Setting Up Bonus Periods

Bonus Periods are a way to boost engagement in a loyalty program. Whether a program uses bankable points, traditional spend-based rewards, or a frequency-based model, Bonus Periods incentivize specific behaviors, such as ordering during off-peak hours or trying new items, by offering customers extra points or rewards for a limited time.

What Is a Bonus Period

A Bonus Period is a promotional window during which customers earn more than the usual number of points for eligible purchases. The restaurant controls:

• When the bonus applies (time, day, date).
• How much extra the customer earns (double, triple, and so on).
• What qualifies (specific items, order types, or customer tiers).

Bonus Periods are designed to:

• Steer customers toward specific menu items.
• Drive sales during slower hours.
• Reward high-value loyalty tiers.

Examples:

• "Earn double points on coffee every Monday."
• "Triple points from 2:00 to 4:00 PM daily."
• "Bonus points only for VIP customers on salads and wraps."

How Bonus Periods Work

A Bonus Period applies a multiplier to the normal earning rate. For example, if the earning rate is 2 points per dollar and a customer spends $10, they normally earn 20 points; with a 2x Bonus Period, they earn 40 points instead.

Bonus Periods can be:

• Item-specific: apply only to selected items.
• Tier-specific: available only to certain loyalty tiers, such as VIP.
• Time-based: active on certain days, times, or business dates.

Multiple Bonus Periods can run at once, each with different rules and schedules.

How to Set Up a Bonus Period

Follow the steps below to set up a Bonus Period and add items:

Best Practices

• Be strategic: use Bonus Periods to boost underperforming items or drive weekday traffic.
• Avoid stacking: limit to one Bonus Period per item or time slot when needed.
• Communicate clearly: promote Bonus Periods using announcements, email campaigns, and SMS.