12 Restaurant & C-Store Loyalty Platforms Worth Considering

One of the best ways to continually generate revenue is to keep customers coming back. Restaurant and c-store loyalty programs help you motivate your existing customers to keep returning while providing them with the great experience your brand is known for. 

If you’re considering implementing a restaurant or c-store loyalty program, you don’t have to figure it out alone. Loyalty platforms take much of the work out of loyalty programs, letting you create, personalize, and launch programs while you focus on what you do best: giving your customers an unforgettable experience.  

Not only that, Fortune Business Insights estimates that the loyalty software market will grow to over $24 billion by 2029. Let’s take the guesswork out of understanding the top loyalty platforms.  

Understanding Loyalty Platforms 

Restaurant and c-store loyalty programs are run on loyalty platforms. These tech solutions should integrate with your restaurant or c-store management software.  

Loyalty program elements are specific benefits offered to customers as part of your loyalty program. The loyalty platform you choose must have these program elements: 

• Points: A points-based loyalty program allows customers to collect points with more purchases. This form of gamification gives customers a sense of accomplishment. Points can be exchanged for free products and other rewards. 

• Tiered rewards: Customers are placed into tiers based on their engagement or spending activity. Higher tiers have more rewards and give customers a goal to achieve.  

• Gamification: Who doesn’t love friendly competition? Gamification infuses a sense of fun and competition into your program. Give your customers challenges, badges, or other interactive activities based on their in-app activity to keep them engaged.  

• Coupons: Coupons provide immediate gratification, which is one of the longest-lasting tenets of retail and hospitality industry loyalty programs, and incentivize people to make future purchases. 

• Referrals: Your existing, engaged customers are extremely valuable. Encouraging them to refer friends and family to your rewards program expands your customer base without any effort on your part and rewards both original and new customers. 

Note that loyalty programs are not a one-size-fits-all solution. The loyalty platform you choose should be able to customize each experience. Customers are bombarded with ads wherever they turn. In fact, it’s estimated that customers in the US see between 50 and 400 ads each day, and that number grows every year. 

While 400 ads per day sounds like a lot, most of these ads aren’t recognized by everyone. Because of this widespread advertising saturation, personalization is a must. Personalization captures your audience’s attention sooner and makes them feel like you understand their specific needs. 

Data analytics is essential, as well. Without the correct data, you won’t be able to personalize your program or know if it’s meeting your goals.  

The use cases differ between restaurants and c-stores. Restaurant customers have different dining needs (and expectations) than those who use a c-store. 

C-store customers visit storefronts for other purposes than eating, including restroom breaks, filling up their gas tanks, and looking for lifestyle amenities like sunglasses, hats, and car air fresheners. As such, you want to choose a loyalty platform that has features to fit various business models and multiple customer segments.

Top 7 Loyalty Platforms for Restaurants 

Let’s dive into five leading platforms for restaurants, including:  

• High-impact, scalable loyalty programs 
• Customer-centric, first-party online ordering  
• Frictionless payment solutions 
• CRM and marketing automation 
• 30+ POS integrations 

• A point system that lets guests earn points  
• The ability to customize promotions for guests 
• Contactless ordering 
• POS 
• Payroll and marketing tools 

• Customer list building 
• CRM 
• Loyalty promotions 

• Customizable loyalty programs 
• Gift card programs 
• Employee loyalty 
• Referral programs 

• Multiple ways to track guests, built into the system  
• Customizable loyalty programs 
• The ability to track ROI 
• The ability to analyze guest behavior based on their orders and place of purchase 

• Punch cards 
• Fully automated  
• Omnichannel capabilities 
• The ability to integrate several loyalty solutions into a single program 

• Analytics to help you create intuitive rewards programs based on past behavior 
• User-friendly interface 
• Push notifications for customers so they’re always up to date on their loyalty points 

Always perform your own due diligence and double check that the loyalty platform you’re considering can seamlessly integrate with your existing systems. Look for helpful communication from staff, useful answers, and a consistent experience overall. What you experience before signing a contract is likely to indicate what you’ll experience after. 

Top 5 Loyalty Platforms for Convenience Stores 

Let’s look at five of the top loyalty platforms for convenience stores:  

1. Paytronix: Our loyalty platform for convenience stores features a variety of loyalty rewards for your customers, gives you real-time data to analyze performance, segment, and create personalization, and easily integrates with your other c-store technology. 
2. PDI Technologies: PDI Technologies offers the ability to provide personalized loyalty experiences. It also features CRM and data tools. 
3. Loyal-n-Save: Loyal-n-Save features digital punch cards and marketing automation.  
4. Punchh: Punchh features a variety of ways to keep customers coming back. Its features include the ability to bank points, tiered rewards and benefit programs, and integrations. 
5. Loyalty Gator: Loyalty Gator gives you an edge with an affordable, customizable solution for your customers. It features a reloadable cash card, the ability to automatically send personalized emails for every purchase made, and a 30-day free trial.

Proven business components that pair well with loyalty for c-stores include: 

• Personalization: This can consist of offers you know your customers will appreciate based on your data and their behavior.  

• Online ordering: Online ordering is increasingly the standard for most restaurants, and it elevates the customer experience at your c-store, too. Consider what’s needed to provide online ordering to your customers before getting software installed and connected to other tools. 

• Delivery: You can order almost anything online and get it delivered straight to your house these days. Deliver an exceptional customer experience by providing first-party online ordering and delivery as soon as possible. Also partner with third-party delivery providers to round out your offerings so new audiences have the highest chance of discovering your business and choosing you over competitors. 

• Perks: Offer your customers perks for spending money with you. This can include earning a discount on gas or certain food orders. Use personalization to offer specific perks to customers you know primarily use your c-store for fuel. Offer them a discount on snacks or a drink to get them to come inside. Then, use that data to build out a sophisticated targeting program. 

Offering customers perks for shopping, getting their favorite snack, or fueling their cars seems like a no-brainer. However, the success of a loyalty program depends on whether your team understands how to use the data available, whether perks are personalized, and whether your program continually adapts to customers' needs and desires.

Comparing Loyalty Platforms 

As you’ve seen, there are multiple options for loyalty platforms. How do you choose the right one for your store or restaurant? Consider these factors when making your decision: 

• Look at your customer base: You can’t launch a loyalty program (and choose a platform) without understanding your customer base first. Understand their demographics, their wants, needs, and behaviors. This knowledge can help you identify the platform features that will resonate with your audience. 

• Understand your goals: Define your business goals before choosing a loyalty platform. Is it more revenue, greater customer retention, higher loyalty program penetration, or all of the above? 

• Evaluate the platforms: Ask yourself these questions when looking at loyalty platforms for your convenience store or restaurant: 

• Flexibility: Can the platform adapt to your growing business? Can it evolve with your customers’ needs? 

• Integration: Can the platform integrate with your existing technology? Do you need more or different tech to achieve your dream operational and marketing outcomes? 

• Data and analytics: Does the platform provide data and analytics? Can you measure campaign performance and customer engagement?  

• Reporting and customization: Can you easily tailor your program based on its reporting and customization features? 

• User-friendliness: Is the platform easy to use? Does your team find it intuitive and an improvement to their daily workflow, rather than a hassle? 

Further, you may find it useful to create a comprehensive list or spreadsheet to help you evaluate each platform. It’s also wise to evaluate each vendor’s: 

• Industry focus 

• Key clients 

• Case studies 

While the overall price and features play a role in whether you’ll choose a vendor, you’ll also want to consider any additional fees or pricing structures. Some vendors charge subscription or implementation fees. If you need custom development, that can increase your price as well.  

Additionally, consider your vendor of choice’s support. Using a loyalty platform goes beyond simply downloading or integrating technology. 

You’ll want a loyalty platform provider who not only provides tech support when you need it, but also provides strategic support to keep your loyalty program growing. Your unique business needs will dictate the specific loyalty software features you look for.  

Real-World Examples 

Any c-store that’s been in business for a few months knows the primary way to increase profit is moving people from the pump into the store. Pump-N-Pantry is one such c-store chain that specializes in fresh food and wanted to drive more customers inside when they stopped to fuel up their vehicles.  

Pump-N-Pantry used our full platform to create a points-based loyalty program with order ahead capabilities and an app. Their program rewards members with points for every purchase. 

This c-store saw a remarkable 6,000 members join after creating the new program. Pump-N-Pantry also offered online ordering and saw online orders jump 20%. 

Another example is Smashburger, which wanted new ways to motivate its guests. To do this, Smashburger used its data and Paytronix’s AI to create personalized one-to-one marketing campaigns. Using Paytronix’s AI to IA, Smashburger micro-segmented its customer list to create an effective, data-driven loyalty program, resulting in 6.5% of their annual sales growth. 

Here’s a more detailed breakdown of the tactics they used:  

• Deployed small tests to increase visit frequency 

• Reengagement campaigns 

• Segmented members based on purchase behavior 

• Created a personalized guest experience that included: 

• A veggie burger promotion that targeted guests who typically don’t order beef 

• LTO that rewarded frequent purchasers of fries with a free order if they tried a new menu offering 

• Refined member benefits to double and triple points for Gold and Platinum members; preferred birthday rewards 

• Offer triple points for ordering online with order-and-delivery incentives 

The Bottom Line 

Investing in a good loyalty platform is crucial for the growth of your store or restaurant. A good loyalty program delivers the brand experience customers already appreciate you for and increases your revenue and return on investment (ROI).  

Ready to learn how the right loyalty platform can boost your business? Book a demo now.