Nonnina is a family-run café in Lachine, Montreal, founded in 2019 by entrepreneur Massimo Cappellano. Inspired by limited local coffee options and named in tribute to his Italian grandmother, the café has grown from its roots in food trucks serving handmade ice cream and panini, into a neighbourhood favorite known for its homemade sandwiches, pastries, and gelatos.
Despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic–when Massimo had to operate with the help of family and friends–Nonnina became a community staple built on authenticity and warmth. In 2023, the café expanded to a larger space in the Lachine market, enabling it to welcome more customers and strengthen its reputation as both a family business and a local gathering spot.
Since late 2023, Nonnina has used DataCandy to power its gift card program, giving customers a simple and convenient way to share the café experience with friends and family. Gift cards not only provide an additional revenue stream, but also help attract new visitors who may not have otherwise discovered the café. For a business built on community and hospitality, gift cards extend that spirit by turning loyal guests into brand ambassadors, bringing others into the fold.
At the same time, Nonnina joined the Cluster family. As its loyal customer base grew and lunch rushes became the new norm, the café recognized the need to adapt. By switching to Cluster POS, Nonnina can now serve its community more efficiently. With an intuitive, user-friendly interface and seamless integrations, the staff stay organized and on top of every rush, supported by Cluster’s technology.
Cluster POS and DataCandy work hand in hand to deliver a powerful customer engagement experience, right at the point of sale. Through this seamless integration, restaurants like Nonnina can effortlessly sell and redeem gift cards, top up balances, and even extend usage across multiple locations, directly from their Cluster POS system. Customers enjoy added convenience with support for Apple and Google wallets, while merchants gain real-time insights through an intuitive dashboard. With robust support, simple setup, and barcode or swiper add-ons, Cluster + DataCandy transform a typical check-out process into gift card and loyalty-building opportunities.
The Challenge
For Nonnina, the challenge was finding new ways to extend its sense of community beyond the café’s walls and bring more people into the fold, while adopting technologies that could help the business scale smoothly. Although the restaurant had built a loyal following, owner Massimo Cappellano wanted a tool that could both strengthen relationships with existing customers and attract new ones, without compromising speed and efficiency behind the counter.
In 2023, Massimo began working with both Cluster and Data Candy — utilizing Cluster as the restaurant’s point-of-sales software, and Data Candy to create Nonnina gift cards. Strong POS technology and gift cards offered the perfect solution for a business looking to scale and gain a loyal customer base.This meant a simple, modern, way for regulars to share their love of Nonnina with friends and family, while also creating an additional revenue stream to support the café’s continued growth. The need to balance community connection with sustainable expansion ultimately led Nonnina to partner with DataCandy and Cluster.
The Results
Since launching its DataCandy-powered gift card program in September 2023, Nonnina has seen impressive results that highlight both the revenue impact and customer engagement potential of gift cards. In less than two years, the café has generated over $20,000 in gift card sales alone, creating a new and reliable stream of income. Beyond the immediate revenue, gift cards also bring new customers through the door—people who may be introduced to Nonnina for the first time through a gift.
With its seamless integration with Cluster POS, Nonnina staff benefit from an intuitive, quick, all in one system. The Nonnina team cites the system as “simple and really easy to use” – with Cluster and DataCandy, increased sales and loyalty don't mean compromising efficiency.
The program has also demonstrated strong engagement, with a 68% redemption rate. This means most of the gift cards sold are actively being used, driving steady foot traffic and reinforcing repeat visits. Every redemption represents not just a transaction, but an opportunity to create a memorable experience that encourages customers to return, even after their gift card balance is gone.
Another benefit for Nonnina has been the 32% of gift card value that remains unused, representing pure profit for the business. Together, these results illustrate how gift cards have become an effective growth tool for Nonnina, combining upfront cash flow, increased customer visits, and long-term loyalty in one program.
On average, customers redeem nearly $18 per transaction, further supporting daily sales and helping maintain consistent revenue flow. This is higher than the national café average of about $13 and even above the quick-service meal average of $16.50, showing that gift card redemptions at Nonnina drive stronger-than-average spend. And because customers often add to their order beyond the card value—a common pattern with gift card programs—the impact on overall revenue is even greater.
TL;DR Nonnina’s Gift Card Program Results
- 68% Redemption Rate – Most gift cards are actively used, driving repeat visits.
- 32% of Value Unused – Represents pure profit for the business.
- Average Spend per Redemption: $18 – Above national café average ($13) and quick-service meal average ($16.50).
- Upsell Opportunity – Customers often add to their order beyond the card value, boosting overall revenue.
Impact: Combines upfront cash flow, increased visits, and long-term loyalty all into one program.
Conclusion
By introducing the Cluster POS system and a DataCandy-powered gift card program, Nonnina has successfully combined its community-focused values with a practical tool for scalability and growth. The results speak for themselves: stronger customer engagement, new visitors discovering the café, and a steady boost to revenue. As Nonnina continues to flourish, reliable technology solutions and gift cards have proven to be more than just a convenience—they’ve become a key driver of the café’s long-term success.