When you change a loyalty reward rule, tell existing members three things: what happens to their current points, what happens to rewards they have already earned, and the exact date each rule applies. Put those answers in the member notice and give staff the same version before the change goes live.
Start by choosing a balance treatment you can explain and your system can carry out. Then trace a few member situations through it. A member who has points but no issued reward may be affected differently from someone who already has a reward waiting to use.
Record the current rules before choosing new ones
Write down the terms a member sees today, along with the rules your team applies at checkout. Include how points are earned, which purchases qualify, the reward threshold, how a reward is issued, when it can be used, and any expiration dates or restrictions. Note the time zone and cutoff time, not just the calendar date.
Then write the proposed rule beside each current rule. Mark anything that will stay the same. That matters because guests may assume a new threshold also changes their existing balances or the expiration of a reward they already hold.
Hypothetical example: A restaurant currently gives one point for each $1 of eligible purchases. Members can redeem 100 points for a $5 discount. At 12:00 a.m. Eastern time on July 1, 2027, the restaurant plans to raise the threshold to 150 points for the same $5 discount. The earning rate stays the same.
The owner decides that existing points carry over at their actual point count, without conversion or an old-threshold grace period. Points held before the change keep their December 31, 2027 expiration date. A reward issued before the cutoff remains usable under its original terms and expiration date. New points earned after the cutoff follow the new program's stated terms.
This choice is easy to state, but it can disappoint a member who was close to the old threshold. The owner could instead consider a temporary old-threshold window or another transition treatment. Before promising either, ask whether it can be configured and how staff would handle exceptions. The guide to calculating loyalty reward cost can help frame the separate cost decision; a $5 discount is a reward's face value, not by itself the restaurant's full cost.
Confirm what happens to balances and pending rewards
Bring the old and new rules to the vendor before setting an announcement date. Ask for a walkthrough using sample accounts, including what a member sees and what an employee sees at checkout. Do not assume a change to the threshold leaves every other setting untouched.
- Existing points: Can their counts and existing expiration dates stay unchanged? Can the system show members the dates that apply to their balances?
- Rewards already issued: Will an unused reward retain its original value, restrictions and expiration date? What happens if it was issued but has not yet appeared in the member's account?
- Points at or above the old threshold: Are rewards issued automatically, or must a member redeem points? What happens to an eligible balance that has not been redeemed by the cutoff?
- Orders near the cutoff: Which timestamp determines the rule: order placement, payment, completion or another event? How are canceled or adjusted orders handled?
- Corrections and records: Can staff review a balance history, correct an error and see who made the correction? What export is available before and after the change?
Also ask how the change is scheduled, whether it can be reversed, and what the vendor needs from you. If the system cannot apply your chosen treatment, revise the treatment or arrange a documented manual process before telling members it is guaranteed. Set a contact point for unresolved account questions.
Review the workflow for loyalty alongside the vendor's answers. A configuration screen alone may not explain what happens to an old reward or an order completed across the cutoff.
Trace three members across the change date
The table applies the hypothetical decision above. Assume each point balance shown is held before the cutoff and expires December 31, 2027. No member earns or spends points during the change. A reward is only available to use once it has actually been issued; a balance that would have qualified under the old rule is not an issued reward.
| Member before July 1 | Immediately after the change | What the member can use | What to explain |
|---|---|---|---|
| A: 80 points, no issued reward | 80 points carry over; old balance expires December 31, 2027 | No reward yet; 70 more points reach the new 150-point threshold | The balance stays, but the threshold rises from 100 to 150 points. |
| B: 120 points, no issued reward | 120 points carry over; old balance expires December 31, 2027 | No reward yet; 30 more points reach the new threshold | The balance met the old threshold but was not redeemed before the cutoff. It is not an issued $5 reward. |
| C: 20 points plus an issued $5 reward expiring September 30, 2027 | 20 points carry over; the issued reward retains its original terms | The issued $5 reward can be used by September 30, subject to its original terms. The 20 points are not another reward. | The reward and point balance have separate expiration dates. |
Member B is the important test of this policy. The owner is not promising the old 100-point reward after the cutoff merely because B had enough points to request it before then. If the actual system automatically issues a reward at 100 points, this member's outcome would be different. Resolve that behavior before using the table as a model for your own notice.
Run these cases as simulations with the vendor or in a safe practice environment. Check the displayed balance, threshold, reward status and dates before and after the scheduled change. A simulation should not trigger a real payment or guest message. Then have staff practice explaining each outcome and recording a disputed balance without promising an adjustment they are not authorized to make.
Send a before-and-after notice staff can stand behind
Write the notice in the same order a member will ask questions: what is changing, when it changes, and what happens to what I already have? In the hypothetical example, a notice could read:
Subject: A change to your points reward on July 1
Starting at 12:00 a.m. Eastern time on July 1, 2027, a $5 reward will require 150 points instead of 100 points. You will still earn one point for each $1 of eligible purchases.
Your existing points will carry over at the same point count and keep their current expiration date. Any $5 reward issued before the change will remain available under its original terms and expiration date. Points that have not been redeemed for a reward before the change will follow the new 150-point threshold.
Please check your account for your balance and dates. If something does not look right, contact the restaurant so our team can review it.
Before sending a version like this, replace the general contact instruction with your actual support channel and confirm that members can see the stated information. If some dates or balances are not visible in the account, tell guests how to request them. Give enough advance notice for members to understand their options; the appropriate timing depends on your existing terms and circumstances.
Prepare a short staff sheet with the cutoff, examples, escalation contact and a record of approved exceptions. A useful answer for Member B is: “Your 120 points carried over. After the change, a $5 reward requires 150 points. I can help you check whether a reward was issued before the cutoff.” Avoid telling staff to describe those 120 points as a $5 reward if there is no issued reward.
Check your current member terms and any applicable notice requirements before announcing the change. Ask a qualified adviser about contract or legal questions when needed. Separately, confirm which members can receive a message: having a contact record is not the same as having permission to send marketing. Review your sending and audience controls in campaigns, and decide how members who do not receive a campaign can find the notice.
For a concrete next step, take your old and new rules and the three member cases to Fleksa. Compare the relevant workflow and current availability in restaurant marketing automation before setting your announcement date.
Frequently asked questions
Should existing members keep their points when a reward threshold changes?
That is a policy decision. Carrying points over preserves the count, but a higher threshold can still delay a reward. State the treatment and confirm the system can apply it before announcing it.
Are points above the old threshold the same as an issued reward?
No. A member may have enough points to qualify under an old rule without having an issued reward. Check whether your program issues rewards automatically or requires redemption, and explain the result.
What dates should a change notice include?
Include the effective date, cutoff time and time zone. Explain whether existing point and issued-reward expiration dates change, and show members where to check their individual dates.
