More and more restaurant operations are serving up loyalty programs to help drive sales and build customer loyalty.¹ As technology-driven innovations such as app-enabled takeout transform the foodservice industry, restaurant loyalty programs are experiencing a surge in popularity worldwide.¹

In a poll last year of 6,500 internet users in eight countries, multinational computer technology company Oracle found that 65% of respondents in the U.S. belonged to foodservice loyalty programs.¹ The popularity of such programs was highest in respondents from the States, with Brazil (64%) and Mexico (62%) close behind.¹ In Great Britain and Australia, more than half of consumers surveyed said they were foodservice loyalty program members.¹

A feast of devices and digital marketing channels has created a feeding frenzy for marketers hungry to reach new customers and retain existing ones. As we explored in “Marketing on the Menu,” digital marketing is a must-or-bust proposition for today’s restaurant operations. To keep pace with a digitally accelerating marketing environment filled with digitally savvy consumers, you need to capitalize on the foodservice trend of tapping into tech and get a handle on what it brings to the table.

With the rise of social media and devices that keep us connected 24/7, the sumptuous smorgasbord of food promotions has blown up into a full-out feeding frenzy for operators and consumers. And with consumers becoming more and more accustomed to expect digitally disseminated deals across industries, it’s no wonder.