Summer’s the season when new faces flood your business—people eager for cold drinks, tasty treats, and fun experiences. But what if you could turn those summer visitors into loyal customers who keep coming back all year long?
That’s exactly what smart summer loyalty campaigns do. By offering timely rewards, challenges, and perks, you can make sure your customers don’t just visit once—they make your business a regular part of their routine.
Let’s take a look at some of my personal favourite summer campaigns and some easy tips to make them work for your loyalty program.
Cool drinks, hotter sales. A chilled beverage is one of the easiest ways to pull customers in during the summer heat—and once they’re in, they’re more likely to stay for a full order.
McDonald’s nails this with their Summer Drink Days campaign. Loyalty members can grab any size iced coffee, fountain drink, or iced tea for just $1, along with $1 ice cream cones—but only if they’re part of the app. Non-members? They pay more for larger sizes, making the value of signing up obvious.
It’s a simple but smart move: customers show up for the deal, and while they’re there, they’re tempted to add fries, a burger, or a sweet summer treat. It keeps McDonald’s top of mind and builds a repeat habit all summer long.
Here are some tips to make a summer drinks promo work for your business:
Why it works:
A promotion like this plays off of exclusive pricing for loyalty members. The immediate savings encourages sign up on the spot.
There’s something about earning points that just feels like free money (author’s note: I cannot resist a double points day).
Double points (or double rewards) promotions tap into that irresistible feeling, giving customers an extra reason to visit, spend a little more, and keep coming back.
Sephora’s Beauty Insider program runs special 2x, 3x, or 4x points events where members can rack up extra points on their purchases. The points multiplier often depends on their tier (Insider, VIB, or Rouge), making top-tier members feel extra valued while encouraging others to level up. These events are promoted via app notifications, email, and social media—driving visits and higher basket sizes as shoppers jump at the chance to boost their points faster.
Here’s how you can make double points work for your business:
Why it works:
People love getting more for what they were already planning to buy—and knowing they can earn double points nudges them to make that extra trip, buy that extra drink, or visit during slower times of day. It’s a simple way to keep your business top of mind and boost frequency throughout the summer.
Gamifying your loyalty program is a great way to turn your summer specials into interactive experiences customers want to play—and win.
PC Optimum’s Scratch to Win campaign from the PC Summer Insiders Report nails this approach. Customers “scratch” three cards in the app, and if they match, they win a prize—usually a discount on a summer-related item, like 40% off PC brand BBQ sauce.
It’s a win-win: customers get the thrill of winning something, while retailers boost sales of seasonal products they want to highlight—whether that’s BBQ essentials, ice cream, camping gear, or other summer must-haves.
Here are a few interactive game ideas to power your seasonal loyalty specials:
The key to using this campaign is to offer bonus points or exclusive discounts on summer items that your customers are likely going to love or that you want to promote.
Why it works:
Gamification isn’t just fun—it delivers real results. Brands that use gamification have seen a 47% rise in engagement, 22% boost in customer loyalty, and 15% lift in brand awareness.
Just like interactive games, loyalty challenges give customers that extra motivation to visit again and again—but instead of winning instant prizes, they’re working toward a bigger reward over time.
Starbucks shows how powerful a seasonal challenge can be with its Summer Game. Through their app, Starbucks Rewards members can complete tasks like making a purchase or trying a featured item to unlock chances to win prizes—from bonus stars to free drinks to sweepstakes entries for bigger rewards. With up to two plays per day, it encourages repeat visits and keeps customers engaged all season long.
Here are a few tips to implement summer challenges into your loyalty program:
Why it works:
Time-limited loyalty challenges give people a reason to visit more often, try new items, and stay connected to your brand. When customers feel like they’re working toward something, they’re more likely to return and engage.
Summer is better with friends—and your loyalty program can help bring them along. A referral bonus that rewards both your customer and their friend turns casual visitors into enthusiastic advocates.
Uber Toronto ran a special referral promo that doubled the usual sign-up offer—just for the season. Instead of the standard $10, both the referrer and the new rider received $20 in Uber credit when the friend completed their first ride. By timing it during sunny months when people were out enjoying patios, concerts, and festivals, Uber made it extra appealing to bring friends along—and boosted their summer rider base.
Referral promotion ideas to try this summer:
Summer is prime time for sharing recommendations—whether it’s your go-to patio or your favorite cold drink spot. After all, 89% of people trust recommendations from friends and family more than any other form of advertising.
Pro-tip: With DataCandy’s built-in refer-a-friend feature, you can easily set up referral offers that reward both the customer and their friend automatically—whether that’s bonus points, discounts, or free treats. It’s simple to launch, track, and promote, so you can turn summer visits into long-term loyalty.
Launching a summer loyalty campaign is just the start—here’s how to make sure it delivers results all year:
With a bit of ongoing attention and adaptation, your summer loyalty campaign can become a year-round engine for repeat business and customer happiness.
P.S. If you want more ideas on how to collect and use customer data to grow your loyalty program, check out our blog on turning tourist season into data season for practical tips.
Summer loyalty campaigns aren’t just about seasonal spikes—they’re your chance to build lasting relationships that keep customers coming back all year.
By combining fun incentives, smart data tracking, and meaningful rewards, you can turn casual summer visitors into loyal advocates. Start planning your campaign today, and watch your business thrive even when cold weather starts to kick in.