Double-Digit Growth Comes From Repeat Guests
In a world of fewer commuters and cautious spending, growth doesn’t come from one-off traffic. It comes from turning a guest into a regular, and a regular into an advocate. A well-run CRM strategy can lift repeat visit rates by double digits, which is often the margin between stagnation and growth.
For cafés and restaurants, that might mean:
Building guest databases through POS and reservations.
Segmenting guests (VIPs, locals, lapsed diners) and tailoring offers.
Running automated flows that mirror the best of hospitality service.
For premium food brands, it’s about retention: bringing customers back for seasonal collections, gifting occasions, and everyday indulgences.
The New Competitive Edge
Hospitality has always been about memory — remembering the guest, their preferences, their story. Post-COVID, that principle hasn’t changed; what has changed is the need to scale memory with technology.
The venues achieving double-digit growth today aren’t just cooking well or designing beautiful spaces. They’re building CRM strategies that extend hospitality beyond the four walls of the restaurant. They’re making every guest feel remembered, whether at the table or in their inbox.
In a tougher market, that’s not just good service. That’s survival — and the key to sustainable growth.
HOSPITALITY’S POST-COVID CHALLENGE
WHY GROWTH NOW DEPENDS ON LOYALTY
Hospitality has faced enormous challenges in the years following COVID. Fewer people commute into the CBD with the rise of work-from-home flexibility. Cost-of-living pressures mean discretionary spend on dining out is under scrutiny. Many cafés, restaurants, and premium food brands have seen their old playbooks fall apart.
In that climate, achieving double-digit growth isn’t just difficult — it’s remarkable.
But what separates the venues still growing from those simply surviving? It’s not cheaper menus or trend-chasing. The answer lies in how they build, retain, and deepen loyalty.
The Shift From Foot Traffic to Relationship-Building
Before COVID, many hospitality businesses thrived on sheer volume — heavy lunchtime CBD traffic, tourists, and casual drop-ins. That passive audience is gone. Today, growth doesn’t come from hoping new guests walk through the door; it comes from nurturing existing relationships so that guests come back again and again.
CRM platforms like Klaviyo make this possible. Instead of relying only on social media or third-party delivery apps, restaurants and cafés can directly connect with their guests through email, SMS, and loyalty data. This isn’t “corporate marketing” — it’s hospitality, scaled.
Loyalty in the Age of Uncertainty
The modern guest needs a reason to return beyond convenience. Cost-of-living pressures mean every dining choice is weighted: Is this worth it? Do they remember me? Do I feel valued here?
Hospitality brands who answer those questions with care win loyalty:
A thank-you email after a meal.
A birthday offer that makes the guest feel recognised.
A “we miss you” note that reminds them of seasonal menus or chef’s specials.
Exclusive invites for VIP regulars.
These gestures cost little but communicate something powerful: we see you, we value you, and we’d love to host you again.
