Loyalty Program Examples: 10 Ideas for Local Businesses
Updated
The loyalty programs that work for local businesses are simple: a stamp card, points per dollar, VIP tiers, referral and birthday rewards, and a bonus for quiet hours. Below are 10 examples with the card wording, who each one suits and which tools run it.
1. The classic stamp card
“Buy 9 coffees, get the 10th free.”
One stamp per visit or purchase, and a reward when the card is full. Everyone understands it at a glance.
Best for: Cafés, bakeries, car washes and anything people buy the same way every time.
Tip: Start customers with a stamp or two already on the card. In a well-known car wash study, a 10-stamp card with 2 free stamps was completed far more often than an 8-stamp card with none, though both needed 8 purchases.
Tools that support it: Revio, Loopy Loyalty, Stamp Me, BonusQR, Boomerangme
2. Points per dollar
“Earn 1 point per $1. 100 points = $5 off.”
Customers earn in proportion to what they spend, so a big basket counts for more than a small one.
Best for: Retail stores and restaurants, where spend varies a lot from visit to visit.
Tip: Make the first reward reachable within 3–4 visits, or customers forget the program exists.
Tools that support it: Revio, Square Loyalty, Toast Loyalty, Kangaroo Rewards, BonusQR
3. Visit-based rewards
“Every 5th visit, dessert is on us.”
Like a stamp card, but counted automatically from visits rather than items, often through the POS.
Best for: Restaurants and services where the visit matters more than the order.
Tip: Pick a reward that costs you little but feels generous, like a dessert or a drink.
Tools that support it: Revio, Square Loyalty, Toast Loyalty
4. VIP tiers
“Silver at 5 visits, Gold at 15: Gold members earn double.”
Customers climb levels as they spend or visit, and higher levels earn faster or unlock perks.
Best for: Shops and salons with a core of very regular customers.
Tip: Keep it to two or three tiers, and make the top one hard enough to feel special.
Tools that support it: Revio, Square Loyalty, Kangaroo Rewards, Boomerangme
5. Referral rewards
“Give a friend $10 off, get $10 when they visit.”
Customers share a personal link; both sides get a reward when the friend comes in.
Best for: Salons, gyms and studios, where new clients usually come by word of mouth.
Tip: Reward both people. A one-sided referral feels like asking for a favour.
Tools that support it: Revio, BonusQR, Boomerangme, Smile.io
6. Birthday rewards
“A free drink in your birthday week.”
Customers add their birthday when they join and get an automatic reward each year.
Best for: Every type of local business. It’s the cheapest way to get a visit people look forward to.
Tip: Give a whole week or month to redeem it, not just the day.
Tools that support it: Toast Loyalty, Stamp Me, BonusQR
7. Quiet-hours bonuses
“Double points Tuesday 2–5pm.”
Extra points or stamps at the times you’re slow, sent as a notification to members.
Best for: Cafés and restaurants with predictable dead hours.
Tip: Send it a few hours before the quiet slot, not a day ahead.
Tools that support it: Revio, Toast Loyalty, Square Loyalty
8. Welcome reward
“Join today and get 10% off your next visit.”
A small reward for signing up, which gives a reason to join at the counter and to come back once more.
Best for: Any business trying to grow its member list quickly.
Tip: Tie it to the next visit, not today’s order, so it brings people back.
Tools that support it: Toast Loyalty, BonusQR, Stamp Me
9. Cashback
“Get 5% back on every order to spend next time.”
A share of each purchase builds up as store credit.
Best for: Shops with higher-ticket items, where a percentage feels more valuable than a stamp.
Tip: Show the balance on the customer’s card so they know what they’re leaving behind.
Tools that support it: BonusQR, Boomerangme, Kangaroo Rewards, Toast Loyalty
10. Partner rewards
“Show your café card at the bakery next door for 10% off.”
Nearby businesses fund rewards for each other’s customers, so members get more and both sides get new visits.
Best for: Shops on the same street or in the same centre.
Tip: Pick partners whose customers overlap with yours but who don’t compete.
Tools that support it: Revio
How to choose
Start with one simple program: a stamp card if customers buy the same thing every visit, points if spend varies. Once it’s running, add a welcome reward to grow sign-ups and a birthday or quiet-hours bonus to bring people back.
To compare the tools, see the best loyalty programs for small businessor the best free loyalty programs.
Frequently asked questions
What is an example of a loyalty program?
The most common is a stamp card: buy 9 coffees and get the 10th free. Others include points per dollar, VIP tiers, referral rewards and birthday rewards.
What is the best type of loyalty program for a small business?
A stamp card if customers buy the same thing every visit; points if spend varies. Add a birthday or referral reward once the basics are running.
What should a loyalty card say?
Your name and logo, the reward in one line (for example “10th coffee free”), the progress so far, and when rewards expire if they do.