Grubhub this week announced new functionality dubbed “perks.” The new in-app feature means new options for diners and restaurant owners to better tailor the experience and potentially entice diners to order from them.
It might not seem like a huge deal, but for a long time, restaurant operators have been clamoring for some extra incentives via third-party delivery networks and a way to reward customers even if they’re not in the restaurant’s ecosystem.
Why is that such a big deal? Well it’s two of the most important topics in the restaurant space today: traffic and data. At this point, delivery apps are pretty saturated with restaurants and savvy operators are utilizing the marketing tools to stand out. But launch offers like the free Cheesy Gordita Crunch from Taco Bell or a free dozen Cheddar Bay Biscuits from Red Lobster are another way to stand out or get those indecisive diners to pull the trigger.
Data is wildly important for understanding who customers are, what they want, when, where, how much they’ll pay, etc. While loyalty usage is pretty small even among the most loyal customers, having absolutely no data flowing out of delivery apps was a marketer’s nightmare. Now, restaurant companies can bypass the whole issue of negotiating for that (or paying for it) by integrating their own loyalty program—and that’s a big deal.
The functionality is available now on both the Grubhub and Seamless apps under a new Perks tab. It comes with two parts: redeem and earn. Redeem lists all rewards, earned or offered, from restaurants in the delivery area. Earn is a spot for all the restaurant’s loyalty programs where customers can track their progress.
