Snack Tech: The Ultimate Brand Loyalty App

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Cookies and chips are tech terms. But now digital meets dough (both kinds) as one MULO (multi-location) bakery brand is getting noticed for its loyalty app.

Crumbl (a 700-location brand) has been shouted out in food and beverage media as having one of the top 10 apps.

It is #6 in the top 10 most downloaded food and drink apps, winning a spot over Domino’s, Taco Bell, and Chipotle. Crumbl Cookies is also a huge player on social media, with more than 6 million TikTok and over 3 million Instagram fans.

So, what does this delicious app do?

  • Like many popular apps, it offers users loyalty points. That’s pretty standard these days. Crumbl calls them Loyalty Crumbs.
  • Those Crumbs are ultimately converted to Crumbl Cash, which can be spent on pickup, local delivery, and national shipping. Consumers can order from their phones and even get curbside delivery.
  • Crumbl also promotes the concept of “cookies without leaving your couch,” heralding the benefit of eating carbs in pajamas (which, many of us do)!
  • But when you are gathering friends, family, or co-workers IRL (in real life), you can use Crumbl’s catering services — even specifying pick-up time and flavors.

Upon downloading the loyalty app (which we did while writing this article), prospective cookie buyers are immediately given a chance to earn points by following the company on social media, providing a phone number for SMS, and

But how does the company keep fans engaged and using the loyalty app regularly?

Menu rotation is a key for many restaurants these days. Keeping fans loyal by teasing and updating product variety is essential in today’s brand-fickle world.

Crumbl changes its flavor line-up every Sunday night and true fans await the “big reveal.”

The company’s Instagram page is comprised of “beauty shots” of the cookies. Just as great ingredients result in better-baked goods, having a high-quality and consistent “feed” (pun intended) can prompt customers and prospects to follow and engage (and, hopefully, buy).

As your MULO brand plans its 2024 (and beyond) customer engagement, be a smart cookie and think seriously about how you can use the small screen to truly engage your shoppers once they leave your locations.

  • Build a sense of community with your fan base
  • Consistently surprise and delight shoppers
  • Ensure that new menu items and deals are well-communicated across all media
  • Make buying as convenient as possible
  • Utilize technology to build enough loyalty that people are incentivized to provide contact information (for ongoing marketing)
  • Establish a clear, high-quality, and meaningful brand voice and ensure your communications and graphics are consistent

For more “fresh from the oven” ideas, follow this column and learn other best practices from MULO brands.

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Nancy A Shenker, senior editor with Street Fight, is a former big brand (Citibank, Mastercard, Reed Exhibitions) marketing strategist and leader. She has been featured in Inc.com, the New York Times and Forbes.