Animate Cafe Stamp Card
In this post, I’ll be sharing some important information and tips on the use of Animate Cafe Stamp Card in Japan. Please note that as stated on the official website, Animate Cafe, is free to change the T&C and services stated at any point of the Animate Cafe Stamp Card campaign.
UPDATE November 2022: Animate Cafe has stopped issuing points for purchases/food spend for Animate Card. You still need Animate Card for reservation of goods. Stamps Cards are still very much in use. (I completed 15 stamps!) ^ ^
So back in May 2019 when I had visited the Bungo Stray Dogs (Part 3) x Animate Cafe in Ikebukuro (Tokyo), I found out from the staff that Animate Cafe had recently introduced a “Stamp Card” service! From April 2019, this “Stamp Card” can be used at all Animate Cafes, with some notable exceptions. (Refer to the “Where can the stamp cards be used?” section for more details.)
After my trip, I realized that there were actually quite a few rules and T&Cs for the use of the Animate Cafe stamp card. It’s nothing too complicated of-course BUT it is a relative new service introduced by Animate Cafe so I figured that probably not much people (aka overseas fans like me) are aware of it.
As such, I’ve decided to do a simple post to help some of you who might be keen to use the stamp card or just like to find out more about it. 😊
By the way, I had a pretty fun time at the Bungo Stray Dogs (Part 3) x Animate Cafe. One word: Chuuya! ^ ^ You can read all about my visit by clicking here.
Anyway, enough dawdling, let’s just delve straight into it, shall we?
I’ve summarized a list of the more important information you need to be aware of here. You can find the full list of T&C and FAQs here: https://cafe.animate.co.jp/info/stamp/
Page Contents
WHAT IS THE ANIMATE CAFE STAMP CARD?
The Animate Cafe Stamp Card is a new service introduced by Animate from April 2019. You can get the stamp cards at almost every Animate Cafe, with a few exceptions. This means that NOT every Animate Cafe uses/accepts the stamp cards.
I’m guessing at the intent here, but I believe it is to reward and encourage repeat visits to the cafes and to buy (more) goods/merchandises? After all, stamp cards are a relatively common feature in many Japanese cafes and restaurants.
Note: The Animate Stamp Card replaces the Animate Points system which the cafes previously used. Do note that the Animate Stores and related shops will still continue to issue you Animate Points so don’t throw away your Animate Card!
Recommended Tip: Do still bring along your Animate Card to the cafes as the card is still needed for the pre-ordering and reservations of cafe-exclusive goods.
REWARDS/BENEFITS OF THE STAMP CARD
So what exactly can you get with the Stamp Cards?
Well, plenty it seems! 🙂
●スタンプが5個貯まると「メニュー注文特典」を1点
●スタンプが10個貯まると「メニュー注文特典」を3点
●スタンプが15個貯まるとお好きなコラボタイトルの「メニュー注文特典（全種セット）」
- For the 5th stamp, you will get ONE random coaster from the collaboration menu.
- At the 10th stamp, you will get THREE random coasters from the collaboration menu
- For the 15th stamp, you will get the FULL SET of coasters available from the collaboration menu
Note:
To make it easier for everyone to understand, 「メニュー注文特典」are referred to as coasters in this section. This is because the 「メニュー注文特典」for Animate Cafes are usually coasters ^ ^ Think of it as the free bonus item that you receive for every food/drink ordered in the collaboration menu.
Feel free to check out some of my posts on Animate Cafes to see how the coasters look like: My Hero Academia x Animate Cafe Shop ; Attack on Titan x Animate Cafe (Click on the title of the posts).
Recommended Tip: If the cafe campaign is offering more than one group of coasters for the menu, you get to choose WHICH group the random coaster you will get for the 5th and 10th stamp. And yes, you are not restricted to just one group for the 10th stamp. ^ ^
For example: When I visited the Bungo Stray Dogs (Part 3) x Animate Cafe, they had two different groups of coaster designs in the menu. One group for the food & dessert menu, the other for the drinks menu. So for my 5th stamp, I was asked by the staff to choose which group I wanted the free random coaster from. I eventually chose the coaster group from the Food & Dessert Menu. Why? You can find that out in my post for Bungo Stray Dogs. ^ ^
HOW DOES THE STAMP CARD WORK?
- In a nutshell, every 2000 yen (inclusive of tax) spent at the cafe gets you a stamp.
- Every 5 stamps collected will earn you a special reward in relation to the cafe campaign you have participated in. Each card has a total of 15 stamps you can collect.
- The staff will collect the stamp card from you once you have redeemed the benefits from the 15th stamp on the card.
- Each stamped card (and the stamps on it) has a validity of 2 years from the date of the first stamp. This means that you have 2 years to accumulate/redeem your stamp benefits before the card/stamps expires!! You can find the issue date of your first stamp on the card.
- You can combine stamps from multiple stamp cards to collect the benefits/rewards so long the stamps and stamp cards are not expired. Inform the staff at the cashier counter.
- You can also split the stamps collected from an eligible purchase/payment across multiple cards. For example, 8000 yen (inclusive of tax) of goods gets you 4 stamps. Instead of having it all in one stamp card, you can opt to split the stamps up across the different stamp cards you have. Inform the staff at the point of payment so that they can do so for you.
- You can combine receipts from the same cafe on the same day to get stamps. For example, you went to the Animate Cafe at Akihabara at 12pm and spent 2300 yen. You would have collected a stamp with a balance of 300 yen on your receipt. If you go to the same cafe at 6pm on the same day (it happens!), you can combine your 300 yen spent earlier in the day with the rest of your purchases at 6pm.
- You DO NOT NEED to redeem the benefits immediately. The stamps/benefits are valid so long you redeem them within the expiry date of the card. This is useful because you might want to redeem the benefits (e.g. coaster) of another Animate Cafe campaign instead of the one you are currently at.
OTHER USEFUL TIPS
- Always show your Stamp Card whenever you head to the cashier counter to pay for your goods and/or at the end of your session when you make payment for your food/drink orders.
- The stamp card is valid for your pre-orders at the cafe. Stamps will be issued at the time of your pre-order at the cafe. You do not need to have another cafe reservation to pick up your pre-ordered goods. For overseas fans, please make sure you check with the staff when these pre-order/reserved goods will be ready for pick-up. Do check that you are still in Japan during the collection period. Animate Cafe will NOT ship these goods to you.
- Sometimes, an Animate Cafe Campaign will have special bonuses of its own, on top of the Stamp Card. In this case, you will get to enjoy both benefits if you fulfill the conditions. Do check with the staff if that happens.
WHERE CAN WE USE THE ANIMATE CAFE STAMP CARDS?
As mentioned, not every Animate Cafe located in Japan accepts/uses the Stamp Cards. For locations that doesn’t use the Stamp Cards, you will receive Animate Points in your Animate Card instead.
- Stamp Cards can be used at all Animate Cafes (with a few exceptions) across Japan; Good Smile Cafe and Animate Cafe Shop.
- Not valid for use at the Animate Gratte Cafe; Sisters Cafe; and (Pop-Up) Event stores
- Not valid for use at Animate Cafes outside of Japan. E.g. Animate Cafe Taipei; Animate Cafe Bangkok
If in doubt, just ask the staff ^ ^
And that’s it!
Hope you find the above information about Animate Cafe Stamp Card useful. 🙂 Do let me know if this was helpful to you.
OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION
On cancelling an Animate Cafe Reservation (why would you cancel??), here’s a post you might be of help to you: Animate Cafe (How to Cancel Reservations)
If you are interested to know how to make reservations and/or to get some tips to help make your cafe experience more fun, check out my post on Animate Cafes (How-to & Tips) If you would like to know more about anime cafes in general, check out: Anime Cafes … in a snapshot (An introductory post)
For an idea on what goes on in an Animate cafe, you can check out some of my Animate Cafe escapades: Bungo Stray Dogs 文豪ストレイドッグス ; My Hero Academia and Attack on Titan
Feel free to leave a comment, contact me via twitter or email for questions on Animate Cafes. I’ll try to answer and help to the best of my abilities.
Thank you so much for writing about this! This is such a useful guide! But I also wanted to know, when you want to redeem your stamps, what do you say in Japanese?
Hi X! Thanks for letting me know that you found the guide useful. 🙂 Generally, the staff at the (cashier) counter will automatically ask you if you want to redeem the stamps once they see you reached the minimum number of stamps on the stamp card. If not, you can just let them know by saying “スタンプを交換にしてください” (Sutanpu o kōkan ni shite kudasai). Do note that this is my half-bake Japanese at play. 🙂 Alternatively, you can just type in google translate and show them. It’s not the best translation but most of the time, the staff will understand. Enjoy the Animate Cafes! I miss them so much.
Thank you for your quick reply! I hope you will be able to go again soon.