Restaurant Customer Retention: Proven Strategies to Turn First-Time Guests into Regulars

Restaurant customer retention is one of the most powerful drivers of profitability in the food business. While many merchants use restaurant marketing specifically to acquire new guests, they often neglect to build a strategy for retaining recent customers and engaging loyal patrons. 

Sustainable growth comes from balancing both customer acquisition and retention. With a strong restaurant customer retention strategy in place, restaurants can transform one-time guests into lifelong regulars who become the backbone of their business.

Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about restaurant customer retention so you can build a strategy for turning first-time guests into loyalists who order again and again.

Common restaurant customer retention challenges merchants face

Before you get started with building a strong customer retention strategy, it's important to consider where some merchants fall short:

• Limited customer insights: Without easy access to customer data, it’s hard to know who your regulars are or what keeps them coming back.

• Outdated loyalty programs: Punch cards don't drive meaningful engagement like they used to.

• Marketing bandwidth: Restaurant owners and managers are stretched thin, leaving little time for consistent marketing campaigns.

These challenges can feel daunting, but new solutions, like the DoorDash Commerce Platform, can help with built-in tools that level-up your retention strategies while also saving you time and money.

4 signs your restaurant may have a restaurant customer retention problem

Many restaurant operators assume their customers are happy—but when you dig into the data, it often reveals missed chances to turn first-time guests into loyal regulars.

Here are some common signs that your restaurant might be struggling with retention:

1. Low repeat order rate

If most customers only order from you once, it could be a signal that something’s off, whether that’s with your marketing, incentives, or the ordering experience. 

2. Few or no loyalty sign-ups

If you have a loyalty program but very few enrollments or redemptions, it might be a sign that the program isn’t compelling enough,or that it’s not well-promoted across your channels. Consider whether your rewards are meaningful and easy to earn.

3. High email unsubscribe rates

If guests are opting out of your email marketing after a few sends, or even worse—marking it as spam, your content might not be relevant, personalized, or well-timed. 

4. High website bounce rate

If customers visit your website but don’t place an order, that’s a strong signal that they're having trouble finding what they're looking for on your site. Consider what step you can take to make it easier for site visitors to order online.

Strategies to improve restaurant customer retention

Launch a flexible rewards program

According to EY, 51% of consumers are enrolled in one to five loyalty programs, and 52% use the programs they're enrolled in weekly. With staggering numbers like that, it's clear that loyalty programs are a great way to keep your customers engaged with your brand. More than that, it's evident that loyalty programs are no longer a nice-to-have but a table-stakes requirement when it comes to building a loyal customer base.

Restaurant loyalty program tips:

• Launch a mobile app: 30% of consumers sign up for loyalty programs through mobile apps, and 41% of consumers use mobile apps for loyalty programs one to two times a week. This means if your restaurant doesn't have a branded mobile app, you're leaving tons of loyalty program sign-ups on the table, reducing the impact and effectiveness of your retention strategies.

• Offer exclusive rewards: Loyalty programs are all about elevating your regulars; offer them exciting, meaningful perks that reflect just how much you value them.

• Prioritize flexibility: Select a loyalty program solution that rewards your guests for orders they place in-store, through your online ordering site or mobile app, and even on DoorDash. DoorDash's cross-channel loyalty does just that, enabling you to offer perks to loyal customers no matter what channel they order on.

Stay top of mind with email marketing

Restaurant email marketing is one of the simplest ways to retain customers, especially when it's automated. "Set it and forget it" email campaigns run in the background, keeping guests engaged with your brand while you focus on day-to-day restaurant operations.

The DoorDash Commerce Platform Boost package offers automated email marketing sequences that have been shown to boost order frequency by 15%*, keeping customers immersed in your brand and ready to purchase.

While automation can be a great time-saver for busy merchants, sometimes you need to send one-off targeted emails to promote menu updates, seasonal specials, and more. When those occasions arise, you can use customizable email and text marketing, which is part of the Pro package. It allows you to quickly send email messages to different segments of your customer base, changing the content of your email based on who you're targeting.

For step-by-step directions on how to send effective emails to your customers, read The Anatomy of a High-Converting Restaurant CRM Campaign.

Use SMS for real-time engagement

Unlike email, which may be opened hours later, SMS messages are typically read within three minutes. SMS allows you to connect with your customers about time-sensitive offers and updates, making the channel both engaging and valuable for your audience.

When used strategically, text message marketing can create a sense of exclusivity and urgency. For best results, segment your audience using a restaurant CRM so that regulars receive loyalty reminders while first-time guests get introductory offers.

Create a seamless digital ordering experience

Convenience is central to retention. When ordering is fast and intuitive, guests are more likely to return. A few key enhancements make a big difference:

• Smart “Order Now” Button + Website Pop-ups: Optimizing your website with these features can increase web sales by up to 30%.**

• Branded Mobile App: Customers who order on a mobile app are 30% more likely to reorder.***

• One-Click Checkout: Reduce friction and cart abandonment by making checkout as simple as possible through your online ordering system and restaurant ordering app.

Restaurant customer retention success metrics

You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Key restaurant customer retention metrics include:

• Repeat purchase rate: Percentage of customers who come back within a given timeframe.

• Customer lifetime value (CLTV): Total revenue a single customer is expected to bring over their relationship with your restaurant.

• Average order frequency: How often your customers reorder.
  Loyalty redemption rates: Engagement with your rewards program.

DoorDash’s Merchant Portal provides built-in campaign reporting and retention insights so you can see what’s working and refine your strategy over time.

Common restaurant customer retention mistakes to avoid

Once you have a restaurant customer retention strategy in place, here are some common pitfalls you should avoid:

Overdiscounting

It's no secret that competitive discounts and offers can help retain customers. But before you launch a discount, make sure you understand how it would impact your bottom line if a higher-than-usual number of customers redeemed it. 

Sending the same messages to everyone

One of the benefits of investing in a restaurant CRM is being able to slice and dice customer data into segments. Doing so will help ensure you're sending timely and relevant messages to different types of customers. For instance, should first-time guests and lapsed customers get the same emails? Probably not. Take time to think strategically about your retention strategies, ensuring your messages align with the audience you're trying to engage.

Forgetting to train staff

With so much to do day-to-day, it can be easy to forget to let your staff know about a new loyalty program or other retention efforts. Take time to loop in your staff on your restaurant customer retention strategy so they can answer guest questions as they arise.

Bringing it all together

Customer retention is the foundation of long-term profitability for restaurants. By building loyalty programs, automating marketing, and creating a seamless ordering experience, restaurants can turn one-time visitors into loyal fans.

The DoorDash Commerce Platform brings all of these tools together, meeting merchants where they are and helping them grow. Whether you’re just getting started with restaurant marketing or ready to launch your branded mobile app, DoorDash helps simplify retention so you can focus on what matters most—serving great food and connecting with your community.

*Based on internal DoorDash data from March 2024 through March 2025
**Based on internal DoorDash data from Jan 2022 through Dec 2023
***Compared to customers using web ordering channels. Based on internal DoorDash data from January 2025 to June 2025