Gamified Loyalty Programs: How To Level Up Customer Engagement

As customer expectations continue to evolve, merchants are being challenged to deliver more engaging, rewarding, and omnichannel experiences that build long-term relationships — not just one-time transactions.

That’s where gamified loyalty programs come in. By turning customer engagement into a rewarding and interactive experience, these programs drive repeat purchases, increase foot traffic, and grow your base of loyal customers.

In this post, we’ll break down what gamified loyalty programs are and how they work. Plus, we'll cover why Cross-Channel Loyalty, available with the DoorDash Commerce Platform Pro package, is a great gamified loyalty solution for businesses that value being on the cutting edge of restaurant technology.

What are gamified loyalty programs?

Gamified loyalty programs are structured systems that reward customers in playful, game-like ways for making purchases. Think: earning points, unlocking tiers, completing challenges, or spinning a digital wheel for a reward.

Unlike traditional loyalty programs that may focus solely on discounts or punch cards, gamified programs encourage ongoing interaction through rewards mechanics designed to be fun and motivational.

Key elements often include:

• Points and rewards: Customers earn points with each purchase or action, redeemable for discounts or freebies

• Progress tracking: Visual indicators like status bars or achievement badges show how close someone is to unlocking a reward.

• Missions and challenges: Completing tasks like "order three times this week" can earn bonus rewards.

• Tier levels: Customers unlock higher tiers with better perks the more they engage.

This approach taps into basic human psychology, achievement, competition, and reward to keep customers coming back.

Why invest in gamified loyalty programs?

If you're a merchant looking to grow your business sustainably, investing in a gamified loyalty program can deliver results across multiple fronts:

Higher customer retention

Gamified loyalty programs reward your customers for staying connected to your brand, which can lead to higher customer retention.

Increased customer lifetime value (CLTV)

Returning customers spend 67% more than new customers. By encouraging repeat purchases and long-term engagement, these gamified programs can maximize the value of each customer.

Differentiation from competitors

While many brands have loyalty programs, few offer experiences that truly engage. A gamified program helps you stand out, making it fun and rewarding for customers to continue to spend with your restaurant.

More data and insights

You’ll gather rich behavioral data as customers interact with different features, helping you optimize your marketing and offerings.

Omnichannel reach

With Cross-Channel Loyalty, available on the DoorDash Commerce Platform Pro package, your loyalty program isn’t just tied to one channel. It follows your customers wherever they shop — in-store, online, on your branded mobile app, and on DoorDash.

What to look for in gamified loyalty programs

Selecting a loyalty program for your business can feel overwhelming. Here are a few areas to consider as you pick the right one for your restaurant:

Easy sign-up

Signing up for gamified loyalty programs should be a cinch for customers. When vetting loyalty providers, look at the signup process they offer. Can guests sign up with just their phone number or email address? Can they access the sign-up page by tapping their phone to an NFC tag? Options like these can reduce friction during the signup process.

Credit card linking

At the end of the day, gamified loyalty programs are all about transactions. Leading loyalty providers make it easy for customers to link their credit cards, ensuring every order placed ties back to rewards.

Omnichannel capabilities

Modern restaurant guests don't just dine in. They place orders on your website, restaurant app, and on DoorDash. To meet this demand, consider investing in a system like Cross-Channel Loyalty, which rewards your customers no matter where they order from.

Cross-Channel Loyalty, available with the DoorDash Commerce Platform Pro package, has all of the above and more! 

Gamified loyalty programs in action

Let’s explore a few common ways customers can earn rewards with gamified loyalty programs:

Spend-based loyalty

With spend-based loyalty, customers must spend $X to get $Y. For instance, a restaurant may choose to reward customers who spend $100 with a $10 reward. The dollar amounts associated with the program are left to your discretion, ensuring the program aligns with your broader business plan.

Visit-based loyalty

Gamified loyalty programs like this reward customers for visiting a restaurant's brick-and-mortar location a certain number of times. Customers need to tap an NFC tag with their phones to receive credit for their visit.

Introducing Cross-Channel Loyalty, a new standard for gamified loyalty 

Traditional loyalty programs often hit a wall when it comes to multi-channel experiences. Enter Cross-Channel Loyalty: an industry-first loyalty solution built by DoorDash.

Here’s what makes it a game-changer:

Customers can earn and redeem across all channels

Whether it’s in-store, on your branded mobile app, via online ordering, or through the DoorDash Marketplace—Cross-Channel Loyalty ensures every interaction counts.

You can reach DoorDash's audience

By partnering with DoorDash, your loyalty program benefits from the scale and reach of Marketplace. 

It's part of the DoorDash Commerce Platform  

Unlike siloed systems that fragment customer data, Cross-Channel Loyalty is part of the DoorDash Commerce Platform. This means you can access the customer data and insights from your loyalty program in the same place you manage all of your restaurant's marketing efforts.

This means you can:

• Segment marketing emails based on loyalty status 

• Send SMS reminders to loyalty members to spend their rewards

• See how your branded mobile app is contributing to your loyalty membership goals

The Future of Loyalty Is Omnichannel—and It’s Already Here

Gamified loyalty programs are no longer a “nice-to-have”— they’re becoming essential to standing out and staying competitive. And with Cross-Channel Loyalty, you can harness the full power of omnichannel engagement in one seamless platform.

Whether you’re looking to grow your base of repeat customers, drive more foot traffic, or simply offer a better experience, this is the moment to level up your loyalty strategy.

Ready to see what Cross-Channel Loyalty can do for your business?