To prevent confusion about bonus points, tell guests exactly which amount must reach the minimum and when that amount is calculated. If a $30 offer uses the subtotal after discounts and before tax, say so wherever guests see the offer—not just in the fine print.
Then check the boundary. A basket that looks like $30 before a coupon may no longer qualify after the coupon. Your ordering and loyalty workflow should make that change clear before the guest submits the order, or your staff will need a practical way to explain it.
Separate the base program from the temporary offer
Start by writing down two rules. The first describes how a guest normally earns points. The second describes what must happen to earn the temporary bonus. They may use different thresholds, eligible items, or calculation steps.
For example, a base program might award points on an eligible purchase without a minimum. A temporary offer might add bonus points only when the eligible subtotal reaches a stated amount. A guest could therefore earn regular points but miss the bonus. Your message needs to distinguish those outcomes.
Make a short rule card for each promotion:
- Base earning: Which purchases or items earn regular points, and how are points calculated?
- Bonus trigger: What minimum must the guest meet, and which subtotal counts?
- Order of operations: Are discounts applied before the minimum is checked?
- Offer limits: When does the offer run, where can it be used, and can it be combined with another promotion?
- Guest outcome: When will points appear, and what can the guest actually redeem once they have enough?
A point balance is not the same as a redeemable reward. If 50 bonus points contribute toward a future reward, do not describe them as a free item unless the guest can actually redeem that item under the program rules. Check the redemption threshold and any restrictions separately.
Also decide who owns the rule card. The person building a campaign, the person setting up the offer, and the shift lead answering questions should all use the same version. If a vendor controls part of the setup, ask for the configured rule in writing before advertising it.
Work through baskets at the decision boundary
The following worksheet is hypothetical. Assume the base program gives one regular point per dollar of eligible subtotal after discounts and before tax. A temporary offer adds 50 bonus points when that same subtotal is at least $30. Every item in these baskets is eligible, and amounts are whole dollars. The bonus is awarded once per qualifying order.
The table compares the amount before a coupon with the amount used for qualification. Tax, payment fees, and other operating costs are excluded; these are basket examples, not a promotion cost estimate.
| Basket before coupon | Coupon | Qualifying subtotal | Points outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| $29 | $0 | $29 | 29 regular; no bonus |
| $30 | $0 | $30 | 30 regular; 50 bonus |
| $35 | $6 | $29 | 29 regular; no bonus |
| $36 | $6 | $30 | 30 regular; 50 bonus |
The decision boundary is $30 after the coupon: $29 misses it and $30 meets it. The third basket is the one most likely to surprise a guest. The menu items total $35, but the $6 coupon brings the amount used for the bonus down to $29. The guest still earns regular points under these assumptions.
For this particular rule, a useful offer description would be: “Get 50 bonus points when your eligible subtotal is $30 or more after discounts and before tax.” Add the offer dates, eligible ordering channels, and other material restrictions wherever the offer appears. Do not use that wording for a different setup without changing it to match.
Run the same exercise with your own minimum and discount types. Include a basket exactly at the minimum, one just below it, and one that falls below only after a discount. If fractional-dollar purchases are possible, add a case one cent below the boundary and ask how regular points are rounded.
This worksheet focuses on the interaction between an offer and a discount. For a broader look at the cost of rewards and redemption assumptions, see the restaurant loyalty reward cost guide.
Make the near-miss message useful
A guest should not have to calculate the gap from a promotion banner. When the qualifying amount is known, the clearest message gives the remaining amount and identifies the subtotal being measured. For the hypothetical $29 qualifying basket above, a useful message is: “Add $1 in eligible items to reach $30 after discounts and earn 50 bonus points.”
The word “eligible” matters if some items do not count. If a guest adds an excluded item, a generic “add $1” message could create another misunderstanding. Ask whether the system can identify qualifying items or update the remaining amount as the basket changes. If it cannot, use a message that states the rule without promising that any added item will qualify.
Check the message at each point where the guest makes a decision: the promotion announcement, menu or ordering page, basket, checkout, and order confirmation. Ask which of those locations can show the threshold, a remaining amount, and the final points outcome. Do not assume every location can display a live calculation.
Give staff a short answer for the same situation: “The bonus starts at $30 after discounts. Your qualifying subtotal is $29, so this order earns regular points but not the bonus.” Staff should also know where to find the rule and whom to contact if the displayed outcome looks wrong. Do not promise a manual adjustment unless your own policy permits one.
A campaign can be clear in an email and confusing at checkout if the wording changes. Review the actual text across channels, including any character limits. Fleksa’s marketing software describes email and SMS campaigns, loyalty points for eligible orders, and promo codes; ask which messages and threshold details can be configured for your intended campaign.
Ask how exceptions and competing rules work
Before approving an offer, turn uncertain cases into vendor questions. Ask for the answer in terms of the guest’s displayed subtotal and points outcome, not just the name of a setting.
- Tax and charges: Can the bonus minimum use the subtotal before tax? How are delivery charges, service charges, tips, and gift card purchases treated? Which amounts can the guest see before placing the order?
- Discounts: Is qualification checked before or after each discount? What happens if a promo code is added, removed, or changed after the guest first sees a qualifying message?
- Rule precedence: Can a guest combine the bonus offer with another promotion? If two offers cannot be combined, which one applies and what does the guest see?
- Refunds and changes: If a qualifying order is partially refunded or edited below the minimum, what happens to the bonus and regular points? When does the balance update, and can staff explain the change?
- Timing and channels: Does the rule use the order time or another event? Which ordering channels are eligible, and when do points become visible?
Decide which answers fit your operation before configuring the campaign. For instance, if you want guests to retain bonus points after a partial refund, confirm whether that treatment can be configured; if not, decide whether to change the offer or use another workflow. The important buying question is whether the rule you can communicate is the rule the system will apply.
Keep the written answers with your promotion brief. For contract or tax treatment questions, consult an appropriately qualified adviser rather than relying on a software setting as advice.
Accept the workflow before launching
Use a simulation or vendor demonstration to check the rule card against the screens. Practice scenarios must not charge a real card, send a guest message, or dispatch a courier. Ask for a safe demonstration environment or a walkthrough using simulated outcomes.
- Enter the threshold and discount assumptions into the worksheet. Agree on the expected regular points and bonus points for each basket before viewing the result.
- Check the below-minimum, exact-minimum, and discounted near-miss cases. Confirm that the displayed message matches the expected outcome and does not promise a bonus for an ineligible item.
- Walk through adding and removing a coupon, then review the confirmation and points display. Record any step where a guest would have to infer the rule.
- Ask the vendor to demonstrate or explain the refund and conflicting-offer cases. Give staff the final rule and escalation path before the campaign starts.
Pass the workflow when the configured rule matches the advertised wording, each boundary basket produces the agreed outcome, and guests and staff can see or explain why. If a live remaining-amount message is unavailable, decide whether clear static wording and staff support are sufficient for your offer. If they are not, simplify the promotion or choose a workflow that can meet the requirement.
A simulation checks the setup without affecting guests. A later live service pilot is a separate decision: set a limited scope, brief staff, and monitor actual guest questions and adjustments under your normal operating controls. Do not describe a simulated result as proof of how a live campaign performed.
Take your completed rule card and boundary baskets to a vendor discussion. Compare the workflow with your existing restaurant management process, then discuss your requirements with Fleksa to check current product fit.
Frequently asked questions
Should a minimum be calculated before or after discounts?
Choose the rule that fits the promotion and can be applied consistently. Either way, state it clearly in the offer and check that the basket and points outcome follow the same rule.
Can a guest earn regular points without earning the bonus?
Yes, if the base program allows points on the purchase but the temporary offer has a higher minimum. Explain the two outcomes separately so a missed bonus does not look like missing regular points.
What should happen when a refund drops an order below the minimum?
Ask the vendor how refunds affect both bonus and regular points, when changes appear, and what staff can see. Use that answer to set and communicate a policy before the offer runs.
