The uncommitted majority: A growth opportunity for restaurants
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The uncommitted majority: A growth opportunity for restaurants
As loyalty program membership increases, engagement isn’t keeping up. Consumers are joining programs, but they’re not getting the kinds of offers that build habits. An analysis of millions of trips and thousands of survey responses shows why loyalty programs aren’t converting occasional guests into regulars. This report explores why.
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Loyalty programs are table stakes, and they're not moving the needle
Why? The answer centers on a single group: uncommitted customers. These are guests who visit less than once every two months, and they will ultimately determine whether your business grows or stalls.
32%
of restaurant customers told us they had only dined out once or not at all in the past month.
71%
of diners are “uncommitted,” visiting less than once every two months
70%
of restaurant revenue comes from that 71% — uncommitted customers.
Key takeaways
- The gap between loyalty enrollment and engagement, and why it matters
- Why winning the customer's second visit is your highest-stakes moment
- What it takes to reach uncommitted customers before they've already decided where to eat
Get your copy of the report
Download the report
Loyalty programs are table stakes, and they're not moving the needle
Why? The answer centers on a single group: uncommitted customers. These are guests who visit less than once every two months, and they will ultimately determine whether your business grows or stalls.
32%
of restaurant customers told us they had only dined out once or not at all in the past month.
71%
of diners are “uncommitted,” visiting less than once every two months
70%
of restaurant revenue comes from that 71% — uncommitted customers.
Loyalty programs are table stakes, and they're not moving the needle
Nearly 80% of today’s retail customers are uncommitted, shopping across brands and formats in order to maximize their own value. Long-term growth depends on understanding and influencing them — profitably. This new report shows you how.
Select your industry
Grocery
Most grocers’ retention buckets are leakier than they think.
For grocers, 31% of their customers in a given month will churn — even more so for new customers. Loyalty programming helps, but significant churn risks remain.
- 31% of all customers shopping in a given month won't be back that year
- 50% of new customers shopping in their first month won't be back that year
- 14% of loyalty members shopping in a given month won't be back that year
Restaurant
Most restaurants’ retention buckets are leakier than they think.
For restaurant retailers, 42% of their customers in a given month will churn — even more so for new customers.
- 42% of all customers shopping in a given month won't be back that year
- 64% of new customers shopping in their first month won't be back that year
Fuel
Most fuel retailers’ retention buckets are leakier than they think.
For fuel retailers, 51% of their customers in a given month will churn — even more so for new customers. Loyalty programming helps, but significant churn risks remain.
- 51% of all customers shopping in a given month won't be back that year
- 64% of new customers shopping in their first month won't be back that year
- 20% of loyalty members shopping in a given month won't be back that year
71%
of diners are “uncommitted,” visiting less than once every two months
New data reveals the key to higher retention rates.
Retained customers spend at higher levels than new customers
Source: Upside transaction data from 7.7 million customers at 335 grocery stores, 2,254 fuel stations, and 1,498 restaurants from March 2022 to February 2025.
Key takeaway
Customer retention is about building habits, visit by visit. Our research shows regular grocery customers are 46 percentage points more likely than new customers to stick around after a year — and that compounds over time.
