Restaurant loyalty programs are simple in concept. Guests who register for your restaurant’s loyalty program are offered exclusive restaurant promotions, deals, discounts, and offers. Those who dine with you more frequently can rack up loyalty “points”. They can be rewarded per number of visits to receive discounts or free dishes. Loyalty programs these days usually are housed within your restaurant’s mobile app or website. However, coupons can also be delivered physically through the mail. We recommend going digital, as it helps to streamline your restaurant’s systems.
Create Personalized Rewards for Restaurant Loyalty Programs
Rewards systems that take your customers’ ordering habits into account are often more successful. If you own a bar, for example, offering a free entree to a customer that comes in every Friday to order an appetizer and a drink may not be the best idea. Offer them a free appetizer or a discount on one instead, though, and they’ll be more likely to continue using your rewards program to earn more deals that are relevant to them.
Offer Consistent Rewards
Restaurants will be more likely to sign up for and use your restaurant’s loyalty program if they know it will pay off. This means that for every visit, they’ll gain points toward some larger reward. This can be the difference between diners choosing to visit your restaurant and your competitor. If customers know that they’ll be earning points towards future discounts or deals, they’ll choose your restaurant. Striking the right balance is crucial, though. You don’t want to give out deals too frequently, or your restaurant will lose revenue. But you also don’t want your customers to feel like they never earn anything at all!
Make Sure Your Staff Understands the Restaurant Loyalty Program
Restaurant loyalty programs have the potential to be confusing to guests, especially since loyalty programs for different restaurants work differently from one another. Make sure that your staff understands the ins and outs of your specific loyalty program. This prevents frustration and helps guests understand them in turn. This means that they’ll be more likely to return and use the program over and over again, because they’ll know how it works and how they can work towards their next reward or restaurant promotion.
We hope that these tips are helpful to you as your restaurant works to create a successful loyalty program. Finding the perfect system for you and your business can be tricky and require some tweaking along the way, but loyalty programs have the potential to have a HUGE payoff in earnings for your restaurant! Best of luck, we’re all rooting for you!
