Overview
A loyalty program is one of the highest-ROI investments a restaurant can make — repeat customers spend 67% more than first-time guests. Toast's built-in loyalty system handles points accumulation, reward redemption, and milestone communications automatically. This guide covers the full setup and the automation layer that keeps guests engaged between visits.
Before you start
- Toast POS with Marketing/Loyalty module
- Staff trained to prompt loyalty enrollment at checkout
- Email addresses for existing regular guests to import
Step-by-step guide (5 steps)
Set up Toast Loyalty in your Back Office
In Toast, go to Marketing > Loyalty. Enable the program and configure: points earn rate (e.g., 1 point per $1 spent), reward threshold (e.g., 100 points = $5 off), and program name. Create a branded program name that fits your restaurant (e.g., 'The Regulars Club').
Configure enrollment and opt-in at POS
Set up the POS screen to prompt guests to join at checkout using their phone number. Guests receive an automatic enrollment confirmation SMS with their point balance. This captures data on your best customers systematically.
Set up milestone email campaigns
In Toast Marketing, create automated campaigns triggered by: 100 points earned (reward available notification), birthday (configured birthday reward), and 90-day inactivity (win-back offer). These run automatically without any manual setup per customer.
Create a win-back sequence for lapsed guests
Configure a campaign: 'When a loyalty member hasn't visited in 60 days, send an email with a limited-time double-points offer.' At 90 days, send a final re-engagement offer with a discount. This brings back 10-20% of lapsed guests.
Keep win-back offers time-limited (expires in 2 weeks) to create urgency. Open-ended offers get ignored.
Review loyalty analytics monthly
In Toast Analytics, review loyalty performance monthly: enrollment rate, redemption rate, repeat visit rate, and average spend per loyalty visit vs. non-loyalty. Use this data to optimize your earn/reward structure and campaign timing.
What you'll get
Guests return more frequently due to points incentive
Automated birthday and milestone rewards feel personal
Win-back campaigns recover lapsed guests automatically
Data on your most valuable guests for targeted marketing
Common mistakes to avoid
Setting the reward threshold too high (guests give up before earning their first reward)
Not promoting the program at POS (staff must actively ask guests to join)
Not reviewing analytics (programs drift without optimization)
Frequently asked questions
Do I need coding experience to set up this Toast automation?
No coding is required. This guide walks you through everything using Toast's built-in features and Zapier's visual interface. If you can follow a recipe, you can follow this guide.
How long does this automation take to set up?
Most users complete this setup in 30–60 minutes on their first try. Once set up, it runs completely automatically with zero ongoing effort.
What happens if the automation fails?
Zapier and Make both have error notifications and task history, so you'll know immediately if something goes wrong. We cover troubleshooting steps in the guide above.
Can I customize this automation for my specific business?
Absolutely. The guide includes notes on common customizations. Most automations have multiple variation points — timing, conditions, notification recipients, and more.