Aussies have endless options when it comes to eating out. With everything from fast food to fine dining at our fingertips, it’s easy to indulge in a treat every now and then. But did you know that it’s just as easy to earn rewards simply by joining a restaurant loyalty program?

In fact, earning points and rewards isn’t limited to frequent flyer programs or hotel loyalty programs. You’ll find that casinos, beauty stores and coffee shops also offer loyalty programs – so you can earn rewards from your daily activities. How good is that?

So before your next visit to a cafe or restaurant, explore some of the top food loyalty programs to join in Australia right now.

The Meat & Wine Co Rewards Program

The Meat & Wine Co is one of Australia’s most prominent steakhouses with locations in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and Canberra. Whether you’re team ‘medium rare’ or prefer some of the restaurant’s lavish skewers, you can earn rewards just for dining in.

The Meat & Wine Co’s loyalty program has five categories, though not all are available to the general public. The two highest tiers – Platinum Club and Shaka Club – are by invitation only, and there’s also a category reserved for corporate customers. But if you’re hoping to make it to the invitation-only tiers, you’ll have to start by picking up a card at any The Meat & Wine Co restaurant and joining the loyalty program online. Every $1 you spend earns you one point, and you’ll need 2,000 to move up to the program’s second tier, Gold Club. All members receive access to special offers and a birthday gift, and you’ll begin earning discounts on your bill when you attain Gold Club status.

And if you’d rather earn Qantas Points when dining at The Meat & Wine Co, Qantas’ new dining partnership allows you to do just that.

Hog’s Breath loyalty program: Prime Perks

Hog’s Breath’s speciality slow-cooked steaks, curly fries and decadent desserts have found their way into the hearts – and stomachs – of Australians across the country. This popular casual dining restaurant has restaurants in almost every state, with both metropolitan and rural locations.

Frequent diners can be rewarded when signing up for Hog’s Breath’s loyalty program, Prime Perks. The multi-tiered program has three levels – Blue, Silver and Platinum – with varying points-earning potential for each. Members have 365 days to maintain their tier, or they’ll move down to the next one – and your account will close entirely if you’re on Blue.

There’s also a fourth, exclusive tier of the program: Gold. This level awards lifetime benefits for members of the program’s previous iteration, and presently there is no way for new members to join this tier.

Subway loyalty program: Subway MyWay Rewards

There are over 1,200 Subway stores in Australia, making it the largest fast-food chain in the country. This popular franchise serves up ‘submarine-style’ sandwiches, as well as wraps, salads and freshly-baked cookies. And whether you’re popping into the restaurant for a snack or looking for a more substantial meal, here’s how to get onboard Subway’s loyalty program.

Subway’s MyWay Rewards program allows customers to earn tokens from their spending. Once you’ve amassed enough tokens, you can redeem them towards future purchases. You can sign up via the Subway website or mobile app to begin earning rewards and access exclusive offers.

Subway loyalty program - Point Hacks
Earn free subs, free cookies and more when you join Subway’s loyalty program. [Photo: @Szymon12455, Unsplash]

Nando’s loyalty program: PERi-Perks

When it comes to flame-grilled chicken, Nando’s is unrivalled. And with restaurants in every state and territory in Australia, its unique peri-peri flavours are a clear favourite.

No matter where you sit on Nando’s legendary PERi-ometer, their loyalty program is far from ‘extra mild’. PERi-Perks rewards members for indulging in Nando’s chicken, burgers and salads. Every dollar you spend is equal to one point, and points can be redeemed for future purchases.

You can join the PERi-Perks program by downloading the Nando’s app, and you’ll even receive free chips just for signing up.

Zambrero loyalty program

Zambrero serves up ‘Feel Good Mex’ – think burritos, bowls and tacos, minus the grease. With over 200 stores throughout Australia, it’s easy for customers to delight in Zambrero’s tasty takeaway – and get rewarded while they’re at it. And with Zambrero donating a meal to someone in need for every regular burrito or bowl purchased through the Plate 4 Plate initiative, there’s even more to love.

Zambrero has a loyalty program that’s briefly outlined on its website. You can join the old-fashioned way by picking up a stamp card in-store. For every nine eligible food items purchased, you’ll receive a free Classic Burrito or Classic Bowl. Though Zambrero does have a mobile app, you can’t earn or track your stamps digitally.

Chatime loyalty program: Loyal-Tea

Bubble tea drinkers, rejoice. If you’re a fan of Chatime’s milk tea, fruit tea or their signature Fros-Tea, you’ll be glad to know that you can get rewarded at over 200 Chatime stores across Australia.

As far as bubble tea loyalty programs go, Chatime’s Loyal-Tea program is packed with benefits. For every $1 spent at Chatime, members receive 10 points. Once you’ve collected enough Loyal-Tea points, you can redeem them for a free drink. Members also receive exclusive offers, as well as a free bubble tea on their birthday. And there are even 100 points on offer if you successfully refer a friend to Chatime’s loyalty program.

Chatime loyalty program - Point Hacks
Chatime’s loyalty program, aptly named Loyal-Tea, rewards regular bubble tea drinkers. [Photo: William Navarro, Unsplash]

Oporto loyalty program: Flame Rewards

It’s easy to travel to Portugal to spend a week sampling the nation’s famed cuisine. But if you simply can’t wait, you can treat yourself to the next best thing – Portuguese-style chicken from Oporto. With close to 200 stores nationwide, Australian customers have plenty of opportunities to taste Oporto’s flame-grilled chicken, wraps and sides.

And if you fancy being rewarded, you can sign up for Oporto’s Flame Rewards loyalty program. You’ll need to download the mobile app, as this contains the digital membership card that you’ll need to present each time you order.

Oporto’s loyalty program has four tiers: Orange, Silver, Gold and Platinum. The membership levels are determined by how many visits you make to Oporto in a year – 25 or more visits within this timeframe will get you to the highest level. Each level offers the ability to earn Flame Rewards Dollars, though the minimum spend is reduced as you progress through the tiers. Flame Rewards Dollars can then be redeemed on future purchases in-store. All new members to the Flame Rewards program even receive a $5 voucher just for joining.

Mad Mex loyalty program: Mad Members

Mad Mex prides itself on healthy, home-cooked quality Mexican food that’s served fast. With over 70 restaurants along Australia’s east and west coasts, it’s easy to enjoy authentic Mexican burritos, quesadillas, tacos and more. And if you’re ordering guacamole on the side, why not take a side of rewards, too?

Mad Members is Mad Mex’s loyalty program that rewards customers with stamps for each eligible purchase. It’s entirely digital, so you’ll have to download the app to join. For every 10 meals you purchase – or 10 stamps you collect – you’ll get one meal free. And just for signing up, Mad Members receive five stamps – so you’re already halfway there. Plus, you’ll get a free burrito on your birthday, among other benefits throughout the year.

Boost Juice loyalty program: Vibe Club

It’s hard to venture anywhere in Australia without stumbling upon a Boost Juice store. As one of the most recognisable juice and smoothie bars in the country, Boost Juice offers a range of tantalising fruity drinks and protein snacks.

If you consider yourself a frequent sipper, why not sign up for Boost Juice’s loyalty program, Vibe Club? You can get started by downloading the Boost Juice app – which also offers easy pre-ordering and drink customisations – or picking up a Vibe Card in-store. Earning rewards with Vibe Club is simple. For every full-priced drink you purchase of any size – including Kid’s size – you’ll receive one point. Collect 10 points to redeem a free Original size drink. There’s no expiry on points, and members also receive a free drink on their birthday.

McDonald’s loyalty program: MyMaccas Rewards

McDonald’s very own loyalty program, MyMaccas Rewards, is fairly new. But since its inception, it’s been making waves – and even replaced the McCafe loyalty program. McDonald’s coffee loyalty program has been incorporated into the MyMaccas Rewards app, which rewards purchases across the entire McDonald’s menu.

For every $1 spent on eligible McDonald’s menu items, members will receive 100 points. There are also bonus points up for grabs, with different targeted offers for members. Bonus point offers vary from reaching a minimum spend to purchasing certain menu items.

There are three tiers for redemption, with different items available to redeem at each tier. Redemptions start at just 2,500 points, where you can access free items like a hamburger, apple pie or small soft drink. At 5,000 points you’ll get a McFlurry or large fries, among other items, while 7,500 points gets you a choice of burgers or a chicken salad.

McDonald’s restaurant loyalty program is a handy one to keep in your back pocket, and you can join simply by downloading the app.

McDonald's loyalty program - Point Hacks
A free Big Mac awaits when you join the McDonald’s loyalty program. [Photo: Quinton Coetzee, Unsplash]

Summing up

Your next meal or snack could get you closer to a reward. And with so many cafe and food loyalty programs offering freebies and discounts just for joining, the only question is: which restaurant loyalty program will you sign up for first?

And if you fancy a night in with some wine instead, you can get rewarded for that, too. Learn how you can earn Qantas Points with Qantas Wine so you can jet-set to Nouméa for less.

Featured image: Dan Gold, Unsplash

The best food, cafe and restaurant loyalty programs to join in Australia in 2024 was last modified: November 1st, 2023 by Victoria Kyriakopoulos