Check Your Wallet, Certain Costco Restaurant Gift Cards Are Being Recalled: What To Know

If you've been sitting on a restaurant gift card that was bought at Costco, you'd better double-check it before you try to use it. The Synergy Restaurant Gift Card program, also known as Synergy World, closed at the end of January 2026 and announced plans to file for bankruptcy. The gift cards are now invalid at hundreds of restaurants and chains, mostly across the southwestern U.S.

These cards were considered a good deal, as Costco sometimes offered gift cards for less than their face value (say, $80 for a gift card with a $100 value). But even though Costco sold the cards, it was Synergy's responsibility to pay the restaurants — and with the company now out of business, that's no longer possible.

Synergy reportedly announced its impending shutdown in advance so that gift card holders would have a chance to redeem any outstanding balance. However, a rush of customers trying to redeem remaining funds apparently forced Synergy to cut off redemptions earlier than planned. An undated notice published by the company confirmed the immediate halt.

If you have a Synergy gift card with a balance remaining on it, there's good news: You can likely get a refund. Costco sent notifications to members who purchased the cards between late October 2025 and late January 2026, instructing customers to return cards with a balance remaining for a refund. This is an exception to Costco's typically lenient refund policy, which does not allow refunds on gift cards.  

Some reports indicate that Costco struggled to confirm whether Synergy gift cards had been used, as Synergy's digital systems reportedly had trouble verifying balances during the program's final days. However, there's no shortage of comments on Reddit from customers claiming to have received refunds for their Synergy cards. So, if you have one of those cards, your best bet is to contact Costco or head to a store and ask for a refund.