DW got a gift card at the holidays. She tried to use it the other day and discovered that the rules for the card state that it can not be used for partial payment. The purchase must be equal to or less than the balance on the card. So for this $25 card, the purchase must be exactly $25 or less. If the purchase is $25.01, she can't use the card and pay one penny extra. Of course, this means that it is virtually impossible to totally use the card's value since with tax, nothing is ever exactly $25. Her coworker said she managed to spend the full amount but only by carefully calculating her purchases to total exactly $25. That's insane. Just give cash next time please.
I used to give my staff gift cards each year but I stopped a few years ago due to all the wacky rules, regulations and restrictions. Now they all get cash and I haven't heard any complaints.