The restaurant industry’s biggest trend in 2026? It’s not AI. It’s not personalization. It’s
Loyalty program!
While everyone’s racing to add AI and hyper-personalization to their customer experience, major restaurant chains are quietly returning to something more fundamental: making food affordable for their regulars.
First Starbucks, now Chipotle, both announcing revamped loyalty programs for 2026. In an era where grocery bills dominate dinner table conversations, this shift makes perfect business sense.
The numbers tell the story: Chipotle saw declining foot traffic in early 2025. But here’s what caught my attention:
🔸 90% of their app orders come from loyalty members, compared to just 20% of in-venue orders. True opportunity gap.
Not every customer needs a personalized AI concierge. For mass-market businesses, the fundamentals still win: points, tiers, and tangible value.
The 1% might respond to emotional connection and bespoke experiences. But the 99% respond to a clear answer: “Am I getting a better deal because I come back?”
The challenge is to know which customers resonate which approach. And that starts with better data about who your ideal customers actually are and what drives their decisions.