Customer Loyalty Program Checklist

Pick one or two measurable goals — lift repeat-visit frequency from 1.4 to 1.8 per month, raise per-person average (PPA) on enrolled checks by $3, or grow opt-in email list to 3,000 addresses. Vague goals like 'increase loyalty' will not survive the first quarterly review.

Pull POS data from Toast, Square, or Aloha for the last 90 days. Look at check frequency, average ticket, daypart, and channel (dine-in vs. online order vs. delivery). Most independents see the top 20% of guests drive 50–60% of revenue — design around them.

Common models: points-per-dollar (1 point = $1 spent), visit-based (every 10th visit free), tiered (Silver/Gold/Platinum with escalating perks), or paid membership (Panera Sip Club style). Points-per-dollar is simplest for FSR; visit-based works for fast-casual and coffee.

For paid programs only. Decide monthly vs. annual price, free-trial length, and auto-renewal terms. Confirm your payment processor supports recurring billing (Stripe, Toast, Square). Disclose renewal terms in the sign-up flow — some states (CA, NY) require explicit consent for auto-renewal.

For tiered programs only. Set spend or visit thresholds (e.g., Silver $0–$250, Gold $250–$750, Platinum $750+ trailing 12 months) and the perk that distinguishes each tier — priority reservations, complimentary BTG pour, chef's table invite.

Target a redemption value of 3–7% of spend — too low and guests ignore it, too high and you erode food cost. Mix experiential rewards (chef's tasting, cocktail class) with transactional ones (free appetizer, $10 off). Avoid rewards that comp your highest food-cost items like steak or whole fish.

Write the fine print: point expiration window, exclusions (alcohol in some states cannot be discounted, gift cards usually excluded), one-reward-per-visit rules, tax treatment of redeemed dollars, and account-closure policy. Have an attorney review if you're in CA, NY, or operate across state lines.

Toast and Square have native loyalty modules. For Clover, TouchBistro, Lightspeed, or Aloha, look at Thanx, Punchh, Como, Paytronix, or Spendgo. Confirm two-way sync — points should accrue automatically at the POS, not require manager rings.

Verify the platform pulls check-level item detail (not just total) — you'll need this to exclude alcohol from points in states that prohibit it. Confirm sync cadence (real-time vs. batched) and what happens when the POS goes offline during a busy Saturday service.

Decide sign-up channels: in-app, web, QR code at the table, or server-prompted at payment. Phone-number-only enrollment converts 3–5x better than email-required forms. Capture birthday and dining preferences if your platform supports it — drives anniversary and birthday campaigns.

Map the rules documented in Program Design into the platform: earn rates, exclusions, expiration, daily redemption caps. Test that alcohol, gift cards, and gratuity are excluded from point accrual where required.

Ring at least 10 test checks covering dine-in, takeout, online order, and delivery. Verify points post correctly, redemptions deduct, and split checks don't double-credit. Test the offline-mode behavior — does the POS queue the transaction or drop it?

Log defects with reproduction steps and POS check numbers. Hold launch until all critical defects (incorrect point math, alcohol-included accrual, double-credit on split checks) are resolved. Cosmetic defects can ship with a known-issues note to staff.

One-page script: how to mention the program at greeting and at payment, the 30-second enrollment pitch, the top 5 guest objections, and the exact words to use when handling a redemption at the POS. Include screenshots of the POS flow.

Cover servers, bartenders, hosts, and runners in a 20-minute pre-shift lineup. Role-play the enrollment ask twice. Set a per-server enrollment target for the first 30 days (e.g., 3 sign-ups per shift) and tie it to the side-work scorecard.

A $1–$2 spiff per verified enrollment for the first 60 days drives adoption faster than any in-store signage. Verify the spiff is paid through payroll (not cash) to keep tip-credit and wage-and-hour accounting clean.

QR-code table tents, host-stand placard, check-presenter insert, and a window cling. Keep the call-to-action to one sentence: 'Scan to join — earn a free appetizer on your next visit.' Avoid cluttered designs that compete with menu features.

Email your existing list (Toast Marketing, Mailchimp, Klaviyo) with the sign-up bonus offer. Post on Instagram and Google Business Profile the same day. Stagger a second email 7 days later to non-openers — typically lifts enrollment 30–40%.

Core KPIs: enrollment rate (% of checks with a member), member visit frequency vs. non-member, member PPA vs. non-member, redemption rate, and incremental revenue. Pull weekly from the loyalty platform dashboard; review monthly with the GM.

Pull enrollment, redemption, and incremental check data. Walk the floor with two servers and ask what's working and where guests push back. Sit at the host stand for one full service to watch the enrollment flow live.

Common levers when enrollment lags: lower the sign-up-bonus threshold, raise the server spiff, or shift to phone-number-only enrollment. When redemption lags, lower the first-reward earn threshold so new members hit a win in their first 2–3 visits.

Build a 12-month calendar: birthday reward (free dessert or BTG pour), anniversary-of-joining reward, plus 4–6 seasonal campaigns tied to menu changes or slow dayparts (Tuesday double-points, restaurant-week bonus). Schedule them in the loyalty platform now so they fire automatically.

Quarterly review with the owner-operator: incremental revenue net of reward cost, member-vs-non-member frequency, churn signals (members with no visit in 60 days), and platform fees as % of program revenue. Decide whether to expand, contract, or hold steady for the next quarter.