Winning new customers is expensive. These tools help them come back, spend more and share useful data, without turning your restaurant into a spam machine.
Loyalty in hospitality isn't about handing out discounts without control. It's about identifying regulars, understanding what they order, winning back those who haven't returned for weeks and sending useful offers without eroding your margin. A poorly designed programme can fill the room with unprofitable customers; a well-measured one increases repeat visits, average spend and direct bookings.
For independent restaurants, the difficulty usually lies in bringing scattered data together: bookings, online orders, POS, email, WhatsApp, reviews and promotions. That is why some tools start out as hospitality CRMs, others as points programmes and others as general-purpose marketing platforms that can work if configured well.
In this comparison we look at 7 real loyalty and CRM solutions for restaurants. An important note: Zindra isn't on this list because its main focus is operations, inventory, purchasing, staff and profitability; for loyalty as such, it's better to look at specialist tools or ones connected to your POS or booking system.
CoverManager is a Spanish platform widely used by restaurants for bookings, CRM and guest management. Its value lies in connecting each booking with the guest's profile, preferences, history and communications, especially in restaurants where much of the business comes through bookings.
Cheerfy is a customer engagement platform for restaurants that combines CRM, digital ordering, WiFi marketing and personalised campaigns. It is particularly interesting for groups that want to identify customers both in the venue and on digital channels.
Como is an international loyalty and customer engagement platform for restaurants and retail. It offers points programmes, customer clubs, vouchers, segmentation, automations and a white-label app on advanced plans.
FiveStars is a US loyalty platform for local shops and restaurants. It focuses on capturing customer data at the point of sale, automating rewards and sending promotions by SMS or email to increase repeat visits.
Lightspeed Loyalty is the loyalty module of the Lightspeed ecosystem. It lets you create customer profiles, rewards, campaigns and segments connected to the POS, making it easy to measure real purchases and repeat visits without external integrations.
Square Loyalty lets you create points and rewards programmes connected to the Square POS. It is easy to switch on, very visual and designed for small businesses that want to get started quickly without setting up a complex CRM.
Mailchimp isn't a hospitality tool, but it can be a valid option for restaurants that already have a customer database and want to send newsletters, basic automations and email promotions without paying for a specific CRM.
For restaurants where bookings are at the heart of the customer relationship, CoverManager is one of the strongest options in Spain. Cheerfy fits better when you want to bring CRM, digital ordering, WiFi and automations together in a more complete strategy. Como is powerful for chains looking for an advanced loyalty programme with points and an app. If you already use Lightspeed or Square, their loyalty modules may be enough and save you extra integrations. Mailchimp is the cheapest way to start, but it needs more manual work and brings no hospitality intelligence of its own. The practical advice: before buying software, decide what data you will capture, what consent you have to contact customers and which metric will define success: repeat visits, average spend, direct bookings or winning back lapsed customers.
Dig deeper into the key concepts behind this comparison.
Answers to the most common questions about this category.
If you have regulars or a customer database you can use, yes. If you depend almost entirely on passing trade, tourism or marketplace delivery, you first need to capture your own data. Loyalty works best when you can identify the customer, understand their behaviour and make a relevant offer without giving away margin indiscriminately.
Points work well in cafés and quick service with frequent visits. In restaurants with mid to high average spend, an exclusive perk usually works better: booking priority, a complimentary drink, a special menu or an experience for regulars. A straight discount is easy, but it can train customers to buy only when there's a promotion.
It isn't essential to get started, but it greatly improves measurement. Without the POS you can send campaigns and manage bookings; with the POS you can see who comes back, how much they spend, what they order and whether a promotion generated real margin. For restaurants with volume, integration with sales makes the difference.
Yes, but carefully. WhatsApp converts very well because it is direct, but it is also intrusive. You need clear consent, infrequent messages and a genuinely useful offer. For more regular communication, email or SMS can be less invasive; for bookings, confirmations and VIP guests, WhatsApp can be very effective.
Browse more reviews to find the right tools for your restaurant.
Manage inventory, purchasing, staff and costs in one platform. Try it free and decide for yourself.