Ways for restaurants to keep footfall up with customer loyalty

Hold footfall with value, not just discounts.

When budgets are tight, many hospitality venues reach for low-cost meal deals. Discounting is one way to keep cash flow up, but it is not the only tool, and it is the easiest one for competitors to copy. The stronger move is to increase the actual value customers get from the experience.

Here are two ways to retain cost-conscious customers without racing on price.

1. A customer loyalty programme

Loyal customers are the most reliable revenue source a restaurant has: they cost nothing to acquire, and they tend to spend more. A customer loyalty programme does not just bring customers back, it gives them a reason to spend more while they are there.

To make the programme a proper success, look beyond monetary incentives and freebies. A priority booking option or member-only events add value that a straight discount cannot. The point is to set yourself apart, not just to give money back.

2. An exclusive community

Your loyalty programme is open to all your customers. An exclusive community targets one group within it, and the exclusivity itself lifts engagement. A niche community also lets you personalise the perks and tailor the marketing message to people who genuinely have something in common.

Audience ideas:

• Students

• Families

• Gender-based clubs, for example a ladies' or men's night

• Neighbourhood customers, grouped by postcode

• Emergency services and military personnel

• Early birds and night owls: your first and last visitors of the day

Learn more about loyalty at Stampede, or book a demo and one of our team will run you through it.