KFC is the world’s second-largest fast-food restaurant chain specializing in fried hen. In 1952 Colonel Harland Sanders opened the primary KFC restaurant in Utah, and right now they’ve over 1,000 eating places throughout the UK and Eire alone. KFC UK & Eire needed to maneuver away from their earlier stamp assortment program and concentrate on gamification and prompt rewards. The corporate needed the brand new and improved KFC Rewards Arcade to permit prospects to win immediately and extra usually, in addition to to extend cellular engagement, buy frequency, and, total, be extra enjoyable.

A Scorching and Recent Loyalty Program
The corporate needed to revamp their earlier stamp-based loyalty program and as an alternative replicate KFC’s vigorous, colourful and enjoyable model picture. The purpose was to rekindle joyful reminiscences of taking part in in arcades, providing prospects alternatives to win scrumptious rewards whereas ordering in eating places, at drive-thrus, or via the app. Try the complete story!
A Loyalty Program That Nurtures the Longing for Hen
KFC was seeking to introduce a loyalty program with a distinctive loyalty proposition. They needed to concentrate on generosity, shock, and recognition. Buyer insights instructed that stamp-based techniques had been producing an unfair stability with little private recognition for patrons. The brand new and improved KFC Rewards Arcade, nevertheless, permits individuals to win immediately, extra usually, and in an entertaining method.
Generally, the corporate sought to attain the next objectives:
- Create a loyalty program that has broader attraction
- Encourage prospects to maintain coming again
- Accumulate omnichannel buyer knowledge extra successfully

Three years in the past, we realized our previous points-based loyalty program simply wasn’t partaking our prospects the way in which we needed. We partnered with Antavo to create one thing extra trendy and thrilling—a gamified expertise the place prospects can win free meals each time they order via the app. It’s enjoyable, truthful, and aligns completely with our model persona. Antavo has been the perfect companion all through this journey, serving to us flip loyalty into one thing individuals genuinely take pleasure in.
Excellent Outcomes
The re-imagined KFC Rewards Arcade has confirmed to be a hit amongst prospects and has concurrently moved a number of KPIs for the corporate. Evaluating the brand new program with the earlier one clearly reveals that the moment win mechanic has enormously elevated prospects’ curiosity and engagement in direction of the loyalty program.
Prospects are utilizing and having fun with the brand new KFC Rewards program:
- 31% of consumers declare to make use of the app extra ceaselessly
- 40% is the reward redemption price of the relaunched program
- 53% improve within the variety of app downloads
- 70% would suggest the KFC Rewards Arcade
- 26% improve within the variety of weekly energetic app prospects
- 100% acceleration within the pace of venture supply
Combining Immediate Gratification With Lengthy-Time period Model Attraction
The KFC Rewards Arcade loyalty program, which works completely by way of the KFC app, is spiced up with arcade-style gamification components. For each order over £3, members can scan their QR code earlier than buy, or make an order by way of the KFC app. Once they do, they obtain an in-app invitation to play a minigame by way of a Push Notification or on the KFC app homepage. Those that win are awarded with one in all 12 finger lickin’ freebies. Prospects can play twice a day for the possibility to win free menu gadgets from the lot of rewards out there each day. This system gives an extra component of shock and delight as a result of prospects by no means know what prize they’ll win.

Play to Win Finger Lickin’ Freebies
KFC Rewards Arcade is creatively themed round a gaming arcade and the KFC app includes a vibrant, enjoyable and colourful 3D house. The primary recreation, which marked the KFC Rewards Arcade’s launch, is Hammer Time, a traditional arcade-style recreation the place gamers select one in all three hammers and swing to win by ringing the bell on the high of the tower. As they swing the hammer, an animated 3D motion performs. It’s spectacular, impactful, and gives a possibility for social interplay, as individuals can watch it collectively, cheering for consequence.
Evolving the Gamified Expertise
Following Hammer Time’s success, KFC UK & Eire thought-about easy methods to construct on it. They needed to maintain the expertise recent by altering the sport. Their selection was a pinball-style recreation, an immediately recognizable traditional for all arcade followers. The prize system labored equally, as those that had been profitable acquired free meals gadgets.
The corporate’s selection has been spot on, as “Pinballer” has smashed all of the expectations.
In comparison with Hammer Time, Pinballer delivered:
- A 61% improve in performs
- 60% repeat performs
- 69% improve in rewards received
- 107% improve in rewards redeemed
- 86% of KFC app customers play the Rewards Arcade each time they go to KFC
- 25% of consumers say they use the KFC app extra ceaselessly since taking part in the Rewards Arcade
- 24% of consumers say they purchase KFC extra ceaselessly since taking part in the Rewards Arcade
- 14.8% improve in tokenized transactions
Randomized Rewards Every day
Within the earlier stamp-based program, prospects usually forgot to scan their app. Now, nevertheless, the KFC Rewards Arcade gives attractive video games and alternatives to win free prizes immediately and each day after each buy. Prospects can play the video games simply by making a purchase order in choose eating places, kiosks or drive-thrus, or by ordering a meal via the KFC App. One of these program is an efficient communication platform for introducing upcoming options and video games.

Let the Video games Start
Due to buyer suggestions, KFC knew that it took fairly some time to gather sufficient stamps for rewards of their earlier loyalty program. The gamified loyalty expertise encourages prospects to work together with the model extra ceaselessly, and throughout extra channels — most prominently, on cellular. This strategy additionally permits KFC to gather very important buyer knowledge in a holistic method, throughout a bigger pool of touchpoints, and hold experience-driven prospects engaged for a very long time.
When you’re interested by studying extra about loyalty applications, our loyalty specialists are more than pleased to strike up a dialog. Get the dialog began by sending us an RFP or reserving a demo.
And in the event you haven’t already, make sure that to obtain our case research!

Barbara is a Loyalty Program Specialist at Antavo and a Licensed Loyalty Advertising and marketing Skilled – CLMP. She can be a writing knowledgeable with a number of years of expertise in advertising and likewise within the info expertise business. In her free time she likes touring the world, studying crime tales, and doing crossword puzzles.


