Let’s start with perhaps the most classic of The Greene Turtle’s programs—its Mug Club. For $40, customers receive $1 off every draft and special privileges at each location. They also have access to monthly member-only Mug Club events and can earn rewards points through the typical platform.
In a landscape where repeat guests are currency, this setup has proven invaluable to The Greene Turtle’s business. It doesn’t just encourage visits, it promotes camaraderie and offers VIP status that crosses state lines.
At the member-only events, Mug Club users interact and treat The Greene Turtle like a neighborhood pub. Once a restaurant has that sort of in with customers, the rest of the dayparts and occasions open up. The $1 off tag doesn’t hurt, either, when guests are pulling straws for dining choices each night—with or without their friends and family in tow. And it’s far from uncommon for friends to recruit buddies to join the Mug Club, since they would be hanging out otherwise anyway.
In order to keep this program flowing, Barry says, The Greene Turtle carries what it calls “guest mugs” at each store to let members enjoy the privileges and locations no matter where they’re dining. This is especially effective for traveling and corporate guests. Many members have mugs in multiple locations as well.
The Turtle Rewards program offers a point for every dollar spent to exclusive member offers, and annual birthday rewards, as well as bonus points for registering. The Greene Turtle pulses a double points on Tuesday deal that is a stellar traffic driver for an otherwise slow section of the week.
But The Mug Club remains a proven and powerful loyalty driver, Barry says, and it continues to evolve as The Greene Turtle does.
Here’s an example of how. Forget just the discounts, The Greene Turtle understands there’s more to reeling in faithful customers than straight promotions.