Running a restaurant sometimes feels like herding cats. Customers come, they munch, they vanish. You wonder if your sambal was not spicy enough, or if your fried duck was not loud enough. But actually, the secret of loyalty program is something far more practical than the sorcery, but almost as magical. It is the Three Rs of restaurant loyalty programs: Rewards, Relevance, and Recognition.
I hope you don’t roll your eyes, Fellas. A real system of loyalty perks should make people say, “Why would I eat anywhere else when this joint treats me like royalty?” rather than just a marketing fluff. Once you master Rewards that genuinely excite, Relevance that feels personal, and Recognition that hugs customers’ egos, you’ll see the difference between a one-time visitor and a die-hard fan. That fan will even insist on bringing their mother-in-law every Sunday.
Loyalty also does not mean making your food cheaper, which just means broke you. It means connection, the reason why some folks will queue an hour for your nasi ayam instead of going to that fancy place with marble tables and mood lighting.
Rewards That Make People Drool
Rewards are the appetiser of your customer perks. Without them, you’re just hoping customers magically remember your nasi ayam exists. Spoiler: they won’t remember.
Rewards can be free meals after ten visits, cheeky birthday surprises, or golden tickets to exclusive events. But make it simple. If your perks scheme needs a 4-scroll cellphone screen, congratulations, you’ve invented a loyalty obstacle course than creating the loyalty itself. Customers don’t want to solve a puzzle just to earn a complimentary iced matcha tea.
I’ve seen restaurant owners create point systems so confusing that even the staff need calculators to determine the final score. Customers ask how it works, staff shrug, and everybody leaves hungry and puzzled.
The beauty of straightforward rewards? You get delicious customer data while they get perks. Win-win. But be transparent. People will happily share their details if they know there’s a portion of sego bancakan or free es pallu butung waiting at the end.
And here’s a free tip: building a page on your website to highlight these loyalty perks is like setting up a virtual menu of happiness. Hungry customers often search online before visiting a restaurant. If they see your establishment offering exclusive deals and freebies, they are more likely to choose you over the diner next door.
Imagine announcing on your site: “Congrats to Ibu Jessica Akbar, she just unlocked a lavish staycation voucher after 20 visits!” That’s not just a win for Jessica; it’s free advertising for you. People love public bragging rights almost as much as they love free food.
Relevance That Feels Personal
Relevance is often the secret sauce. It means giving customers rewards or experiences that fit their habits instead of throwing generic deals at them like confetti. Here’s where the magic gets spicy: psychology. A system of rewards can’t be one-size-fits-all, because your customers aren’t robots ordering nasi ayam on autopilot.
Smart restaurant owners will dig into their database instead of guessing. Families = bundle meals and kid-friendly events. Gen Z = seasonal hype menus and Instagrammable gimmicks. Office workers = lunchtime discounts that scream “eat here before your boss calls another meeting.” This is the reason why managers should manage to analyse the order data of customers daily.
A mom with three kids doesn’t care about your Valentine’s Day cheesecake, but she’ll sprint for family meal deals. Meanwhile, Gen Z? They’ll line up for charcoal ramen if you market it as a limited edition. Different people, different triggers. (Question: Do you recognize what age contributed to highest value in their checks last week? Did these most spending people expense for two people only or for even eight people per visit?)
Your website can also spy (I mean, politely observe) all this. Polls like “Which dessert should we add next?” tell you not only what’s popular but who’s answering. Maybe 70% of clicks come from twenty-somethings who splurge on lattes. That’s your goldmine right there, because if these menu is most viewed, but not the most purchased, then it’s time to make it as “reward” for your loyalists.
I’ve noticed fun patterns: coffee brewing tutorials attract millennials, while grandma’s recipe posts lure the mommy customers. Photos of gooey cheese? Always viral. Use these insights to tailor offers so customers feel seen, not spammed.
Because when people feel your program gets them, they stay. When they don’t, your loyalty system is just an expensive random voucher.
Recognition That Hits the Feels
Here’s the big one: recognition. The secret sauce that makes loyalty stickier than melted mozzarella. Rewards fill stomachs, relevance fills needs, but recognition fills hearts.
Think personalised thank-you notes, VIP tiers, birthday serenades that don’t sound like dying ducks. When your database shows Mr Budi Wijaya orders fried duck every first Friday monthly, surprise him with early access to your chef’s new duck special. He’ll probably bring friends, post about it, and crown you his seafood soulmate.
Ever tried convincing people that eating kale is fun? Tiered memberships work kinda like that trick. People secretly adore climbing a ladder, especially when the next step promises juicier perks. First tier: you’re just nibbling on fries. Second tier: now you’re eating spiku, which is built from delicious Dutch butter. Third tier: suddenly, you’re the ultra-special guest who gets a free private dining room for 15 people. It’s just the joy of levelling up, the same reason we binge three more Korean drama episodes when we swore we’d stop at the first episode.
My favourite story? One restaurant didn’t hand out boring coupons. Nope, they gave a customer a potted basil plant. A real one. Picture this: the customer took it home, set it by the window, and watered it. Every single time she picked a leaf to sprinkle on pasta, she thought, “Ah, that came from my favourite bistro.”
That’s a memory trigger which works more than a gift. The scent, the taste, the little green leaves all nudge the restaurant back into the customer’s mind like a catchy tune that refuses to leave your head. Simple, thoughtful, and impossible to forget.
Your website should act as the fan club wall of fame. Post customer milestones, spotlight testimonials, and showcase their photos. Make them feel like the Chris Martin of your dining room. When people see their own faces and names celebrated, they’ll brag about it for free on social media. That’s marketing you don’t even have to pay for.
Bringing It All Together
When Rewards, Relevance, and Recognition play nicely, your loyalty system turns strangers into superfans. Rewards lure them in, relevance keeps them hooked, and recognition makes them gush about you like you’re the culinary love of their life.
The best part? You stop treating customers like walking wallets and start treating them like family with slightly better table manners. The right website tools and data tracking make this all scalable, even if you’re not a billion-dollar burger chain.
And the result? A tribe that roots for your success, keeps your seats warm, and spreads word-of-mouth faster than sambal spreads on white shirts.
So, what’s cooking in your loyalty kitchen? Ping me on LinkedIn if you want to swap loyalty hacks or just to rant about how confusing some point systems are. I’m all ears.
Vicky Laurentina adalah food blogger, sekaligus dokter dan ibu dari seorang anak. Buka halaman ini, “Tentang Vicky Laurentina” untuk tahu latar belakang Vicky, atau follow Instagram dan Twitter untuk tahu keseharian Vicky.
Kalau ada program begini pastinya memang asyik dan bikin pengunjung balik lagi sih ke restorannya. Apalagi kalau misal ada info di website siapa pelanggan paling a b c d pasti seru juga ya mbak.
Betul banget, serunya memang di situ. Program loyalitas itu bukan cuma soal kasih diskon, tapi juga bikin pelanggan merasa kayak “bintang tamu tetap” di acara makan restorannya.
Talking about reward in the restaurant, I don’t like eating, so when I see the restaurant give a reward to their customer, it rarely makes me drool, hehehe, but, in our culture or for some people who like eating, this will be something interesting, and feeling excited to grab it, and it makes them drool
Hey, what about meeting or doing event for networking? Do you think it is interesting for organising any meeting/event in restaurant? Restaurant rewards are beneficial for these occasions.
Love your post, mbak Vicky. Loyalty is not just about points, but about connection well explained. I learn more. Your point, inspiring me.
Thank youu Glad the post clicked for you! Hope it sparks some ideas you can test in your own personal brand.
Memberlakukan customer sebagai dompet berjalan. Tapi iya juga ya. Akan lebih baik kalau pemilik restoran tuh memberlakukan customer kayak keluarga. Dengan program loyalitas yang benar-benar dipikirkan. Nggak hanya sembarangan ngasih hadiah misalnya. Harus yang bisa mereka manfaatkan dan kembali teringat sama restoran itu.
Haha iya, saya sering ketemu juga restoran yang cuma mikirnya, “Yang penting kasih voucher, selesai urusan.”
Padahal kalau asal begitu, yang dapat voucher juga bingung mau diapain. Program loyalitas yang oke justru bisa bikin momen seru, kayak bikin pelanggan merasa punya “status spesial”. Jadi yang diingat adalah pengalamannya ketika makan di restoran itu.
The simplest yet most memorable place to eat for me is the green bean ice shop in front of SMPN 1 Surabaya, Jalan Pacar.
The street-founder doesnt’t even use a sosial media at all (( perhaps because he’s from the baby boomers generation )), but he serves and chat with every customer in a friendly manner.
Sometimes he makes jokes that bring a smile and happiness in every customers.
It makes me feel warmly welcomed whenever i come back.
The real “reward” there is the jokes, isn’t it? The jokes will act as reward if each jokes are personalised tailored to customer, make every customer feel recognized.
A personal joke will be the heart of a good restaurant loyalty program, making people feel seen and valued. But if the jokes are generic to every customer, the business should improve its marketing effort again.