The Coffee Club Rewards Program – The Club
The Coffee Club was founded in Brisbane in 1989 and has since grown into one of Australia’s largest café chains. There are currently hundreds of locations across Australia and New Zealand. The brand positions itself as a relaxed, all-day café offering everything from barista-made coffee and breakfast through to lunch, dinner and desserts.
While I was generally aware that The Coffee Club had some form of loyalty offering, I hadn’t paid much attention to it until recently. This changed, when I noticed staff prompting customers to join “The Club” at the counter. This sparked my interest to look more closely at what The Club Rewards program offers and how well it delivers value to regular customers.
Joining the Program
Joining The Club Rewards program is straightforward and entirely digital. Customers download The Club App, register using an email address, and are immediately eligible to start earning points. Sign-ups can be completed in just a few minutes, either in-store via a QR code or independently through the app store.
A key incentive to join is the welcome reward, which is often a free coffee or bonus points for new members. This instant gratification plays an important role in driving sign-ups and gives customers a tangible reason to download the app rather than deferring it. From a customer perspective, the onboarding process feels simple and low friction. Although like many app-based loyalty programs, the full value proposition is not always clearly explained by staff at the point of sign-up.
Member Benefits
The Club is built around a points-based earn and burn model rather than tiers. Members earn points for every dollar spent in-store when they scan their app at checkout. These points accumulate in the app and can be redeemed for free food and beverage items once certain thresholds are reached.
Key benefits of the program include:
- Earn points on every visit – Members earn points with each purchase, encouraging repeat visitation and ongoing engagement with the brand.
- Redeem for free items – Points can be redeemed for menu items such as coffees, snacks or meals, offering clear and easily understood value.
- Exclusive app-only offers – Members receive access to special promotions, bonus point offers and limited-time deals that are not available to non-members.
- Birthday rewards – Members often receive a birthday treat or bonus points, adding a personal touch to the program.
Points do expire after a period of inactivity, but this expiry resets when members continue to transact. This encourages regular engagement without overly penalising frequent customers.
Digital App Experience
The loyalty experience is entirely housed within The Club Ap. This functions as both a digital rewards card and a communications platform. Within the app, members can view:
- Their current points balance
- Available rewards
- Active offers and promotions
The app removes the need for physical cards and allows The Coffee Club to communicate directly with members via push notifications. While functional and convenient, the app experience is relatively basic and prioritises usability over personalisation.
Email & Communication
Communication with members is primarily driven through the app, supplemented by email. Offers tend to be promotional in nature and focused on driving store visits rather than educating members about the broader value of the program. While this approach suits a high-frequency, convenience-based brand, there may be an opportunity to better segment communications based on customer behaviour and preferences.
In Summary
The Coffee Club Rewards program is a simple, accessible loyalty offering that aligns well with the brand’s everyday café positioning. Its strength lies in its ease of use, instant value and clear earn-and-redeem mechanics. While it lacks the sophistication of tiered or coalition programs, it succeeds in rewarding repeat behaviour and encouraging frequency. With further investment in personalisation and communication, the program has the potential to become an even more effective driver of long-term customer loyalty.
