How to start a restaurant membership program
To start a restaurant membership, pick one perk regulars already buy, price it so a member who uses all of it still pays for the food, and bill it monthly. Anthony's Pizzeria in Allentown sells a $9.99 Slice Club for a slice every day; Primanti Bros. sells a $9.99 slice-a-day plan, and Panera's Sip Club is $14.99.
How it works
- Pick a perk with low food cost and high pull: a slice, a coffee, a taco.
- Price it, set limits (one a day, in store), and decide what happens on a missed day.
- Sell it in your app with monthly billing, and tell every regular.
What it costs
| Nomback plan | Monthly | One-time setup |
|---|---|---|
| Your own ordering and rewards app (iPhone and Android) | $99 | $399 |
| App and website | $129 | $399 |
| Website only | $79 | $149 |
No commission on any order and no fee added to your customers. Card payments go through Stripe at 2.9% + 30¢. Apple charges $99 a year and Google $25 once for the developer accounts, which are in your name. Month to month, and live in about two weeks. Full pricing.
Real memberships you can copy
| Restaurant | Plan | Price | Perk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anthony's Pizzeria, Allentown PA | Slice Club | $9.99/mo | A slice every day |
| Anthony's Pizzeria | Pizza Pass | $21.99/mo | A large pizza and 6 wings a month |
| Anthony's Pizzeria | The Famiglia | $24.99/mo | Two large pizzas and 12 wings a month |
| Primanti Bros. | Slice Squad | $9.99/mo | A slice a day |
| Panera | Sip Club | $14.99/mo or $119.99/yr | Drinks, capped at 30 a month from Aug 2026 |
| Taco Bell | Taco Lover's Pass | about $10/mo | A taco a day for 30 days |
Sources: Anthony's in the App Store, Primanti Bros., NRN on Panera, NBC Bay Area/CNBC on Taco Bell.
Price it so the heavy user is fine
Design for the member who uses every perk. Example: a slice club at $9.99 where a slice costs you about $0.60 in food. A member who comes 20 days a month costs you about $12 in food, so you lose a little on the slice and win on the drink, the extra slice and the friend they bring. Most members come far less often.
Billing costs little: Stripe's 2.9% + 30¢ on $9.99 is about $0.59 a month per member (Stripe). Panera's move from unlimited to a 30-drink cap is the lesson: set a limit from day one.
Will people actually buy it?
The National Restaurant Association found 62% of consumers interested in restaurant subscriptions (NRA). The members you get are your regulars, and the membership turns their habit into money that arrives on the first of the month.
Questions owners ask
How much should a restaurant membership cost?
Most real examples sit between $9.99 and $24.99 a month. Price it so a member who uses every perk doesn't cost you more than they pay, counting what they buy on top.
Is a restaurant membership legal?
Generally yes; it's a subscription. Follow your state's auto-renewal rules: clear terms and an easy way to cancel.
What's the difference between a membership and a loyalty program?
Loyalty rewards past spending with free items. A membership is paid up front every month for a set perk.
How do members redeem the perk?
Through your app, with the limit you set, like one a day.
What does it cost to run?
Memberships are part of Nomback's $99 a month app. Stripe takes 2.9% + 30 cents per charge.
What perk works best?
A cheap, fast item people already want often: a slice, a coffee, a taco.
Related: Sell monthly memberships in your restaurant's app, A pizzeria ordering app under your own name, How to start a restaurant loyalty program.
Sources
- Anthony's Pizzeria Rewards in the App Store
- RestaurantNews: Primanti Bros. Slice Squad, Mar 2023
- NRN: Panera's Sip Club no longer unlimited, Jul 13, 2026
- NBC Bay Area/CNBC: Taco Bell Taco Lover's Pass
- National Restaurant Association: off-premises dining, Apr 16, 2025
- Stripe pricing
- Nomback pricing
Prices and fees were checked on October 30, 2026. They change, so check the source before you decide.