News

Chipotle piloting customer loyalty program

October 2, 2018

Hoping to drive traffic, Chipotle is getting in on the loyalty action, piloting Chipotle Rewards. The points-based loyalty system is now live in three test markets —Phoenix, Kansas City (both in Kansas and Missouri), and Columbus, Ohio, according to a company press release.

"At Chipotle, we've been very focused on making our brand more accessible and growing love and loyalty among our customers," said Curt Garner, chief digital and information officer at Chipotle. "Now, with Chipotle Rewards, the more you Chipotle, the more you earn points towards free Chipotle."

Eligible customers in each of the three test markets can sign-up for Chipotle Rewards via the Chipotle app or on Chipotle.com. Those who enroll can earn 10 points for every $1 spent, with 1,250 points resulting in a free entree. 

To drive even more digital orders, for a limited time, customers can earn 15 points for every $1 spent in the app and online. Chipotle knows instant gratification is important, so customers in pilot markets can also earn free chips and guac after their first purchase using Chipotle Rewards. 

Chipotle Rewards also includes a highly sophisticated, hyper-personalized CRM program running behind the scenes which allows for targeted communication to drive trial, menu exploration and brand affinity, according to the release.

The company is testing the program via its stage-gate process, which allows Chipotle to test, learn, listen to customer feedback, and iterate extensively before moving ahead with a national launch, currently slated for 2019.

"Chipotle Rewards is a critical part of our efforts to digitize and modernize the restaurant experience," Garner said in the release. "Through this program, we can show some love to Chipotle super fans, create a true one-on-one relationship with our customers and unlock new opportunities to engage through offers and discounts – from delighting customers on their birthdays to incentivizing incremental purchases to providing rewards for engaging with the brand's mission to cultivate a better world."

Several executives from Chipotle will speak at this year's Fast Casual Executive Summit, Oct. 7-9 in Seattle. Registration is still open.