Do You Run Promotions or Loyalty Programs?

Why it matters

Loyalty programs can move guest behavior. The National Restaurant Association’s 2025 State of the Restaurant Industry report found that among operators with loyalty programs, 70% say the programs helped boost customer traffic. The same report found that being in a rewards program influences where to eat for 61% of delivery customers, 54% of quick-service customers and 41% of table-service diners.

Loyal guests can also spend more. The Paytronix 2025 Loyalty Report, reported by NACS in April 2025, found that 50% of full-service restaurant brands saw loyalty member check sizes rise by more than 10% year over year. Even if you are a single restaurant, the lesson is the same: guests who feel recognized tend to come back and feel comfortable ordering more.

How to check where you stand

• Do you have any way to reward guests who come back often?
• Can a guest join your loyalty program in under a minute?
• Do you use promotions to fill specific quiet days or times?
• Do you know how many guests used your last promotion and whether they came back?
• Are your current offers clearly shown on your website and listings?

How to improve step by step

1. Set one clear goal. Decide what you want: more visits on weekdays, more lunch guests, or more regulars. A promotion without a goal usually just lowers your prices.
2. Keep the reward simple. Choose a reward guests understand at once, like a free dessert after a set number of visits, or a birthday glass of wine. Complex point systems can confuse both guests and staff.
3. Make joining easy. Let guests join with a phone number or email at the table, at payment or when booking online. Many reservation systems and POS tools include basic loyalty features, so check before buying anything new.
4. Use promotions for quiet times. Target slow days with a set menu, a happy hour or a themed night. Avoid big discounts on your busiest evenings, when you are already full.
5. Reward, do not bribe. Offer extras and experiences, such as a tasting of a new dish or early access to an event, rather than constant price cuts. This protects your margins and your image.
6. Get consent and be clear. When guests join, explain what messages they will get and how often. In Europe, you usually need clear permission before sending marketing messages.
7. Measure the results. After each promotion, check how many guests used it, how much they spent and whether they returned. Keep what works and stop what does not.

How AI assistants see this

AI assistants such as ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Gemini and Perplexity often answer questions like “restaurants with lunch deals near me” or “where to celebrate a birthday dinner.” They can only include your offers if they are written clearly online. Put your current promotions, set menus and loyalty perks on your website in plain text, with dates and conditions, and keep them updated on your Google Business Profile. Old or expired offers can confuse both guests and AI tools, so remove them once they end.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Running constant discounts until guests refuse to pay full price.
• Creating a loyalty program that is hard to join or hard to understand.
• Forgetting to measure, so you never know if a promotion made or lost money.

Key takeaways

• Loyalty programs and promotions work best when each has one clear goal.
• Simple rewards and easy sign-up matter more than a complex system.
• Use promotions to fill quiet times, not to discount busy ones.
• Publish your offers clearly online so guests and AI tools can find them.

Frequently asked questions

What is the easiest loyalty program for a small restaurant?

A digital stamp card or a visit counter linked to a phone number is usually the easiest. Guests understand it right away, and staff do not need long training.

Are discounts bad for a restaurant’s image?

Frequent, deep discounts can make guests see your food as worth less. Small, targeted offers and extra experiences protect your image better than constant price cuts.

How often should I run promotions?

Run them when you have a clear reason, such as a slow season, a new dish or a local event. A steady rhythm, like one main promotion per season, is easier to manage and measure.

Sources

1. National Restaurant Association, 2025 State of the Restaurant Industry: https://restaurant.org/research-and-media/media/press-releases/restaurant-industry-poised-for-growth-in-2025-industry-expected-to-employ-15-9-million-people-and-r/
2. Paytronix, 2025 Loyalty Report, reported by NACS: https://www.convenience.org/stay-current/news/2025/april/21/5-paytronix-loyalty-check-size-is-rising_research