No Such Thing As A Free Lunch. Or is there?

You’ve heard it before: "There’s no such thing as a free lunch." And in most cases, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

But when it comes to hospitality loyalty, data can challenge that mindset.

We’ve been building loyalty programmes for hospitality businesses since before the pandemic. And if there's one thing we’ve learned, it’s that words like “free” and “discount” often cause discomfort — despite being extremely effective when deployed strategically.

We’ve all heard the cautionary tales. But here’s the twist: those same businesses are now some of the savviest when it comes to loyalty, precisely because they learned from the past.

Case Study: “Kids Eat Free” (Kind Of)

This February half term, we partnered with a venue to test a “Kids Eat Free” offer. Here’s what happened:

• 4x higher average transaction value — even after accounting for the free meal

• 80% of redemptions were during weekday lunch — traditionally low-traffic hours

• We tracked who browsed, claimed, and redeemed — and we’re retargeting them for Easter

• 🎯 We’re also targeting lookalike members — helping drive return visits at scale

Everyone Wins

Yes, we used the word “free” — and yes, it worked.

• Families got a great reason to head out and spend quality time

• Venues filled quieter periods with increased covers and spend

• Our members accessed high-value, relevant rewards — making the programme more sticky

Smarter Loyalty for Hospitality

This is exactly what our Dine & Play loyalty platform is built to do:

• Deliver smarter, data-driven offers that drive real revenue — not just one-off visits

• Turn casual guests into repeat, high-value customers

• Give you the data to track behaviour, retarget efficiently, and optimise results

• All with no complex integrations or upfront costs

If you’re a restaurant, bar, leisure venue, or competitive socialising brand looking to improve your off-peak performance and grow customer loyalty — let’s talk.

Because sometimes, “free” can be the smartest move in the room.

📩 [Contact us] | 💬 #HospitalityLoyalty #CustomerEngagement #DataDrivenMarketing #DineAndPlay #LoyaltyStrategy #HospitalityGrowth