Frequently Asked Questions

Loyalty program ROI fundamentally comes down to changing customer behavior to drive sustainable frequency increases. The biggest drivers are frequency and spend lift from regulars, growth in the total number of new members who become active in the program, and first-party digital revenue that carries higher margins than third-party channels.


‍
But that’s not all. ROI isn't just about what you gain—it's equally about what you save. The cost of discounts is the single largest expense, and it scales with how dependent your program is on blanket offers to drive visits. Programs that rely on broad-based promotions to generate activity often show engagement without profitability.

‍

Beyond discount costs, consider savings from reduced third-party commissions (as you shift sales to owned channels), eliminating the need for a custom app and ongoing agency costs, and staff productivity from automating manual marketing work. A program that appears to drive visits while eroding 8-10 margin points through excessive discounts isn't driving ROI—it's subsidizing behavior you may have gotten anyway.

The largest cost is the discounts you offer to customers. This is determined by three factors: how many blanket offers you're distributing, how dependent you are on those offers to drive frequency (versus building genuine habits), and how precisely you're targeting rewards to your highest-value customers. A program that gives away 10% in discounts can easily offset the revenue benefits of increased frequency, especially if those discounts are going to customers who would have visited anyway.

‍

The principle here is simple but often ignored: not all customers are created equal. Companies that offer average-value rewards to everyone waste resources over-satisfying less profitable customers while under-satisfying their most valuable guests. The most profitable programs share value with customers who create value—rewarding behavior that drives sustainable frequency, not just incentivizing one-time transactions.

‍

Beyond discounts, the second-biggest cost is paying for a custom loyalty app and the ongoing agency fees to manage it. If your loyalty program requires custom app development, continuous maintenance from developers, or outsourcing campaign execution because the tools are too complex, those costs compound quickly. Other expenses—staff time on manual segmentation, training employees on clunky enrollment processes, platform fees, and high-volume communications—add up, but they pale in comparison to poorly managed discount rates.

‍

You can't evaluate loyalty platforms by subscription fees alone—that's a fraction of the true cost. The critical question is: what's the three-year total cost of ownership, including discount dependency, custom app and agency costs, and ongoing operational overhead?

‍

Start with the economic fundamentals. A rewards program should not give something for nothing—the value created must exceed the cost of value delivered. That means understanding the links between what you give customers and what they get back in changed behavior. If a platform requires 8-10% in discounts to function, you need to ask whether those discounts are driving incremental frequency or just subsidizing visits you would have captured anyway. Compare that to platforms designed for precision targeting, where discount rates run closer to 2-4%.

‍

Next, factor in the cost of building and maintaining a custom app, plus ongoing agency fees if you're outsourcing marketing execution. A "cheaper" platform that forces you to pay for custom development and agency support may cost more over three years than an all-in-one solution with a higher platform fee. Finally, consider the hidden cost of manual work—how many hours go into building segments, launching campaigns, and managing disconnected systems?

‍

The lowest subscription fee often comes with the highest total cost. Evaluate platforms based on how they help you reward desirable behavior efficiently, target attractive customer segments, and create long-term value for your most valuable guests—not how cheaply they can enroll members.

Thanx pricing is designed to scale with your business and deliver strong ROI from day one. Our enterprise solutions are built specifically for multi-location food service brands, with pricing based on factors like restaurant count, average unit volume, and the platform capabilities you need—from loyalty and CRM to digital ordering and marketing automation.

‍

We focus on transparent, outcome-based pricing that aligns with your growth. Most Thanx customers see $200K+ in revenue opportunity per location annually (based on a $2M AUV restaurant), driven by engaged guests who spend 10x more than unengaged guests and a ~2% same-store sales lift. To discuss pricing tailored to your brand, schedule a demo with our team.

The best restaurant loyalty programs take a long-term perspective—the full potential of value sharing through rewards is realized only when customers change their habits to become sustainably loyal. That shift happens when you've built a program that clearly delivers ongoing benefits, not just transactional rewards.

‍

With Thanx, restaurants typically see 5x growth in engaged users in year one, with engaged guests spending 10x more than unengaged guests. Digital sales grow for 90% of brands in the first year—50% see digital revenue increase by more than 50%. The Thanx average discount rate of 2.4% (versus ~10% for legacy platforms) means you're protecting 7.6 margin points on loyalty-attributed sales while still driving frequency. When you add savings from reduced third-party commissions and eliminating custom app and agency costs, the typical Thanx customer (based on a $2M AUV restaurant) sees $200K+ in revenue opportunity per location annually.

‍

But ROI isn't just about the numbers—it's about building habits at scale without expanding your team. A well-designed program should reward desirable customer behavior, target your most valuable segments, and give you the tools to monitor economics and adjust as needed. If your current program requires constant manual work to build segments and launch campaigns, or if you don't know whether it's actually driving incremental frequency, you're missing the core promise of loyalty: sustainable, profitable growth driven by behavior change.

Enterprise loyalty management software is a platform designed to help multi-location brands create, manage, and optimize customer loyalty programs at scale. Unlike traditional loyalty systems built for single locations or small chains, enterprise loyalty software handles the complexity of hundreds or thousands of locations. They unify customer data across touchpoints, enable sophisticated segmentation and personalization, and provide the infrastructure to execute marketing campaigns consistently across your entire operation.

‍

The best enterprise loyalty platforms go beyond basic points and rewards to solve the restaurant industry's #1 problem: driving frequency profitably. Thanx delivers this through seamless enrollment that reaches more guests (not just superfans), automated lifecycle campaigns that build habits, smart rewards that protect margins with precision targeting, and marketing automation that scales personalization without expanding your team.

‍

Enterprise loyalty software must handle the operational complexity of a large multi-location business. Be sure to look for:

• Infrastructure that scales: The platform needs to process millions of transactions, support thousands of locations, and maintain program performance as you grow without degrading the guest experience.
• Franchisee management capabilities: Enterprise brands need tools that enable both corporate and franchise operators to execute marketing while maintaining brand consistency across every location.
• Deep integrations across your existing technology ecosystem: Forcing enterprise brands into a closed ecosystem creates operational friction and limits your ability to work with trusted partners.
• Personalization at scale: The loyalty platform should leverage AI and automation so sophisticated targeting doesn't require expanding your marketing team or creating technical bottlenecks.
• Smart rewards management: These protect margins through precision targeting rather than broad-based discounts—because at enterprise scale, a 10% blanket discount rate versus a 2.4% targeted rate represents millions in unnecessary costs that destroy profitability while attracting deal-seekers instead of building genuine customer retention.

Thanx solves the core challenge every enterprise brand faces: strengthening guest relationships as you grow, not weakening them. Our platform reaches 3x more guests than traditional app-based programs through app-less loyalty and seamless enrollment at every touchpoint. We help enterprise operators scale personalization that actually works. Our AI-powered segmentation and automated campaigns drive frequency without expanding your marketing team, while most competitors force you to choose between sophisticated targeting and execution speed.

‍

We protect margins through precision rather than broad-based discounts. Thanx customers average a 2.4% effective discount rate versus ~10% on legacy platforms, because our unified offer management and sophisticated targeting ensure rewards go to guests who need them, not those already coming back. 

‍

Unlike closed platforms that lock your data away, Thanx gives you complete ownership with open APIs, automated data warehouse syncs, and 60+ pre-built integrations. You maintain flexibility to work with the technology partners and agencies you trust while we handle the complexity of customer behavior, loyalty infrastructure, and marketing automation at enterprise scale.

Thanx is built to balance brand consistency with operational flexibility at enterprise scale. Corporate teams can set program guardrails( approved reward types, brand standards, core automations) while giving franchisees the autonomy to execute marketing that resonates with their local markets. Our self-service tools let both corporate and franchise operators launch campaigns without technical bottlenecks, while our reporting provides visibility by location, region, and franchisee group so you can identify what's working and share best practices across your system.

‍

Unlike legacy platforms that force you to choose between control and speed, Thanx enables both. Corporate maintains oversight through approval workflows and spend controls, while franchisees get the tools to respond quickly to local opportunities. And because our platform captures guest data consistently across every location and touchpoint, you build unified customer profiles that follow guests wherever they visit—turning multi-location complexity into a competitive advantage rather than an operational burden.

Thanx approaches enterprise loyalty differently by focusing on the core challenge every multi-location brand faces: driving frequency profitably at scale. Unlike many platforms built primarily as promotional tools, Thanx was designed to address the operational complexity of fostering genuine customer loyalty across hundreds or thousands of locations.

‍

We reach more guests through app-less loyalty programs that capture participation across every touchpoint—digital checkout, QR codes, SMS at POS—not just from the 10-15% who download apps. We make sophisticated personalization practical at enterprise scale through AI-powered segmentation and automation that eliminates technical bottlenecks, so your team can execute targeted campaigns without waiting on developers. 

‍

We protect margins through precision targeting that helps brands achieve significantly lower effective discount rates while driving stronger frequency. We ensure your guest data belongs to you with complete ownership, open APIs, automated data warehouse syncs, and 60+ pre-built integrations. This gives you the flexibility to work with the technology partners and agencies you trust. At enterprise scale, this approach means faster execution, stronger customer retention, and better profitability.

Growth-stage brands face a unique challenge: you need enterprise-level marketing and loyalty capabilities, but you don't have enterprise budgets or headcount. Most platforms are built for either small single-location businesses or massive chains with dedicated IT and marketing departments—leaving growth brands stuck with tools that are either too limited or too complex.

‍

Thanx is designed for teams that need to do more with less. Our easy self-service tools, triggered marketing automations, and helpful AI agents mean 1-2 marketers can execute sophisticated campaigns that used to require an army. You get enterprise-grade reliability and integrations without the complexity, lengthy implementations, or ongoing technical dependencies that slow you down.

Unlike legacy platforms that require months to rollout, Thanx is built to scale efficiently. Most growth brands launch across their entire brand in roughly 90 days—with centralized control that lets you update loyalty programs, campaigns, and rewards once and deploy everywhere instantly. Our seamless integrations with major POS and ordering systems mean minimal disruption to operations, and our implementation team has experience launching brands across hundreds of locations simultaneously. You don't need to slow down growth to get better tools.

Yes. Traditional marketing and loyalty platforms assume you have a large team with technical resources. Thanx is built for the reality of growth-stage brands where 1-2 marketers are managing everything. SegmentAI reduces audience creation time by 95%, turning hours of manual segmentation work into seconds. Pre-built lifecycle automations run continuously without oversight. Self-service tools put power directly in marketers' hands—no waiting on developers. Our customers consistently tell us they're executing 5x more campaigns per marketer than they could with previous platforms.

Expanding into new markets means reintroducing your brand to guests who don't know you yet—and doing it profitably. The biggest mistake growth brands make is relying on heavy discounting to drive initial visits, which attracts deal-seekers instead of loyal guests and trains bad behavior from day one. Thanx helps you build awareness and drive frequency in new markets the right way. App-less loyalty captures more first-time guests without friction. Automated lifecycle campaigns nurture new guests from first purchase to third visit. And precision targeting lets you reward strategically—driving repeat visits while protecting margins with an average 2.4% effective discount rate vs. ~10% on legacy platforms.

Thanx grows with you. Our platform powers brands from 10 locations to 1000+ with the same tools and infrastructure—you won't outgrow us or need to migrate to a different system as you scale. The difference is that Thanx maintains ease of use even at enterprise scale. While legacy platforms get more complex and require bigger teams as you grow, our self-service approach and automation mean you can continue scaling efficiently without proportionally expanding headcount. Many of our largest customers still operate with lean marketing teams because the platform does the heavy lifting.

Restaurant loyalty software helps restaurants identify guests, reward their visits, and drive repeat purchases. But here's the truth: most platforms are just discount machines with black-box reporting. They're overly reliant on mobile apps, built for superfans only, and ignore the majority of your guests. 

‍

The best restaurant loyalty program software goes beyond "spend X, get Y" to capture rich customer data, enable sophisticated targeting, and drive loyalty as a measurable business outcome—not just another program.

Marketers are under pressure to drive repeat business, reward customers, and deliver personalized offers that build long-term loyalty. Even though loyalty programs are everywhere, 80% of restaurants say their programs aren't working. The problem? Traditional loyalty programs are built for superfans only, ignore the majority of guests, and rely on costly blanket discounts that erode margins.

‍

Modern restaurant loyalty software, like Thanx, solves the industry's #1 problem: driving frequency profitably by reaching more guests, building habits at scale, and protecting margins with smarter rewards.

Thanx combines AI-powered segmentation with 400+ guest attributes to build sophisticated audiences in seconds. Automated lifecycle campaigns nurture guests from first purchase to third visit and beyond, while precision targeting ensures you're rewarding incremental behavior rather than purchases that would have happened anyway. 

‍

Our flexible rewards engine lets you offer both discount and experiential rewards (VIP access, secret menu items, exclusive perks) so you can drive frequency without eroding margins. The result: restaurants using Thanx average a 2.4% effective discount rate, compared to 10% with traditional programs.

Yes. Thanx integrates with 50+ POS systems, ordering platforms, and technology partners, including Toast, Square, Olo, NCR, and Qu. Our open platform, built on modern APIs, enables new technology partners to easily integrate into our environment and innovate alongside us. Whether you're using card-linked loyalty for automatic tracking or check-in methods via QR codes or phone lookup, Thanx works seamlessly with your in-store and online operations.

Restaurant CRM software (customer relationship management software) helps operators build stronger guest relationships that drive repeat visits and higher profitability. Unlike generic CRMs, restaurant CRM solutions like Thanx are purpose-built for hospitality. They connect loyalty, digital ordering, and personalized marketing in one platform. Thanx transforms guest data into automated, habit-building campaigns that increase frequency and drive direct digital sales, all without relying on discounts.

Most restaurants already collect some guest data; however, it typically covers only a fraction of guests, and what’s captured rarely drives meaningful action. A powerful restaurant CRM solution turns that dormant data into results: recognizing guests across every channel, triggering personalized campaigns automatically, and measuring real impact on frequency and profitability.

‍
Thanx helps operators tackle their biggest challenge (driving frequency profitably) by turning first-time buyers into loyal regulars and protecting margins through precision targeting instead of costly blanket discounts.

The best restaurant CRM software doesn’t just manage guest data; it pairs a powerful loyalty engine with intelligent marketing automation to build lasting habits. Thanx automates the guest journey from first purchase to loyalist through personalized campaigns, automations, challenges, and unique rewards that keep guests coming back. 

‍

Brands using Thanx see 3× more first-timers return for a third visit and, on average, grow engaged revenue 5× in their first year. This is clear proof that when CRM and loyalty work together, restaurants can drive repeat behavior and profitable same-store sales.

Legacy loyalty systems often rely on deep discounts, which erode margins. Thanx takes a smarter approach, using advanced segmentation and 400+ guest attributes to deliver precision-targeted offers and non-discount rewards. The result: operators average just a 2.4% effective discount rate (vs. ~10% legacy) while still driving higher sales and engagement. Thanx makes loyalty profitable, not promotional.

Thanx isn’t another promotions engine or legacy loyalty platform. It’s a next-generation restaurant CRM solution built around one goal: driving frequency profitably. Thanx combines seamless multi-channel enrollment, frictionless digital ordering, and automated personalization at scale, helping brands reach more guests and grow revenue without adding operational overhead. With 223% higher capture rates and 5× engaged revenue growth, Thanx proves that the right CRM and loyalty platform can turn guest data into lasting, profitable relationships.

Restaurants typically use a combination of third-party marketplaces and first-party direct ordering, but increasingly, they're trying to shift away from third-party reliance.

‍

Third-party marketplaces like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub are nearly universal in the restaurant industry. They provide immediate reach and customer convenience, but charge 15-30% commission per order and own the customer relationship. This makes it nearly impossible to build direct connections or drive repeat behavior.

‍

That's why restaurants are actively working to limit their dependence on third-party apps by investing in first-party online ordering systems through their own website or mobile app. These systems generally come from POS providers (like Toast or Square), dedicated online food ordering systems (like Olo or ChowNow), or loyalty providers that include digital experiences. POS-native ordering is often transactional and limited. Standalone online ordering platforms process orders efficiently but treat digital as a fulfillment channel rather than a growth lever.

‍

Thanx takes a fundamentally different approach: we view ordering on web and mobile as the most powerful channel to drive enrollment, frequency, and lifetime value. Our restaurant digital ordering software integrates loyalty at every step—persistent login removes friction, one-click reorder makes repeat purchases effortless, and seamless enrollment turns first-time visitors into loyalty members.

‍

A digital ordering system lets guests place food orders through a mobile app or website. Even though 80% of online food orders happen on the web, most loyalty programs focus solely on app experiences, treating loyalty on the website as an afterthought.

‍
Thanx gives equal attention to both. On the web, every guest is recognized automatically, their preferences remembered, and reordering made effortless. Our digital ordering system for restaurants seamlessly enrolls guests in the loyalty program, turning first-timers into repeat buyers without extra steps.

he four main types of restaurant ordering systems are traditional in-person ordering, online ordering, mobile app ordering, and self-service kiosks or table side tablets. 

• Traditional in-person ordering (where guests order directly from servers or at the counter) remains common in full-service restaurants. 
• Online ordering through a restaurant's website or third-party platform has become the dominant off-premise channel, accounting for 80% of digital orders. 
• Mobile app ordering, whether through a restaurant's branded app or third-party delivery apps, offers convenience but requires guests to download software. 
• Self-service kiosks and tableside tablets bring online ordering on-premise, reducing staff burden while capturing orders electronically. 

Here's what most ordering providers miss: these aren't just different ways to take orders; they're different opportunities to build frequency. Most online ordering solutions treat each channel as a transaction endpoint. Thanx optimizes every digital touchpoint: web, mobile, and even kiosk and tableside (through partners like Bite, Grubbrr, Sunday, and Up ‘N Go). This supports repeat behavior, turning first-time orders into lasting habits.

‍

Start with the fundamentals: your online ordering system needs to work flawlessly for both guests and kitchen operations. The experience should be intuitive and frictionless. Your guests shouldn't struggle to find items, modify orders, or complete checkout. Operationally, you need robust menu management, order scheduling, kitchen capacity throttling controls, and seamless POS integration so incoming orders flow directly into your system without manual entry.

‍

But here's where most evaluations stop short: a great ordering experience should also grow your business, not just process transactions. The best online ordering systems integrate loyalty directly into the ordering flow: automatically enrolling new customers, letting them view and redeem rewards at checkout, and making reorder effortless with persistent login and one-click favorites. This integration turns digital ordering into a frequency engine.

‍

Thanx customers see 38% more first-timers return for a second purchase, 80-95% cart conversion rates, and 90% of brands growing digital revenue in year one. Remember to evaluate platforms not just on whether they can take orders, but whether they're built to bring guests back.

‍

A restaurant personalization solution enables operators to deliver targeted, relevant marketing to individual guests at scale—not generic blasts to everyone. Unlike basic loyalty programs or offer management platforms, a true personalization solution combines rich customer data, AI-powered segmentation, and automated campaigns to trigger the right message to the right guest at the right time. The goal isn't just to send more campaigns; it's to drive frequency profitably by building habits across your entire guest base, not just superfans.

A restaurant personalization solution should capture rich customer profiles from every touchpoint (POS, ordering, in-app), then use AI to build sophisticated segments in seconds. From there, you set up automated campaigns that trigger instantly when guests match your criteria, whether that's abandoned cart recovery, activation flows, or engagement campaigns. Built-in A/B testing and control groups prove what truly drives incremental frequency. 

‍

The difference from legacy platforms? Modern solutions make sophisticated personalization easy (not clunky and time-consuming), so lean teams can execute strategies that used to require data scientists.

Basic loyalty programs reward already loyal customers for repeat purchases but lack the automation and intelligence to build habits at scale. A restaurant personalization solution like Thanx automates the entire journey—from AI-powered segmentation to targeted one-time campaigns and triggered campaigns to A/B testing that proves ROI.

‍
Unlike offer management platforms that rely on blanket discounts, personalization solutions protect margins with precision targeting and non-discount rewards. The result? You scale personalized marketing and improve customer experiences without expanding your team, and you drive frequency profitably instead of training deal-seekers.

Most restaurant marketing platforms fall into three categories, and none solve frequency.

• Legacy platforms have clunky tools that are too difficult to use. Operators end up abandoning personalization and fall back on generic campaigns, defeating the purpose.
• Offer management platforms are essentially discount machines that erode margins and create deal-seekers.
• Basic solutions lack the personalization and automation needed to build habits.

Thanx is architected specifically to solve frequency, profitably. We combine AI-powered segmentation, ordering-integrated automations, and built-in A/B testing to prove what drives incremental visits—not just engagement. Customers achieve 2.4% effective discount rates versus ~10% with legacy platforms, while growing engaged revenue 5x in year one.

‍

The most important features are those that make personalization easy and prove it works. AI-powered segmentation that builds audiences in seconds, not days. Automated campaigns that trigger based on real-time behavior: abandoned carts, lifecycle stages, purchase patterns. Ordering-integrated automations like item-level rewards that competitors can't match. And critically, built-in A/B testing with control groups to prove incrementality and optimize for both frequency and profitability.

‍
Without these, you're either stuck with manual, time-consuming personalization or generic campaigns that don't move the needle. Thanx delivers all of this in a single platform, so lean teams can execute sophisticated strategies without expanding headcount.

‍

An offer management system is a platform that lets you create, deploy, and track promotional offers across marketing channels. In restaurants, this includes digital ordering, in-store POS, kiosks, and even tableside ordering channels.

‍

Offer management systems need to be paired with advanced segmentation, testing, and reporting tools. Without this, restaurants may send out discounts too broadly, which gets expensive fast. You have no way to know if guests would have come in anyway, or if a lesser reward would have worked just as well—or even better.

‍

The problem with most offer management platforms is that they turn into discount machines. They make it easy to blast promotions to everyone, which trains guests to wait for deals and erodes margins. A true offer management system should be paired with a native loyalty and marketing platform to help you drive frequency profitably, targeting the right guests with the right incentives at the right time (not just making it easier to give away margin to people who would have visited anyway).

‍

At a basic level, an offer management platform centralizes reward creation and facilitates redemption. You create promotional offers (percentage off, dollar off, or BOGO), distribute them, and the system handles redemption online or in-store. Basic platforms track simple metrics like rewards redeemed and outstanding liability.

Advanced offer management systems, on the other hand:

• Make the creation, testing, and deployment of campaigns seamless.
• Enable multi-channel reward templates where you can build a reward once, then deploy it anywhere: loyalty points programs, tiers, marketing campaigns, automated triggers, or one-off promotions.
• Support non-discount rewards like hidden menus, VIP access passes, and bonus points. In restaurants, this includes item-level and modifier rewards integrated with menu management platforms for easy selection.
• Offer sophisticated restrictions, such as time and day controls, location-specific targeting, and multi-use rewards that can be deployed multiple times without setting up individual campaigns each time.
• Support every touchpoint: digital ordering, kiosks, tableside, and POS with card-linked or check-in loyalty.

Most importantly, advanced platforms provide actionable insights that help you optimize what's working, like tracking true promotional cost, revealing what resonates with different guest segments, and proving which offers drive incremental customer behavior versus subsidizing visits that would have happened anyway. Without this depth, you're guessing whether your offers build frequency or just burn margin.

‍

The obvious benefits are operational: real-time validation at the POS or ordering platform instead of managing codes across multiple systems, streamlined reward creation and deployment so you're not recreating offers for every campaign, and tracking to understand what's working so you can protect margins.

But the hidden benefits set advanced platforms apart from basic ones. Deep integrations determine whether relevant offers can be redeemed everywhere or just in limited channels. Can guests redeem at kiosks? Through guest-facing displays at your POS? Does the system support QR code scanning, phone lookup, and card-linked redemption, or does it force you to rely on an app, limiting offers to only superfans willing to download? Without comprehensive integrations, you're artificially constraining who can participate, which defeats the purpose of driving frequency across your full guest base.

‍

The real benefit of an advanced offer management platform is visibility into what actually drives incremental behavior. Most platforms make it easy to blast discounts, but give you no way to measure whether those offers changed guest behavior or just subsidized visits that would have happened anyway. 

Advanced systems track effective discount rates (your true promotional cost as a percentage of revenue) and support A/B testing with control groups to prove which offers drive frequency versus which ones burn margin unnecessarily. Thanx customers average a 2.4% effective discount rate compared to ~10% on legacy platforms because they can see what's working and stop giving away margin where it doesn't change behavior.

‍

Discount rewards directly reduce what guests pay—dollar off, percentage off, BOGO, free items. Non-discount rewards provide value without touching margins: hidden menu access, bonus loyalty points, VIP access passes, or exclusive perks. The dirty secret of most loyalty programs is that they're built entirely on discounts, creating a dangerous dependency in which guests only visit when you're offering deals. Non-discount rewards let you engage high-value customers and build genuine loyalty without training guests to wait for promotions. 

‍

The most effective programs use both strategically: discounts to drive specific behavior from dormant guests, non-discount rewards to recognize and retain your best customers without eroding margins.

Measuring incrementality requires visibility into what's actually changing guest behavior. Look for offer management platforms with integrated marketing tools that include control groups and testing capabilities; this lets you compare offer performance and isolate true impact. Effective discount rate reporting by reward is also critical: it shows your promotional costs as a percentage of revenue, then compares individual rewards to each other and in aggregate. This reveals your overall effective discount rate, which rewards are most effective and at what cost, so you can fine-tune your approach and get more surgical over time—delivering just the reward needed at any given moment.

‍

Without these capabilities built into your broader platform, you're operating in the dark, unable to distinguish between compelling offers that drive new visits and those that simply subsidize guests who would have come anyway. 

‍

Many standalone offer management systems can deploy promotions but provide only basic reporting: redemption counts, redemption percentages, and outstanding liability. The result is operators default to broad-based discounting without knowing what's working. When you can measure true promotional cost and compare performance across different offer types and audiences, you stop giving away margin unnecessarily and start targeting offers only where they change behavior.

‍

Restaurant reporting software tracks performance data to help operators make informed decisions. There are two main types: business intelligence (BI) platforms like Tableau or Looker that connect to multiple data sources across your tech stack, and SaaS platforms that provide reporting on the data they contain—like POS systems reporting on transactions or loyalty platforms reporting on member activity. Both serve different needs. BI platforms offer flexibility if you have proven data resources, while SaaS platforms provide ready-to-use reporting on specific areas.

Thanx is a SaaS platform focused specifically on customer data and loyalty program performance. We organize 100+ reports around strategic questions rather than just surfacing raw data: Is your program healthy? What's driving repeat visits? Which campaigns deliver real ROI? Our restaurant reporting software updates within an hour and includes built-in industry benchmarks, transparent methodology, and access to our Chief Data Officer during office hours—so you get answers, not just dashboards.

‍

The key features depend on whether you're using a business intelligence platform or a SaaS platform. BI platforms offer flexibility to pull data from anywhere, but require technical expertise to build custom dashboards. SaaS platforms provide pre-built reports on the data they collect, like POS systems showing transaction patterns or ordering platforms showing digital sales. Both approaches work; it's about what fits your team and needs. 

‍

For customer-focused restaurant reporting software, the must-haves are strategic metrics (not just activity counts), timely updates so you can act quickly, and context that helps you understand what to do next. Thanx delivers all three. We track metrics tied to business outcomes (activation rate, retention rate, effective discount rate, and capture rate), not vanity metrics like total members. You can filter, schedule, download, and share reports on demand without waiting for a data team. And we include video tutorials explaining how each metric is calculated, plus 25 industry benchmarks, so you can see whether your performance is strong or needs attention.

‍

Most restaurants piece together reporting from multiple locations: POS systems for transaction data, ordering platforms for digital sales, and loyalty providers for member activity. Some use standalone BI tools to consolidate everything, which works well if you have the resources to build and maintain custom dashboards. Legacy loyalty providers offer reporting, but it's often focused on activity rather than outcomes (you see what happened without understanding what to do next). 

‍

Thanx is purpose-built for restaurants that want to understand customer behavior and prove loyalty ROI. We don't just show you what happened; we organize reporting around strategic questions and provide the context to take action. You get built-in control groups to measure incremental lift, one-click A/B testing to optimize campaigns, and transparent attribution that isolates loyalty-driven revenue from baseline performance. Plus, our reporting updates within an hour, so you can spot issues before they escalate and adjust campaigns while they're still running. That level of speed and strategic focus doesn't exist with generic restaurant tech tools.

‍

Most restaurants piece together reporting from multiple locations: POS systems for transaction data, ordering platforms for digital sales, and loyalty providers for member activity. Some use standalone BI tools to consolidate everything, which works well if you have the resources to build and maintain custom dashboards. Legacy loyalty providers offer reporting, but it's often focused on activity rather than outcomes (you see what happened without understanding what to do next). 

‍

Thanx is purpose-built for restaurants that want to understand customer behavior and prove loyalty ROI. We don't just show you what happened; we organize reporting around strategic questions and provide the context to take action. You get built-in control groups to measure incremental lift, one-click A/B testing to optimize campaigns, and transparent attribution that isolates loyalty-driven revenue from baseline performance. Plus, our reporting updates within an hour, so you can spot issues before they escalate and adjust campaigns while they're still running. That level of speed and strategic focus doesn't exist with generic restaurant tech tools.

‍

Most restaurant tech tools show campaign activity (emails sent, rewards issued, opens, and clicks), but they don't prove whether the campaign generated incremental revenue. You're left guessing if it was worth the investment, especially when you're trying to justify loyalty spend against other priorities like food costs or labor costs. 

‍

Thanx tracks true ROI by measuring incremental lift with built-in control groups. You see exactly how much revenue a campaign generated beyond what would have happened anyway. We tie every campaign directly to revenue and engagement with transparent attribution, and you can run one-click A/B tests to optimize messaging, rewards, timing, and audience. Our reporting breaks out performance by location, lifecycle stage, and channel, so you know not just whether a campaign worked, but where it worked and why. This level of detail helps you shift spend away from blanket discounts (which hurt margins) and toward targeted rewards that maximize profitability.

This is one of the biggest problems with reporting across the restaurant industry: data inconsistencies erode trust. When numbers don't match between your POS, ordering platform, and loyalty provider, or when reports update on different schedules, you stop relying on the data to make decisions. One customer told us they finally switched because they "couldn't trust the reporting" from their legacy provider. 

‍

Thanx solves this by making data accuracy and transparency core to how we build reports. Every metric includes clear documentation of the methodology so you understand exactly what you're seeing and how it's calculated. We update reports within an hour, so there's no confusion about data lag. You can validate performance against 25 industry benchmarks to confirm your results make sense. And you have direct access to our Chief Data Officer during office hours to ask questions and explore your data with experts. When reporting is accurate, transparent, and supported by a team that helps you interpret it, trust stops being an issue.

‍

Yes, and this is particularly valuable if you want to combine customer and loyalty data with broader operational and financial insights. Thanx integrates with downstream analytics providers that specialize in creating unified business intelligence across your entire restaurant tech stack. 

‍

These providers pull data from Thanx alongside your POS, labor management, inventory systems, and accounting platforms to build custom analytics solutions. This means you can analyze how loyalty member behavior impacts food costs, labor efficiency, menu mix, and overall profitability—all in one place. If you already use a downstream analytics provider or want that level of integrated reporting, Thanx makes it easy for partners to connect to our platform.

Most digital ordering platforms were built to take orders, not bring guests back. They treat every order as a one-time transaction rather than an opportunity to build a relationship. Anonymous checkout means you don't know who's ordering, so you can't market to them. Clunky experiences—password requirements, slow load times, confusing menus—create friction that drives guests to third-party apps. And when loyalty is bolted on as an afterthought instead of woven into the experience, guests don't see the value of ordering direct. The result: digital becomes just another way to take orders, not a channel that builds loyalty and drives frequency.

Thanx optimizes for repeat behavior at every touchpoint. Persistent login means returning guests are recognized automatically without logging in or entering a password. One-click reorder gets them to checkout in seconds. And loyalty is integrated throughout the experience, not hidden in a separate tab—guests see their points, rewards, and tier status as they order, giving them a reason to choose your channels over third parties every time. The experience is seamless and delightful, making it easier to reorder from you than to open DoorDash.

While most ordering systems focus on features—menu management, fulfillment options, payment processing—Thanx focuses on outcomes: driving frequency and growing direct digital revenue. We're the only platform that seamlessly integrates loyalty into every step of ordering, optimizes for repeat purchases rather than one-time transactions, and gives marketers self-service control to keep experiences fresh. Our customers see 38% more guests return for a second digital purchase compared to legacy platforms. 90% grow their digital sales in year one, with 50% achieving digital growth of 50% or more.

Yes. Third-party platforms charge 15-30% commissions on every order, cutting deeply into margins. Thanx helps shift volume to your direct channels by making your first-party digital experience superior to third-party apps. With seamless ordering, integrated loyalty benefits, and the ability to keep your digital storefront fresh, guests have compelling reasons to order direct. Big Chicken grew digital from 11% to 25% of revenue in 6 months. Mo'Bettahs increased digital sales by 30%. When your direct channels are better than third parties, guests choose you.

Unlike legacy platforms that require developers and weeks of waiting for updates, Thanx gives marketers self-service control through our CMS. Update homepage content, promote new menu items, highlight limited-time offers, or refresh rewards in minutes—not months. This agility lets you keep digital channels engaging and responsive to what's working. Oakberry updates their app in 5 minutes via Thanx CMS and has fueled 20% month-over-month digital growth as a result.

The third purchase is the critical inflection point where guests transition from trying your brand to building a habit. Guests who reach their third purchase are 10x more valuable than those who stop after one or two visits. They're far more likely to become repeat, loyal customers who visit regularly. But most restaurants lose 90% of new members before they reach that third visit. This silent attrition represents the single biggest missed opportunity to grow frequency. If you're not measuring and optimizing activation, you're leaving the most valuable frequency gains on the table.

Thanx starts by capturing far more first-purchasers as known guests, something most platforms can't even track. Then, activation reporting shows you exactly where guests are dropping off in the journey. Automated lifecycle campaigns nurture guests at each stage with targeted messaging and rewards that encourage the next visit. Built-in A/B testing lets you constantly refine what works best for your brand. The result: 155% more new members become activated compared to legacy platforms.

Activation campaigns are just the beginning. Thanx offers a complete toolkit for sustaining and growing frequency across your entire guest base. AI-powered segmentation with 400+ attributes enables hyper-personalized campaigns based on visit patterns, purchase behavior, and preferences. Challenges and gamification create interactive experiences that keep guests engaged and coming back more often. Automated flows triggered by specific behaviors maintain engagement over time. Built-in A/B testing proves what drives incremental visits so you can optimize continuously. It's a comprehensive system for building lasting frequency, not just converting first-timers.

Generic cookie-cutter programs don't motivate repeat visits because guests see identical programs everywhere. Thanx's flexible loyalty engine lets you create experiences that reflect your brand and resonate with your specific guests. Offer non-discount rewards like hidden menus, VIP access, and exclusive perks. Add custom branding, rich reward imagery, and dynamic personalization. When your loyalty program feels unique and valuable, guests have a reason to engage with your brand specifically, not just any restaurant with a loyalty program. That differentiation drives frequency.

Most brands see measurable improvements in their sales within the first 90 days of launching with Thanx. The impact compounds over time as more guests reach their third purchase, your base of high-frequency customers grows exponentially. Honest Mary's achieved 88% first-time return rates and 17.8% same-store sales growth in 6 months. The key is starting with the activation campaigns and letting them run continuously, they work while you focus on other parts of your business.

Blanket discounts give the same value to everyone regardless of their profitability or loyalty. This wastes resources over-satisfying less profitable customers while under-satisfying your most valuable guests. Your best customers, who have higher expectations and more attractive choices, see no reason to stay loyal when they're treated the same as occasional visitors. Meanwhile, less profitable customers stick around for the deals, diluting your profits. The result: highly profitable customers defect while discount-seekers remain, creating a program that costs more and delivers less.

Non-discount rewards like secret menus, VIP access passes, bonus points, and exclusive experiences engage guests without eroding margins. They work because they make high-value customers feel special and recognized, not just bribed. A hidden menu item or early access to a new product creates excitement and exclusivity that a generic 15% off can't match. These rewards cost you less while delivering higher perceived value. The key is giving guests something they can't get anywhere else, not just a cheaper version of what they already want.

Loyalty programs are built on the principle that not all customers are created equal, your best value should go to your best customers. While other platforms technically offer targeting, they make it so complex that operators abandon it for blanket campaigns. Thanx makes sophisticated personalization effortless with AI-powered segmentation, so you actually use it. Beyond targeting, we offer non-discount rewards like secret menus and VIP experiences that create aspirational value without costing margin. The self-service Rewards Marketplace lets you adjust economics instantly as costs change. Built-in A/B testing proves what drives incremental visits. Automated campaigns triggered by behavior run continuously. And effective discount rate reporting shows exactly what your program costs. It's a complete toolkit for protecting margins while rewarding the behavior that matters, without creating discount seekers.

Yes, and that's a critical differentiator. With legacy platforms, adjusting reward economics requires technical work and long delays. You're stuck offering rewards that no longer make financial sense. Thanx's self-service Rewards Marketplace lets you update discount amounts, swap items, or shift to non-discount alternatives in minutes without developers. When bacon prices spike, you can immediately adjust your "free bacon add-on" reward or replace it with something more profitable. You maintain control over your program economics as your business changes, not months later when it's too late.

Most platforms can't answer this, which is why operators keep throwing money at discounts without knowing if they work. Thanx uses built-in A/B testing and control groups to prove incrementality. We can optionally hold back a portion of your audience as a control, then measure the lift in visit frequency from those who received the offer vs. those who didn't. This reveals whether your campaign drove actual behavior change or just rewarded guests who were coming anyway. You can test different offer types, discount levels, and timing to optimize what drives frequency while protecting profitability. It's the only way to know if you're building loyalty or just giving away margin.

Best-of-breed offers specialized depth in each function, but requires managing multiple vendor relationships and ensuring systems integrate properly—which rarely works seamlessly in practice. All-in-one platforms simplify operations with unified data and fewer vendors, but often compromise on individual feature quality. The right approach depends on your priorities: if you have resources to manage complexity and integration, best-of-breed can work. If you need operational simplicity and speed of execution, consolidated platforms deliver better results.

Initial development costs are just the beginning. The integration tax hits hardest in ongoing maintenance: agencies must constantly update your custom code as POS and ordering providers release new API features, passing those costs directly to you. SaaS platforms spread innovation costs across all customers and operate a single codebase, making updates faster and cheaper. Over time, custom builds can cost 5-10x more than SaaS solutions when you factor in maintenance, innovation, and complexity overhead.

Speed of execution and team autonomy matter more than cost for most restaurants. Complex tech stacks create bottlenecks where simple campaigns require IT involvement, making marketing teams dependent on technical resources instead of operating independently. Data silos across systems slow decision-making. Launching new capabilities means negotiating with multiple vendors and managing integrations. The hidden cost is opportunity: how many campaigns never launch because the tech stack makes execution too hard?

Thanx provides core depth in loyalty, offer management, marketing automation, and ordering UX—all built to work together natively. We consolidate what matters while maintaining flexibility through 60+ integrations with specialized tools. You get operational simplicity without compromising capability, and the optionality to bring in best-of-breed solutions as needs evolve without starting over.

Keep it. Thanx integrates seamlessly with your existing ordering through deep POS and platform integrations. Our battle-tested mobile and web ordering is available as an option when custom builds become too costly to maintain or you want to simplify—but the flexibility is yours.

Quick service software is technology designed to help QSR operators manage the unique challenges of high-volume, fast-paced restaurant operations where average checks are under $20 and guests expect service in seconds, not minutes. At its core, it needs to handle multiple ordering channels (drive-thru, counter, kiosk, mobile), process high transaction volumes without slowing service, and capture guest data despite extremely short interaction times.

‍

The best quick service software for guest engagement goes beyond just taking orders—it's built to improve customer satisfaction and solve the QSR industry's fundamental challenge: converting one-time visitors into weekly or daily regulars without sacrificing speed or margins.

‍

This requires seamless loyalty enrollment that doesn't slow the line, automated marketing that builds visit habits, and smart reward structures that drive frequency without training guests to expect discounts. Most importantly, quick service software must integrate deeply with POS systems, ordering, and kiosk platforms to enable real-time point accrual and redemption across every touchpoint—because in QSR, any friction at checkout means lost transactions and frustrated guests who won't return.

Quick service software encompasses everything from kitchen display systems to real-time inventory tracking, but when it comes to driving revenue growth, guest engagement and loyalty capabilities matter most. The primary benefit of strong loyalty-focused quick service software is driving measurable increases in visit frequency—the most powerful lever for QSR profitability. With average checks less than $15, getting a guest to visit twice a week instead of once delivers far more revenue than upselling on a single transaction.

‍
Thanx achieves this by capturing more guests through frictionless enrollment (not just the 10-15% who download apps), then using automated lifecycle campaigns to nurture first-timers into regulars and regulars into weekly visitors. Beyond frequency, the right platform safeguards your bottom line through precision targeting, rather than relying on broad-based discounting. Many QSR loyalty programs train guests to expect 20% off coupons, which destroys margins on already low-ticket purchases.

‍
Better software enables sophisticated segmentation—targeting lapsed guests differently than regulars, offering morning deals to drive slow dayparts, and rewarding specific behaviors without blanket discounts. Additional benefits include unified guest profiles that inform smarter decisions, real-time POS integration that doesn't slow operations, and analytics that prove which campaigns actually drive incremental visits versus just subsidizing purchases that would have happened anyway.

No, quick service restaurant software benefits any restaurant segment focused on high frequency and operational speed. What defines "quick service software" isn't the cuisine or service style, but the business model and operational requirements: high transaction volumes, multiple ordering channels that need seamless integration, tight margins that make precision marketing essential, and guest expectations for speed and convenience that leave no room for checkout friction.

‍
Fast casual brands face many of the same challenges as traditional QSR, though they often have higher check averages, more complex menu customization, and different frequency patterns. The key is ensuring your software solves your segment's specific needs while delivering the core capabilities every high-frequency restaurant requires: seamless enrollment that doesn't slow service, sophisticated targeting that protects margins, and automation that builds visit habits at scale.

‍
Thanx is restaurant software designed for QSR, fast casual, and table service alike—because while each segment has distinct operational characteristics, they all share the fundamental challenge of converting one-time visitors into habitual regulars profitably.

Modern quick service software connects directly to your restaurant POS through pre-built integrations or APIs, syncing transaction data, menu information, and loyalty redemptions in real time across all your channels. Strong integrations are essential in QSR because any delay or manual process breaks the speed that guests expect. When a guest scans their loyalty QR code at the drive-thru speaker or taps to pay with an enrolled card at the kiosk, the system must instantly recognize them, apply available rewards, and credit points—all without adding seconds to the transaction.

‍

The best quick service software handles this complexity behind the scenes through deep POS integrations with major platforms like Toast, Square, NCR, Qu, and others. These integrations work across drive-thru, counter, kiosk, and mobile ordering, ensuring consistent point accrual and redemption in all your locations.

‍

Advanced capabilities, such as item-level rewards, modifier-based offers, and real-time menu syncing (so 86'd items don't appear in online orders), all depend on strong POS system integration. Thanx integrates with 60+ restaurant POS systems and ordering platforms, providing the infrastructure to capture guest data and enable sophisticated marketing without requiring custom development work or expanding your IT team.

Yes, but only if you abandon the "blast discounts to everyone" approach most QSR loyalty programs still use. The problem with traditional loyalty isn't that rewards don't work; it's that broad-based discounting trains guests to wait for deals while subsidizing purchases from regulars who would have visited anyway. A 20% off offer sent to your entire database might drive short-term redemptions, but it destroys margins and builds dependency on promotions rather than genuine loyalty.

‍

The solution is precision targeting powered by rich guest data and sophisticated segmentation. Instead of treating all guests the same, modern quick service software identifies specific behavioral segments—guests who haven't visited in 30 days, first-timers who haven't returned for a second purchase, regulars who only visit certain dayparts—and deploys targeted campaigns that nudge desired behaviors. This might mean offering a free breakfast item to a dinner-only regular to build AM frequency, or sending a surprise reward to a lapsed guest to trigger a return visit, while your weekly regulars continue visiting without needing incentives.

‍

Thanx customers demonstrate this works: they see 5x growth in engaged users while maintaining an average 2.4% effective discount rate compared to ~10% on legacy platforms. This happens through flexible reward structures (points programs, tiered benefits, non-discount perks like hidden menu access), automated lifecycle campaigns that build habits rather than deal-seeking, and built-in control groups that prove incrementality. The business model shift is fundamental—you're investing marketing dollars in frequency-building, not subsidizing purchases that would have happened regardless.

A fast casual loyalty program is a customer retention system designed specifically for restaurants that operate between quick service and full-service dining—places where guests expect quality ingredients, customization, and a more elevated experience than traditional fast food. Unlike basic punch cards or discount-heavy programs, effective fast casual loyalty balances premium positioning with measurable frequency growth.

‍

The best programs capture guest data at multiple touchpoints (in-store, digital, staff-assisted), reward behaviors that drive profitability (not just transactions), and create experiences that feel on-brand rather than promotional. Fast casual operators face a unique challenge: guests visit less frequently than QSR customers but expect more than generic deals. Your loyalty program needs to bridge this gap by building habits through personalized engagement, exclusive perks, and rewards that reinforce your brand values—all while protecting the margins that your quality positioning depends on.

The primary benefit is driving repeat visits profitably—turning occasional guests into regulars without training them to expect discounts. Fast casual loyalty programs that work deliver measurable frequency increases (guests coming back more often), higher average order values (through targeted promotions for premium items or add-ons), and improved lifetime value (longer-term customer relationships). But there's a critical difference between generic loyalty platforms and ones built for fast casual: the wrong program can actually damage your brand by making you look like a discount chain.

The best fast casual loyalty programs protect your premium positioning through precision targeting, flexible reward types beyond discounts (hidden menus, VIP experiences, early access), and sophisticated segmentation that ensures you're rewarding the right behaviors at the right time. You also gain rich customer data that reveals preferences, visit patterns, and opportunities to personalize—which matters more in fast casual where guests expect you to remember them and their favorites. Finally, modern platforms eliminate the operational burden by automating lifecycle campaigns, integrating seamlessly with your POS and digital ordering, and proving results through control group testing.

No. While national fast casual brands often get the most attention, mid-market and regional chains can benefit significantly from loyalty programs—especially in competitive markets where building a base of regular guests determines growth. The key is choosing a platform that doesn't take a team of marketers to get value from the investment.

‍

Many legacy loyalty providers were built for massive chains and come with enterprise-level complexity, making them impractical for mid-market operators. But the fundamentals of loyalty (capturing guest data, driving repeat visits, personalizing offers) matter just as much for a 10-location fast casual concept trying to compete against national brands. In fact, mid-market chains often have stronger regional loyalty and more flexibility to create unique experiences—advantages that the right loyalty program amplifies. What matters isn't whether you're a household name; it's whether you're trying to solve the same core problem: turning one-time guests into regulars without eroding your brand or margins. If you're competing on quality and experience rather than price, you need tools that help you build habits at scale, regardless of whether you operate 5 locations or 500.

The most effective fast casual loyalty programs make enrollment effortless across every touchpoint—digital checkout, QR codes at tables or counters, and critically, staff-assisted SMS enrollment at the POS. Unlike QSR where speed is everything, fast casual benefits from slightly longer interaction times that allow staff to personally invite guests to join. This human touch aligns with the segment's hospitality focus while dramatically expanding reach beyond app downloads.

‍

App-less loyalty is essential here: requiring guests to download an app before they can participate limits your program to superfans and tech-savvy diners, excluding the majority of your guests. Modern platforms let anyone enroll via text message in seconds—no app required—which means you're capturing first-time visitors, casual diners, and guests who simply don't want another app cluttering their phone. The best practice is offering multiple enrollment paths: make it easy for digital-first guests to join during online ordering, provide visible QR codes for self-service enrollment, and train staff to proactively offer SMS sign-ups at checkout. This omni-channel approach ensures you're reaching all guests, not just the ones who were already planning to engage deeply with your brand.

This is the defining challenge for fast casual loyalty: driving frequency without cheapening your brand. The answer lies in moving beyond transactional discounts to experiential and exclusive rewards. Instead of "20% off your next visit" (which trains guests to wait for deals and erodes your premium positioning), focus on rewards that create value without discounting: hidden menu items only available to members, early access to new menu launches, VIP experiences like chef tastings or behind-the-scenes content, free premium add-ons that introduce guests to higher-margin items, and surprise-and-delight rewards that feel personal rather than promotional.

‍

The key is precision targeting—not everyone needs a discount to come back. Many of your best guests would return anyway; rewarding them with blanket offers just subsidizes behavior that was already happening. Sophisticated segmentation lets you identify who actually needs an incentive versus who responds to exclusive access or recognition. You also protect margins by testing everything: control groups prove which rewards drive incremental visits versus which ones simply give away margin to guests who were coming anyway. Fast casual operators who succeed with loyalty think like hospitality brands, not discount chains—they use their programs to deepen relationships and create moments that reinforce why guests chose them over cheaper alternatives.

A table service loyalty program is a rewards system that helps restaurants identify more of their guests and gives you a way to engage them and influence their behavior. Unlike quick-service loyalty programs that focus on speed and high transaction frequency, table service loyalty programs are built for lower-frequency, higher-value dining experiences—capturing guest preferences and dining patterns so you can market to them in personalized ways.

‍

The best table service loyalty programs make enrollment quick and easy without an app. By removing that friction, you can identify far more of your guests from their very first visit. Once enrolled, automated campaigns nurture those critical first few visits to turn one-time diners into returning guests. As guests become active members, personalized marketing drives increased frequency, fills seats during slow periods, and captures special occasions—all while protecting the premium positioning that matters in full-service dining.

The main benefit is driving frequency more profitably—building a base of regulars who come back more often without training guests to expect discounts. For table service restaurants, this requires solving challenges that QSR and fast casual brands don't face, particularly around capturing guest information when most dining happens in-store rather than through digital channels.

‍

Modern table service loyalty programs address this through enrollment that works during the dining experience, marketing campaigns that drive return visits through personalization rather than blanket offers, and rewards that feel premium—think exclusive events, secret menu items, and VIP experiences instead of dollar-off deals. The result is fuller tables during lunch and weeknights and stronger relationships that keep guests coming back more often.

In-store enrollment is one of the primary challenges for table service restaurants—and most really struggle with it. When you can't capture guest information, your loyalty program can't influence much revenue because you're only reaching the small percentage of guests willing to download an app or sign up online. The result is programs that look good on paper but don't move the needle on frequency or profitability. 



‍

Legacy approaches create too much friction—either staff have to facilitate sign-ups (taking time away from service), QR codes lead to lengthy forms guests abandoned, or programs require app downloads that only superfans would bother with. Modern loyalty programs use app-less enrollment that happens seamlessly: SMS triggered when guests enter their phone number on handhelds at payment, and QR codes that lead to simple enrollment flows. Bottleneck Restaurant Group grew signups a sustained 172% on average by adopting this strategy. The key is removing friction for everyone—staff stay focused on service, guests sign up in seconds, and your program reaches far more people.

Absolutely. Thanx has a powerful platform that facilitates habit creation and engagement both in-store and online, regardless of how much digital ordering you do today.

‍

We offer two options for the in-store guest experience: card-linked loyalty, where guests automatically earn rewards when they pay with a registered card, and traditional check-in, where guests identify themselves at payment. This flexibility is unique—most platforms force you into the traditional approach, but we let you choose what works best for your operations. Because we reach more guests and collect more data through seamless enrollment and participation methods, we enable more personalized marketing based on actual behavior and preferences, not just generic blasts. Combined with smart rewards that protect margins through precision targeting rather than blanket discounts, you can drive frequency without devaluing your brand. The result is effective loyalty whether you have robust digital ordering or operate primarily in-store.

Many loyalty platforms were built for quick-service brands with high transaction frequency and digital-first operations. They ignore the unique challenges table service restaurants face: lower visit frequency, higher check sizes, primarily in-store dining experiences, and the need to drive frequency without eroding premium positioning. 


‍

Thanx is different in several key ways. We solve both the enrollment and participation challenges that kill most table service loyalty programs—offering seamless multi-channel enrollment that captures guests in-store and online, plus flexible participation options including card-linked loyalty and traditional check-in so guests can earn and redeem however they prefer. We enable personalized marketing based on actual guest behavior rather than generic blasts, combined with smart rewards that protect margins through precision targeting (2.4% effective discount rate vs. ~10% on legacy platforms). And our platform facilitates habit creation through automated campaigns that nurture first-time diners into regulars, fill tables during slow periods, and leverage experiential rewards like exclusive events and secret menus that feel premium, not transactional. The result is more guests enrolled, more return visits, and protected profitability—exactly what table service operators need.

Thanx addresses the core challenge coffee and treat concepts face: converting grab-and-go transactions into identified guests you can market to, then building habits through automated lifecycle campaigns. Unlike legacy platforms that require app downloads and only reach superfans, Thanx captures guests at every touchpoint—digital checkout, QR codes in-store, SMS at POS—and uses precision targeting to drive repeat visits without relying on heavy discounts. The result: specialty concepts see 2.1x more loyalty sign-ups, dramatic lifts in retention, and effective discount rates as low as 2.3%.

Coffee shops and specialty beverage concepts benefit from customers who form routines easily—but those routines can become rigid. Thanx first helps convert more first-timers into regulars through automated lifecycle campaigns that nurture new guests from first purchase to third visit. Then, for existing customers, Thanx expands habits through campaigns that nudge morning-only visitors to try afternoon dayparts, gamified challenges that encourage menu exploration beyond their usual order, and item-level rewards that drive food attachment and premium drink upgrades. With 400+ customer attributes and sophisticated segmentation, you can identify single-daypart visitors and guests stuck in ordering ruts—then personalize campaigns to expand their behavior without disrupting the habits that already work.

Dessert and indulgence-focused treat concepts face a different challenge: guests see these purchases as special occasion rewards, not daily habits. Thanx helps build frequency from scratch by nurturing first-timers with automated incentives that bring them back sooner than they normally would, then using challenges and lifecycle campaigns to create visit patterns where none existed.

‍

You can also leverage the loyalty program to drive awareness of healthier options, nutritional benefits, or smaller portion sizes that position your brand as an everyday choice, not just a special occasion splurge. With behavioral segmentation and automated winback campaigns, you can re-engage guests who haven't visited in a while before they lapse entirely—turning infrequent indulgence into habitual behavior.

‍

Most marketing platforms are too complex and time-consuming, forcing operators to abandon targeting and fall back on generic blasts. Thanx makes sophisticated personalization effortless through pre-built automations, AI-powered segmentation (SegmentAI), and a self-service CMS that lets teams update content and launch campaigns in minutes. Kahwa Coffee runs their entire loyalty program with a small team, and Oakberry updates their app every week in under five minutes—no developer required. The result is a 95% reduction in campaign execution time, letting operators do more with less.

Legacy loyalty platforms treat discounts like a blunt instrument—broad offers that reach everyone regardless of whether they need an incentive. Thanx takes the opposite approach: precision targeting ensures only guests who need a nudge receive one, and flexible offer types let you choose between discount rewards, non-discount perks, and item-level incentives that drive specific behaviors. Built-in A/B testing with control groups proves what works, so you're not guessing or giving away margin unnecessarily. The result: Thanx customers see an average effective discount rate of 2.4%—far below the ~10% typical of legacy platforms—while still driving measurable frequency lifts.