Christmas gifts for and from Baltimore food-lovers: A Ruth's Chris Steak House gift card

A restaurant gift card is a great idea. But restaurants make it so hard. I want to know what I'm giving.

I want ordering to be easy, flexible and transparent, with the option of ordering online or in person. I want to know exactly what the card or certificate looks like to the recipieents whether I give it to them in person or have it mailed to them. And I want to know the rules of engagement.

So, take a minute to look at your restaurant's gift-card program. Think about if from your customers' point of view, and consider adding in a FAQ page like Ruth's Chris has.

They even thought to consider that customers might want to know the answer this question:

Q: What should I be looking for in the mail?

A:  If the order was sent using standard US mail service, look for a white envelope bearing a Ruth's Chris return address.  If the order was sent Priority or Overnight, the card(s) will come in a white bubble-pack package with "Optimum Fulfillment Services" as the return address label.

On Dec. 6, we'll post a round-up of Baltimore-area restaurant gift cards that satisfy the minimal standards of transparency and customer convenience.