Nearly half of restaurant customers use loyalty apps

Nearly half of restaurant customers engage in a loyalty program in some way, according to “The Digital Divide: Minding The Loyalty Gap,” a report based on census-balanced surveys of 2 414 U.S. consumer survey conducted between November 11 and November 16, 2021, along with analysis of other economic data.

According to the report created by PYMNTS and Paytronix, 48% of restaurant customers have used loyalty programs in at least one type of restaurant during the last three surveys. The survey found that similar shares of consumers used loyalty programs at QSRs (42%) and table service restaurants (43%). Nearly 70% of QSR customers used loyalty programs at several of the restaurants they frequently shopped at. Diners at sit-down restaurants used loyalty programs slightly less often at 64%.

Additional findings from the report include:

• Mobile apps: For restaurants with table service, 50% of loyalty program members interacted through the restaurant’s mobile app. For QSRs, 60% of customers who interacted with a loyalty program used the mobile app.
• Biggest Loyalty Fans: Young adults, college-educated fans, and people who made more than $100,000 a year had the highest engagement rates with local restaurant loyalty programs. Consumers using loyalty programs were willing to spend more at local restaurants to get personalized discounts.

The survey sample was constructed to match the adult population of the United States in key demographic characteristics. Respondents were on average 48 years old, 52% were female, and 32% had a university degree. The sampling also covered different income brackets: 36% of respondents earned more than $100,000 each year, while 31% earned between $50,000 and $100,000 and 33% earned less than $50,000.

Based in Newton, Massachusetts, Paytronix is ​​a provider of SaaS customer experience management solutions for restaurants and convenience stores.