If you’re thinking about buying someone a gift card or using one, you’d better do your homework on whether or not LSU students can use them in on-campus stores.
CC’s Coffee House in Middleton Library broke my heart the other day when the barista told me they temporarily could not accept my gift card that I had been using there all semester. When I went back later in the week, she told me they were no longer accepting gift cards at this location.
I was quite frustrated — Moroccan Mint tea with a shot of hazelnut flavor had recently become a simple pleasure of mine. And swiping my gift card only made it that much sweeter. But that was over now, so I decided to do a little investigating.
I wanted to know if the store in Middleton was justified in denying my card. My harsh feelings lessened when three different CC’s representatives got in touch with me within half an hour of my contacting them. The management was very concerned about the situation and told me that since the Middleton CC’s is a licensed store, I should be able to use my card even if the store is in the library.
That makes sense, doesn’t it? When you buy a CC’s card you expect to be able to use it when you go to one of their franchised stores.
From my experience, CC’s has good customer service overall, but still, I was aggravated because the store in Middleton was refusing to comply with the customer-friendly corporate policies regarding gift cards. That’s what I thought anyway.
A customer service representative from the company later told me he was informed that LSU recently made the decision to end the acceptance of the loyalty card program due to “lack of integration into its current system,” but that CC’s is providing LSU with “as much information as possible” to help them in developing technology to make the integration.
When I contacted LSU Dining, I received a similar reason for why Chick-fil-A and other retailers in the Student Union do not accept gift cards.
LSU, get with the times. This day in age there’s no excuse for the university’s system to deny gift card usage. The technology is obviously available.
Starbucks Coffee in the Design Building doesn’t accept gift cards either, because, according to the barista, it isn’t a “real” Starbucks store.
Looks like the Starbucks logo to me.
It’s a store franchise and should honor gift cards from the company.
Some stores on campus do this. The employees at McDonald’s in the Student Union and Smoothie King in the UREC informed me that they accept gift cards. If they do, why don’t other stores?
Whatever the case, LSU and the dining retailers should work together to provide a customer-friendly experience. This should include accepting gift cards.
Many college students do not have much extra cash for eating out, so gift cards to food and drink retailers on campus are greatly appreciated. Those who buy gift cards for college students expect students will be able to use them at campus franchises. Unfortunately, this is not the case.
No matter what, I’m still a fan of Moroccan Mint tea.
Christine Guttery is a 20-year-old English junior from Baton Rouge.