Building loyalty in the restaurant business: what really works in 2025
25 June 2025
Loyalty isn't about offering a cookie after every ten purchases.
It's stopping having to start from scratch every morning.
It means creating recurrence, smoothing out your services and keeping your customers coming back without having to sell off your products.
When we talk to restaurateurs, we often hear the same thing: "Yes, we have a loyalty program, but we don't know if it serves any purpose."
Loyalty is there, but often in the background:
➜ A card distributed without explanation.
➜ A single promo, launched in a loop out of habit.
➜ A tool activated but never followed.
It's not a lack of will, but a concern for method and tools.
And by 2025, that's not enough. Your customers expect something else: a fluid experience, a simple program, and the feeling of being recognized.
The good news is that structuring all this is within your reach.
In this guide you will find :
✔ what works on the loyalty side (and what's best to stop)
✔ the right tools for your business
✔ 5 automations to activate now
✔ and as a bonus, a checklist for laying the foundations of profitable loyalty, from A to Z
Our aim is to ensure that your loyalty program is not just another problem to be managed, but a real lever for driving your business forward.
Why transactional loyalty is no longer enough
Handing out discounts has never been enough to create a bond.
In 2025, customers see offers coming through every day, whether on platforms, in their mailbox or on Instagram.
There's nothing original about a -10 %. It may attract, but it doesn't build loyalty.
The real problem? These promotions eat into your margins without building preference. The customer comes once, takes the offer, and disappears. And you start all over again.
A loyalty program is more than just a series of discounts. It must create a regular attachment, not a hunt for the right plan.
What your customers really expect: attention, simplicity, recognition
01. Attention
Your customers want us to think of them. An offer on the right day. A welcome message after the first order. A note on their birthday. In short, signals that they're not just a Z-038 ticket.
02. Simplicity
If it's blurry, it's over. Customers want to understand at a glance where they stand, what they're earning, and how to profit from it. You don't need a tutorial to unlock a free menu.
03. Recognition
It's the regulars who keep you going. And they expect you to notice. A little message after three weeks' absence, a personalized offer on their favorite dish: it's these details that keep them coming back.
Figures that show that experience builds loyalty more than discounts
Several recent studies confirm this:
➜ According to Salesforce, 55 % of consumers would make greater use of loyalty programs if rewards were personalized to their needs.
And 55 % say they would use them even more if the benefits could be used at several chains (a figure to keep in mind if you manage a food court or a franchise network !)
➜ According to ACXIOM, 56 % of customers are ready to buy back with a company if loyalty rewards are personalized.
"A promotion attracts, whereas a relationship builds loyalty. You don't need to break your prices to keep your customers coming back. You need to get to know them better, talk to them at the right time, and show them that they matter."Our pro tip
From buffer cards to automation: what's the current status of your loyalty strategy?
Not all loyalty strategies deliver the same results. Some are expensive and yield little. Others are easy to set up and really improve recurrence.
What counts is not "doing what everyone else is doing", but having a strategy that's adapted to your format, your customers and your resources.
The 3 levels of maturity found in the foodservice industry
Level 1: basic loyalty
Paper cards, stamps, simple discounts. No data collected, no tracking. It creates a little habit, but nothing that can be activated.
Level 2: digitalized loyalty
Dematerialized card, mobile app, visible accumulated points. The data exists, but is little used. Customers are better engaged, but the relationship remains passive.
Level 3: connected and automated loyalty
Visit loyalty program is integrated into the customer journey. It captures the data automatically (click & collect, QR code, payment), sends relevant messages at the right time (scenarios), and makes it possible to monitor results. This is where loyalty becomes a lever for growth.
Why some loyalty programs work and others don't
It's not the tool that builds loyalty, it's what you do with it.
A good program:
✔ is clear for the customer (visible benefits, simple rules)
✔ is presented at the right time (on the terminal, at the table, online...).
✔ is animated (notifications, reminders, surprises)
✔ and above all, creates a habit.
Conversely, programs that struggle to win over customers are often :
➜ too complex
➜ invisible
➜ poorly integrated into the course
➜ or abandoned after launch.
Don't panic, we've listed the mistakes to avoid at the end of this guide, with a complete roadmap for effective loyalty building.
Cards, bearings, wallet: the best tools available in 2025
Today, there are many options available to you. It's up to you to choose the combination that works best for you.
➜ Tiered loyalty card : customers earn points for each order, visible in real time from their account. You define the milestones (3rd visit, 100 points...) and the associated rewards. Ideal for establishing a habit of coming and encouraging repeat business.
➜ Wallet or loyalty credit : with each order, the customer accumulates an amount in euros (cashback type) that can be reused at a later date. It's simple to understand, easy to use, and you keep control of the margin by choosing the amounts paid out.
➜ Offer on preferred product : Using order history, you can activate targeted messages on THE product that the customer orders most often. This is one of the most engaging scenarios: personalized, relevant, and often very well received.
➜ Digital gift card : refillable and usable on all your sales channels. It serves both as a loyalty tool (when offered to your regular customers) and a recruitment tool (when a customer offers it to a friend or family member).
All these formats are available on Obypay's loyalty solution, with integration at the checkout and centralized tracking in the loyalty system. customer base (we'll tell you about it at the end!)
The essential foundation: collecting and using customer data
You can't build loyalty without knowing your customers, and you can't know them without data.
But there's no need for an oversized CRM or a hand-managed Excel file: it all starts with the right contact points, a well-structured database, and a few well-thought-out automations.
Key moments for collecting data without forcing the issue
You don't have to draw up a form for every order. The collection process must be fluid, natural and integrated into the journey:
➜ About Self ordering kiosk Quick account creation at the start of the order process or at checkout.
➜ Via the QR code : registration at the end of the order process.
➜ En Click & Collect or delivery The e-mail or telephone are often already there. We might as well make the most of them.
The aim is not to know everything. Just capture the essentials: who the customer is, how often they come, what they like, and how to get back to them.
How to structure a useful (and RGPD-compatible) customer database
Start simple, but structured:
➜ First name, email, phone, order history, last visit
➜ Use a tool that centralizes all data (not an Excel file + three apps).
➜ Think RGPD: customers need to know why you're collecting their information, they need to be able to unsubscribe, and you need to be able to prove it.
➜ Delete duplicates or long-inactive profiles. An inflated but inactive base is worthless.
With Obypay, data is collected automatically with every order (online or on-site) and linked to the cash register. You know who comes back, what they consume, and when they pick up.
What to do with your data: segment, target, relaunch
This is where loyalty becomes profitable.
Segment allows you to classify your customers into relevant groups:
➜ New customers
➜ Regular customers
➜ Inactive customers
➜ Big expense / small basket
➜ Lunch customer / Evening customer
Target : Once segmented, you can talk to them differently.
➜ SMS for inactives with a little one-off benefit
➜ Personalized birthday message
➜ Push notification on favorite product
➜ Relaunch after 15 days without order
Relaunch with the right message, at the right time. Not too often, not ever. Obypay automates these scenarios, without adding to your mental workload.
You don't fly a base, you maintain a relationship.
5 simple automations to implement tomorrow
01. Follow-up after X days without visit
You set a threshold: 10, 15 or 20 days. At this point, a message is sent to the inactive customer. It could be a simple invitation ("Are we holding a place for you?") or a small offer ("1 dessert free if you drop by this week").
02. Special offer from 3rd visit
The first 3 visits are decisive. If the customer comes back three times, there's a good chance he'll come back again.
Offer them a targeted benefit for their 3rd visit: a free dessert, a favorite product at a reduced price, or access to a loyalty offer.
This scenario creates a small "plateau" effect that encourages return visits. It structures the habit from the very first visits.
03. Personalized birthday gift
A classic, but one that still works.
Do you have the date of birth in your CRM? Program an automatic message a few days before with an offer to be used within the week.
It's not the value of the gift that counts. It's the fact of thinking about it. The "this brand knows me and is making an impression" effect.
04. Request feedback after an order
A few hours after a visit or an online order, customers receive a message asking them to her opinion.
It's quick (1 or 2 clicks), but it gives you real feedback on the experience, and shows that you're taking his feelings into account.
You can even activate an internal alert in the event of a bad return, so you can get back in touch. And send satisfied customers back to Google to leave a review.
05. Notification to unlock loyalty benefits
When a customer reaches a milestone or accumulates enough points, don't leave it to chance.
Send him a message:
➜ "Well done, you've unlocked an advantage!"
➜ "Only 1 visit left to unlock your next gift"
It's this kind of attention that turns a passive program into a living experience.
Looking for inspiration for your messages?
Don't always know what to write in your reminders, notifications or birthday messages? We've got you covered.
We've put together some content to help you find the right tone, with examples you can copy and paste or adapt to suit your establishment.
➜ Customer loyalty calendar: 10 campaigns not to be missed
➜ Building customer loyalty in the restaurant business: 10 SMS marketing ideas to try out
Avoid the pitfalls: programs that don't work (and why)
01. Program too complex = no adhesion
Too many conditions, too many levels, too many clicks... you lose everyone. A customer has neither the time nor the inclination to read lengthy rules between two orders.
What doesn't work:
➜ "Drawer" programs where benefits are unclear or variable
➜ Cards where you have to ask the staff where you stand
➜ Poorly integrated apps that you forget to open
What works:
✔ A system visible as soon as the order is placed (on kiosk, QR, app, etc.)
✔ Simple logic: 1 euro = 10 points, 50 points = 1 advantage
✔ A clear, personalized benefit that triggers automatically
The Obypay solution displays customer progress and benefits in real time. No need to guess.
02. A program launched but never animated
This is the most common mistake: the program exists... on paper.
But no message is sent. No one reminds the customer. Nothing moves.
Consequences:
➜ Customer forgets he's registered
➜ The staff don't talk about it anymore
➜ You're missing out on a powerful lever that could have created a habit
A program must live in the customer journey:
✔ A notification when a level is reached
✔ A message after 15 days without an order
✔ A raise before expiry of an advantage
✔ Prominence in the hall or at reception
The animation can be automated (and it should be), but it must remain visible.
03. No follow-up = no learning possible
Without data, you're flying blind. And a program you don't measure is a program that stagnates. Many restaurants launch a program without ever measuring its impact.
Here's what you need to do, at the very least:
➜ program activation rate (how many customers sign up?)
➜ usage rate (how many accumulate points? use their benefits?)
➜ impact on recurrence (do loyal customers come back more regularly?)
➜ evolution of the average basket among registered customers
All this data is available in the Obypay interface. They enable you to adjust your offers, messages and timings to turn your loyalty program into a powerful sales lever.
Checklist: 10 steps to profitable, measurable loyalty
01. Define your objectives (loyalty or traffic?)
Do you want customers to come back more often? Buy more with each visit? Want them to choose your lunchtime menu over another?
Clarify what you want from the program. It changes everything, from the type of offer to the tone of the messages.
02. Choosing the right tools for your format
Not all tools are created equal. What works for you depends above all on your business, your workflows and your way of working.
➜ Fast casual : rely on a visible tiered card on a terminal, with automated scenarios and a clear reward for the first visits. Objective: create repeat business quickly.
➜ Traditional restaurant These include an easy-to-present digital loyalty card, post-visit SMS text messaging to keep the link alive, and highlighting a favorite product as a reward. The approach is more relational than mechanical.
➜ Food court a shared program between corners with cashback that can be reused on all stands. This is the best way to ensure that the shopping experience remains seamless despite the many different banners.
03. Identify moments of customer contact
That's when you can :
✔ collect the data
✔ activate a message
✔ offer an advantage
List them: kiosk, QR code, payment, order taking, post-delivery email, etc. The more consistent you are, the more natural loyalty becomes.
04. Collect data smoothly (and legally!)
No need for a 10-field form. Just ask for the essentials at the right time.
And on the RGPD side: always ask for consent, leave the option to unsubscribe, and avoid unnecessary data.
05. Segment your database
Not all your customers are alike.
Make useful groups:
➜ new customers
➜ inactive (haven't been here in 3 weeks)
➜ regular
➜ baskets > €25
➜ order at lunchtime
You can then adapt your messages and offers. A segmented base is an activatable base.
06. Set up 2 to 3 scenarios
There's no need to launch 15 right from the start. Start simple:
➜ relaunch after X days
➜ birthday message
➜ reward on 3rd or 5th visit
Obypay offers ready-to-use templates. You can activate them, test them, then adjust them over time.
07. Train your teams to talk about the program
If your teams don't talk about it, no one will sign up.
Take your time:
➜ explain how it works
➜ show them how to talk about it naturally
➜ involve them in customer feedback
A loyalty card well explained by a waiter often carries more weight than a flyer.
08. Communicating your program (in theatres, online, on delivery)
Just because you have a good program doesn't mean people will see it.
Display it:
➜ on control terminals
➜ on packaging
➜ on the networks
➜ in post-order messages
➜ at the counter
Communication is what turns a tool into a habit.
09. Measure returns (frequency, basket, reactivation)
Look what's happening:
➜ how many customers are active?
➜ do they come back more often?
➜ is their basket evolving?
➜ which messages trigger returns?
With Obypay, it's all traceable. You'll know what's working and what needs adjusting.
10. Adjust every 2 months according to results
A loyalty program is not set in stone. Remove what doesn't work. Test a new message. Change a reward.
2 months is the right pace for learning lessons, without waiting for everything to run out of steam.
Your program doesn't have to be perfect. It just has to be alive.
Ready to (really) structure your loyalty strategy?
If you've made it this far, is that you know that building loyalty means more than just offering discounts from time to time.
You have customers.
You have data.
All that's left is to activate them.
Start simple. Test. Adjust. And above all: integrate loyalty into your day-to-day operations, just as you track your sales or inventory.
And if you want to go further, our team is available to support you and answer your questions.
