Frequently asked questions

Why do PizzaExpress Gift Cards make great gifts?
Today many of your friends and family will buy most of the things they’d like for themselves. This can be a real problem when it comes to buying gifts. There is much more of a trend for experiential gifts and eating out is a great experience! PizzaExpress restaurants have a reputation for being relaxed and friendly, serving delicious pizza, pasta and salad. PizzaExpress is a great place for a celebration, a family meal or just a quick bite during the working week. With over 320 restaurants across the UK there is bound to be a PizzaExpress not too far away.

Can PizzaExpress Gift Cards be used at every PizzaExpress restaurant?
All restaurants in mainland UK, but not in either of the two restaurants in Jersey.

Where can I buy a PizzaExpress Gift Card?
You can buy a gift card at www.pizzaexpress.com, following the link to the gift card section. You can also call 08451 302715. Phone lines are open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. Calls are charged at local rate. Also selected PizzaExpress restaurants sell gift cards. On the high street you can buy gift cards at selected Sainsbury's, Clinton Cards and Shell forecourt shops.

How much do PizzaExpress Gift Cards cost?
It is up to you how much money you load on to the gift card, any value from £5 to £500. If you would like more than £500, perhaps to give to a group of people for a night out, then you can buy more than one card.

Do I get the full value I load on to the card or are there some hidden charges?
There are no hidden charges, what you load on to the card is yours or your recipients to spend. However the value on the card must be spent within 18 months of the value being added. After 18 months any monies left on the card will be lost and the card terminated.

How can I pay for my gift card if I order it by phone or via the internet?
You can pay by debit or credit card. If you order by phone or via the internet. Your card is not sent out until monies have cleared.

How will my gift card be delivered?
Your PizzaExpress gift card will be sent by whichever postage method you choose or select.

Can I use my card straightaway?
All cards are already activated if purchased from a store, and most cards that come from our customer service centre are activated if they are under £100.  The best way to check if your card is ready to use is to check your balance on the link above.  If your card shows a balance, then it is activated.

How do I activate my PizzaExpress gift card?
If you obtained your card from a store, then you would need to present the card at the till, and they will load a balance onto the card for you, which you then pay for. 
If you have a card from our customer service centre, and a letter to say it needs activating, then simply call our call centre Monday to Friday between 9-5pm on 08451 302 715.  Your card will be activated within three working hours.  Unfortunately you cannot activate your card online, as we need to check first who has paid for the card.  Registering your card does not activate it.  It just protects it incase it is lost or stolen. 

Check to see if your gift card is already activated by clicking here and checking your balance - if you have a balance then your gift card is ready to use!

Is there a charge for postage?
We have a small charge for postage with four choices for you.  £2.25 for First Class, £3.95 for Recorded Delivery, £6.95 for Special Delivery and £8.95 for Saturday Special Delivery.

Can I send a PizzaExpress Gift Card as a gift directly to someone else?
Yes you can. You can include a personal message too. We just can't send your card to anywhere other than the UK at present.

What is the Gift Card packaged in?
If you buy a card via the internet or by phone you will receive a complimentary PizzaExpress greetings card. You can write a personal message in the card, or ask us to print one for you. It is also a good idea to write in the amount you have loaded on the card.

If you buy a gift card from Sainsbury, Clinton Cards or Shell your card will come in two parts. The section with the black stripe on the back and the silver waxy cover over the security pin number is the most important section. You should also receive a small greetings card and envelope when you buy your gift card at one of these stores. We recommend you use the greetings card for your personal message to the recipient and then pop the two sections of the gift card into the envelope to give to your recipient.

When I purchased my PizzaExpress gift card I was given a receipt, do I need to include this receipt with the gift card to tell my recipient how much is on the card? 
No - your recipient does not need the receipt. There should be space in the greetings card accompanying your gift card to write in the amount on the card.

Can I add more money on to my PizzaExpress gift card?
No, once the monies on your card have been spent you will need to buy a new card.

I placed my order for a PizzaExpress gift card by telephone, when should I expect to receive the card?
If you ordered before 12 noon Monday to Friday your card will be sent first class on the day you ordered. If you ordered after 12 noon your order will be processed the following working day and sent by first class post on that day.

I placed my order for a PizzaExpress gift card on the internet when should I expect to receive the card?
If you ordered before 12 noon Monday to Friday your card will be sent first class on the day you ordered. If you ordered after 12 noon your order will be processed the following working day and sent by first class post on that day.

I need a PizzaExpress gift card today, is it possible to process my order immediately?
It may be possible via the gift card centre, please call 08451 302715 to check – the gift card centre is open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. Cards can be sent by courier at an additional cost, the gift card centre will be pleased to give you a quote.

I have purchased a PizzaExpress gift card but have decided it is not a suitable gift for the friend I had in mind. Can I get a refund?
If you purchased your PizzaExpress gift card from one of the high street stores you will be unable to receive a refund. If you purchased your gift card via the internet or by telephone from the PizzaExpress gift card centre it may be possible to offer a refund if you purchased the card within the last 7 days and the monies on the card have not been spent. Please call the gift card centre on 08451 302715 to check. Refunds are offered at the discretion of the gift centre duty manager.

My PizzaExpress gift card has expired, what do I do?
Once your PizzaExpress gift card has expired it is not possible to reactivate the card. You have 18 months from the date of activation to use the funds on the card.

My PizzaExpress gift card has been lost or stolen, what shall I do?
You should treat your gift card as cash. If you have kept a record of the card number of your gift card we may be able to cancel the card to stop anyone else using the card, please call the PizzaExpress gift card centre on 08451 302715 (Monday to Friday - 9-5pm) to check. If you do not have a record of your card number we are unable to cancel the card. The best thing to do is to register your card online, then your account details will always be stored with us. CLICK HERE to do this.

Do I have to spend the full value on my PizzaExpress gift card all in one go?
No, you may make as many transactions as you like until the value on the card is spent.

Can I overspend on the card?
No it is not possible to spend more than the value on the card because the PizzaExpress gift card is a gift card not a credit card.

If I don’t have enough money on my gift card to cover the whole of my bill can I part pay with the gift card?
Yes, you can pay as much as you like from your gift card. For example if you have £10 on your gift card and your bill is £20 you can pay £5 from the gift card and pay the remaining £15 in cash or with a debit or credit card.

Should I tell the waiter I want pay by gift card at the beginning of my meal or when I receive my bill?
Your waiter only needs to know you are spending a gift card when your bill arrives. You do not need to tell him when you are placing your order.

My PizzaExpress gift card has arrived with no value on it, how can I check how much is on my card?
CLICK HERE. You will need your card number and security pin number to access your gift card on-line. Your security pin can be revealed by scratching off the silver waxy cover on the back of your gift card. Please remember that if you are giving the card away to someone its probably best not to scratch off the silver panel! You can find out what your balance is by phoning the gift card team on 08451 302715 Monday to Friday - 9-5pm.

When I received my gift card the silver waxy cover over the security pin number had been removed, what shall I do?
Please call the PizzaExpress gift card centre on 08451 302715.

I have checked my balance and have found there is no value on my card.
Please call the PizzaExpress gift card centre on 08451 302715.  Monday to Friday - 9-5pm.