Chicago-based One Off Hospitality, the restaurant group founded by chef Paul Kahan and restaurateur Donnie Madia, has taken a cue from chains and introduced a loyalty program.
One Off Rewards members will get a variety of perks including priority for reservations, private bookings, and special events, as well as merchandise and gift purchases.
The company said the program would also allow them to tailor personalized experiences for members.
“One Off Hospitality has been fortunate enough to build a substantial community of loyal diners who have come to know and trust our family of restaurants over the years,” CEO Karen Browne said in a press release announcing the program. “The opportunity to create a digital experience to further reward our valued guests not only makes sense as a growing restaurant group, but it’s been years in the making and we’re so thrilled with the opportunity to finally lift it off the ground.”
She added that the program would allow her and her team to learn more about their customers as they download the group’s app or sign up for the program online.
“For instance: we’ve learned that today’s diner is much more inclined to order to-go than ever before; whether it’s the remote worker picking up lunch, or folks opting to stay in on the weekend instead of heading out. Not everyone wants to sit in a dining room for every meal, but they also still enjoy having the chef-driven experience. The integration of this app allows us to streamline our culinary offerings outside of our restaurants in a more seamless and guest-friendly way,” she said.
Most chain restaurants now have loyalty programs that allow them to collect data about their customers’ behavior and use it to customize special offers, offering discounts to those who respond well to that, while presenting special access to events, free items, merchandise, and other perks to those who prefer that type of recognition.
One Off Rewards members will initially get one point for every dollar spent at one of the group’s restaurants, which can then be redeemed at any of their restaurants. The number of points they get will increase as guests progress to Bronze, Silver, and Gold tiers based on how much they spend.
Additionally, they get $10 in rewards points for every $150 they spend in any format — dine-in, takeout, private events, gift cards, or merch. They also get $5 in rewards just for signing up, and an additional $10 if they get three members to join.
One Off Hospitality started with Blackbird restaurant in 1997 and now is comprised of Avec, Avec River North, Bar Avec, The Violet Hour, The Publican, Big Star, Publican Quality Meats, Publican Quality Bread, Dove’s Luncheonette, Big Star Wrigleyville, Big Star West Town, Publican Quality Bread Oak Park, and Publican Tavern O'Hare.
Contact Bret Thorn at [email protected]
