Dive Brief:
- Noodles & Company enhanced its Noodles Rewards program with a daily perk feature called Extra Goodness, the company said Monday.
- Loyalty members can redeem these perks, which can include a percentage off a total order, a free upgrade or free add-on, once a day.
- Noodles & Company launched Noodles Rewards in 2017 when it offered random rewards, but switched to a point-based system in 2019. It has since grown to 4.5 million members, up 12.5% from 2021.
Dive Insight:
Noodles & Company added more perks last year, with early access to new menu items including its low carb Leanguini that launched last May. The new perks are part of the company’s brand positioning effort called Uncommon Goodness, which focuses on menu innovation and employee benefits.
"The growth and strength of the Noodles Rewards program has been incredible, and we're dedicated to finding new ways to give back to our Rewards members," said Stacey Pool, CMO at Noodles & Company. “As many brands across the industry make meaningful changes to their rewards programs, we are committed to adding extra value and Extra Goodness to the perks we offer our members.”
Noodles said it wanted to show appreciation for their guests, as it sees an average of 40,000 to 45,000 new signups each month, the company wrote in an email to Restaurant Dive. The daily reward provides frequent benefits and may boost engagement with the brands’ fan base. Rewards are refreshed each day and customers can pick one perk at checkout. They can also be combined with current offers, points and seasonal rewards customers already have in their accounts.
Digital sales make up the majority of Noodles & Company’s overall sales, reaching 54% last year. Noodles Rewards members make up 25% of the company’s total sales.
“We continue to leverage the rewards program to gain valuable insights about guests behavior, become more targeted with our messaging, and develop deeper relationships and loyalty with our guest,” CEO Dave Boennighausen told investors in March.
Several other chains, including Whataburger, Chick-fil-A, Starbucks and Dunkin’ have updated their rewards programs in the last few months, with some adding tier structures to provide different or additional rewards or offering more flexibility in redemption.
