For years, point-based loyalty programs were the default model. However, points often sit unused, expire without redemption and fail to feel tangible to customers. They are frequently buried in third-party apps or replaced by manual punch cards that offer limited visibility.

If a loyalty program does not increase visit frequency or average spend, its effectiveness should be reassessed. A system that does not influence behaviour delivers limited operational value.

What’s the alternative to a points-based loyalty program?

Points-based programs can be unclear for customers. The value of points, redemption thresholds and expiry rules is often difficult to understand. This reduces engagement and lowers redemption rates.

They also provide a limited ability to influence behaviour. Encouraging visits on quieter days, increasing average spend or driving faster return visits is difficult within rigid points structures.

Adjusting rewards after launch can be complex. Running targeted offers for VIP customers, testing promotions in a single venue or adapting incentives by time of day often requires significant manual effort.

For these reasons, many operators are shifting to Nomni Loyalty, designed to influence the core drivers of hospitality performance: recency, frequency and spend.

Currency Beats Points, Every Day

“What if instead of points, you could print a currency unique to your venue and program that currency to do whatever you want. What if that currency could be issued as a percentage of any purchase, say 10% daily rewards, or 15% during slower periods? What if you could sell that currency, banking future dining intent? And what if all of this could be offered through your own white-labelled loyalty program - no third-party apps, no brand dilution, your own wallet, all branded your way?”

These challenges are addressed through Nomni Rewards and Brandollars, which form the foundation of the Nomni Loyalty platform.

Brandollars are a venue-branded digital currency. Customers earn them in dollar value and can redeem them only at your venue. They hold perceived cash value and are designed to drive loyalty through future intent—"I’ve got credit to use here, I’ll come back."

Unlike points, which are often tied to fixed rewards such as a free item, Brandollars function as currency. They can be applied as part of a purchase, supporting both repeat visits and higher transaction values.

Nomni Rewards are programmable incentives triggered by defined behaviours, such as spending a set amount to receive a percentage back. They are designed for targeted campaigns, timed promotions and structured loyalty strategies.

These tools operate without custom development or additional platforms. Nomni Loyalty integrates with Nomni POS, online ordering, CRM and payments, ensuring rewards are delivered based on real transactions and tracked outcomes.

This model moves beyond traditional point systems and focuses on measurable behavioural impact.

But the real win is what you can do with next-generation loyalty

Traditional loyalty systems often end at issuance. Points are awarded, eventually redeemed, and the cycle repeats. This approach is passive and disconnected from the broader customer journey.

Nomni Loyalty links rewards to behaviour, not just transactions.

Incentives can be:

• Triggered by behaviour, including visit frequency, spend thresholds, time of day, specific items or ordering channel such as online or dine-in.

• Targeted by customer segment, including new guests, returning customers, VIPs or lapsed users.

• Delivered across channels, including Nomni POS, table ordering, kiosks, QR menus and web ordering, all connected to a single customer profile.

Most systems limit you to static rules (e.g. 1 point per dollar), Nomni gives you a full campaign engine.

Venues can:

• Deliver incentives through Magic App, a fully branded mobile experience accessed via QR, combining loyalty, ordering, payments and offers in one interface.

• Create differentiated rewards across venues, brands or customer groups.

• Automate customer journeys through Nomni Engage, such as sending SMS or email offers after a first visit or prompting a follow-up purchase within a defined timeframe.

• Track redemptions in real time and optimise campaigns using performance data.

All activity operates within one connected system, without exporting spreadsheets or linking multiple platforms.

Nomni Loyalty does not simply issue rewards. It enables venues to use incentives to influence spend, guide behaviour and retain high-value customers through automated, measurable campaigns.

Loyalty shouldn’t be a line item. It should be a lever for growth.

If your current setup still relies on points, disconnected systems, and manual guesswork, it’s not just outdated. It’s underperforming.

With Nomni, loyalty becomes a source of revenue, not cost. And that’s what real loyalty should do.