Fast casuaux restaurants are based on loyalty programs in the middle of consumer decline

While some consumers are retreating to spending in an economic context, fast restaurant chains are looking at reward programs to bring them back.

Loyalty programs, which offer discounts or additional advantages for return customers, have gone from a good bonus for restaurants to a must. While guests at the costs of privileged value, brands as Chipotle,, Starbucks,, How are you And others use awards to ensure that customers come back and build habits that go beyond the occasional coupon.

“In difficult times, loyalty programs become more essential,” said Peter Fader, professor of Wharton School marketing at Pennsylvania University. “They become an ingredient required to establish and maintain relationships.”

During the 12 months completed in May, the catering industry only saw monthly traffic increase once, in November, according to Black Box Intelligence. While guests visit restaurants less frequently, sales are struggling. Only 43% of restaurant brands followed by Black Box reported sales growth in comparable stores in May.

Consumers who join loyalty programs visit restaurants more frequently, making 22% additional visits per year to restaurants, according to Circana data. They also frequent the marks to which they belong twice the rate of non-members, revealed the market research company.

Coffee giant Starbucks said 34.2 million active members of the awards in its second quarter and said that more than 59% of its transactions belonging to American companies came from these members. Belly was a similar success: in the first quarter of 2025, more than 42% of its total stores of stores came from digital activities, which include users of the loyalty program.

Chipotle To more than 20 million active members of the awards. Its loyalty program represents around 30% of sales on average each day and helped the Burrito chain avoid major price increases, according to the company.

“We have a very strong loyalty to the brand among our members,” Nicole West, vice-president of digital chipotle experiences, told CNBC. “We really focus on engaging with our members and doing this in a way that really resonates with them.”

Loyalty is essential for Chipotle and Starbucks. In the first quarter, Chipotle posted a drop in sales at comparable stores for the first time since 2020 and said that he had seen a “slowdown” in consumer spending. Meanwhile, sales with comparable stores from Starbucks have dropped for five consecutive quarters.

Cava is truncating industry trends with strong sales growth, but faces Wall Street pressure to maintain its rapid expansion.

While reward programs take steam, more brands become creative and exceed the value of value.

Cava reorganized its award program in October 2024 to give customers more flexibility in the way they earn and use points. Members can earn points with each visit and buy them against specific items such as Pita chips or full entries. The program also includes limited -term offers and integrated challenges. At the end of March, the company celebrated the National Pita Day by deploying a mascot called “Peter Chip” and by offering members of complementary Pita fleas.

“Guests like to see periodic surprises and delight moments when we can reward them with Pita fleas or other brand offers,” said Andrew Rebhun, Cava Marketing Director.

The Cava award program now has more than 7 million members. A new system on several levels should soon be launched, according to Rebhun.

Chipotle launched a seasonal campaign called “Summer of Extras” this year. The campaign gives more than a million dollars in free burritos, encouraging customers to accumulate visits and to compete to become the best visitor of chipotle in their condition.

“We continue to see activations in this program build and excitement and positive reaction on the social networks of our fans,” said West. “We continue to focus on their contribution of value so as to go through programs where customers have opportunities for” more “their points or earn specific offers by presenting specific behaviors”.

Salad chain Sweetgreen Also has resumed its loyalty program this spring, moving away from its several level subscription program that many consumers have found confusing.

“In a difficult industry environment where consumers make more intentional choices with each dollar, SG Rewards is designed to respond at the time by offering a significant value,” said Sweetgreen co -founder and CEO Jonathan Neman, at the company’s quarterly conference in May.

Even Starbucks, an established leader in reward programs, has made changes. In June, the coffee chain ended its reusable cup bonus of 25 stars and replaced it with double stars through full purchase. Although the change was controversial among the loyalists, who said that the gain potential had been reduced, the coffee chain said that participation has remained stable.

Of course, giving free awards is accompanied by compromise. Promotions reduce profits in an industry that faces close margins in the best of cases. Restaurant channels hope that these gifts stimulate longer -term loyalty and expenditure in full prices.

Long -term victories

Brands that sail on economic pressure note that loyalty programs help generate visits.

Potbelly reorganized its loyalty system at the beginning of 2024, going to a structure based on parts that allows customers to exchange rewards more quickly and on more items. Customers now have access to more than 14 menu items via the award program. This flexibility has led to more frequent visits, said potbelly marketing director David Daniels.

“We saw an elevator almost immediately in terms of commitment,” said Daniels. “The answer was incredibly positive.”

Chicago style restaurant Portillo Joined the loyalty match in March with “Portillo’s perks”. Instead of using a traditional application, the program uses a digital portfolio system and focuses on frequency. It follows the frequency to which a customer visits and rewards badges as you go.

“It gives the flexibility to modify the way the program is deployed,” said Garrett Kern, vice-president of the Portillo strategy and culinary, in CNBC. “This does not require overhaul and relaunching an application. It was a great way for us to put the program in a brand and easy to use.”

The company aims at 1.5 to 1.7 million registrations by the middle of the summer.

– Amelia Lucas and Jacob PRAMUK from CNBC contributed to this report.