In another example of making sure you use up your gift cards before they expire. The regional restaurant chain, Bob Evans Farms Inc. was able to recognize $6.6 million dollars of revenue from gift cards that were purchased but never used. That is 100% profit for them minus a couple of pennies for the cost of the plastic to produce them. Now you know why Kroger and Giant Eagle and other chains are constantly promoting their Gift Card Malls.

The Columbus-based restaurant chain on Tuesday reported its results for the third quarter ended Jan. 25 and, for the first time, included "breakage," or the benefit of gift card balances that customers have failed to redeem. The benefit of accounting for all past breakage through the third quarter of the company's fiscal 2008 added $6.6 million to its top line, which landed at $449.7 million.