Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Food & Drink

These are the most delicious food rewards programs delivering big savings

Which loyalty programs make the cut?

Matthew Denis
By

Inflation has hit just about everybody — including beloved rewards program. Consider the fact that, not too long ago, Dunkin’ Donuts Rewards members dumped their morning brews into Boston Harbor in response to serious renovations (translation: cutbacks) to its rewards program (per CNBC). The company then tried the ol’ dipsy doo’ by doubling the number of points earned from five to 10 and lowering Dunkin’ Rewards redemption value for free drinks.

With that in mind, it’s time to take a look at loyalty programs from major food and drink franchises to find out what makes these rewards programs stand out.

Recommended Videos

Starbucks Rewards

Starbucks Coffee.
GoToVan / a

Starbucks Rewards awards two “Stars” for every $1 spent. Like Dunkin’ points, these can be exchanged for coffee, tea, premium drinks, and food. Comparing the two, Starbucks actually offers the better deal on food and drinks. Purchasing $75 worth of products will earn customers handcrafted drinks, compared to the $90 Dunkin’ requires. That same amount can be exchanged for a sandwich or parfait at Starbucks, whereas an equivalent meal at Dunkin’ requires people to spend $80. Oh, and the parfait is only available at Starbucks, so there’s another point in their favor.

Related

It’s a steep freebie, but $200 spent at Starbucks also earns rewards members fresh-ground coffee free — something coffee fiends would find worth saving up for.

Learn More

Chipotle Rewards

Chipotle Burrito Bowl.
Mr. Tin MD

Chipotle Rewards members earn 10 points for every $1 spent in the restaurant, on the app, or online. While its deals are not the best (250 points/$25 for free chips?!), its random gifts and exclusives make the Mexican franchise stand out. Customers earn free chips and guac (with purchase) just for signing up. There are random freebies, chances to try new menu items, and participatory events. This includes earning a free burrito for building a burrito in its metaverse store.

Learn More

Chick-fil-A One

Chick-fil-A.
Sikander Iqbal

Chick-fil-A awards new One members 10 points for each dollar spent. Rewards are available for as low as 200 points ($20) for a chocolate chunk cookie and go all the way up to 1,800 points for a cobb salad. To determine the relative value of these (points per dollar spent), Reddit user u/Plaguei5 created a chart comparing redeemable menu items. The lower the number, the better the deal.

Where Chick-fil-A really shines is its options for really loyal customers. The restaurant explains that once One members reach a certain number of points (and dollars spent), they ascend a level. Moving up the chain, silver members earn 11 points per dollar, red members 12 points, and signature members 13 points. To reach signature status, Chick-fil-A explains, people have to earn 10,000 or more annual points or $1,000 spent on fried chicken and accessories. These members might need a little diversity in their diet, but they do earn access to “unique experiences,” backstage passes, tours of the Chick-fil-A offices, first access to new menu items, and potential prizes like tickets to the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame.

Learn More

Jimmy John’s Freaky Fast Rewards

Jimmy John's combo.
Jimmy John's

Like Chipotle, Jimmy John’s offers free food for first-time Freaky Fast Rewards members. Instead of a free side, though, Jimmy John’s will hook you up with a free sub.

The sub station’s rewards program works differently than other franchises. Instead of earning points towards future exchanges, Jimmy John’s offers the freebies based on the member’s number of visits (made at least two hours apart). After two to four visits, the sandwich shop will credit the Freaky Fast app with any of a number of rewards —free chips, a pickle, cookie, or even a regular sandwich. Participants do need to keep track of their rewards, though; they usually expire after 60 days.

Learn More

Panera Bread MyPanera

Panera Bread catering.Similar to Jimmy John’s, Panera Bread offers up a free pastry upon signup to MyPanera. Rewards pop up in customer accounts as purchases accumulate. Complaints like this Delishably review have been levied that these do not add up very quickly, however.

There are advantages to MyPanera. Rewards are based on customer purchases, and Panera’s birthday gift offer lasts a week compared to only one day with most rewards programs. There’s also the opportunity for one-month free access to Panera’s Sip Club, which grants free endless refills on coffees, teas, and juice drinks.

Learn More

Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin’ Rewards

Buffalo Wild Wings wings and fries.
Buffalo Wild Wings

Where MyPanera allows a week for a free birthday bonus, Buffalo Wild Wings will serve up six free wings anytime during a member’s birthday month. Every $10 earns 100 Blazin’ points. As The Krazy Koupon Lady shows, this generally converts to 1% to 2% cash back with rewarded items, with the loaded ice cream providing the most bang for the buck. The restaurant offers more of an impact with the quarter- and half-off discounts that pop up on its app.

You can earn extra points by participating in B-dubs surveys and trivia nights. The ultimate challenge is the Blazin’ Wings Challenge: Eat 10 Carolina Reaper wings (100 times spicier than jalapeños ) in less than five minutes and win 1,000 Blazin’ Rewards points, a Buffalo Wild Wings headband, a free ice cream dessert to cool down your mouth, and your sweaty mug on the “Blazin’ Challenge Wall of Fame.”

Learn More

There are tons of deals out there to fill whatever hunger or thirst you’re after. If you’ve got a favorite spot or two, make sure that you’re up on the rewards programs and you know the best perks of each.

Editors' Recommendations

Matthew Denis
Matthew Denis
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Matt Denis is an on-the-go remote multimedia reporter, exploring arts, culture, and the existential in the Pacific Northwest…
These low carb pasta options are just as delicious
Treat yourself with these low carb pasta alternatives
zucchini noodles

 

 

Read more
Chicken pizza crust sounds gross but it’s actually delicious (and keto friendly)
Check out keto-friendly chicken pizza crust
pizza crust

 

Most of us are well-acquainted with pizza as a delicious comfort food. While there's no question pizza is amazing, it's easy to overeat and quite high in carbohydrates. For those on a low-carb, high-protein, keto, or gluten-free diet, pizza might also not fit into your macro goals. But that doesn't mean you have to rush to ditch pizza just yet. Food scientists and avid low-carb dieters have gotten crafty, finding a way to make pizza a safe food again by using chicken as a crust. Upon first glance, we know chicken pizza crust sounds gross. But when made properly, chicken pizza crust is delicious and doesn't taste like chicken at all.
What is chicken pizza crust?
The idea for chicken pizza crust first started when Real Good Foods created a frozen pizza product that used ground chicken as a base for a pizza crust. From here, this inspired many other chefs to try their versions of chicken pizza crust at home. Since ground chicken is low in calories and high in protein, it serves as a great base to create a pizza crust. Recipes vary quite a bit -- so you'll want to experiment to find a chicken crust pizza recipe you enjoy. By combining other ingredients, such as cheese, eggs, and seasonings, the chicken taste is masked. In addition, there's lots of flexibility in the toppings and sauces that can be used atop a chicken pizza crust.
What type of chicken do I use for chicken pizza crust?

Read more
Here’s the chicken pot pie recipe you need to bake up this comfort food favorite
Make this chicken pot pie and you'll want this hearty meal year-round
Chicken pot pie by Chef Anand Sastry

Hearty comfort food makes for a nice meal on cool spring nights, and a classic example is chicken pot pie. The best of both worlds, chicken pot pie combines a crispy pastry with rich chicken stew. While made-from-scratch chicken pot pie can be time consuming to make, this American comfort food classic is well worth the effort, so keep reading to learn how to make chicken pot pie.
Tips and tricks
Note these tips to get your homemade chicken pot pie just perfect for a night in.

The crust
A key tip to remember when making pie crust is to use chilled butter. This step is critical for a flaky crust. If the butter is too warm when added to the flour, it will mix too thoroughly, ensuring a crust that is tough and hard. To avoid this, keep the butter cold until the last possible moment before mixing with the flour. If pressed for time, a good-quality, store-bought pie crust will also work.
The chicken
For the best chicken filling, roast a whole chicken beforehand. This added step, although time-consuming, will ensure a more flavorful and complex chicken filling. To roast a whole chicken, season the bird with your choice of herbs and spices (try to match the roasting flavoring profile with the filling used later), and cook. When the chicken has cooled, simply tear apart the meat from the bone and set it aside. Keep the bones — these can be used to make a tasty chicken soup or broth for your chicken pot pie filling.
Storage
Chicken pot pie is a great item to freeze. Not only will the chicken filling freeze well, but an entire pie keeps well in the freezer. Cooks can also choose to make smaller pies and freeze them for quick future meals. Simply take it out and pop it in the oven for a hassle-free meal. Any leftover chicken broth should also be frozen. A helpful trick is to freeze leftover broth in ice cube trays, especially if the broth is particularly rich. These cubes of broth can be popped out and used for easy cooking.
Chicken pot pie recipe

Read more