Loyalty Cards, Discount Cards, Rewards Cards - An Explanation

In planning for Kaffeine, we talked for a long while amongst ourselves and also with very respected and knowledgeable people from the industry about loyalty cards and whether we would introduce them. Ultimately, as some people may be aware, we decided not to.

A number of people we spoke to felt they were a nuisance to carry around, others felt a bit cheap when asking for it, others really liked them. Others told me of rip off schemes in cafes that they had worked in involving loyalty cards. It was not an easy decision to make.

We still occasionally get asked if we have them, or are told that we should have them, but our answer is exactly what we have said from the start and that is that we like to look after our customers in other ways other than a loyalty card.

For example, in our first Christmas we gave away Keep Cups to over 150 of our regular customers with a personal Kaffeine Christmas card. Our second Christmas we gave away 150 of our own home made jams.

The managers here also know to look after our regular customers with an occasional free cake or coffee or we test new cakes or biscuits with other regulars. I personally try very hard to give a free Portuguese tart, a friand or a biscuit to regulars when I am able to. More often than not, that customer says no, please allow me to pay.

We also try very very hard to provide great service, excellent food and amazing coffee, which I hope is a reason for people to keep coming back as well.

What I do wonder is, if you go to your local pub once, twice or three times a week, perhaps buying up to ten drinks in that period, what do they do to keep you loyal?

I am yet to hear of a pub loyalty card system.

What other food/beverage industries have loyalty cards and does it work for them I wonder?

If anyone has any feedback or points to raise, I am more than happy to listen.

Peter Dore-Smith
Director
Kaffeine Ltd
66 Great Titchfield st.
15 Eastcastle st.