Best gift card/certificate idea? TKTS/TDF vs. TodayTix vs. Telecharge

[TigerBait88]

Posted: 11/22/16 at 9:56pm

Hi y'all!
I have my first ever trip  to NYC planned for the first week of January and my family are looking for options to give me some sort of gift certificate or card that I could use for a show ticket. I've already booked tickets to a half dozen shows and my family is looking for the best gift option that would give me the most bang for their buck to use for another show of my choosing.

So far, I've seen that TKTS/TDF, TodayTIx and Telecharge all offer gift options. TKTS only offers physical certificates which means shipping/loss risk while the other two offer both digital and physical options.

I'm mostly writing to ask what you lovely lot would recommend based on your experiences with any of these options? Also, If it helps with your advice, these are the shows I have NOT booked and would consider seeing using the gift certificate to see (in no particular order):
Waitress
Paramour
Oh hello!
The Front Page
Cats
The Encounter
The Present
Jitney
Les Liasons
The Humans

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks everyone!


 

[Anakela]

Posted: 11/22/16 at 10:31pm

If they want you to use it to buy tickets, and I assume they'd trust that you'll use it to buy tickets, etc. why don't they just give you cash?

It seems easier for everyone, rather than having to buy a physical certificate that could be lost, (buying a certificate from a company that takes a cut/charges fees/? I'm not 100% on how these work), being beholden to one company if the show you really want to get tix for isn't through that company, etc... 

[TigerBait88]

Posted: 11/22/16 at 10:37pm

Anakela said: "If they want you to use it to buy tickets, and I assume they'd trust that you'll use it to buy tickets, etc. why don't they just give you cash?

It seems easier for everyone, rather than having to buy a physical certificate that could be lost, (buying a certificate from a company that takes a cut/charges fees/? I'm not 100% on how these work), being beholden to one company if the show you really want to get tix for isn't through that company, etc... 

 

"

The family members involved really want something physical (even if its an email haha) rather than cash to give me on Xmas. Also, they can put the gift certificate/card on a credit card which is important.

[UncleCharlie]

Posted: 11/22/16 at 11:56pm

I would agree with Anakela about cash even though I recognize that's not the ideal way your family wants to do it. The price through each potential seller for a ticket to a specific show on a given date will be different and can vary greatly. If you have a gift certificate for Telecharge and want to see a show where a better deal can be secured thru TKTS as an example, you'd end up spending more than you need to to buy it through Telecharge just because you're locked into using them because of the gift certificate. Seems like a waste of money. If your family insists, I'd chose TKTS. You know there will likely be something offered that is one of the things you want to see and is a good deal.

[Anakela]

Posted: 11/23/16 at 10:12am

TigerBait88 said: "
The family members involved really want something physical (even if its an email haha) rather than cash to give me on Xmas. Also, they can put the gift certificate/card on a credit card which is important.

"

I get that. How about them giving you an AmEx gift card, then? They can buy them online, so they can use a credit card to buy them, they'll receive something physical to give to you, but you can then use it like it's cash when you spend it.

Sorry, I know none of my answers involve your original question, but I honestly don't think being beholden to only one ticking company/service is a good idea for your trip.

[kdogg36]

Posted: 11/23/16 at 10:28am

It seems like the best thing to do would be to look into the best way of getting the tickets (which you may already have done). Some of the shows you list are on TKTS all the time; you can check that here. Others have discounts, which you can check at playbill.com and broadwaybox.com (among other sites) - if the shows sell through Telecharge then you can use a gift certificate (I think). I've never used TodayTix but have heard good things about it.

Depending on the generosity of your family, maybe a mix of those options is the best way to go! :)

[NewYorkTheater]

Posted: 11/23/16 at 6:24pm

Tiger, I address this more or less in my Holiday Gift Guide for Theater Lovers, complete with links.

 

In a nutshell, Telecharge gift cards or TKTS gift certificates are fine, but some suggest a gift card from Visa or Mastercard because the theater-specific gift cards charge fees for each show.

But since you know what show you want to see, and when you want to see it, I suggest you have your family buy the ticket(s) directly from the show's website. Your family can then send you a nice holiday card (via snail mail or e-mail) informing you of their purchase, since you say they need to send you something physical.