I was asked for my ikea card at checkout? What is it? What are the benefits? The cashier ignored me when I asked...to much work for I guess.

I'm surprised the cashier didn't help you with getting one. IKEA card is being a member so you pretty much register through the IKEA website. At the end of your registration you'll get a membership number with a barcode. Take a screenshot of it and save it in your phone or digital wallet. I'm not sure about all the benefits though you get regular coffee for free when you eat at the IKEA restaurant. Well, I got the free coffee at breakfast time, I don't know if they give free regular coffee with anytime meal. Going back to the cashier, the one I dealt with as I went to pay for breakfast, was a very nice person and very patient helping me. She pretty much took my phone and registered me while showing me what she was doing. I assume the membership allows you to collect points which could be use for discounts. I don't know all other ways of benefiting from the IKEA membership yet you could ask them when you go back to the store or as you navigate through the IKEA website.

For your birthday you get $15 off your purchase(non food items) and a free Swedish meatball meal along with almond cake.

The free IKEA membership card can be obtained at any orange kiosk throughout the store. With that card you indeed do get free regular coffee at the restaurant or at the downstairs Bistro (a cup of quite goid machine-made specialty coffee is $1.50, with a token purchased from the restaurant's cashier.) Sometimes a restaurant menu item will be featured at a special price for member card holders. They do take credit cards. Other card membership benefits include special member pricing on certain sale items featured throughout the store. You can see what's being featured by looking for special tags or by checking for all the specials at a kiosk. FYI, each time you stop & scan your card at a kiosk (throughout the store) you get entered in a contest for a chance to win an IKEA gift card. Periodically IKEA holds special seasonal events at the store, with invitations only to cardholders (some "smorgasbord " food events require reservations ; but the cost is usually a very reasonable fee.)