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How many points to give per purchase in your loyalty program

Updated October 21, 2026

The simplest rule is 1 point for every dollar (or unit of your currency) and a reward priced at what a regular customer earns in 5 to 10 visits. That gives back 3% to 10% of what they spend at menu price, which is what usually works. It costs you much less, because you give it away at cost.

Work out your points

Why 1 point per dollar

Because customers get it instantly: I spend $12, I earn 12 points. Giving 10 points per dollar looks more generous, but it only changes the numbers, not the value. If your currency has high amounts, use 1 point for every 1,000 or whatever equals a small purchase.

If your tickets are very small, like a coffee, round to the nearest point instead of down, so a $1.80 purchase earns 2 points, not 1. Or consider a stamp card.

How much the reward should cost

Think about how many times you want the customer to come back before earning it. Between 5 and 10 visits is a good starting point: close enough to motivate, far enough to pay off.

Business	Average spend	Visits to reward	Suggested reward
Coffee shop	$3	10	Free coffee (30 points)
Bakery	$6	8	A loaf and a pastry (50 points)
Hair salon	$25	4	Wash and blow-dry (100 points)
Restaurant	$20	5	Dessert or drink (100 points)

Two rewards beat one

A quick reward, earned in a few visits, proves the program works. A bigger one gives a reason to keep going. More than three rewards just makes the choice harder.