From Garnish to Secret Sauce: How Loyalty Has Become the Real Revenue Driver | Modern Restaurant Management | The Business of Eating & Restaurant Management News

For years, loyalty building was treated like a garnish that operators sprinkled on top of the “entrees” of bigger promotional strategies like traffic, advertising, and limited-time offers. Restaurants haphazardly threw punch cards and generic discounts on the proverbial plate as incentives, but rarely gave them the spotlight.=

But now? Loyalty is proving to be the secret sauce — the flavor that ties the whole dish together and keeps guests coming back for more. When restaurant traffic softened and guests pulled back on discretionary spending, loyalty stepped up. According to PAR’s 2025 QSR Operational Index, loyalty transactions rose more than 30 percentage points in 2024.

Guests may be trimming their dining budgets, but when they do choose to eat out, they’re showing up for the restaurants that make them feel known, appreciated, and rewarded. Loyalty has moved beyond an afterthought to a growth driver.

So why are some restaurants cooking with gas while others are stuck…

Joe Yetter

Joe Yetter is the General Manager of Engagement Cloud at PAR Technology Corporation where he is responsible for business development and driving the company’s strategic vision. Prior to his role as General Manager, Yetter was CGO, General Manager, Vice President, and Chief of Staff, where he spearheaded projects including the acquisition of Punchh, company integrations, executive recruiting, and has established PAR’s KPI setting and tracking process through business reviews. Prior to joining PAR, Yetter worked at Restaurant Brands International, overseeing Franchisee Operations for Burger King Restaurants in multiple global regions. He also held various leadership positions at RBI across marketing, development, and finance.

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Joe Yetter