Culver’s Introduces Data-Driven Loyalty Platform to Deepen Guest Engagement |
By Justin Stone, RTN Staff Writer – 12/12/2025
Culvers has launched its first nationwide loyalty program called Delicious Rewards, marking a notable shift in the way the fast-casual chain uses technology to engage guests and collect customer data at scale. The program went live on November 17 and reflects broader changes in the quick-service and fast-casual restaurant sectors, where loyalty platforms have become a core part of digital strategy rather than a complementary marketing tool.
The program will earn guests 10 points for every dollar spent when they identify themselves through Culver's mobile app, website or at the point of sale by scanning a membership code or providing a phone number. Points can be redeemed for free or discounted menu items, and members receive additional incentives such as birthday and half-birthday deals and targeted promotions based on past purchases. Culver's also noted that more features will be introduced over time, including more personalized recommendations and opportunities for loyalty members to provide feedback on menu development.
From a technology perspective, Delicious Rewards introduces a unified customer identity layer across Culver's digital and restaurant channels. By linking transactions to individual guest profiles, the system allows the brand to capture purchase history, visit frequency and menu preferences across more than 1,000 locations. This data can then be used to make marketing decisions, personalize offers and order returning guests more quickly and individually. Although Culver's has not publicly named the technology providers supporting the platform, the structure of the program is modeled on modern loyalty architectures that integrate mobile apps, POS systems and customer relationship management tools into a single data environment.
The launch positions Culver's more directly alongside its competitors who have already invested heavily in loyalty-focused digital ecosystems. Major quick-service and fast-casual brands like Taco Bell, Panera Bread, Starbucks and Chick-fil-A have spent years refining loyalty programs that combine rewards with mobile ordering, personalized marketing and operational analytics. In these systems, loyalty data is increasingly used not only to drive repeat visits but also to influence menu strategy, staffing decisions and the timing of promotions.
Industry research highlights why loyalty has become such a high priority. According to consumer data cited by Culver's, 78 percent of U.S. consumers say they are more likely to visit a restaurant where they can earn rewards. As a result, loyalty programs are no longer viewed as just discount engines, but rather as tools to increase lifetime customer value and improve the efficiency of marketing spend. Many restaurant operators now use loyalty data to segment guests, test promotions, and measure the impact of digital engagement on average check size and visit frequency.
For Culver's franchise system, the technology behind Delicious Rewards also brings new operational considerations. Restaurant teams can identify loyalty members at checkout and award rewards without slowing service, which is critical in high-volume environments. Over time, access to aggregated preference data could help operators predict demand for specific menu items, support localized promotions, and improve consistency across locations while maintaining the brand's focus on hospitality and service.
Culver's leadership has acknowledged that the brand entered the loyalty space later than many competitors, but describes that timing as intentional. By building the program from the ground up, the company wanted to ensure the platform could support future personalization and data-driven features, rather than launching a limited program that would require significant rework. This approach reflects a broader trend in restaurant technology adoption, with operators prioritizing scalable platforms that can evolve alongside changing consumer expectations and competitive pressures.
As loyalty continues to converge with ordering, marketing and guest experience technologies, Culver's Delicious Rewards adds another data point to the industry's ongoing shift toward integrated digital engagement. For Culver's, the program represents both a new channel to reward guests and a fundamental technology investment that could shape the way the brand competes for repeat visits in an increasingly crowded and data-driven restaurant landscape.
