Domino’s is continuing its mobile blitz this year by introducing a new loyalty program, Piece of the Pie Rewards, that enables consumers to order pizzas via its mobile application or online to begin earning points redeemable for free menu items.

Fans are encouraged to sign up for the program online or via their smartphones to start collecting rewards and receiving member-only promotions and discounts. Domino’s decision to roll out the platform suggests that all fast-food chains without a loyalty component on mobile may lose out on sales as customers jump ship to competing brands in a bid to receive free menu items and coupons.

“For years, loyalty programs have been a popular way for consumers to engage with brands and be rewarded for their loyalty,” said Jenny Fouracre, director of public relations at Domino’s, Ann Arbor, MI. “We know there are a lot of consumers out there that have been waiting for Domino’s to launch a program like this in order to provide them with a new option to earn rewards when buying pizza.”

The right topping for mobile
Consumers may sign up for Piece of the Pie Rewards on their mobile device, tablet or laptop by creating a Pizza Profile if they have not yet already. To start accumulating rewards points, they must place orders via dominos.com or the brand’s mobile app.

One order worth $10 or more is equivalent to 10 points. Once members receive 60 points total, they may redeem the points for a free medium two-topping pizza.

This may be an attractive feature for pizza fans that frequently order pies, and could snag some customers away from competing chains that do not offer loyalty bonuses.

“Customer engagement and repeat usage is the overall goal with any consumer product company,” said Devaraj Southworth, CEO of Thirstie, New York. “We believe that the Domino’s rewards program will certainly attract new customers, but more importantly increase engagement and orders by already loyal Domino’s customers.”

Additionally, the program is ripe for fueling impulse buys. Consumers can easily whip out their smartphones to order a pizza for dinner and make a purchase if they know they only need 10 more points to receive the complimentary menu item.

Mobile loyalty is imperative for brands seeking to maintain sales in an increasingly competitive sector such as food and beverage, but is also paramount for attracting new customers who may previously not have had a relationship with the marketer.

Long-standing customers will no doubt appreciate the membership perks that Domino’s will provide, such as exclusive bonus offers and discounts. Users may also track their earned points and past purchases using the Pizza Profile feature.

Mobile options galore
Domino’s is ramping up to be the premier pizza chain to offer a comprehensive suite of mobile services and features to make the ordering process as seamless as possible for guests.

In July, Domino’s brought its digital Tracker to iOS customers via a new Apple Watch application that enables users to track orders from the oven to the front door from their wrists (see story).

Previously, the brand continued to lead the way in innovating the digital ordering experience by promising to allow customers to order a pizza in seconds using an emoji on Twitter (see story).

Consumers may also text the brand to make a purchase or use its voice-ordering assistant, Dom, to engage in hands-free ordering while driving or on-the-go.

Domino’s integration with mobile payments platforms has been a stalwart force in prompting spur-of-the-moment purchases, meaning that fast-food marketers that do not offer a variety of payment functions are at a severe disadvantage with customers.

“Currently, roughly half of our digital sales come through our mobile channels,” Domino’s Ms. Fouracre said. “Mobile is a growing part of our digital business and will play a large role in our loyalty program moving forward.

“This is why we made sure customers can enroll in Piece of the Pie Rewards and earn points on iPad, iPhone, and Android devices.”

Final Take
Alex Samuely, editorial assistant on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York