Nectar has launched a new partnership with Merlin Entertainments, giving the loyalty scheme’s members a way to redeem points at more than 20 attractions across the United Kingdom — including Alton Towers Resort, Thorpe Park, LEGOLAND Windsor Resort, Chessington World of Adventures, the London Eye, SEA LIFE aquariums, Warwick Castle, and Cadbury World.

The partnership, live from Wednesday, is available through the Nectar app and includes a points-doubling offer: members who swap £5 worth of Nectar points receive £10 off Merlin ticket prices — effectively doubling the redemption value for those who choose to use it.

How to Redeem

The redemption process has been designed to minimize friction. Members open the Nectar app, select the Merlin partner offer, book through the dedicated Merlin-Nectar booking page, choose how many points to apply at checkout, and receive tickets by email. No separate account registration or third-party redirect is required.

“Making it easy for customers to spend their points is really important,” said Amir Rasekh, Managing Director of Nectar360. “By stripping out unnecessary steps, we’ve created a faster, more intuitive redemption experience — one that’s much better for our Nectar members.”

Also Read: Your CX Partner Is a Revenue Engine. Treat It Like One.

The Commercial Logic

For Nectar, the partnership extends the utility of its loyalty currency beyond grocery spending — historically the scheme’s primary redemption context — into leisure and family experiences. For Merlin, it opens access to Nectar’s membership base as a new acquisition and demand-generation channel at a time when the company is investing in new attraction launches.

“We know our Nectar members want great value and real rewards,” said Mark Given, Sainsbury’s Chief Technology, Marketing and Data Officer. “It’s all about giving families fun days out for less and making every point count towards something special.”

Stan Swinton, Merlin’s Chief Growth Officer, pointed to the launch timing as particularly relevant, given that new attractions have recently opened at several sites. “With Bluey the Ride: Here Come the Grannies at Alton Towers and World of PAW Patrol at Chessington World of Adventures, now is an ideal time for Nectar customers to enjoy the benefits of Merlin attractions,” he said. The full list of participating Merlin attractions is available through the Nectar app.

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Minty, the AI-powered cashback and rewards platform, has become the first app of its kind available inside ChatGPT, surfacing deals and cashback offers directly within shopping conversations rather than requiring users to navigate to a separate product page.

The integration allows Minty members to access offers in real time as they research and evaluate products within ChatGPT, with relevant cashback and rewards appearing automatically at the point in the conversation where a purchase decision is most likely to occur. Setup requires a one-time connection through ChatGPT’s Apps directory.

The launch comes as AI-driven shopping behavior accelerates. According to research cited by the company, 70% of US shoppers are already using or exploring AI tools to find better deals — a shift that is beginning to reshape how brands think about product discoverability beyond traditional search.

“Shopping is evolving from a search-driven experience into a conversation-driven one,” said Jon West, co-founder and chief executive of Minty. “By integrating the Minty AI shopping companion with ChatGPT, we’re meeting consumers exactly where decisions are being made. At the same time, we’re giving brands and agencies a direct, performance-driven way to participate in those moments at scale — creating value for everyone in the ecosystem.”

For brands and retail media partners, Minty frames the integration as a guaranteed presence inside ChatGPT conversations at the moment of purchase intent — a distinction it draws against content strategies that aim for visibility without certainty of placement.

Also Read: Clarity Is Marketing’s Most Valuable Asset

Collin Colburn, VP of commerce and retail media at the IAB, said the launch reflected a broader shift in how the industry was approaching influence and conversion. “We’re starting to see new approaches to integrating offers, incentives, and commerce signals directly into conversational environments,” he said.

Once connected, Minty can be accessed in any ChatGPT conversation through the tools menu or by mentioning the app directly in the chat.

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Southwest Airlines, facing an increasingly competitive landscape for traveler loyalty, has overhauled its top marketing and digital ranks. The carrier announced Tuesday the appointment of Sabrina Callahan as its first-ever Chief Digital and Marketing Officer, alongside Nandika Suri, who joins as Vice President of Rapid Rewards.

The move marks a strategic shift for the Dallas-based airline, which carried more than 134 million passengers in 2025. By creating a unified digital and marketing role, Southwest aims to bridge the gap between its “Heart” branding and the technical realities of its booking and travel apps.

“This is an exciting time in Southwest’s history,” said Tony Roach, Executive Vice President and Chief Customer and Brand Officer. “Sabrina’s creative leadership will shape how our brand continues to engage with Customers in a genuine Southwest way.”

Also Read: Clarity Is Marketing’s Most Valuable Asset

Unifying the Digital Funnel

Callahan, a veteran of Hilton, Walmart, and AT&T, takes on a mandate to modernize the airline’s omnichannel experience. Her role is specifically designed to eliminate friction in the customer journey—ensuring that the experience of booking a flight is as seamless as the “legendary hospitality” passengers expect on board.

Industry analysts view the creation of this role as an admission that digital reliability is now as critical to the airline’s success as its low-cost seat inventory. As Southwest expands into new markets, Callahan will oversee the modernization of the brand’s digital platforms to support long-term growth.

Double Down on Loyalty

While Callahan focuses on the platform, Suri will focus on the people. Formerly an executive at United Airlines and Choice Hotels, Suri has been tasked with evolving Rapid Rewards, Southwest’s signature loyalty program.

Her appointment comes as airlines across the industry look to their co-branded credit card portfolios and loyalty memberships to drive high-margin revenue. Suri is expected to introduce new earning and redemption options designed to keep the airline’s “most loyal” travelers from straying to legacy competitors.

Also Read: Automated Recommendations Feel Like Surveillance

Maintaining the Maverick Status

The executive shuffle comes at a pivotal moment for the airline. Founded in 1971 to “democratize the sky,” Southwest now operates at 121 airports across 12 countries. While it remains the leading carrier for nonstop domestic travel in the U.S., the appointments suggest a recognition that “friendly and low-cost” must now be paired with “high-tech and high-value” to maintain its market share.

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Nectar, the UK’s largest coalition loyalty program, has partnered with Uber, allowing its members to redeem points on Uber rides and Uber Eats food deliveries for the first time.

The tie-up adds Uber to Nectar’s network of more than 500 brand partners and creates a new reward category for the program. Through the Nectar app, members can redeem between 500 and 4,000 points per transaction — equivalent to between £2.50 and £20.

“We’re giving people more ways to enjoy the value they get from Nectar, making everyday moments more rewarding. Being able to use Nectar points on Uber rides or an Uber Eats treat is something we know people will love, because it fits so easily into everyday life. It’s an exciting first for us too, as our only ride-hailing partner,” said Amir Rasekh, managing director of Nectar360.

Also Read: CES 2026: The Year “Physical AI” Claimed the Real World

“Nectar has built a deep connection with British households, and we are so pleased to become their first-ever ride-hailing and delivery partner. By integrating our services, we’re providing Nectar’s loyal members with even more flexibility in how they spend their rewards, whether that’s a reliable ride home or a favorite meal delivered to their door, making daily life just that bit more seamless,” said Katie Hunter, head of grocery and retail at Uber Eats.

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Price has overtaken taste and brand loyalty as the dominant driver of grocery purchasing decisions among American consumers, according to new survey data from Zappi, a consumer insights platform — a finding that underscores how sustained inflation has fundamentally altered shopping behavior across income levels.

A nationally representative study of 2,000 United States consumers found that 70% now cite price or value as the top influence in their snack and beverage choices. Nearly a third — 32% — say they would buy the least expensive option that meets their needs regardless of brand. More than 90% have changed their shopping behavior in response to rising costs.

The erosion of brand loyalty is striking in its pace. Consumers who purchase only brand-name products have dropped from 21% to 10% in less than a year, according to Zappi’s comparison with its own 2025 tariff research. Those buying a mix of brand-name and store-brand items have risen 12 percentage points, from 56% to 66% year over year.

The financial pressure driving those shifts is not evenly distributed but is broadly felt. More than 80% of consumers report higher grocery costs in the past six months, with more than one in four seeing weekly increases of more than $50. Nearly 60% of Americans now spend more than $150 per week on groceries. Among households with multiple children, 52% report weekly bills exceeding $200, and 10% spend more than $400 per week.

Also Read: Protecting Loyal Customers From Your Own Return Policies

For some households, the strain has become acute. Twenty-two percent of consumers say they rely on food banks or community assistance to obtain groceries. Eleven percent report using buy now, pay later services for grocery purchases — a financing mechanism more commonly associated with discretionary spending. Across all income levels, consumers are using coupons or promotions (46%), switching to store brands (40%), buying only essentials (38%) and purchasing fewer items (34%) to manage costs.

Price sensitivity has sharpened to the point where relatively modest increases are enough to stop purchases entirely. A 5% to 10% price rise would deter the majority of buyers in several categories — 62% in cosmetics, 55% in sweet snacks and 51% in beverages. Nearly 70% say they would accept fewer product options in exchange for lower prices, with one in four saying they would be very willing to make that trade.

Values and health claims retain some influence but are losing ground to cost. Roughly four in ten consumers boycotted at least one brand last year, with younger consumers significantly more likely to do so — nearly half of adults aged 18 to 24 reported a boycott, compared with 24% of those aged 56 to 75. On health, 35% say they are more likely to buy healthy snacks or beverages than last year, and labels such as “high protein,” “all natural,” and “low sugar” remain influential. But when price is the deciding factor, one-third will choose the cheapest option regardless.

Also Read: Marketing That Predicts, Not Reacts

“Consumers are under real financial pressure, and with nearly one-third willing to buy the cheapest option that meets their needs, the era of growth driven by price increases is coming to an end,” said Nataly Kelly, Zappi’s chief marketing officer. “For CPG leaders to transform their businesses, they will need to compete on value instead of price, innovating and simplifying their product portfolios in the process.”

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Retailers are tightening policies in 2026 as a response to snowballing returns that totaled nearly $850 billion last year, roughly 15.8% of annual sales. But while it’s true that brands have to do something to protect shrinking margins, the question is whether introducing shorter return windows, additional fees, and extra hoops for all customers is the right move.

Imagine a longtime shopper, one who’s spent thousands with your brand over the years, trying to return a pair of shoes that didn’t fit, only to be met with obstacle after obstacle. From their perspective, nothing changed — except that a brand they trusted suddenly stopped trusting them. 

Stricter returns can help deter abusers, but they can also drive loyal customers to spend with a competitor whose policies feel fairer. The retailers that see return policies as a CX advantage in 2026 won’t aim to have the most lenient or the strictest rules. Instead, they’ll strive for precision: cracking down on fraudsters while maintaining a frictionless return experience for customers who’ve demonstrated trust over time. ​

Blanket Policies Punish Your Best Shoppers

For years, retailers raced to make returns as quick and painless as possible. But as the gap between when a refund was issued and when a return was validated continued to grow, “no questions asked” began to turn into “no consequences.” 

The line between normal shopping behavior and policy gaming has blurred. Many shoppers believe practices like wardrobing (wearing and then returning clothing) and bracketing (ordering multiple sizes or colors to try on) are acceptable.

Now, with margins under pressure, retailers are pushing back. In 2024, returns and claims cost retailers about $103 billion. Those are real losses, and stricter return policies are a knee-jerk reaction many retailers are already putting into place.

But blanket policies that tighten everything at once and are easy to roll out tend to punish loyal, low-risk customers while repeat abusers just find new ways around the rules. Not only that, but refunds slow down, exceptions become inconsistent, and customers shift future spending to brands that still feel easy to deal with. 

How Brands Can Protect CX Without Encouraging Abuse

The key to getting returns right in 2026 is using automated decisioning to maintain the same CX that loyal shoppers have come to expect while adapting quickly as abuse patterns evolve.

Risk-Based Routing

Instead of a blanket policy that treats repeat customers and repeat abusers the same way, risk-based routing segments shoppers by trust levels (trusted, standard, and high-risk) based on signals such as their return rate, claim history, support interactions, and ordering behavior. This moves loyal shoppers through the process quickly, while those exhibiting potential harm hit a speed bump.

Automated Approvals

With unified post-purchase visibility, patterns can be spotted in real-time. When a refund is initiated, the trusted customer is automatically approved, while the high-risk request triggers additional verification steps or manual review. The result is seamless CX for the customer you want to keep, without extending the same ease to likely abusers.

Personalization Through Automation

Not only could two shoppers be routed and approved differently, but they could also receive different offers. The loyal customer may receive a prepaid shipping label and an instant refund, while a repeat offender may be limited to store credit or required to cover their own return shipping. Therefore, leniency can no longer be assumed; it must be earned.

Putting Friction Where It Belongs

The customer journey doesn’t end when the package is marked as delivered. What happens next, whether your return policy feels effortless or frustrating, could be the moment a shopper decides if it’s worth coming back.

In 2026, protecting your margins won’t come from being the strictest, nor from staying the most lenient. It will come from using data to create trust-based experiences and being precise about where to place friction. Instead of building your customer experience around bad actors, provide loyal shoppers with the seamless CX they’re used to, and set guardrails against high-risk behaviors. This sends a clear message: trust is a two-way street, and we’ll still make returns easy for the customers who’ve earned ours.

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When Target’s recommendation algorithm began identifying purchasing patterns consistent with pregnancy — prenatal vitamins, unscented lotion, cotton balls bought in bulk — the retailer did what any data-driven marketer would do. It acted on the insight, mailing a coupon book for cribs and baby clothes to the customer’s home address.

The problem was that the customer was 15 years old. Her father called the store to complain, accusing the chain of encouraging teenage pregnancy. He later called back to apologize. His daughter, it turned out, was pregnant — a fact he had not yet known. Target’s algorithm had figured it out before her family did.

That story, now a fixture in marketing case studies, captures the central tension of personalized marketing in a single episode: the same capability that makes recommendations feel helpful can, without warning, make them feel like a violation. The line between the two is not where most brands think it is.

The Infrastructure Behind the Insight

Modern recommendation systems can track consumer behavior down to mouse movements, dwell time and keystrokes. Search engines, email platforms and social media make it straightforward to monitor purchases, preferences and browsing habits in real time. What feels like casual scrolling — saving a destination photo, browsing furniture, pinning bathroom tile ideas on Pinterest — generates detailed behavioral profiles that brands and advertisers can access, often without the consumer’s awareness.

The infrastructure making this possible operates largely out of sight. Spy pixels, tracking cookies and browser fingerprinting have become standard tools in the personalization stack. Third-party data brokers collect, categorize and sell the behavioral data these technologies generate, frequently without consumers’ explicit knowledge or consent. The discomfort that results does not come from receiving a relevant advertisement. It comes from the realization of how comprehensively ordinary behavior was tracked, packaged and monetized.

The scale is significant. A Boston Consulting Group survey of 23,000 consumers found that while 75% are comfortable with personalized experiences, nearly 70% have had at least one experience they found invasive or inaccurate—and in many cases, they responded by unsubscribing or ending business with the company entirely. Separately, around 62% of consumers say they will remain loyal only to brands that personalize their experience, while almost 80% express concern about how companies collect their data. Both things are true simultaneously, and the gap between them is where trust is won or lost.

When Precision Becomes a Problem

The most common personalization failures fall into two categories: acting on misread data, and acting on data the consumer did not know you had.

The first is a technical problem. An algorithm that recommends a product to someone who just purchased it has simply made a mistake — it has failed the implicit promise that tracking behavior should, at minimum, benefit the person being tracked. The annoyance is mild but corrosive: it signals that the system is watching without understanding.

The second is more serious. A push notification that reads “We see you’re in the mall — stop in for 50% off” is not a helpful reminder. It is a demonstration of geolocation capability that many consumers did not realize they had consented to. The offer is irrelevant. What the message actually communicates is surveillance.

The same principle applies when brands venture into sensitive life stages — pregnancy, illness, divorce, bereavement, job loss — without being invited. Sending coupons for infant formula to someone experiencing infertility, or congratulating a couple on a pregnancy they have not announced, converts a data asset into a liability. The algorithm made a reasonable inference. The brand failed to ask whether it should act on it.

What Responsible Personalization Looks Like

The distinction between personalization and surveillance is not technical. It is one of consent and expectation. Consumers are comfortable with brands using data they have knowingly provided, in ways they can reasonably anticipate, to deliver experiences that serve them rather than expose them.

Macy’s offers a workable model. The retailer aggregates first-party behavioral data with real-time insights to personalize communications across its Star Rewards loyalty program, where members have actively opted in and understand the exchange. Fifty percent of messages to program members are now personalized, with more than 500 million custom offers sent since launch — a scale achieved without the invasive inference that has damaged other brands.

The principle scales down as well as up. A florist sending a birthday coupon featuring the recipient’s birth month flower is using a small, delightful piece of data to create a moment of genuine connection. The customer feels seen, not watched. That distinction — between being known and being monitored — is the one that personalization, at its best, is supposed to resolve.

First-party data, compiled from purchase history and direct customer engagement, is almost always preferable to third-party profiles purchased from brokers. It is more accurate, more current and carries none of the ethical ambiguity of data the consumer never knowingly generated. Before acting on any data point that touches sensitive territory — marital status, health, financial circumstances, family composition — brands should ask not only whether they have the information, but also whether the customer knows they have it, and whether acting on it will feel like service or exposure.

The Real Cost of Getting It Wrong

The Target story endures not because it is exceptional but because it is legible. Most personalization failures are quieter — a recommendation that misses, a notification that unsettles, a message that arrives at the wrong moment with the wrong assumption — but they accumulate in the same direction. Each one runs a small deficit against the trust that personalization is supposed to build.

The goal of personalization is to make customers feel understood. When it works, the transaction is invisible — the right offer at the right moment, and the customer reaches for it without thinking twice. When it fails, the mechanism becomes visible, and what the customer sees is an unhelpful brand. It is a system that has been watching them.

The capability to know more about customers than they know about themselves is not, by itself, a marketing strategy. Judgment about when to use it, and when to hold back, is what separates the brands that earn loyalty from the ones that learn, too late, what they should not have said.

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American Eagle Outfitters is doubling down on creator marketing with the launch of AE Creator Community, a new program designed to cultivate its largest network of influencers yet.

The initiative expands on the retailer’s earlier Live Your Life Affiliate Community, introduced last spring, but places greater emphasis on incentives to keep participants actively producing content for the brand.

Unlike recent American Eagle campaigns that leaned on high-profile celebrities such as Travis Kelce, Martha Stewart and Sydney Sweeney, the new effort targets creators of all sizes—especially microinfluencers with smaller but highly engaged audiences.

Retailers Race to Recruit Creators

The move reflects a broader shift across retail as marketing dollars flow toward social platforms favored by Gen Z and Gen Alpha.

Macy’s recently expanded its Style Crew affiliate program with a goal of reaching 1,000 members, while Sephora last year launched My Sephora Storefront, a creator-driven affiliate marketplace of its own. American Eagle’s latest push signals its intent to remain competitive as brands increasingly rely on everyday creators to drive authentic engagement.

Also Read: Part 4: The Future of Marketing Isn’t Smarter Tools — It’s Smaller Human Teams

A Points-Based Rewards System

What sets AE Creator Community apart is its structured incentive model.

Participants earn points by completing challenges such as posting TikTok videos styling American Eagle outfits or sharing Instagram stories featuring the brand’s denim. Every 1,000 points converts to $1 in rewards.

Creators can redeem earnings for products, affiliate commissions, exclusive discounts and the chance to be featured on American Eagle’s official channels.

“The more they create, the more they earn, and the more visible they become in the AE community,” the company said in its announcement. “Participation and creativity are rewarded just as much as reach.”

The platform also includes forums where members can connect with one another and share feedback directly with the brand—insights that could shape future product launches.

Keeping Pace With Content Demands

American Eagle executives have previously acknowledged that the rise of video-first platforms such as TikTok has dramatically increased the need for fresh, authentic content.

AE Creator Community is intended to meet that demand by building a steady pipeline of creator-generated posts that keep the brand visible in the cultural spaces where fashion trends now take shape.

The program arrives as American Eagle broadens its influencer strategy beyond social media. Last year the company launched a Substack newsletter, Off the Cuff, and discussed its evolving creator approach at January’s National Retail Federation conference.

“We know that influencers, for all of our brands, are representative of who our customer is,” said Ashley Schapiro, American Eagle’s vice president of marketing, media, performance and engagement. “For us, it’s finding that balance between aspirational and inspirational.”

Also Read: The Next Retail Advantage is Smarter Inventory

Betting on Community Over Celebrities

By investing in a large, diverse network of everyday creators, American Eagle is betting that sustained, authentic engagement can be more powerful—and more scalable—than a handful of splashy celebrity endorsements.

In a crowded social landscape, the retailer hopes its newest community will help keep the brand woven into daily conversations—and closets—across the next generation of shoppers.

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Loyalty programs have moved from marketing add-ons to central growth engines, now commanding more than half of total marketing budgets, according to Antavo’s Global Customer Loyalty Report 2026.

The annual study—based on surveys of 3,000 marketers and 10,000 consumers worldwide—found that marketers allocate 51.5 percent of their budgets to loyalty and customer relationship management on average. Satisfaction with loyalty initiatives is high, with 83 percent of program owners reporting they are pleased with performance. Even more striking, 92.7 percent said their programs deliver a positive return on investment, generating an average ROI of 5.3 times.

The findings signal a decisive shift away from short-term promotions and toward long-term customer retention strategies built on data, personalization, and experience-driven rewards.

“Another year of rising satisfaction, ROI, and investment underscores how critical loyalty programs have become,” said Attila Kecsmar, chief executive and co-founder of Antavo. “Brands that harness data, meet consumers where they are, and use AI intelligently will be the ones that build truly meaningful and profitable customer relationships.”

Also Read: The Next Retail Advantage is Smarter Inventory

Loyalty Becomes a Core Business Strategy

The report shows that loyalty initiatives are no longer peripheral experiments but foundational elements of modern marketing. Nearly nine in 10 brands—89.4 percent—said their loyalty programs create value they would not otherwise capture. And 59.8 percent of marketers said they would shift even more money from traditional promotions into loyalty efforts if they could.

Technology choices also play a significant role. Marketers emphasized the importance of platforms that are flexible and easy to manage while keeping total cost of ownership in check.

Consumers Expect More Than Discounts

For consumers, loyalty programs are increasingly influential in purchasing decisions. Nearly one-third—31.3 percent—said they are more likely to stay with a brand that offers a strong loyalty program.

Savings remain a powerful motivator, cited by 70.8 percent of respondents, and promotions continue to shape shopping behavior for 68.6 percent of respondents. But expectations are expanding beyond simple discounts. Consumers increasingly value free products or services (46.3 percent) and personalized rewards (41.6 percent), suggesting a preference for richer, more experiential benefits.

Also Read: When New Year Travel Strains Corporate VPNs and SASE

AI and Loyalty: A Two-Way Opportunity

As third-party data becomes less reliable, loyalty programs are emerging as a critical source of first-party insight. More than half of consumers—65.9 percent—said loyalty programs are part of their everyday lives, generating a steady flow of permission-based data for brands to analyze.

Only 3.4 percent of customers actively opt out of programs, indicating that most disengaged members can be reactivated with relevant offers and messaging.

This trove of structured, consented data is becoming a prime resource for artificial intelligence applications, allowing companies to personalize experiences, predict behavior, and refine offers with greater accuracy.

“With rising budgets and consistently strong ROI, loyalty data is proving to be one of the safest and most effective foundations for AI-driven marketing,” the report notes.

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Applebee’s is bringing back its Date Night Pass for a third year, continuing a loyalty promotion designed to appeal to budget-conscious customers and bolster restaurant traffic.

The pass, priced at $100, unlocks $600 in value by providing $50 discounts on 12 separate orders, whether for dine-in or takeout. The offer is available exclusively to members of the Club Applebee’s loyalty program.

The return of the promotion follows a period of improving performance for the casual dining chain. Applebee’s reported same-store sales growth of 4.9 percent in the second quarter of 2025 and 3.1 percent in the third quarter, gains that executives have partly attributed to stronger marketing initiatives.

“This is a great moment to really come back with Date Night Pass in time for Valentine’s Day,” said Michelle Chin, Applebee’s chief marketing officer. “How do we get Gen Z—and really anyone of any generation—back into the dating arena?”

The program was first introduced in 2024 as a way to help consumers continue dining out despite rising living costs and shrinking disposable incomes. Those pressures persist. A recent Bank of America survey found that 53 percent of Gen Z adults spend nothing on romantic dates each month, a trend some analysts have dubbed a “romance recession.”

Also Read: The Next Retail Advantage is Smarter Inventory

To participate, loyalty members can register for eligibility through Feb. 4. Applebee’s will then randomly select 3,000 members who will be given the opportunity to purchase the pass. Discounts can be redeemed across 12 dining experiences between March 2, 2026, and Feb. 28, 2027.

Last year’s promotion proved effective at driving engagement, generating 175,000 new loyalty program sign-ups, according to the company.

“Our loyalty program is really about giving our fan base unique experiences and opportunities,” Chin said. “We’re all bombarded by emails and texts throughout the day, and it needs to be relevant for us to really want to engage. We want to make sure we understand who you are as a fan and how you want to be communicated with.”

A Growing Emphasis on Social Media

The Date Night Pass is part of a broader marketing push centered on social media and value-oriented promotions. Since late 2024, Applebee’s has increased social media postings by more than 300 percent, driving a 266 percent jump in engagement, according to John Peyton, chief executive of parent company Dine Brands.

Chin, who joined Applebee’s in September after nearly a decade at Starbucks, has made social engagement a top priority.

“Social is the place where it’s really a two-way conversation,” she said. “We’re jumping into discussions, demonstrating our point of view, and at the same time listening to what our guests have to say.”

To promote this year’s pass, Applebee’s is partnering with @MeetCutesNYC, a popular Instagram and TikTok account with more than 5 million followers that features real-life couples sharing their stories. Selected interviewees will receive Date Night Passes as part of the campaign.

“These inspirational stories are a way for us to encourage singles to get together,” Chin said. “It’s a nice linkage back to Date Night Pass.”

Also Read: When New Year Travel Strains Corporate VPNs and SASE

Value Remains Central

Beyond the loyalty program, Applebee’s continues to emphasize affordability. Its long-running Two-for-$25 meal deal—featuring an appetizer and two entrées—remains a key driver of traffic, executives say. Similar value-focused promotions have helped competitors like Chili’s gain momentum in the casual dining segment.

For Applebee’s, the strategy is clear: in an era of cautious consumer spending, compelling deals and creative marketing may be the best recipe for keeping tables full.

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