Every year, Paytronix honors the clients that are doing amazing things on the PXS platform with the Loyaltees Awards. It honors the brands using Paytronix to drive truly innovative marketing and loyalty programs.

Last year Caribou Coffee earned recognition for a program that brought together Paytronix software and services to build promotional strategies that used historical data to refine and improve results. Bruster’s Ice Cream, meanwhile, earned kudos for a program that converted traditional punch cards into a modern loyalty program that not only reached 16% penetration in six months, but also drove an increase in traffic during its traditional shoulder seasons of September and January.  Also on the list was Break Time for implementing a monthly rewards challenge that boosted customer spend by more than 25% at its convenience stores.

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When it comes to New Year’s Eve, the wine aisle is the place to be in C-Stores.

As the clock ticked down on 2019, we found that people turned to their C-stores for alcohol to fuel the night. By examining a sampling of sales at 100 C-stores across the Midwest, we saw a significant spike in alcohol sales overall, but wine represented a nearly 400% in revenue over a comparable day. Beer and liquor did well, with a 200% increase, but that’s half of the revenue from wine.

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Ah, New Year’s Eve. The night that looms large with visions of popping champagne corks, revelry, and lots of friends. Of course, that vision isn’t for everyone. Some prefer a quiet dinner for two, others just want a beer with friends and still others choose a small gathering with family.

For restaurants, however, it means one thing: profits.

The average check on New Year’s Eve is much higher than on an average night, and people tend to think about things well in advance. This makes it possible for restaurants to both plan ahead and be more profitable. […]

As we close out 2019, millions of people will exchange restaurant gift cards as holiday gifts. In fact, the holiday season is the biggest time for gift card purchases, accounting for as much as half of annual restaurant gift card sales.  

This year, however, a new concern cropped up as we neared Black Friday. In the weeks and months leading up to the official start of the holiday sales season, plaintiffs in New York filed several lawsuits accusing brands of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act by not offering cards that can be read by the blind. More than 100 suits name retail and restaurant chains, accusing them of violating Title III of the ADA by denying those who are legally blind with equal access to goods and services. While these suits are in New York, they could affect brands nationwide and not only gift cards, but also fare cards, credit cards and other similar products. 

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