Restaurants lean into loyalty programs to hold onto digital gains

Forget the battle for chicken sandwich supremacy. The loyalty program wars are coming.

Restaurant digital orders surged 124% in the year ended in March, according to market researcher NPD Group. And the skyrocketing popularity of online ordering during the coronavirus pandemic is motivating big fast-food chains to use rewards programs to hold onto new mobile app customers. By now, most restaurant chains automatically sign customers up for loyalty programs once diners order via a mobile app.

Starbucks, Panera Bread and Domino’s Pizza paved the way, while Chipotle…