How to Launch Digital Guest Punch Cards in Ireland

A digital punch card is the modern stamp card. Guests earn a "punch" (visit) and unlock a reward after a set number of visits. It's simple, quick to explain at the table, and easy to run in your POS—especially when rewards and exclusions (such as alcohol) are baked into your rules.

According to the Toast Consumer Preferences Survey 2025, Irish diners are primed for digital punch cards: 77% say they’re likely to use a digital loyalty programme, and most want rewards delivered in a mobile app.

Keep reading to learn how to launch a digital punch card program in Ireland that boosts repeat visits and delights guests!

Set the Goal, Then the Rule

Start with a CFO-friendly target, then pick a rule that balances motivation and margin. For example, you might aim for a 12% repeat-visit lift over 90 days. Your rule could be 7 to 10 visits earning a free drink, pastry, or euro-off reward, with a cap on reward value to protect margin. 

Exclude alcohol from both earning and redemption (more on the legal requirements below), and plan to trial your scheme for 4 to 6 weeks before iterating monthly on thresholds and reward value.

Promote Lightly, but Everywhere

At the table and till, use a one-liner pitch such as "Two more visits and your latte's on us", along with receipt footers and menu badges. Through your owned channels, send post-service email or SMS to existing customers who've consented (see Data Protection Commission guidance below). 

Social proof works wonders too. A quick Reel of a guest unlocking a reward often outperforms a static post. You can also run day-part promos like "Double-punch Tuesdays before 11 a.m." to fill shoulder periods.

What to Measure (and Starter Benchmarks)

Track these metrics monthly and adjust as you go. Aim for a join rate of 10 to 25 per 100 transactions as team confidence grows. Your active member mix should sit at 30 to 50% of monthly guests, with a visit frequency lift of 10 to 20% for members versus non-members. Healthy engagement shows up in a reward redemption rate of 30 to 60%, and you should see an average cheque lift of 5 to 15% through natural add-ons.

Compliance and Guest Trust

Earning guest trust starts with getting the details right and staying compliant. In Ireland, a few key rules help keep loyalty programmes above board and guest-friendly.

Under the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018 and its 2020 regulations, you can’t award or redeem loyalty points on alcohol sales. When you set up your digital punch card, make sure alcohol items are excluded from both earning and redemption. 

If your programme includes stored value or gift-style rewards, Ireland’s Consumer Protection (Gift Vouchers) Act 2019 requires a minimum five-year expiry, partial-use allowances, and transparent terms. Loyalty rewards for visits don’t count as vouchers — but if you sell prepaid credit or e-vouchers, you’ll need to comply. 

When it comes to guest data, the Data Protection Commission (DPC) is your go-to. Always collect clear, opt-in consent for email or SMS marketing (with limited “soft opt-in” options for existing customers), offer an easy unsubscribe, and use guest data only for its stated purpose.

Finally, make your terms and conditions easy to find — both online and in-store. Include who’s eligible, how to earn, what’s excluded (like alcohol), any reward caps or expiry, and a simple way for guests to contact you with questions. 

Rollout Plan (4 Weeks)

Week 1 is about configuration and training. Build the rule, set exclusions and reward caps, and train staff on a single-sentence pitch. Enable on-terminal prompts, add menu footer and receipt messages, publish your terms and conditions, and check alignment with the Data Protection Commission, Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, and Health Service Executive.

Week 2 is your soft launch. Start with one section or one day-part, track joins per 100 transactions, fix friction points, and post one "unlock your reward" Reel.

Week 3 is go-live time. Extend to all day-parts and send one opt-in email or SMS to existing customers (per Data Protection Commission rules), highlighting progress such as "You're 3 visits away from a free latte".

Week 4 is review and iteration. Compare visit frequency, redemption rate, and net margin versus baseline, and adjust threshold (plus or minus 1 visit) and reward value (plus or minus €0.50 to €1) to hit margin targets.

Final Checklist

1. Set your reward cap (for example, €4 to €6 drink or pastry) in your POS. 

2. Exclude alcohol from earn and redeem. 

3. Publish your terms and conditions covering eligibility, mechanics, expiry, exclusions, and data use. 

4. Turn on on-terminal and receipt prompts. 

5. Rehearse your staff one-liner pitch. 

6. Bookmark your reporting dashboard to track join rate, active members, visit lift, redemption, average order value, and net margin.

Ready to Launch Your Digital Punch Card?

Digital punch cards offer Irish restaurants a simple, effective way to drive repeat visits, reward loyal guests, and build lasting relationships without complicated systems or heavy lifting. When you pair the right reward structure with clear compliance, smart promotion, and a frictionless guest experience, you create a loyalty programme that feels natural for your team and valuable for your customers. Start small, measure what matters, and iterate as you go. Your guests are already visiting. Now give them a reason to come back sooner.