spending.