Marketing

Domino's upgrades its loyalty program

The pizza chain is reducing how much customers need to spend to earn points and will let customers earn points earlier. It is the latest fast-food company to upgrade its loyalty program, which has become a key marketing tool.
domino's loyalty
Domino's Pizza will let customers redeem their points quicker under loyalty program changes. | Photo courtesy of Domino's.

Domino’s customers will soon be able to earn points quicker and redeem them earlier under changes the Ann Arbor, Mich.-based pizza chain announced on Tuesday.

Under the changes, customers will now get 10 points on every order of $5 or more—rather than 10 points for orders of $10 or more. Customers will also be able to redeem points earlier, enabling them to get an order of parmesan bread bites, a 20-ounce drink or a dipping cup once they reach 20 points, or two orders.

The company also promises to provide loyalty members with access to exclusive deals and opportunities to earn additional points.

It’s the latest major fast-food brand to change its loyalty program, as such efforts have become vital marketing tools at a time when more orders have shifted to chains’ mobile apps. Loyalty program members typically come into their restaurants more often and spend more when they do.

Chains like McDonald’s, for instance, have shifted much of their value marketing to their loyalty program. And a growing number of brands are changing their programs to provide some level of exclusivity to members. Subway, for instance, features a “swag shop” and events that are exclusive to members of its newly upgraded MVP Rewards program.

Starbucks, meanwhile, has been inking cross-promotional deals with companies in other industries, such as Delta, where members of the companies’ respective loyalty programs can earn points by using one-another’s services.

Domino’s has used its “Piece of the Pie” rewards program to build loyalty for years. But this is the first major change in that program since 2017.

The company is making a bet that offering more rewards will stand out amid a sea of program changes, most of which tend to reduce customers’ overall ability to earn rewards. Dunkin’ angered customers last year when it rolled out changes to its rewards program.

“At a time when most brands are scaling back their loyalty programs and making it more difficult to earn and redeem points, Domino’s is doing the opposite,” Mark Messing, Domino’s VP of digital experience and loyalty, said in a statement.

Domino’s program will let customers redeem awards at 20, 40 and 60 points. At 40 points they can get an order of Bread Twists or Stuffed Cheesy Bread. At 60 points they can get a medium, two-topping pizza, pasta, Oven-Baked Sandwich or three-piece order of Chocolate Lava Crunch Cakes.

The company until Oct. 22 is letting customers get Pepperoni Stuffed Cheesy Bread for 20 points, rather than the typical 40.

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