Guides
Stamp cards vs points: which loyalty program fits your food business?
By the Loyalstack team · Updated · 6 min read
The short answer
Choose a stamp card when most orders cost about the same, such as coffee, bubble tea or a lunch deal: one visit, one stamp, reward after a set number. Choose a points-based loyalty program when order values vary, such as restaurants, bakeries with cakes and fast food with combos, so bigger orders earn more.
Stamp cards and points cards are the two workhorses of food and beverage loyalty. Both reward repeat visits; they differ in what they count. Picking the right one comes down to how much your orders vary.
How each one works
Stamp card (punch card). One visit or one qualifying item earns one stamp. After a set number, the customer gets the reward. Example: buy 9 coffees, get the 10th free.
Points card. Customers earn points for what they spend, typically 1 point per $1 or £1. Rewards unlock at point levels. Example: a free pastry at 50 points, a free lunch at 150.
Quick comparison
| Stamp card | Points card | |
|---|---|---|
| Easiest to explain | Yes | Needs one sentence more |
| Fair when order sizes vary | No | Yes |
| Best for | Coffee, bubble tea, juice, lunch deals | Restaurants, bakeries with cakes, fast food with combos |
| Reward | One fixed reward | Several reward levels |
| Encourages bigger orders | No | Yes |
Which fits your business?
- Cafés and coffee shops: stamps, unless food makes up a big share of sales.
- Bubble tea, juice bars and smoothie shops: stamps; drink prices are similar.
- Bakeries: stamps for the morning coffee-and-pastry crowd, points if celebration cakes are a big part of revenue.
- Restaurants and brunch spots: points, because a table of four should earn more than a solo lunch. A visit-based card ("your 9th brunch main is free") also works when menus are priced closely.
- Fast food and quick service: points, so combos and family orders earn more.
- Food trucks: stamps; quick to explain in a line.
How to set the reward
Work backwards from the reward:
- Decide the reward and what it costs you, say a pastry that costs you $1.20 to make.
- Decide how often a regular should earn it, for example every ten visits.
- Set the target. For stamps that is ten stamps. For points, multiply the average order by ten: with an $8 average order that is about 80 points at 1 point per dollar.
These numbers are an illustration; plug in your own prices and margins before launching.
Can you combine them?
Yes, by running more than one card. A café might run a stamp card for coffee and a membership card for its coffee club. Loyalstack supports six card types (stamp, points, membership, coupon, discount and gift) with unlimited cards on every plan.
Switching later
You are not locked in. Launch a new card type when your menu changes, and keep the old card running until existing customers redeem their rewards.
Ready to set one up? Read the restaurant loyalty program guide or start a 14-day free trial of Loyalstack, no credit card required.
Frequently asked questions
- Are stamp cards or points better?
- Neither is better everywhere. Stamps are simpler and work best when every order is similar. Points are fairer when order values vary a lot, because a big order earns more than a small one.
- How do I set the points rate?
- Start from the reward. Decide what you are happy to give away, for example a free pastry after about ten visits, then work back to how many points an average visit should earn.
- Can I switch from stamps to points later?
- Yes. With Loyalstack you can launch a new card type at any time; many businesses keep the old card running until existing customers redeem their reward.