In case you’re not familiar with Restaurant.com, here’s a summary of what they do, from their website:
We Help Communities Thrive and Prosper
Restaurant.com enables local restaurants and small businesses to give diners the best deal on every meal. We help diners find and use local restaurants, driving new customers and bringing back old ones, providing great value to the diner, and strengthening local economies. Restaurant.com Gift Certificates match diners with great savings at new restaurants. Your favorite restaurant is in your neighborhood – maybe you just don’t know it yet. Restaurant.com is here to help.
So this new rewards program of theirs may have some interesting appeal. We know from our LoyaltyPulse research study that 73% of consumers would like one rewards program that is honored at multiple restaurant brands. The local aspect may have some legs with certain consumers as well, as the ‘buy local’ trend gets greater traction. The key to this program is whether or not the value proposition is strong enough and certain enough. We also know from our research that 4 out of 5 consumers prefer a clearly-defined rewards program proposition over periodic surprises. Here’s a sentence lifted directly from the Restaurant.com Rewards Program’s terms and conditions:
The primary Rewards are virtual recognitions such as badges and status levels.
Here’s an excerpt from the press release about the new program:
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL (February 7, 2013) – Restaurant.com, the nation’s largest dining deals site, announced the launch of a new rewards program which enables participants to earn points, badges, and advance on the Restaurant.com Rewards Leaderboard. Diners earn rewards by shopping, sharing on social channels and participating in promotions. The game-like rewards experience highlights and enhances the thousands of dining opportunities Restaurant.com has to offer.
“Restaurant.com Rewards offers a variety of fun interactive perks for shoppers,” said Christopher Krohn, President and CMO, Restaurant.com. “We are excited to provide our customers yet another way to discover amazing dining discounts and be rewarded for their engagement and loyalty.”
Restaurant.com customers can begin playing immediately by logging into their account. When they complete a reward-worthy action, participants receive a message of congratulations as well as a clue about what to do next to achieve additional points and badges. Customers start at the “Newbie” level and continue to “level-up” as they earn points and complete fun shopping “missions.”
Restaurant.com will also host a range of playful promotions and sweepstakes through its rewards program. As customers progress their way up toward higher levels, they unlock additional badges and may earn special surprises such as free Restaurant.com gift certificates and other rewards. From now through February 15, 2013, Restaurant.com Rewards participants can earn the “Nifty Fifty” badge with the chance to win a year’s supply of $50.00 eCertificates (12 free $50 eCertificates). Restaurant.com will reveal other limited edition special badges to participants throughout the year.
Stay tuned. For more information, check out the Rewards Section at the Restaurant.com website.
