The platform is simply easier to use, and they've held our hands all the way through. They didn’t just leave us after onboarding—they’re always there to help.
Brand: Lee’s Famous
Concept: QSR, 100+ Locations, Rapid Growth
Integrations: Multiple POS Systems, Voice, Drive-Thru, Online Ordering, Mobile App, CRM, Guest Sentiment
Challenges
The previous loyalty program treated all customers the same
Limited direct communication options.
Difficult collecting loyalty sign-ups in the drive-thru.
Outcome
Points-based reward system which increased loyalty program frequency by 6% YoY.
New integrated SMS opt-in customer journeys and enrollment flows that were integrated into loyalty growing SMS subscriptions 16% in just the first month.
Regenerated interest in a mature existing program, growing membership by 6.5% per month.
"Spendgo helped us grow loyalty member frequency 6% over the last year"
Dan Sokolik
VP of Marketing
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Lee’s Famous Success Story
How Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken Elevated Customer Engagement with Spendgo’s Flexible Loyalty Program
Customer Overview
Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken is a quick-service restaurant (QSR) brand specializing in bone-in fried chicken, with a history dating back to 1966. With over 130 locations across 12 states, the company is well known for its homestyle approach to fried chicken and strong regional presence, particularly in the Midwest.
Dan Sokolik, Vice President of Marketing, oversees the brand’s customer engagement and digital strategy. With a lean internal marketing team, he sought a loyalty platform that would be both effective and easy to manage. “We’re a small brand with a small team,” Sokolik explains. “We don’t have the resources or manpower to tackle incredibly complicated loyalty platforms, so we needed something that actually worked for us.”
To enhance its approach to customer engagement, Lee’s partnered with Spendgo to transition from an outdated check-in-based system to a more structured, points-based loyalty program that could better serve both individual and family meal customers. This shift not only provided greater flexibility in rewarding high-value guests but also positioned Lee’s for future growth, including upcoming AI-driven drive-thru innovations.
The Challenge: Outdated Loyalty Program and Lack of Support Hindering Growth
Before partnering with Spendgo, Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken struggled with an outdated, ineffective loyalty program that failed to engage customers or drive repeat visits. The company relied on a check-in-based system that treated all customers equally, regardless of their spending habits. This approach lacked personalization and failed to properly reward high-value customers—a critical oversight in the competitive quick-service restaurant (QSR) space.
Additionally, as a regional brand with a lean marketing team, Lee’s faced difficulties managing a complex loyalty platform that offered more features than they could realistically use. Their previous provider, despite being a major name in restaurant loyalty, provided minimal customer support, leaving Lee’s without the guidance necessary to make the most of their program
A One-Size-Fits-All Approach That Didn’t Fit
Lee’s previous loyalty program operated on a check-in model, where customers were rewarded equally regardless of their level of spending. This structure failed to differentiate between guests purchasing a single sandwich and those ordering large family meals, leaving high-value customers underappreciated.
“In the fried chicken business, our average ticket varies based on use case,” explained Dan Sokolik, VP of Marketing. “Someone buying a chicken sandwich at lunch was getting the same rewards as a family spending significantly more for a sixteen-piece meal with four large sides. We weren’t differentiating between the two types of customers.”
This oversight led to missed opportunities for deeper engagement and higher customer retention, as frequent and high-spending guests had little incentive to stay loyal.
Over-complicated and Costly Technology
Despite working with a large loyalty provider, Lee’s found the platform to be overly complex and difficult to manage with their small internal team. The system required significant resources to operate effectively, which Lee’s simply didn’t have.
“We were paying for more than we needed and not getting the help to use what we were paying for,” Sokolik said. “As a small brand, we don’t have the manpower to tackle incredibly complicated loyalty platforms.”
Without an intuitive system or sufficient support, the Lee’s team found themselves unable to fully utilize their loyalty program, limiting its effectiveness.
Lack of Support and Strategic Guidance
Beyond the technology itself, Lee’s was frustrated by the lack of hands-on support from their previous provider. While the platform boasted an extensive feature set, it lacked the service necessary to help Lee’s optimize and execute its loyalty strategy.
“The previous provider was a giant in the industry, but as a smaller brand, we were getting less than acceptable service,” Sokolik explained. “We couldn’t even do the basics very well because the platform was complicated, and we didn’t have the support we needed to navigate it.”
This lack of strategic partnership left Lee’s in a difficult position—unable to make necessary changes, struggling with day-to-day operations, and lacking confidence that their loyalty program was driving meaningful results.
In Summary, Key Challenges Included:
An ineffective check-in-based system that did not differentiate between high- and low-spending customers.
An overly complex and costly platform that was difficult for a small marketing team to manage.
Limited support from their previous provider, leaving Lee’s without the guidance needed to maximize its loyalty program’s potential.
Solutions & Benefits: A Smarter, More Effective Loyalty Approach
By transitioning to Spendgo, Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken replaced an ineffective loyalty system with a more strategic and data-driven program that better rewards its most valuable customers. This shift empowered their small marketing team with an easier-to-manage platform, stronger customer engagement, and the flexibility to scale their loyalty efforts as their business grows.
With a streamlined implementation process and ongoing support, Spendgo provided a right-sized solution for Lee’s, addressing past challenges while setting the foundation for future innovations in customer engagement and digital marketing.
Rewarding High-Value Customers with a Smarter Points-Based System
Rather than treating all guests equally, Spendgo’s points-based loyalty program allows Lee’s to reward guests based on their actual spending habits. This system better incentivizes high-value customers, ensuring that those who purchase larger family meals receive more meaningful rewards compared to those making smaller purchases.
“In the past, someone spending a few dollars on a sandwich was getting the same rewards as a family buying a large meal,” said Dan Sokolik, VP of Marketing. “With Spendgo, we’re finally able to recognize and reward our most valuable guests appropriately.”
By shifting away from a generic check-in model, Lee’s has strengthened guest relationships and increased the frequency of visits from its top-spending customers.
Simplified Platform for a Small Marketing Team
With a lean marketing team, Lee’s needed a loyalty platform that was both easy to use and effective. Spendgo provided an intuitive system that eliminated the complexity of their previous provider—reducing the workload and making loyalty management far more accessible.
“We don’t have a massive internal team,” Sokolik explained. “We needed something easier to use. With Spendgo, we can actually manage our program without needing extra manpower just to navigate the system.”
With Spendgo’s straightforward dashboard and operational support, Lee’s now runs its loyalty program efficiently, without the burden of excessive training or troubleshooting.
Ongoing Support & Future-Ready Flexibility
Unlike their previous provider, Spendgo doesn’t just offer a platform—it provides ongoing guidance and support to help Lee’s optimize its loyalty strategy. Additionally, Spendgo’s flexible structure allows for future integrations with AI-driven ordering and other digital initiatives, ensuring Lee’s can adapt its customer engagement efforts as technology evolves.
“One of the biggest differences with Spendgo is the level of support,” said Sokolik. “They didn’t just onboard us and disappear. They’re always available, helping us think through new ways to make the most of the platform.”
With this high-touch support model and the ability to integrate with evolving technologies, Lee’s is now positioned for long-term growth and innovation in customer engagement.
In Summary: Key Solutions & Benefits
A points-based loyalty program replaced the outdated check-in system, leading to stronger engagement from high-value customers.
An easy-to-use platform eliminated complexity, enabling a small marketing team to manage loyalty efforts efficiently without added strain.
Ongoing support and future-ready flexibility provided hands-on guidance and the ability to scale loyalty efforts with AI-driven initiatives.
New Opportunities: Expanding Customer Engagement & Future-Ready Innovation
With Spendgo’s flexible and future-ready loyalty platform, Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken is positioned to expand its customer engagement efforts beyond traditional loyalty programs. By leveraging new technologies and targeted marketing strategies, Lee’s can enhance the customer experience, drive additional frequency, and integrate seamlessly with emerging innovations.
From AI-powered drive-thru ordering to localized franchise marketing, Spendgo’s adaptable platform ensures that Lee’s can evolve alongside industry trends while maintaining a customer-first approach.
Integrating AI-Powered Loyalty in the Drive-Thru
As the QSR industry embraces AI-driven technology, Lee’s is exploring how Spendgo’s phone number-based loyalty system can integrate with AI-powered drive-thru ordering. This approach eliminates the need for app-based logins, making it easier for customers to sign up and engage with the loyalty program while placing their order.
“One of the things we’re really excited about is what AI technology can do for us in the drive-thru,” said Dan Sokolik, VP of Marketing. “We’ve started a pilot test in some of our stores, and Spendgo’s ability to integrate with AI order-taking allows us to collect guest phone numbers and enroll customers into our loyalty program right on the spot.”
By seamlessly embedding loyalty into the drive-thru, Lee’s can create a frictionless experience that increases membership adoption and customer retention.
Enhancing Local Store Marketing for Franchisees
With over 100 locations, including dozens of franchise-owned stores, Lee’s needed a way to empower franchisees with customized marketing capabilities. Spendgo’s localized marketing tools allow individual store operators to run targeted promotions, deliver personalized offers, and engage with customers based on regional preferences—all while maintaining brand consistency.
“Spendgo gives us the ability to do local store marketing,” Sokolik explained. “Franchisees in a particular market that want to be aggressive can use offers and communication tools through Spendgo to reach their guests without having to blanket an offer across the entire system.”
By providing franchisees with more control over customer engagement, Lee’s can boost local store performance while maintaining a unified loyalty experience.
Scalability to Support Future Growth
As Lee’s continues to expand its digital capabilities, Spendgo’s modular approach to integrations ensures the brand can scale its loyalty program at its own pace. Whether through future enhancements in segmentation, multi-channel marketing, or new technology partnerships, Lee’s has the foundation to grow without being locked into a rigid all-in-one suite.
“One of the things we really like about Spendgo is the ability to expand as we grow,” Sokolik said. “Their flexibility gives us the opportunity to enhance what we’re already doing without biting off more than we can chew upfront.”
With Spendgo’s adaptable platform, Lee’s can focus on strengthening its core strengths today while keeping the door open for future innovations.
In Summary: New Opportunities
AI-powered drive-thru loyalty integration enables frictionless enrollment and customer engagement directly at the point of order.
Localized store marketing tools empower franchisees with targeted customer engagement strategies while maintaining brand consistency.
Scalable and flexible loyalty infrastructure allows Lee’s to expand its capabilities over time without committing to unnecessary complexity.
Conclusion
Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken faced significant challenges with an outdated loyalty program that failed to differentiate high-value customers, a complex and costly platform, and limited support from their previous provider. By transitioning to Spendgo’s points-based loyalty system, they gained a more effective, user-friendly, and scalable solution that increased customer frequency, streamlined operations, and provided franchisees with greater marketing flexibility. With AI-driven loyalty integration and future-ready scalability, Lee’s is now well-positioned to continue enhancing customer engagement and adapting to evolving industry trends.