Restaurant loyalty programmes have come a long way from the paper stamp card in the till drawer, and thank goodness, because I’ve lost more of those than umbrellas. Today they live in apps and wallets, reward deliveries as well as visits, and some even let customers give their rewards to charity.
We looked at eight run by UK cafés, restaurants and takeaways, checked each on the brand’s own website, and pulled out the ideas any food business can copy. I’ll be honest, I wrote this before lunch, so please forgive me if I get a bit emotional about dough balls.
At a glance
| Programme | Type | How you earn | First reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greggs app | Stamps by category | One stamp per item | Tenth item in a category free |
| Costa Club | Stamps | One Bean per barista-made drink | Buy 10, get 1 free |
| Caffè Nero app | Stamps | One stamp per handmade drink | Free drink after 9 stamps |
| Nando’s Rewards | Reward ladder | One Chilli on days you spend £7 or more | Green Reward at 3 Chillies |
| Wagamama soul club | Stamps | One stamp per £12 payment | Free side at 3 stamps |
| PizzaExpress Club | Tiers | One Pizza Stamp per £15 dine-in visit | Bronze perks from the start |
| MyMcDonald’s Rewards | Points | One point per 1p spent in the app | First reward at 2,000 points |
| Tortilla Burrito Society | Stamps | One stamp per order over £6.95 | Free guac at 2 stamps |
1. Greggs: a stamp card for each kind of order
In the Greggs app, every item earns a stamp, and stamps are counted in six separate reward categories. Collect nine in one category and the tenth item from it is free. New members get a free regular hot or iced drink, and there’s a sweet treat on their birthday.
The idea to copy. Separate cards mean a sandwich regular and a coffee regular each earn a reward that suits them. Nobody has to choose between a sausage roll and a latte, which is how it should be. Worth knowing. Rewards last 31 days, and Greggs Express shops don’t give stamps.
2. Costa Club: bonus stamps for reusable cups
Costa Club gives one Bean for each barista-made drink, and the headline offer is simple. Buy 10, get 1 free. Bring a reusable cup and you earn an extra Bean. Members also get a free cake on their birthday, and both members get five Beans when one refers a friend.
The idea to copy. Rewarding a reusable cup is cheap, good for the planet and gets regulars to their free drink faster. Worth knowing. Free drinks can only be redeemed in Costa stores in Great Britain.
3. Caffè Nero: stamps that never expire
In the Caffè Nero app, each handmade drink earns a stamp, and nine stamps earn a free drink in any size. Stamps never expire, a reusable cup earns an extra one, and customers can choose to collect stamps only, so they can still pay with cash.
The idea to copy. Letting stamps keep for as long as people like removes the worry that they’ll lose progress if they miss a week. Unlike my paper cards, which lose progress if I so much as look at a washing machine. Worth knowing. Redeeming a voucher usually doesn’t earn a stamp.
4. Nando’s: a reward ladder
Nando’s Rewards gives one Chilli on each day you spend £7 or more, whether you eat in, collect or order Nando’s Delivery. At three Chillies you can claim a Green Reward, such as a starter. Wait for six and it’s an Orange Reward, such as a burger, or hold on for ten and claim a Red Reward, such as a whole chicken. New members get a free starter.
The idea to copy. A ladder lets guests choose between a small reward now and a bigger one later, which keeps them coming back either way. I have never once made it to ten. Worth knowing. Orders through Deliveroo don’t count, and only one Chilli can be earned a day.
5. Wagamama soul club: earn on delivery, spend in the restaurant
Wagamama’s soul club gives a stamp when you spend £12 or more in one payment, up to one a day. The third stamp brings a free side and the sixth a free main. Stamps can be earned on Uber Eats and Deliveroo orders too, but rewards are only redeemed when dining in. Members also get a birthday treat, early tastings of new dishes and members-only events.
The idea to copy. Letting delivery customers earn, but rewarding them at the table, brings people back through the door. Worth knowing. Stamps expire after 12 months with no activity.
6. PizzaExpress Club: tiers with growing perks
PizzaExpress Club gives one Pizza Stamp for each dine-in visit of £15 or more, half a stamp for delivery or collection orders, and a quarter of a stamp for scanning codes on selected supermarket pizzas. Everyone starts at Bronze, with free dough balls or a side, money off kids’ meals and a birthday treat. Three stamps reaches Silver and ten reaches Gold, where members get free hot or soft drinks on every visit.
The idea to copy. Tiers give regulars something to aim for, and earning from supermarket products keeps the brand front of mind at home. Free dough balls from day one is also, frankly, a strong opening move. Worth knowing. Dine-in visits need a check-in in the app.
7. MyMcDonald’s Rewards: points you can give to charity
MyMcDonald’s Rewards gives one point for every penny spent through the app, and the first reward unlocks at 2,000 points. Instead of spending points on food, members can donate them to partner charities, with 2,000 points becoming a £2 donation.
The idea to copy. A giving option suits customers who’d rather do good than claim another burger. Worth knowing. It’s app only, and points now expire after six months.
8. Tortilla Burrito Society: a quick first reward
Tortilla’s Burrito Society gives a stamp for each order over £6.95, and double stamps on orders over £25. Two stamps earn free guacamole and five earn a free main, with a free stamp for joining.
The idea to copy. A small reward after just two visits makes the programme feel worthwhile from week one. Free guac in week one? I’m listening. Worth knowing. Rewards last 90 days, and some franchise sites don’t take part.
Ideas to copy for your café or restaurant
- Make the first reward quick. Tortilla’s free guac at two stamps and Nando’s Green Reward at three Chillies show early wins work.
- Reward good habits. Costa and Caffè Nero give an extra stamp for a reusable cup.
- Let people choose. A reward ladder or separate cards for food and drink lets each customer play their own way.
- Welcome and birthday treats. Nearly every programme here gives one, because they’re remembered.
- Bring delivery customers back. Wagamama lets them earn on delivery but enjoy their rewards in the restaurant.
- Give people a way to give. McDonald’s charity option turns points into goodwill.
- Don’t let progress vanish. Long-lasting or never-expiring stamps keep regulars on side.
Choosing the right model
If customers visit weekly, a stamp card is hard to beat. If spend varies a lot, points or a reward ladder are fairer. If you have a loyal core who visit often, tiers give them something to aim for. Our guide to types of loyalty programmes compares the options, and our small business loyalty ideas show what independent cafés have tried.
Right, that’s me done. If anyone needs me, I’ll be at lunch, probably claiming a reward.
Details checked on each brand’s own website in October 2026. Schemes change often, so check the brand’s page for the latest.
Run a restaurant loyalty programme your regulars love? Enter it for Café, Restaurant & QSR in the Online Loyalty Awards. It’s free, and your customers decide.