Best Restaurant Loyalty Software

In order to grow their business and maintain a loyal customer base, many restaurant owners start a loyalty rewards program.

Restaurant loyalty programs can be a great way to increase customer retention and revenue. The best way to implement a program like this is to use the best restaurant loyalty software to simplify and automate rewards offerings and loyalty program tracking.

With so many different restaurant loyalty software options on the market, it can be hard to decide which is best for you. In this article, we'll look at some of the best restaurant loyalty software available in 2023, and discuss the features and benefits that make them stand out in the crowded market. Choose which is the best option for your restaurant based on the pros and cons and see if it fits your budget.

Top restaurant loyalty software options

• Incentivio

• Toast Loyalty

• Beam Impact

• Punchh

• Paytronix

• Glue Loyalty

• UpMenu

• ChowNow

Choosing the best restaurant loyalty software — what should you look for?

The best restaurant loyalty software should be simple to use so that you don't need to spend too much time tracking the information or managing the programs. Ideally, your restaurant loyalty software should manage itself, running automatically in the background while you focus on running your business. The best restaurant loyalty software automates the process and allows you to build custom rewards or loyalty programs specific to your branding.

As you read through the best restaurant loyalty software options available to you, consider what type of rewards or loyalty programs you want to offer or that would best serve your business. Are you using restaurant loyalty software currently? If so, what problems are you facing with your current tool? Are there processes that could be easier? Are your restaurant guests finding value in the program or does it leave more to be desired?

Write these answers down or keep them front of mind as you read through the pros and cons of the best restaurant loyalty software below to help make your decision.

Incentivio

Incentivio is an all-in-one restaurant engagement platform that offers loyalty program software tailored to reward guests for every interaction with a restaurant brand.

Pros of Incentivio

• Flexible and customizable platform

• Loyalty is account-based, allowing guests to earn and redeem points in-store and online

• Allows guests to earn bonus points for sharing restaurants online, spreading word-of-mouth

Cons of Incentivio

• Limited integration features
• Does not offer in-person training

Price of Incentivio

Incentivio pricing is not publicly available and users must request a demo to learn more. There is no free trial or free plan available. 

Toast Loyalty

Toast Loyalty is a restaurant loyalty rewards program built directly into Toast POS. 

Pros of Toast Loyalty

• Customizable rewards to fit any restaurant 

• Allows restaurants to offer extra rewards during slow times to turn a lull into a rush

• Loyalty reporting provides a detailed look at customers, including what they order, when they order it, and more

• Credit-card linked program means there are no punch cards, no lengthy signup processes, and no hassles

Cons of Toast Loyalty

• Can only be used with Toast POS

Price of Toast Loyalty

Toast Loyalty is a $50/month add-on to the core Toast POS all-in-one restaurant platform.

Beam Impact

Beam Impact is a unique customer loyalty program that allows customers to choose a nonprofit to donate to, rather than collect rewards from the restaurant. 

Pros of Beam Impact

• Gives back and helps align your restaurant with community causes

• Helps set your restaurant apart from others

Cons of Beam Impact

• The unique nature of the program means restaurants may not see return guests, as there is no incentive to purchase from the restaurant again

• Limited list of brands Beam Impact will work with, so many restaurants may not be able to use the tool

Price of Beam Impact

While Beam Impact indicates in the FAQs that "brands pay to partner with Beam," there is no public-facing information on what that cost entails. 

Punchh

Punchh, a Par Technology Company, is a loyalty and engagement platform that helps the world’s biggest restaurant, convenience store, and retail brands acquire and retain customers, increase frequency, and maximize spend.

Pros of Punchh

• Easy to set up and implement

• Provides customized real-time offers and push notifications to guests

• Ability to segment markets and users for certain loyalty campaigns

Cons of Punchh

• Some users reported poor customer service and support

• Room for improvement and not as robust as others in the market

• Limited integration options

Price of Punchh

Punchh does not list pricing options or tiers publicly and users must request a demo to learn more. Punchh does not offer a free trial or free plan.

Paytronix

Paytronix is a complete customer experience platform that offers loyalty programs for independent and multi-unit restaurants. 

Pros of Paytronix

• The Paytronix Data Insights team helps set goals, measure KPIs, provide benchmarking, help with analytics, and uncover new opportunities to increase revenue

• Offers enrollment via POS, SMS, in-app, online, email, Apple Pay, and Google Pay

• Create one-to-one messages that stimulate repeat business and build urgency

Cons of Paytronix

• Lack of sorting options means naming conventions are key

• The mobile app offers little flexibility for customization

• Users report challenges when trying to connect with customer service

Price of Paytronix

Paytronix does not provide public-facing pricing information on its website. They offer custom pricing for each unique restaurant business and require a demo to learn more. 

Glue Loyalty

Glue Loyalty is a loyalty reward software that allows local businesses to create digital, branded loyalty clubs. Glue’s loyalty apps are powered by Bobile LTD.

Pros of Glue Loyalty

• Fully customizable and branded app
• Runs on an AI system that automatically reaches out to guests at the most convenient time for them
• Integrates with applications and business systems such as Shopify, Google Ads, WooCommerce, Facebook Messenger, and more

Cons of Glue Loyalty

• The user interface is not as user-friendly as other similar tools in the market

Price of Glue Loyalty

Glue Loyalty offers a 14-day free trial as well as a free plan called Glue Stick that offers limited access to loyalty features. They also offer three paid plans: Glitter Glue which starts at $49.90/month, Hot Glue which starts at $99.90/month, and Super Glue which starts at $119.90/month all when billed monthly.

UpMenu

UpMenu is an online ordering platform and delivery management system for restaurants that also offers a restaurant loyalty program and reward system. 

Pros of UpMenu

• UpMenu claims that the set up process takes less than five minutes
• Promotional rewards are fully customizable
• Both on-site and delivery ordering customers earn points

Cons of UpMenu

• Not as robust as other options in the market
• Some users report that the tool could be more flexible
• Per location pricing can be expensive for larger restaurants and chains

Price of UpMenu

UpMenu offers a 7-day free trial as well as three paid plans: Basic for $49/month per location, Standard for $89/month per location, and Premium for $169/month per location.

ChowNow

ChowNow is an online food ordering platform and restaurant company that offers a membership program to boost customer loyalty and repeat orders.

Pros of ChowNow

• Rather than earning points, guests pay an annual membership fee to receive discounts from the restaurant through the year, leading to immediate cash flow for the restaurant
• There are no points to keep track of
• The ChowNow toolkit offers restaurants a way to nurture long-lasting relationships and get to know customers better

Cons of ChowNow

• As a membership program with an annual fee, some guests may be turned off by the idea of paying upfront for future rewards
• Since ChowNow lists restaurants alongside competitive restaurants on the website, there is increased competition to be chosen

Price of ChowNow

ChowNow does not list the price of its membership program online. Instead, users are asked to schedule a demo.

What’s the best restaurant loyalty software for your specific business?

An integrated restaurant loyalty program and point of sale keeps things simple.

If you're looking for integrated restaurant loyalty software, look no further than Toast Loyalty. Built directly into the Toast all-in-one restaurant platform, Toast Loyalty is a simple rewards program that strengthens guest relationships while boosting sales.

With customized rewards to fit any restaurant, you can say goodbye to one-size-fits-all. Toast lets you set accrual and redemption rates, offer birthday rewards, and more. Plus, Toast Loyalty allows you to gain insight into your guests — from what they ordered, when they ordered it, and more. 

According to our data, loyalty guests visit 34% more often and spend 32% more than non-loyalty guests. Use our calculator to see how much you could be leaving on the table.

Interested in learning more? Book a free demo to see why more than 74,000 restaurants love Toast.

More information on restaurant loyalty programs

• Restaurant Loyalty Program Ideas and Incentives

• How to Bring Guests Back From The Dead With Customer Loyalty Analytics

• The Magic of Credit Card-Linked Restaurant Loyalty Rewards Programs

• How Tablet POS Systems Can Improve Your Restaurant Loyalty Program

• Drive Repeat Visits to Your Quick Service Concept with Restaurant Loyalty Program Software

• Captain Parker's Pub Keeps Their Fans Coming Back with Toast Loyalty