New Research Finds That Customer Loyalty Programs Help Restaurants Weather the Economy, Gain Competitive Edge

Customer loyalty is a key driver of restaurant business, and new National Restaurant Association research finds that over three-quarters of restaurant operator survey participants say guest loyalty programs helped grow business during the economic downturn. In addition, 90 percent say loyalty programs give them a competitive edge, and the vast majority is planning to invest more in their programs because of their proven ability to drive business growth. 

In the first in-depth loyalty study of its members, the National Restaurant Association partnered withLoyalty 360 – The Loyalty Marketer’s Association and rDialogue to investigate the level of penetration of loyalty programs in the restaurant industry; identify the types of loyalty practices being utilized; collect the metrics being used to measure performance; and determine the level of dedicated resources supporting strategy, implementation, and management of the programs. 

”Repeat customers are a very important demographic for restaurant operators to grow their business, and loyalty programs can provide strong incentive to increase visits from those individuals,” said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the Research & Knowledge Group with the National Restaurant Association. “This new research clearly shows the value of operating guest loyalty programs, and offers great insight into loyalty strategies.” 

The study revealed that: 

“These findings clearly show that dining loyalty programs continue to grow because they work to accomplish strategic business objectives,” says Mark Johnson, CEO of Loyalty 360, a loyalty marketing think tank and clearing house of information. “We know that restaurants want the insights from these loyalty programs to provide or create sustainable behavioral change. And with the economy continuing to put pressure on marketing budgets, we also know that this study gives industries across the board deeper insights as how best to drive the proven bottom line impact of loyalty programs.” 

Adds Phil Rubin, CEO and President of rDialogue, a customer loyalty and relationship marketing firm that executed the survey: “Respondents overwhelmingly said their programs gave them a competitive advantage. As brands are seeking effective ways to distinguish themselves from the competition, the results and best-practices highlighted in this study have significant impact for businesses industry-wide.” 

The online survey was conducted in 2010 among National Restaurant Association members, with 1,300 submitting responses. The results of the study, as well as an exploration of best-practices for building engagement and loyalty programs, will be the focus of an upcoming webinar titled Get an Inside Look at Loyalty-marketing Programs. The members-only webinar will take place on Tuesday, August 17, at 2 p.m. ET. 

Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 945,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a work force of nearly 13 million employees. Together with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, the Association works to lead America’s restaurant industry into a new era of prosperity, prominence, and participation, enhancing the quality of life for all we serve. 


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