The Loyalty Blind Spot: Are You Rewarding Guests Who Were Coming Anyway?


Most fast casual brands can only see behavior for the roughly one-third of guests enrolled in their loyalty program — the other two-thirds are a black box. Worse, even among enrolled guests, few brands can prove whether a discount or point-based reward actually created a new visit versus just subsidizing a guest who was going to order anyway. As loyalty and marketing budgets tighten, "engagement" metrics like sign-ups and app downloads are giving way to a harder question: incrementality.

This session challenges operators to move past vanity loyalty metrics and build a measurement discipline that separates guests you won with a dollar from guests you paid a dollar not to lose.

Goal: Give operators a framework for auditing their loyalty/marketing spend against actual incremental visits and lifetime value — not signups or redemption rates — and for extending that visibility to non-enrolled guests.

Panelists
Dessie Brown
Director of Marketing
Feng Cha
Dessie Brown is the Director of Marketing for Feng Cha, one of the nation's fastest-growing premium boba tea franchise brands, where he leads national brand strategy, franchise marketing, digital innovation, community partnerships, and customer engagement across the company's expanding footprint. With more than 20 years of experience in marketing, media, and brand development, Dessie specializes in building brands through strategic storytelling, cultural relevance, and data-driven growth. He has worked with clients such as McDonald's, Yum Brands, AT&T, Wingstop, MLB, NASCAR & more. Dessie most recently spearheaded Feng Cha's strategic partnership with TikTok Go and their collaboration with Red Bull.
David Daniels
Chief Marketing & Digital Officer
Potbelly Sandwich Works
David Daniels is a marketing executive with more than 20 years of experience leading some of the world’s best-selling consumer brands. He brings a strong blend of marketing and sales expertise across consumer products, QSR, hospitality, retail, and e-commerce, with a proven track record of revitalizing underperforming businesses and driving growth. He has led high-impact initiatives for well-known brands including Stella Artois, Michelob Ultra, Bud Light, and Pizza Hut, delivering award-winning campaigns and measurable results. David currently serves as Chief Marketing and Digital Officer at Potbelly Sandwich Works, where he leads brand, digital, and growth strategy for the iconic sandwich concept known for its hot, oven-toasted sandwiches and craveable menu offerings since 1977.
Stacy Fields
Vice President of Marketing
MOOYAH Burgers, Fries and Shakes
Stacy Fields is the Vice President of Marketing at MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes, where she leads brand strategy, digital marketing, loyalty, and franchise marketing initiatives. Passionate about building brands that people genuinely connect with, Stacy believes the best marketing starts with great relationships—between teams, franchisees, and guests. With more than a decade of experience in the restaurant industry, Stacy's background includes MOOYAH, Krispy Krunchy Chicken, and UMI (now HYVE), a restaurant marketing agency focused on franchise growth. She combines data-driven strategy with authentic storytelling to create marketing that builds loyalty, drives growth, and reflects the heart behind the MOOYAH brand.
Alex Stucky
Director of Digital Marketing
Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburger
Moderator
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