Dive Brief:

• Zaxby’s replaced its existing rewards program and updated its mobile app to include loyalty features, the company announced Tuesday.
• The chicken chain’s new program offers diners 10 points for every dollar spent, which customers can redeem for menu items or discounts in-store or on Zaxby’s app.
• Zaxby’s loyalty update comes as restaurant brands of all sizes seek to attract diner dollars via rewards, resulting in a loyalty glut that is driving innovation in a bid to offer novel experiences.  

Dive Insight:

Zaxby’s loyalty program allows customers to accrue points from in-person, in-app and online orders, Patrick Schwing, Zaxby’s chief marketing and strategy officer, said in a statement. Schwing, who previously worked at Arby’s, joined the company in June and is tasked with overseeing the company’s loyalty offering.

Zaxby’s organizes its rewards by tiers, with some perks costing 0-499 points, others 500-749 points, and some over 750 points, according to its website. Three cookies cost 250 points and five boneless wings are worth 700 points, while the Big Zax Snak Meal weighs in at 1,050 points. Customers who download Zaxby’s app, or update it to its latest version, will receive a free Big Zax Snak Meal, according to the press release.

Diners who scan their loyalty app during the payment process at drive-thrus can also earn points. Rewards points expire after one year. Other changes to the company’s app include, “personalized welcome and conversational language used throughout the app experience, the ability to save favorite meals, a streamlined checkout process, and the choice of ordering pick up or delivery to your door,” according to the press release.

Zaxby’s, which has over 900 locations in 17 states, joins a growing list of brands that have reworked rewards programs in recent months. On Monday, BurgerFi announced it would overhaul its loyalty program and connect it with online orders. Within the last month, Starbucks announced it would add NFTs and extend its loyalty program to thousands of licensed stores in North America, Panera changed the basis of its loyalty system to favor personal choice, P.F. Chang’s added a subscription program and Dunkin’ changed the pace of its points accumulation.