In the Seinfeld episode “The Strike,” the character Elaine goes to great lengths to retrieve a lost loyalty punch card for a deli to get her promised free sandwich. “I’ve eaten 23 bad subs,” she explains. “I just need one more! It’s like a long, bad movie, but you want to see the end of it!
This is the trap of traditional loyalty rewards programs in dining and hospitality. Customers have no allegiance to the brand or venue—they’re just chasing the dopamine hit of achieving a goal. How likely do you think it is that Elaine returns to that sandwich shop after getting her free sub?
For venues that want to create actual customer loyalty that lasts beyond the next reward, it takes more than a punch card or points system. That’s why Loyalty Untapped™ takes a unique approach focused on three core principles.
1. Build predictable visit frequency
Loyalty programs based on punches, perks, and points may get customers to come back, but there’s no guarantee those return visits will happen with any predictability. It may be weeks, months, or even years before customers rack up enough visits to get their reward. That’s not helpful for venue operators who need to predict staffing, inventory, and revenue.
In Loyalty Untapped’s model, customers develop devotion to a venue through visit frequency. By giving guests a consistent weekly ritual to return to, venues become a part of their guests’ lives. Guests won’t wait until the next time they’re hankering for a sandwich to visit—they’re showing up because that’s what they do on Monday nights.
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2. Reward relationships, not transactions
That type of frequency infrastructure does more than just ensure guests return on a reliable schedule. It helps build connections between your venue and customers that lead to real emotional loyalty.
Thanks to technology, many points and perks programs don’t even require human interaction—a customer makes a mobile or online purchase and points are added to their account. It’s frictionless, but ultimately meaningless. Remove the rewards, and customers have nothing else connecting them to that restaurant or store.
Rather than wait to reward transactions after the fact, Loyalty Untapped makes interaction the reward, creating community and identity through a site-specific, one-of-a-kind ritual.
41% of Millennials and Gen Z want community member events in loyalty programs
3. Customize incentives to your customers
“Buy nine ______, get one _______ free” loyalty programs are so ubiquitous, a TV show from the ‘90s had a whole episode about them. But a proprietary, white-labeled entertainment ritual tailored specifically to a venue and its audience? That’s something you don’t see every day.
Acquiring and retaining customers isn’t a one-size-fits-all proposition. Promotions and LTOs may get guests in the door once or twice, but you’re competing with every other venue offering the same thing.
Successful venues know the best way to keep customers from going somewhere else is to give them something they can’t get anywhere else. An exclusive event that guests identify with and connect to creates a deeper loyalty than a generic points program that any business can offer.
Conclusion
The oversaturation of points- and perk-based customer loyalty programs has diluted their power. As customers grow more savvy and their needs change, forward-thinking operators look for unique alternatives that truly add value to their guests’ lives.
Creating lasting loyalty is a process that requires a specific kind of behavioral infrastructure. With the right type of program, restaurants, bars and other venues can build those relationships and gain devoted customers.
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If your brand wants to increase repeat visits, focus less on convincing customers and more on designing behavior. Build the rituals, social connections, and progress systems that make returning feel natural.
Start by asking: what would make coming back the easiest, most rewarding choice for your guests?