Restaurant Loyalty Programs
I enjoy saving $5 just as much as $500 or $5k. For me (and Cheritto), the action is the juice. And with restaurant loyalty programs, it’s fairly simple to save at least a few bones each time you indulge. Chains’ apps (no, not those kind) have created even more options and angles for attentive diners. Today, I’m sharing why three restaurant loyalty programs are my current favorites. Let’s dig in!
Del Yeah! Rewards
Del Taco’s program is probably my favorite right now. I find it loads of fun – plenty of offers, attainable rewards, a clever name, and – minor detail – quality fare. And, no lie, I’m hooked on their elite status structure. I found myself chasing top-tier Epic elite status last December. I reached it, and I plan to do so again by the end of June – requalification is every six months. Laugh at me all you want – I won’t be able to hear you, anyway, as I’m crunching into my Original Del Taco.
The app offers Wednesday Hookups, week-long offers which launch that day. Those should keep avid visitors busy enough discounting on any given stop. Plus, members earn points, anywhere from 8x to 11x depending on your status level. Elite status comes with a slew of other perks depending on one’s level – check out this table for a summary. Members have a variety of rewards to redeem for – my personal favorites are the Epic Burrito for 1k points or a combo meal for 1.4k points.
You can also refer others to Del Yeah! Rewards for a bonus 250 points. Unfortunately, I discovered that referral bonus points don’t count toward elite status. But that’s a minor blip in what I consider a close-to-perfect restaurant loyalty program.
Wendy’s Rewards
Out of the nationwide fast food burger joints, Wendy’s is my go-to. My satisfaction and self-esteem are higher after dining there than compared to their burger competitors. I vividly remember my grandfather taking me there as a kid, and he’d invariably order a chili and a baked potato. I’d roll my eyes as I stared at the newsprint-style tabletops. He got the last laugh, though, as I’m now making that same order every now and then.
Nostalgia aside, I respect Wendy’s loyalty program game. Uncreatively titled Wendy’s Rewards, the chain makes up for that by offering a wealth of in-app offers. These are routinely so numerous that I must scroll on my phone to see them all. All members earn 10x points, and I’ve found full-size sandwich redemptions (600 to 800 points) bring a solid return. Salads are 800 points.
Let’s also remember Wendy’s offers what I consider the best year-round promo – for customers and charity. A Wendy’s keytag (physical or in-app) provides a free Jr. Frosty with any purchase. I don’t need any more than a Jr. size, anyway. These keytags previously cost $1, and then $2 each; now, the price has inflated to $3. That’s still super cheap when considering the year-round sweetness one can obtain. Even better, all keytag proceeds benefit the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. That gives me a warm-and-fuzzy each time I’m cooling off with a Frosty. Hot take: while the Thin Mint frosty is solid, nothing beats the last summer’s Orange Dreamsicle. Pick up your keytags next fall or winter.
Jersey Mike’s Shore Points Rewards
One of the stingier points-earning programs on purchases, I enjoy the challenge and rewards that come with the Jersey Mike’s Shore Points program. Historically, Jersey Mike’s has been most generous with their birthday benefit, which offered a free regular size sub. That morphed into 72 points into the account every birthday – something I prefer, actually. Looking back at my history, I received 80 points last year on my birthday, for some reason. The newest version of this birthday promo requires the purchase of a regular sub in the past year.
But perhaps I’m getting ahead of myself. Earning points on Jersey Mike’s purchases isn’t hugely rewarding. Members earn as follows:
- 3 points for a kid’s meal
- 4 points for a mini sub
- 6 points for a regular sub
- 12 points for a giant sub
It gets worse when one takes into account Jersey Mike’s prices. My wife and I generally order a giant sub to split. Earning 12 points on a sub that costs in the $20 neighborhood (without discounts) is pretty lame. But when it comes to chain sub joints, we enjoy Jersey Mike’s the most. Perhaps Jersey Mike’s knows they have a superior product, and they don’t need to overly entice diners with buckets of points.
But infrequently, Jersey Mike’s offers noteworthy bonus point earning opportunities. For instance, members can earn a seasonal BOGO offer, where buying one sub earns 72 points in additional to normal earning. That 72 points is enough for a regular sub. Unfortunately, these offers don’t come around often. And right now, Jersey Mike’s is offering the NHL Predictor Sweepstakes. Between these options and the birthday reward, that’s pretty much it in terms of earning points.
Redemptions require a considerable amount of points, too. As I mentioned above, a regular sub requires 72 points; a mini costs 48, and a giant is a whopping 144 points. I’ll drown my sorrows in extra cheese and jalapenos on my Big Kahuna.
Restaurant Loyalty Programs – Conclusion
While these are where I currently focus, I dabble in a few other programs. And I’ve just scraped the surface of what’s possible with the above options. I couldn’t possibly be an expert in all programs, nor would I want to be. Indeed, if I was, I’d probably have a bigger problem (and waistline). Regardless, we can keep rising dining costs down a bit by leveraging restaurant loyalty programs. Sure, completely abstaining from eating out is the better option, but that’s no fun. So then, what are your favorite restaurant loyalty programs and why?
The post Chew On These Three Tasty Restaurant Loyalty Programs appeared first on Miles to Memories.
