Cafe Loyalty Program FAQ
Everything you need to know about digital loyalty platforms, QR code systems, and growing your cafe business.
Getting Started
Quick Answer
My Cafe Loyalty is a QR code-based loyalty platform. Three plans start at $49/month, each with a 30-day free trial. No app downloads required, customers just scan your QR code with their phone camera and enter their phone number. Setup takes about 5 minutes, and the Business plan includes automated Google Review requests plus advanced SMS automations for customer win-back and retention campaigns.
Is My Cafe Loyalty good for independent cafes?
Yes, it's built primarily for independent Australian cafes. There's no app for customers, just a QR code check-in, and it comes with automated re-engagement tools: anniversary messages (Professional and Business plans), win-back campaigns for lapsed regulars (Business plan), and automated Google Review requests (Business plan). Multi-site and franchise cafes can use it too, but independent cafes are our primary focus.
What is a QR code loyalty system?
Instead of physical stamp cards, customers scan a QR code at your cafe with their phone camera, enter their details once, and collect stamps automatically with each visit. No apps, no cards to lose, no ink. Works on any smartphone, Android or iPhone.
Do customers need to download an app?
Nope. Any smartphone camera reads the QR code directly. Customers enter their phone number and name once and they're in. That's it. No app store, no account creation, no friction.
How quickly can I get started?
About 5 minutes. Create your account, set your reward (e.g. free coffee after 10 stamps), add your logo and colours, then print or display your QR code. We give you a print-ready PDF and digital files for social.
What if my customers are not tech-savvy?
Scanning a QR code is the same motion as taking a photo, point and tap. If they can use a smartphone camera, they can check in. Older customers often prefer it to remembering a card.
How long until I see results?
Most cafes see measurable lift in repeat visits within the first 4–6 weeks. The reward SMS alone drives people back. Customers who get a 'you've earned a free coffee' message tend to redeem within a few days. You'll have visit data from day one.
Can I try it before committing to a paid plan?
Yes, every plan starts with a 30-day free trial. A card is required to start, but nothing is charged until the trial ends, so you can run a real pilot with your regulars risk-free. Cancel anytime before day 30 and you won't pay a cent.
Do I need to train my staff?
Barely. Customers handle check-ins themselves by scanning. For reward redemptions, staff search the customer name and click confirm. Most pick it up in under 5 minutes, no terminal, no codes, nothing to memorise.
Features & Capabilities
Quick Answer
Key features include: QR code check-ins (no app required), SMS notifications on Professional and Business plans, automated Google Review requests at configurable visit milestones (Business plan), advanced SMS automations for customer win-back and retention campaigns (Business plan), customer analytics dashboard, customizable rewards (e.g., free coffee after 10 stamps), staff verification modes (instant or staff-confirmed), customer portal with data export, and fraud protection.
How do customers know when they've earned a reward?
They get an SMS the moment they hit your reward threshold. They can also check progress anytime by scanning the QR code or logging into the customer portal. The check-in screen always shows their current count and what's next.
What SMS messages do customers receive?
On Professional and Business plans, customers can receive a welcome message on first visit, a reward notification when they hit your threshold, and an optional anniversary message on the anniversary of a customer's first visit. The Business plan adds automated Google Review requests at visit milestones, plus advanced SMS automations for customer win-back and retention campaigns, re-engaging lapsed customers automatically. Starter doesn't include SMS. Check-ins and redemptions work exactly the same, just without the automated messages. Customers only receive SMS if they opt in, and they can opt out anytime. You control the templates.
What analytics and reports do I get?
Your dashboard shows total customers, daily visit comparisons, rewards claimed, active customers in the last 30 days, visit trend graphs, customer segments (new, active, loyal, VIP), peak hour data, and retention metrics. Everything updates in real-time, no refresh needed.
Does this help me get more Google Reviews?
Yes, the Business plan sends automated Google Review requests via SMS, by default after the 6th and 12th visit (configurable). The SMS opens a page that gives every customer two options: leave a Google review, or send private feedback to the cafe. Includes follow-up reminders and auto-exclusion after 2 ignored requests. Fully compliant, no incentivised reviews, no review gating.
Can customers check their loyalty status in different ways?
Three ways: scan the QR code (instant), visit the customer portal (OTP login, works across multiple cafes, includes data export and privacy controls), or request an SMS status check (rate-limited to once per day). Customers pick whatever suits them.
Can I customize the rewards and branding?
Fully. You set the stamp threshold, reward description, cafe colours and logo, and SMS templates. Your QR code is branded for your business, customers see your name and look, not ours.
Can I control how customer check-ins are verified?
Yes. Two modes: 'Open Check-ins' approves visits instantly, good for busy cafes. 'Staff Confirmed' holds visits in a pending queue until a staff member approves them from the dashboard. In that mode, SMS only sends after approval, and unreviewed visits auto-decline after 7 days. You can switch modes anytime.
What if I only have 20 regulars?
That's the ideal starting point. A small, loyal base is easy to get onto the system, and you'll see clear data on their visit patterns from day one. Every plan supports unlimited customers, so there's no minimum to hit. Start your 30-day free trial and add your regulars as you go.
Pricing & Plans
Quick Answer
Three plans, all with unlimited customers: Starter at $49/month, Professional at $79/month (+150 SMS credits/month), and Business at $169/month (+400 SMS credits/month + automated Google Reviews). Every plan starts with a 30-day free trial. Additional SMS credits can be purchased at from $0.10 per message.
How much does My Cafe Loyalty cost?
Three plans, starting at $49/month: Starter ($49), Professional ($79), and Business ($169). All three include unlimited customers. Every plan starts with a 30-day free trial, a card is required, but you won't be charged until the trial ends, and you can cancel anytime before then.
How do SMS credits work?
Professional and Business plans include monthly SMS credits (150 and 400 respectively). Business also unlocks advanced SMS automations for customer win-back and retention campaigns, using those credits. Starter doesn't include SMS. Need more? Buy additional credits in bundles (50, 100, 250, 500) at from $0.10 per SMS on Australian networks. Purchased bundle credits roll over and never expire; your included monthly credits refresh at the start of each billing period.
Do I need a credit card to start the trial?
Yes. Every plan requires a card to start your 30-day free trial. Nothing is charged during those 30 days, and you can cancel anytime before the trial ends. You'll only be billed if you decide to stay on.
What are the customer limits for each plan?
None, Starter, Professional, and Business all support unlimited customers. You're never blocked from checking in customers or charged extra because your base grew. Pricing is based on features, not customer count, and you can upgrade anytime.
We already use physical stamp cards. Is it worth switching?
Depends what you want from it. Physical stamp cards are free but give you nothing, no data, no way to contact customers, no visibility into who's visiting. Digital loyalty tells you who your regulars are, lets you send an SMS when they've earned a reward, and needs no reprinting when a card gets lost. If you just want to track stamps, a card works fine. If you want to know your customers, digital is worth the switch.
How is this different from the free loyalty card apps?
Most free apps are generic multi-venue wallets, your cafe listed alongside 200 others. My Cafe Loyalty is white-labelled to your business: your name, your colours, your QR code. Customers interact with your brand, not a third-party app's, and you own your customer data and can export it anytime.
Technical & Support
Quick Answer
Security features include fraud prevention (1 scan per 12 hours limit), staff managed redemptions, privacy-compliant fraud scoring, and Australian Privacy Principles (APP) compliance. No POS integration needed, works independently. Staff training takes 5 minutes. Australian-based support available via email and dashboard.
How do you prevent fraud and abuse?
Check-ins are rate-limited to one per customer per cafe every 12 hours, so a customer can't scan twice in a row to game the system. All reward redemptions require staff confirmation through the dashboard, customers can't self-redeem. Fraud scoring uses anonymised IP hashing, so it stays privacy-compliant.
How easy is staff management and training?
Staff search for the customer name in the redemptions tab and click confirm. That's the whole workflow. No codes to remember, no terminal integration. Most staff are comfortable with it in under 5 minutes.
Can I run this alongside my current loyalty system?
Yes. Many cafes run both systems in parallel during a transition. Customers who forget their card can scan the QR instead. You phase out the physical cards at whatever pace suits you.
Do you integrate with POS systems?
My Cafe Loyalty works alongside any POS. Customers scan a QR code with their own phone, so there's no POS integration, hardware, or till changes to set up, it runs independently of whatever system you already use.
Do you specifically support Australian cafes and compliance?
Yes, built specifically for the Australian market. AUD pricing, Australian phone number formatting, local timezone support, and full compliance with Australian Privacy Principles (APP). No currency conversion, no overseas data handling concerns.
Why should I switch from physical loyalty cards to digital loyalty?
The honest answer: if data and communication matter to you, digital is clearly better. You get customer visit history, can send SMS when a reward is earned, and never lose a customer's progress because their card got wet. If you just want to stamp coffee, physical cards work fine, but you'll never know who your regulars are.
What happens to my data if I cancel?
Your customer data is retained for 30 days after cancellation. During that window you can export everything, customer records, visit history, all of it, as a CSV or JSON. After that period, data is permanently deleted per our privacy policy. You're never locked in.
