Burger King Launches Nationwide Loyalty Program As Chain Seeks To Boost U.S. Sales

Burger King is expanding its rewards program nationwide as part of Restaurant Brands International’s larger push to boost its business in the United States.

The chain is on track for two-thirds of its presence in the United States to offer the loyalty program in restaurants by the end of September. The program is already nationwide for orders placed through its mobile app and website.

The Royal Perks program gives customers 10 “crowns” for every dollar spent at the chain’s restaurants. Members can redeem their points on the majority of the menu and will receive free daily perks like oversized drinks or fries.

Burger King’s North American Marketing Director Ellie Doty said the first wave of members were mostly customers who were already using their app and website. With the restaurant-level launch, it hopes to attract frequent shoppers who prefer to order through the drive-thru lane or the counter. Doty declined to provide the current Burger King membership tally.

The pandemic has accelerated the boom in online restaurant orders, prompting McDonald’s, Wendy’s and now Burger King to roll out rewards programs. In the year ended March 2021, digital orders jumped 124%, according to the NPD Group market research. Loyalty programs from names like Starbucks and Chipotle Mexican Grill help these businesses grow their app user base, learn more about their customers, and encourage more frequent visits.

“I think especially since we’ve all been through the pandemic, we know that a lot of digital behaviors have really escalated very quickly, and we think this is the one that we think will stay,” Doty said. “Customers really see the ease and benefits of being a part of loyalty programs.”

The loyalty program also comes as Burger King tries to keep up with its competition. In its final quarter, Burger King reported US same-store sales growth of 13%. A year ago, its U.S. same-store sales fell 9.9% as door-to-door orders hit demand. Rivals like McDonald’s and Wendy’s have seen even higher revenue growth in recent months, rebounding from the pandemic even stronger than Burger King. Restaurant Brands CEO Jose Cil told analysts on the July conference call that the chain needs to work on its focus and pace.

“We haven’t focused enough on the few priorities that will have the greatest impact, and we haven’t moved fast enough on those priorities to accelerate business performance to the level we know we are capable of,” did he declare.

In August, Burger King appointed Tom Curtis as head of the United States and Canada. Curtis, a longtime Domino’s Pizza executive, joined the burger chain several months earlier as COO.

RBI shares have risen 5% this year, giving it a market value of $ 29.9 billion. While Burger King’s sister chain, Popeyes, maintained the strong sales it started generating with the launch of its famous chicken sandwich, Restaurant Brand’s third chain, Tim Hortons, struggled in its market. national, Canada.