When generic promotions weren't moving the needle, Bloomin' Brands partnered with Marigold Loyalty to launch data-driven punch card campaigns that transformed occasional diners into loyal guests—generating $2.9M in attributed revenue and a 29.4% lift in average order value.
“With Marigold, we feel supported at every step—strategy, execution, technical support. For the punch cards specifically, we had no idea how to set them up at first. Marigold guided us through the process, shared best practices, and helped tailor it to our brands.”
Bloomin’ Brands, Inc. focused on increasing visit frequency in their restaurants: Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba's Italian Grill, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse, and Bonefish Grill. A large portion of their loyalty base consisted of single-visit or infrequent guests.
The goal was to move guests from 1–2 visits to 3–4 over time. They set KPIs that were relatively simple: visit frequency and spend. The punch card required an entrée purchase to qualify, so that was used to drive behavior.
Powered by Marigold Loyalty, the punch card delivered strong metrics across the board and proved to be more targeted and performed better than previous campaigns.
Despite having a substantial loyalty program database, Bloomin' Brands struggled with low visit frequency among members. Many customers would dine once or twice a year, never becoming the regular guests the company needed to drive sustainable growth.
The company had previously relied on generic promotions like "$10 off $50" offers that failed to drive meaningful behavior change. For this first promotion, they wanted to keep it simple, looking for a solution that would:
Additionally, Outback Steakhouse, their largest brand by footprint, had held back on punch card initiatives due to liability concerns, leaving a massive opportunity untapped.
Bloomin' Brands partnered with Marigold Loyalty to develop and implement a sophisticated punch card loyalty program, starting with a pilot at Carrabba's Italian Grill before expanding to their flagship Outback Steakhouse brand.
Marigold's Loyalty team worked collaboratively with Bloomin' Brands to:
1. Develop the program structure
Created a simple, compelling offer: $10 off after completing two punches (entrée purchases). Aligned the reward value with take-home entrées (all priced around $10) for easy execution. Allowed flexibility to apply the $10 toward other qualifying purchases.
2. Implement strategic segmentation
At Carrabba's: Targeted nearly the full 800K email audience to maximize reach. At Outback: Applied sophisticated suppression logic to exclude high-frequency guests (eight or more visits per year) to protect margins. Focused on mid-tier guests with the highest growth potential.
3. Enable technical excellence
Guided Bloomin' Brands through the entire setup process, from strategy to execution. Provided best practices and technical support at every step. Offered unlimited creative flexibility to tailor campaigns to each brand's unique identity.
4. Drive cross-brand learning
Leveraged insights from Carrabba's pilot to optimize the Outback rollout. Analyzed guest frequency levels and reward tier progression. Answered the critical question: "Can we shift the cadence of visits?"
The punch card campaigns delivered exceptional performance across multiple metrics:
The success was so significant that Bloomin' Brands rapidly expanded the initiative:
The finance team became strong supporters—not because of the discount itself, but because the program demonstrated clear ROI through increased customer frequency and lifetime value.
Dr. Jennifer Laws, Loyalty Manager at Bloomin' Brands, Inc.:
"The punch card delivered strong metrics across the board. Before Marigold, we ran generic '$10 off $50' promotions. This campaign was more targeted and performed better. Our finance team was supportive—not because of the $10 discount, but because we were increasing customer frequency, which drives long-term value."
On the partnership with Marigold:
"It's been fantastic. The Marigold team always keeps our goals front and center. We've worked with other vendors, where we had to submit tickets and wait. With Marigold, we feel supported at every step—strategy, execution, technical support. For the punch cards specifically, we had no idea how to set them up at first. Marigold guided us through the process, shared best practices, and helped tailor it to our brands with no creative limits."
On the program's impact:
"It's shifted significantly. We're seeing stronger return business and a deeper understanding of how to move guests from occasional to loyal. Our goal is to shift guests from 1-2 visits a year to 3-4, then from 4 to 8. We're focused on capturing more share of wallet by becoming their go-to dining option."
Bloomin' Brands proved that with the right partner and strategy, you can turn occasional customers into loyal advocates while driving measurable revenue growth. Marigold's Loyalty platform offers flexibility, support, and strategic guidance to help you achieve similar results.
See how Marigold can help you increase customer frequency and lifetime value →
