Rewarding Loyalty: Understanding Your NX Loyalty Plan Options 🎁✨
Building a loyal customer base is about more than just great food; it’s about recognizing and rewarding your regulars. NX Restaurant offers four distinct loyalty structures to fit your brand's goals.
Whether you want guests to "bank" points indefinitely or earn specific "milestone" rewards, this guide breaks down how each plan functions.
1. Promo & Free Item (Milestone Rewards) 🏆
These plans track a guest's progress toward a specific goal. Think of this like a digital "punch card."
How it Works: The system tracks accumulated Spend or Visit Count toward a single Threshold.
Minting Rewards: When the threshold is crossed, NX creates a discrete reward record (either a Promo Code for a dollar amount off or a Free Item voucher).
Structure & Rollover: * If a guest earns more than the threshold in a single visit, any leftover value carries forward toward their next reward.
Multiple rewards can be minted at once! (e.g., If the threshold is $50 and a guest spends $125, they earn 2 rewards and have $25 carry over).
Communication: Messaging is triggered based on the number of rewards earned multiplied by the reward value.
Structure Note: Structurally, Promo and Free Item are identical. The only difference is the payout: one gives a monetary discount (e.g., $5 off), while the other allows the guest to redeem a specific menu item for free.
2. Points (Cumulative Growth) 📈
Points plans are designed for long-term accumulation without the "stop and start" of thresholds.
How it Works: Every dollar spent (or every visit) adds value to a single, growing reward record. There is no threshold to cross to "earn" the reward.
Multipliers: Eligible revenue is multiplied by a Spend Factor (e.g., 0.1) and added to the existing balance.
Structure: A customer never has more than one reward record per plan; the value simply increases indefinitely until the guest chooses to redeem some or all of their balance.
Communication: Messaging fires with the total accumulated points balance (e.g., "You have 450 points!").
3. Auto Discount (The "VIP" Member Benefit) 💎
This plan doesn't require tracking over time; it provides an immediate benefit just for being a member.
How it Works: Once a customer is attached to an order, an automatic discount is applied to any configured items.
Dynamic Application: The discount is applied instantly when the guest is added and updates every time applicable items are rung up.
Rules & Logic: These follow standard NX discount rules, including Time Ranges (e.g., only during Happy Hour) and Applicable Items.
Spend vs. Per Visit: The Reward Basis 🔄
For Promo, Free Item, and Points, you must choose a Reward Basis:
Spend: The reward is calculated based on total eligible revenue (dollars spent).
Per Visit: The reward is calculated based on the number of times the guest closes a check (always 1 "credit" per visit).
At-a-Glance Comparison
| Feature | Promo / Free Item | Points | Auto Discount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Logic | Threshold-based | Indefinite accumulation | Immediate application |
| Presents as | Discrete vouchers/items | A single growing balance | A standard discount |
| Carryover | Yes (leftover value) | N/A (all value stays) | N/A |
| Multiple Earn | Yes (can earn 2+ at once) | No (one single record) | N/A |
Need Help? 💡
Can I change a plan once guests have started earning?
We recommend against changing the Reward Type or Basis on an active plan, as it can cause calculation errors for existing balances. It is best to end the old plan and start a new one.
Which plan is best for a coffee shop?
A Free Item plan based on Visits is a classic choice (e.g., "Buy 10 coffees, get the 11th free").
Can a guest be on two plans at once?
Yes! You can have a "Points" plan for everyday spending and an "Auto Discount" plan for a paid "VIP" subscription running simultaneously.
Still have questions about loyalty?
Reach out to your NX Partner to discuss the best strategy for your venue! 🆘✨