Rancho Mirage expands Shop Local gift‑card bonus for Visit Greater Palm Springs restaurant week
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Summary
Council approved a $10,000 bonus fund to offer a 50% additional value on Shop Local gift cards during Visit Greater Palm Springs’ Restaurant Week (May 30–June 8). Staff said the earlier holiday bonus ran out in seven weeks and resulted in $160,000 in cards in circulation and strong restaurant redemptions.
The Rancho Mirage City Council on May 1 approved a limited Shop Local gift‑card bonus to coincide with Visit Greater Palm Springs’ restaurant week, allocating $10,000 to offer a 50% bonus on gift‑card purchases between May 30 and June 8.
Director of Marketing Gabe Cotting told the council the program launched in November 2024 with a $50,000 bonus fund and that bonuses were fully claimed within seven weeks; staff reported about $160,000 in cards in circulation and 51 participating businesses, roughly half of them restaurants. Cotting said roughly 72% of redemptions have been for dining, with the remainder split between retail and health/wellness.
Cotting also described a platform update: the gift‑card administrator Yifty will add iPhone tap‑to‑pay and Apple Wallet integration by month’s end, with an Android/Google Pay feature coming later.
Councilmembers supported the limited bonus as a way to boost local dining during the regional Restaurant Week PR campaign. A resident speaker criticized using city funds for the program, calling it unnecessary; councilmembers and staff said the program has measurable uptake and supports the local business community.
The motion to allocate the $10,000 bonus fund and run a 50% match during restaurant week passed 5‑0.