Breaking down personalization in quick service restaurant reward programs
Over the next few weeks, we are exploring personalization strategies employed in loyalty programs across various industries. In our first installment, we addressed loyalty programs in retail banking. In this, our second installment, we’re covering some of Quick Service Restaurants’ most rewarding loyalty schemes.
Consider this: $1.6 trillion per year is lost by businesses when their customers decide to switch to a new brand. As a result, enterprises—like Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs)—are increasingly seeking solutions to delight customers and build long-lasting loyalty. To accomplish this, many QSRs are turning to the customer loyalty program.
With thousands of locations, tastes, and choices, belonging to multiple food-related rewards programs has become second nature to the modern consumer. In fact, 19% of consumers said loyalty programs would entice them to try a new restaurant. In an increasingly competitive landscape, it is important for QSR chains to differentiate themselves, leveraging worthwhile deals and unique promotions in order to elevate the customer experience and increase the lifetime loyalty of the customer.
Today, leading QSRs are doing so through advanced customer loyalty programs:
1 | Starbucks
The rewards: Considered widely as the model for all QSR loyalty systems since its inception in 2009, My Starbucks Rewards shares exclusive offers that are personalized for every member and allows them to collect two stars per every dollar spent.
Starbucks offers a variety of perks, free refills and birthday treats, and Double-Star Days to its reward members. With AI, Starbucks is able to personalize rewards further, customizing offerings to each and every loyalty member’s purchasing history and preferences in order to create unique experiences and drive greater satisfaction for all. In addition, the Starbucks rewards mobile app features games that encourage participants to earn Star points and increase spending and engagement.
2 | Panera
The rewards: Upon initially signing up, Panera offers its new loyalty members a reward right off the bat: a free pastry from the bakery. Through MyPanera, customers can continue to earn points based on how often they visit, what they spend and the items they purchase.
Exclusive to MyPanera, members receive sneak peeks, menu updates, and information on local happenings. Empowered by AI, the mobile app can remember customer’s favorite orders to serve up personalized rewards for the food they love, ensuring offers and promotions deliver undeniable value at an individual level.
3 | Chick-fil-A
The rewards: Chick-fil-A One™ is Chick-fil-A’s tiered membership program that allows loyal customers to earn points with every purchase. By earning 5,000 points in a year, members achieve Red status, which gives them exclusive insider content and updates on new menu items.
With AI and location-enabled services, Chick-fil-A sends loyalty members surprise rewards from local Chick-fil-A restaurants. These rewards can be personalized by viewing data from items previously ordered via the mobile app. By optimizing promotions based on each individual customer, Chick-fil-A can enable personalized customer journeys on a 1:1 basis.
When it comes to quick-service restaurants, loyalty programs are essential to elevating customer engagement. Through Session AI’s in-session marketing platform, we’re empowering QSRs to connect with customers in a manner that is timely, relevant, and valuable—ultimately increasing customer satisfaction and building loyalty. Learn more about how you can leverage in-session intelligence in your quick-service restaurant rewards program.
