Customer loyalty: 7 original ideas for your restaurant
December 14, 2022
A customer comes in, enjoys his meal, pays the bill... and disappears. Maybe he'll come back, maybe he won't.
You've done everything right: made him feel welcome, served him a good meal, offered him a great experience. But today, that's no longer enough.
With customers keen to discover new addresses and ever-increasing competition, how do you entice them to come back to you rather than elsewhere?
One-off discounts or paper cards no longer make a difference. Loyalty now requires more dynamic, engaging and connected solutions.
Discover 7 effective strategies for building customer loyalty : easy-to-implement solutions for restaurateurs who want to increase their retention rate without adding to their workload.
01. Digital loyalty card: the must-have for easy loyalty building
How does it work?
Forget the paper cards forgotten at the bottom of your wallet. With a digital loyalty cardEverything happens directly on your customers' phones. Points are automatically credited to the customer's account every time they visit a checkout or place an order online. Once the threshold is reached, they unlock a reward: a discount, a free product, a special invitation... everything can be configured according to your strategy.
What are the advantages?
✔ Always accessible: your customers carry their card with them at all times.
✔ Easy to manage: no more need to print and store physical cards.
✔ Usable data : analyze buying habits to refine your offers.
✔ More engaging : customers track their balance in real time and come back to collect their rewards.
A simple-to-implement, ultra-efficient program for effortless loyalty building.
02. Loyalty kitty: boost recurrence and average shopping basket
How does it work?
Rather than offering an immediate discount, you credit a percentage of the amount spent on the loyalty account of your customers. Each time they make a purchase, they accumulate euros or points which they can use later to pay all or part of their bill. The more they come back, the more they accumulate, and the more they are encouraged to come back again.
What are the advantages?
✔ Encourage return: your customers come back to use their kitty.
✔ Increase the average basket: with credit in reserve, they spend more easily.
✔ Encourage long-term loyalty: the system creates a lasting attachment to your establishment.
✔ Total flexibility : you define the conversion rate and conditions of use.
An effective way of rewarding your customers while boosting your sales.
03. Prepaid card: secure your income
How does it work?
Your customers buy a prepaid card of a defined amount (€20, €50, €100 or more) and use it to pay for their consumption in your establishment. The amount is debited as each purchase is made, until the balance is depleted. You can also offer these cards as a gift, or as a corporate solution for catered meals.
What are the advantages?
✔ Cash in advance: you secure revenue before customers even consume.
✔ Encourage loyalty: cardholders are bound to come back to use their credit.
✔ Increase average expenditure : once the card is in hand, customers tend to spend more.
✔ Promote your restaurant : if offered, they attract new customers.
A simple and profitable way to build loyalty while improving your cash flow.
04. Marketing automation: automate customer loyalty
How does it work?
Visit marketing automation allows you to send personalized messages to your customers without manual intervention. A customer hasn't been in for a month? Receive a special offer. Celebrating a birthday? A gift voucher awaits. Thanks to an automation system, these actions are triggered by customer behavior, without you having to think about it.
What are the advantages?
✔ Save time: everything is done automatically, without manual management.
✔ Personalize your customer relations : send offers adapted to consumer habits.
✔ Boost attendance: follow up inactive customers with targeted offers.
✔ Maximize the impact of your promos : reach the right people at the right time.
An effective solution for building loyalty effortlessly and maintaining a constant link with your customers.
05. E-mail campaigns: keep in touch with your customers
How does it work?
L'e-mail allows you to stay in touch with your customers without being intrusive. You can send exclusive offers, invitations to events or simply remind people of your restaurant's existence. With a database well organized, segment your mailings according to consumer habits promotions for regular customers, personalized recommendations, reminders for inactive customers...
What are the advantages?
✔ Keep it interesting: your customers receive useful information tailored to their needs.
✔ Promote your news: announce your news and highlights.
✔ Encourage visits: a good deal received by e-mail can trigger a reservation.
✔ Control your costs: e-mailing is a low-cost tool with a high return on investment.
Used properly, it's a formidable channel for building customer loyalty and generating traffic.
06. SMS marketing: capture your customers' attention in seconds
How does it work?
Visit SMS is direct, instantaneous and the most widely read format. You can use it to send a flash promotion, remind customers of a reservation or inform them of a special event. With the right targeting, you reach your customers at the right time: an offer for a weekday lunchtime, a personalized message for a regular...
What are the advantages?
✔ Unbeatable opening rate: 90 % of SMS messages are read within three minutes.
✔ Immediate impact: ideal for boosting traffic in a specific niche.
✔ Simple and effective communication: no need for a long message, just get straight to the point.
✔ Customization possible : add the customer's first name or a corresponding offer.
A powerful lever for generating visits and animating your customer base effortlessly.
07. Gamification: build loyalty by making the experience fun and engaging
How does it work?
Visit gamification applies game mechanics to your loyalty program. Offer your customers the opportunity to earn points by completing challenges (number of visits, amount spent, dishes tried) or by participating in games such as a wheel of fortune or digital scratch tickets. Discounts, gifts and exclusive offers.
What are the advantages?
✔ Make loyalty fun: your customers have fun collecting rewards.
✔ Boost engagement : the more they play, the more they come back.
✔ Encourage word-of-mouth: game mechanics encourage sharing on social networks.
✔ Boost your restaurant : create one-off events to generate traffic.
An effective way of transforming a simple visit into a memorable, loyalty-building experience.
Don't let any more customers slip away: boost your customer loyalty
Building loyalty is more than just offering a discount now and then. With the right strategies, you can turn your customers into regulars, without having to keep chasing them.
Need a helping hand to implement the right strategy? Contact our experts. We'll help you find the most effective solution for your facility.
Want to know more about loyalty? Discover our other resources:
➜ Customer loyalty: 3 effective strategies for your restaurant
➜ Creating a post-purchase bond: the keys to customer loyalty in the foodservice industry
