FAQs

Rewards Network is a demand generation and marketing company for restaurants.

The core offering is a marketing program that connects restaurants to millions of diners through loyalty programs from major airline, hotel, and credit card brands.

Through these partnerships, Rewards Network promotes participating restaurants to loyalty program members who are actively choosing where to dine based on where they can earn points, miles, or cash back.

In addition to its marketing program, Rewards Network offers optional funding solutions for qualifying restaurants. All funding programs include Rewards Network marketing services as a core component of how restaurants generate the transactions used to fulfill their agreement.

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Whether a restaurant is on the marketing program or a funding program, diners join a loyalty dining program offered by a Rewards Network partner (such as AAdvantage Dining, Marriott Bonvoy Eat Around Town, United MileagePlus Dining, and more) by opting in and linking a payment card to their account.

Rewards Network markets participating restaurants to these diners on behalf of those loyalty programs via email, app, and web marketing.

When a diner visits a participating restaurant and pays with their linked card, the transaction is recognized automatically, and rewards are issued through the loyalty program partner.

For the marketing program:

Restaurants pay a percentage of qualified transactions generated through participating diners.

Because the cost is tied to qualified transactions, restaurants only pay when a participating diner visits and completes a transaction.

For funding programs (such as Dining Credits or Premier Restaurant Funding):

Restaurants either pay a percentage of Rewards Network member transactions or a percentage of all daily transactions processed by the restaurant.

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The standalone Rewards Network marketing program is not a loan or a merchant cash advance. It is a marketing program designed to generate diner demand.

Separately, Rewards Network offers funding solutions (Dining Credits and Premier Restaurant Funding) that are structured as merchant cash advances but with the marketing services program included. These are not loans and involve the purchase of future credit card receivables under agreed-upon terms.

Because the marketing is included as part of these funding programs, Rewards Network can help drive the transactions used to fulfill the agreement.

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Restaurants that perform well with the marketing program often have:

• Higher average check sizes
• Available seating during slower hours
• Locations near hotels, offices, or travel hubs

Fine-dining and casual-dining restaurants often see stronger results than quick-service concepts with very small ticket sizes.

Yes. Independent restaurants and small restaurant groups can participate in the Rewards Network marketing program and can apply to see if they are qualified to participate in Dining Credits or Premier Restaurant Funding programs.

Many participating restaurants are single-location businesses that use the marketing program as a way to introduce the restaurant to new diners.

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Rewards Network’s marketing program is designed to attract rewards-motivated diners who are actively choosing where to eat based on earning loyalty rewards.

This functions as a customer acquisition channel for participating restaurants that can introduce new diners and incentivize them to return to earn additional rewards.

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No. Restaurants do not need to change their menu pricing or offer discounts to participate.

The rewards are funded through the marketing program’s transaction-based fee rather than a discount applied at the restaurant.

Restaurants do not select individual diners.

Participation is based on whether a diner belongs to a Rewards Network partner loyalty dining program and uses a linked credit card when paying at the restaurant.

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No. Rewards Network does not operate a restaurant’s in-house loyalty program.

Instead, the company connects restaurants to large, established loyalty programs (such as airline, hotel, and credit card programs) and promotes those restaurants within those ecosystems.

This provides restaurants with access to scaled demand and marketing exposure beyond their own customer base.

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Rewards Network’s marketing program does not require a fixed long-term commitment.

Restaurants can opt out of their marketing agreement with notice, subject to the terms of their agreement, which may include an early termination fee depending on timing.

Funding program agreements do not operate on a fixed term. Instead, they remain in place until the agreed-upon receivables are delivered according to the terms of the agreement.

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Yes. Restaurants can exit the marketing program based on the terms outlined in their agreement.

For funding programs, restaurants must deliver the receivables specified in their agreement before the program is considered fulfilled.

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Rewards Network gives you access to detailed sales data and select customer insights that help you run your restaurant.

Restaurants may not receive the same level of direct customer data that they would through their own in-house loyalty program or email list.

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No. Most restaurants use it as one marketing channel among many.

Restaurants still rely on other strategies such as local SEO, online reviews, social media, and word-of-mouth.

Some restaurant owners discussing the marketing program online focus on the percentage-based transaction cost associated with participating diners.

As with any marketing channel, restaurant operators evaluate whether the cost aligns with their margins and business goals.

Restaurant owners often evaluate the marketing program by considering:

• Their average check size
• Available seating during slower periods
• The cost of acquiring new customers
• Their existing marketing strategy

For some restaurants, the program functions as a customer acquisition channel. For others, it may not be necessary.

The answer depends on the restaurant.

Restaurants that benefit most often have available seating during slower periods and want to attract new diners.

Restaurants that already operate at full capacity every night or have very small average checks may find the value less compelling.

Like most marketing channels, results vary depending on location, concept, pricing, and demand.

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Rewards Network offers two primary types of solutions:

1. Marketing (Core product):
A demand generation program that connects restaurants to millions of loyalty program members through partnerships with major airline, hotel, and credit card brands.

2. Optional funding solutions:
Dining Credits and Premier Restaurant Funding are solutions that are structured as merchant cash advances but with the marketing services program included. These are not loans and involve the purchase of future credit card receivables under agreed-upon terms.

Because the marketing is included as part of these funding programs, Rewards Network can help drive the transactions used to fulfill the agreement.

Restaurants can participate in the marketing program independently or choose to apply for a funding program if it fits their business needs.

Joining is easy! Simply request a quote — or call (800) 617-6067 — and a Rewards Network representative will walk you through the process and our available programs. They will work with you to choose a plan that fits your present needs and future goals perfectly.

There are no new credit card or point-of-sale processes involved in joining Rewards Network. All of our internal systems are designed to be completely turnkey for our restaurant partners.

Rewards Network works with many credit card processing services — nearly every one in the United States.

Rewards Network currently offers two restaurant funding programs:

• Dining Credits, where the amount of the capital funding is based on the future credit card sales of our extensive member base at your location.
• Premier Restaurant Funding, where the amount of funding is based on the total credit card sales at your location, allowing you to receive more cash upfront.

More details on how these programs work can be found on our “Flexible funding options” page.

As much as your business supports and qualifies you for! Contact one of our representatives today to walk through our easy qualification process.

Whether you choose a restaurant financing option or not, every business that joins Rewards Network receives all the benefits of our innovative restaurant marketing strategies, including:

• Targeted emails to millions of dining enthusiasts
• Facebook integration of your online reviews
• Placement on all of our dining rewards program websites, optimized for Google search
• Online advertising, including email and search banners
• Mobile access to your restaurant information for the consumer on the go.

For more detail, visit our “100% turnkey marketing” page.

Not at all. All of your customers, whether Rewards Network members or not, will continue to pay the same prices as before.

Rewards Network provides restaurant partners with several tools to track the success of our program, including the quality and quantity of our member’s dining choices.

Our online restaurant dashboard shows rolling updates of dining member activity, including: check size and party size; new vs returning customers; customer geographics; and ratings for food, service, and value.

Partner restaurants also receive quarterly reports, monthly summaries, and weekly statements that track all guest traffic driven by Rewards Network. These comprehensive analyses provide data that can be used to optimize marketing plans and maximize profit.

All Rewards Network programs are designed to feel completely seamless to the restaurant owner or manager. You will receive emails from us, prompting you to reply to guest reviews. Otherwise, your account manager takes care of your updates and regular maintenance.

Rewards Network does not offer discounts. When dining through Rewards Network partner programs, loyalty program members earn spend-based rewards such as airline miles, hotel points, or other loyalty dining benefits when they pay with a linked card.

No.

Loyalty dining member transactions are tracked automatically when they pay with the credit card linked to their loyalty dining account.

This means there is no coupon, code, or special action required at the restaurant.

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Rewards Network members are participants in the nation’s largest consumer rewards programs — frequent travelers, shoppers, and charitable donors who want to get the most out of their money and time.

Consumers who sign up for rewards programs dine out more, spend more when they do, and show their appreciation for a great meal by returning again and again. In fact, on average, Rewards Network members spend as much as 24% percent more on average than non-members at our partner restaurants.

Rewards Network members earn a variety of rewards, ranging from airline miles and hotel points, to retail rewards and cash back bonuses.

For every dollar a member spends, he or she earns a set amount of rewards, based on their activity or status in the particular rewards program.

Rewards Network members have access to descriptions, photos, and menus for over 20,000 program restaurants, bars, and clubs through our searchable partner websites.

Rewards Network also delivers millions of emails every week to members, targeting impressions for your restaurant based on location and previous dining activity.

At the time of their visit, you won’t. There are no membership cards or special coupons. All a Rewards Network member needs to do is use the credit or debit card associated with their account when they dine at your establishment. And, rewards are fulfilled automatically, so there’s no extra legwork required by your team to reward your guests for dining with you. It’s like having a mystery shopper, without the additional cost associated with that type of program.

Upon joining Rewards Network, restaurants have access to our comment management system, through which you can respond to online reviews posted to our program websites immediately. We encourage our partner restaurants to engage with our members through the system. In fact, our dining members are 20% more likely to make a return visit when our partner restaurants engage with them.

By partnering with Rewards Network, national brands like United Airlines, Marriott Hotels®, and American Airlines can provide additional benefits to their loyal customers, all while driving more business through your doors. Their brand is expanded, our restaurants see growth in their top line, and Rewards Network members can earn more rewards than ever.

No. Our members get to choose the rewards they earn for dining out or ordering in. It’s one of the many reasons Rewards Network is the choice for nearly 25 million+ members nationwide!