Oct 17, 2026 · 5 min read
Most restaurant loyalty schemes fail for one of two reasons: the guest has to carry something (a card, an app), or staff have to remember to do something extra at billing. A programme that lives inside the POS and works off the mobile number on the bill avoids both.
Start with the customers you already have
Your past bills already contain your regulars. A good loyalty setup builds the customer list from mobile numbers on paid bills — with visits and total spend — so on day one you can see who comes every week and who has not been back in three months.
Points rules that protect your margin
- ✓Points per ₹100 spent, and what one point is worth
- ✓A minimum balance before points can be redeemed
- ✓A cap on how much of a bill points can pay for
- ✓Welcome points for a first visit
- ✓Expiry for guests who stop coming
- ✓Automatic reversal when a bill is voided
Coupons that can’t be abused
A ten-percent-off code shared on a college WhatsApp group can cost you a month’s margin. Every coupon should carry limits: a minimum bill, a maximum discount, start and end dates, a total usage limit, a per-customer limit, or first-order only. The POS checks the rules at billing so staff don’t have to.
Remind guests they have points
Points only bring people back if they remember them. A short WhatsApp message from your restaurant’s number after a paid bill — “you earned 40 points” — does more than any poster at the counter.
How BistroBot does it
BistroBot Loyalty, CRM & Coupons is an opt-in switch for any kind of venue on the Gourmet plan. Staff apply points or a coupon while billing in the Steward App or portal, the discount lands on the bill automatically, and points messages can go out on WhatsApp once you connect your business account.