Why a Gamified Loyalty Program Keeps Me Coming Back to Buffalo Wild Wings®

Last night the Golden State Warriors defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 113-91 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. As a result, I’ll be watching Game 2 at Buffalo Wild Wings.

The last time I visited the chicken wing/sports bar concept I played the Spin & Win game on the Blazin’ Rewards app. This is a gamified component of the brand’s loyalty program and members like myself have an opportunity to play every time they visit during the NBA postseason. Each visit allows one “spin” in the app. Every spin reveals a team with an upcoming playoff game. If that team wins its next game, the guest earns 100 bonus points towards a reward.

When I played during a lunch visit earlier in the week, my spin landed on the Warriors. When they won last night, I earned 100 points, giving me enough currency to earn a free entrée. Now I can’t wait to go back for Game 2 this weekend so I can redeem my reward and play again to give myself a shot at 100 more points.

Buffalo Wild Wings has made its share of negative headlines in the first half of the year, but the gamified Blazin’ Rewards program has turned me into a bigger fan of the brand than I was before. My visitation has increased by 300 percent over the course of the NBA playoffs, and I’m not alone. Several friends and colleagues are also program members, participate in the Spin & Win game, and thus have increased visit frequency during the playoffs.

While the future of Buffalo Wild Wings remains uncertain, I’m confident that a gamified loyalty program that fits a brand’s culture the way Blazin’ Rewards does will always leave a positive impact on its members. It’s a strong motivator to visit and play more frequently. I just have to look at myself and those around me playing Spin & Win on their phones whenever I visit my local Buffalo Wild Wings.

I discussed this concept in a recent webinar and provided an in-depth analysis of publicly available information regarding the Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin’ Rewards program and the general concept of loyalty gamification. Buffalo Wild Wings motivated me to increase visit frequency by 300 percent these past two months and you’ll gain tips you can use to add a gamification component to your own loyalty strategy.