Choose something customers actually want
Start with an item people already enjoy and you can supply reliably. A reward should be easy to explain and useful to the customer. A complicated bundle can be harder to understand than a familiar drink.
Ask staff what regulars order and what customers request. Do not assume the cheapest item is the best reward.
Check the cost before the headline
Work out the direct cost of delivering the reward, including ingredients and packaging. Consider preparation time and whether a busy service can handle redemptions. Your own costs and menu prices matter more than a competitor’s stamp target.
Here is a hypothetical worksheet, not a claim about any café’s margins:
| Question | Example |
|---|---|
| Qualifying purchases | Eight eligible drinks |
| Contribution after direct costs per qualifying drink | $2 |
| Contribution across eight drinks, before other costs | $16 |
| Direct cost of the reward | $1.20 |
| Remaining contribution before rent, wages, software and other costs | $14.80 |
This is not net profit. Change every figure to fit your business, and review overheads and taxes with the appropriate professional when needed.
Write the rules people need
State which purchases qualify, how many stamps earn the reward, what the reward includes and where it can be redeemed. Make exclusions visible before someone joins.
For a chain, confirm that participating branches can honour the same reward. Train each branch before displaying the join QR.
Make the promise easy to keep
Check stock and offer a clear escalation path if an item is unavailable. Avoid quietly changing the reward once customers have started collecting. In Poccy, an existing card keeps its original reward rules when a new program version is created.
Your next action
Write the reward in one sentence. Ask two staff members to explain it back to you. If their answers differ, clarify the terms before launch.
One idea is enough to start.
Try it on your next shift.