The principles of loyalty marketing are fairly universal: recognition and reward. Different consumer segments may respond differently to incentives, businesses have varying natural opportunities to differentiate treatment, and a range of margins influence the level of investment in incentivizing transactions. But the basic idea is largely the same.
It’s not surprising we see the most advanced loyalty offerings in brands that target premium customers – and, if not offering high margin products, at least that offer high margins on incremental sales (airline seats and hotel rooms have high fixed costs, but relatively low marginal costs, and inventory spoils quickly).
But more businesses would likely benefit from loyalty marketing – and not just in a punch card, free sandwich sense – but really leaning into understanding who their best customers are and systemitizing elevated treatment for them.
So it’s interesting to see Mediterranean fast casual restaurant chain CAVA lean into their rewards program, with status levels and status matching (through November 23).
There are around 400 CAVA restaurants doing a total of about $1 billion in revenue. They purchased and closed all Zoës Kitchen restaurants – frequent flyers may recall the pre-Covid Zoës-American Airlines collaboration.
There are now (3) tiers to the current year-old version of the CAVA rewards program:
- Sea: Base member – 10 points per dollar, birthday gift (drink, pita chips or dessert) and offers
- Sand: Earned after 1,500 points – earn 11 points per dollar, $0 delivery fee once per quarter
- Sun: Earned after 4,500 points – earn 12 points per dollar, $0 delivery fee 3x per quarter
They’re matching status pretty much of any kind, whether airline, hotel, cruise, retail, beauty, or other restaurant brands. They tell me the following match to top tier ‘Sun’ status:
American Airlines: Gold, Platinum, Platinum Pro, Exec Platinum
Delta Airlines: Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond
United Airlines: Premier Silver, Premier Gold, Premier Platinum, Premier 1K
JetBlue Airways: Mosaic 1, Mosaic 2, Mosaic 3, Mosaic 4
Southwest Airlines: A-List, A-List Preferred, Companion Pass
Alaska Airlines: Atmos Silver, Atmos Gold, Atmos Platinum, Atmos Titanium
Hawaiian Airlines: Pualani Gold, Pualani Platinum
Frontier Airlines: Elite Silver, Elite Gold, Elite Platinum, Elite Diamond
Spirit Airlines: Free Spirit Silver, Free Spirit Gold
Amtrak: Select Plus, Select Executive
Royal Caribbean: Diamond Plus, Pinnacle Club
Virgin: Deep Blue Extras
Norwegian Cruise Line: Diamond, Ambassador
Celebrity Cruises: Elite Plus, Zenith
Princess Cruises: Elite
Holland America: Line Five-Star Mariner
MSC Cruises: Diamond, Blue
Disney Cruise Line: Pearl
Carnival: Diamond
Hyatt: Discoverist, Explorist, Globalist, Lifetime Globalist
Marriott: Silver Elite, Gold Elite, Platinum Elite, Titanium Elite, Ambassador Elite
Hilton: Silver, Gold, Diamond
IHG: Silver Elite, Gold Elite, Platinum Elite, Diamond Elite
Choice Hotels: Gold, Platinum, Diamond
Wyndham: Gold, Platinum, Diamond
Best Western: Gold, Platinum, Diamond, Diamond Select
So obviously they’re not being very selective when IHG, Spirit, Frontier and Marriott Silvers are given top tier. But top tier isn’t all that rich. There’s no in-restaurant differentiated treatment benefit. Points are worth less than a cent apiece. Still, it’s interesting to see the structure used in fast casual dining.
Also, every fifth item you order will come in a bag with $50k in it.
If you have influence with the Trump administration, they’ll give you $50,000 in a paper bag.
Ah, Cava… the Chipotle of Med-food. Their location at 63 Wall St. (historic building) is ‘aight. Maybe time for a gyro (pronounced YEER-oh, not jee-roh, ye filthy swine.)
@Total — Boom. Got your reference.
From Reuters, September 21, 2025: “Border czar Tom Homan accepted a $50,000 bag of cash from an undercover FBI agent last year in a since-closed U.S. Justice Department bribery investigation, two sources familiar with the matter said on Sunday. In the alleged scheme, Homan promised immigration-related government contracts when he joined the Trump administration in exchange for the money, the sources said, speaking anonymously to discuss nonpublic investigations.”
Ask yourself, if the other ‘team’ did this, wouldn’t they be impeached by now?
Very nice, I do enjoy some good CAVA – thanks for the heads up Gary.
So many matching options, the other restaurant and beauty/retail statuses are interesting.
@1990 — the big test is if CAVA is @George N Romey approved!
This is rerarded.
Devaluation. Free bowl used to be 1,800 points. Now 2,100 points.
@Walter Barry — No need to self-diagnose, sir…
@L737 — From Wawa to Cava!
All well and good until all of that fast-food loyalty-card data goes to your health insurer.
And it should be noted that the status match only last through the end of the year.