Convenience-store loyalty programs aren’t all about attaining more store visits. What’s more important is leveraging loyalty programs for bigger basket sizes, according to the 2025 Loyalty Report from Paytronix, a loyalty platform based in Newton, Massachusetts.
Profitability comes down to how much customers spend, not how often they visit, Paytronix said.
Aim first for more valuable trips, and a successful loyalty program will also create more frequent trip incentives if it is built to engage, upsell and evolve, the company said.
Analyze loyalty check size, a metric reflecting customer spending within these programs, said Paytronix. This can help measure the success of loyalty programs.
It’s important to keep in mind that a larger check size from loyalty members does not always mean that they are spending more than non-loyalty members and driving more profit, the report said. Loyalty check size measures per-visit spend among loyalty members—not overall average order value (AOV).
Different industries are seeing varied trends in loyalty-driven spending, influenced by factors like economic conditions, pricing strategies and the effectiveness of rewards.
The following data represents c-store basket size growth from 2023 to 2024.
- 31% of c-store brands saw fast-growing loyalty order size (by more than 10%)
- 25% of c-store brands saw steady, modest, healthy basket size growth (3-10%)
- 31% of c-stores saw negligible change (plus or minus 3%)
- 13% of c-store brands saw large declines (down by at least 3%)
Many loyalty programs drive visits but do not influence what or how much customers purchase, said Paytronix. In some cases, non-loyalty customers outspend loyalty members due to larger, less frequent visits, impulse-driven behavior and lack of discounts reducing prices.
What Can Retailers Do?
Convenience-store retailers can increase loyalty customers’ basket size by using artificial intelligence (AI)-driven personalization to surface high-margin profits, bundling and exclusive offers and gamification, tiers or spend challenges, according to Paytronix.
Retailers should stop rewarding visits alone and start rewarding value, said Paytronix. Brands seeing the biggest spend jumps are incentivizing premium purchases, bundles and higher-tier menu items, not just return visits. Layer in loyalty rewards that scale with spend to move guests toward larger order value.
Promote high-margin items through personalized offers. Use data to surface product recommendations and incentives tailored to member preferences. A frozen dessert fan doesn’t need a generic buy-one, get-one—give them a surprise bonus for trying the newest high-margin treat, said Paytronix.
Upsell through gamified experiences, app-based add-ons or AI-driven prompts. Let the loyalty program guide customers toward the next best purchase before they check out.
When there’s a decline in spending, review pricing, loyalty program clarity and promotional alignment, the report said.
Finally, capitalize on fresh food, premium products and customizable menus.
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