Burger King starts testing its loyalty program to boost sales amid the pandemic

Burger King announces its new loyalty program, and it is already in the testing stage. The American hamburger fast-food chain unveiled its “Royalty Perks” offering to make customers come back for more.

BK reveals testing of its new reward program

It was reported that Burger King is testing the said loyalty program in five major states in the U.S. The company kicked off its “Royal Perks” scheme in New York, New Jersey, Long Island, Miami, and Los Angeles.

The burger joint is the latest fast-food company to offer something to customers so they will remain loyal and keep them coming back. Apparently, this is one way to boost sales as well, especially in this time of the pandemic that forced people to stay at home.

“It’s been something that we’ve been working on for a while, that we’ve had in several different versions of beta tests,” CNBC News quoted Ellie Doty, Burger King’s North American chief marketing officer. “It’s the natural next step when you want to have digital leadership and find ways to create more personalized experiences for your guests.”

In any case, Burger King’s loyalty program is also being tested in the U.S. as part of the companies efforts to expand the digital experience for customers. The rewards are to encourage more frequent visits, so BK is really offering nice perks.

Importance of loyalty programs

The “Royal Perks” program is only available in five states for now, and it is uncertain when this can be offered nationally. “We’re going to test, refine, expand and learn,” Whitney Gretz, Burger King’s vice president of digital and loyalty, said. “The goal is to keep adding features and markets.”

Such loyalty programs are really important for fastfood chains. This is because they are the type of marketing tool that has already been proven effective in driving patrons to come often. Plus, it can be easily tailored according to a specific business and customer.

Meanwhile, as shared on the press release, under Burger King’s “Royal Perks” scheme, for every $1 spent on the restaurant, members can earn 10 crowns. The accumulated crowns can be exchanged for freebies and upgrades like upsize on drinks and fries, earning double crown points on the member’s birthday month, and more.