Which Pizza Loyalty Program Reigns Supreme?
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Papa John's, Pizza Hut, Domino's. These venerable brands represent three of the four largest pizza chains in the US, and all of them offer a loyalty program (Little Caesars, the third biggest, doesn't have one). With the weekend set to kick off, we at TPG thought it would be a great idea to investigate which program deserves your loyalty by offering the highest return on your next pizza night. Today, I'll give a basic introduction to each program, describing how you earn and redeem points and then comparing those point values to the cost of menu items you can order for free.
Domino's — Piece of the Pie Rewards
Every time you place an order of at least $10 with Domino's (tips and donations excluded), you'll earn 10 points in the chain's Piece of the Pie Rewards program. You can only earn points on one order per calendar day. It then takes 60 points to earn a free medium, two-topping pizza, but you don't have to redeem points once you get to 60. You can continue earning points and cash out for multiple free pizzas if you wish. However, points expire after 180 days of account inactivity.
A medium, two-topping pizza is $12.99 at full menu price. This means if you ordered six times with exactly $10, you'd spend $60 and get a reward worth $12.99, a pretty good return of 21.65% on your spending. In reality, however, the vast majority of people won't order exactly $10, and you can often get medium pizzas for as little as $5.99 if you do a carryout order. This diminishes your return significantly versus the "perfect" 21.65% noted above. It seems odd not to incentivize your customers to spend more money by offering additional points or rewards for higher order totals, but this model probably keeps the overall costs of the program down.
Papa John's — Papa Rewards
Unlike Domino's, Papa John's uses a revenue-based scheme for its Papa Rewards program, where you earn points based on how much you spend. You'll earn 1 point for every $1 you spend not including tax and delivery, Papa Priority or other fees, though you'll need to wait one business day for the points to show in your account. For every $75 you spend (75 points you earn), you'll receive $10 in Papa Dough food towards any menu item — excluding alcohol. Points expire after 12 months with no earning or redemption activity, and Papa Dough expires six months after you receive it.
The program essentially means you get $10 cash back towards your next pizza order for every $75 you spend. That's a flat 13.3% rate of return for every Papa John's order you make (excluding taxes and fees spent) — not a bad deal, especially when you consider its simplicity.
Pizza Hut — Hut Rewards
Pizza Hut's Hut Rewards program is the most complicated of the three major chains. It too is revenue-based but has an award chart of different items you can get for free using different numbers of points. You'll earn two points for every dollar spent (including delivery fees but excluding taxes and tips) with no limit to how many points you can earn. Points expire six months after inactivity.
When it comes to redeeming those points, here are your options:
This doesn't give you much information without knowing the menu prices of these items, so here's a breakdown of these costs and a percentage return on the spend required to earn the points:
- Breadsticks cost $5.99, giving you an 18.4% return on the $32.50 spend required to earn 75 points.
- A medium, two-topping pizza at regular menu price is $13.99, giving you an 18.65% return on the $75 required to earn 150 points.
- A medium ANY pizza (which means any toppings, recipe and choice of pan, hand-tossed or thin & crispy crust) is $10.99 at my local store, giving you a 10.9% return on the $100 in spend required to earn the 200 points
- A large ANY pizza is also only $10.99 at my local store giving you an 8.8% return on the $125 spend required to earn the 250 points
On the surface, the medium, two-topping pizza may appear to offer the best return, but like Domino's, you can often get this pizza for much less using a carry-out coupon or other meal deal. In addition, the Hut Rewards program offers some solid specials, including Gameday offers during football season, promotional point offers and a birthday reward — free breadsticks last year.
Stack Your Savings
On top of the loyalty programs offered for each chain, you should use a variety of methods to increase your return on your pizza savings. Here are a few of my favorite:
- Pay with discounted gift cards. You can easily acquire these from sites like Raise.com and CardCash. Discounts of up to 9.47% are available for Domino's gift cards.
- Go through an online shopping portal to buy the discounted gift cards. For example, at the time of writing, Mr. Rebates is offering 4% cash back on Raise.com purchases.
- Use the right rewards credit card to earn cash back or bonus points & miles on your dining purchase — like the American Express® Gold Card (4x points at restaurants, an additional 8% return) or the Chase Sapphire Reserve (3x points at restaurants, an additional 6% return).
- Use Amex Offers and Chase Offers to earn additional points or statement credits on your pizza purchases. I currently have an offer for two additional points per dollar spent at Pizza Hut on my Amex Gold card, increasing the total earning rate to 6 points per dollar (12% return).
The Supreme Pizza Loyalty Program Winner
With it's straightforward, revenue-based program, Papa John's Papa Rewards effectively gives you 13.3% cash back towards free menu items, no matter what you buy, how much you spend or how you redeem your points. It's simple and doesn't require any comparisons between the rewards you've earned and the redemption option you're considering. On the other hand, Domino's doesn't tie its rewards directly to spending, and both it and Pizza Hut typically offer reward menu items at deeply-discounted prices. As a result, they just can't compete with the consistent return from Papa Rewards.
Bottom Line
At the end of the day, many readers will use pizza preference — not the loyalty program — as the primary factor in selecting a chain. Others may prefer a more local pizzeria than a mass-market option like the three above. That being said, if you're open to any of them and want a simple way to make the most of your purchases, then Papa John's — which does deliver an enjoyable pizza — should be your go-to chain for maximum loyalty return.
Regardless of which one earns your business, don't forget the above stacking techniques to save even more when you embark upon your next pizza night.
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.