Strengthening Retention

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Building a great membership program isn’t just about what goes into each month’s drop — it’s about how you keep members excited, connected, and coming back month after month. This guide walks through what works in improving retention and boosting recurring revenue — and how Table22 can support you every step of the way.

🎯 Reducing Cancellations

While some churn is to be expected as life ebbs and flows for your members, we’ve found that programs who maintain monthly cancellations under 6% tend to have stronger member loyalty and better overall performance. Cancellations most often happen when members don’t feel the ongoing value or connection to the experience. Here are a few key levers and recommendations for how to reduce cancellations (outlined in more detail on our Designing Your Membership guide):

1. Reground in Good Value. A lack of good value is the #1 cited reason for cancellations across programs. Even if members love your food or product, they’ll cancel if they don’t feel like they’re getting their money’s worth. We’ve seen partners succeed by offering generous portions within menus that incorporate lower-cost but much-loved dishes like pasta or rice, or proteins like chicken or shrimp.
2. Create personal connection. The most successful programs go beyond food or beverage to create connection with guests. We want them to feel like they’re getting special, members-exclusive access to you! Incorporating a personalized introduction in your menu card or tasting notes — discussing what inspired the month’s menu or even how their continued support makes a difference — can go a long way.
3. Provide advanced visibility. Members are far more likely to stay subscribed when they know what they’re getting each month. Visibility builds anticipation—and prevents churn. Pro tip: Share your menu or contents with us by the 1st of each month so we can include in scheduling communications!
4. Incorporate soft perks. From priority reservations, to first access to events, to on-prem discounts — these exclusive, low-lift moments make members feel seen and appreciated. Our data shows that Table22 programs with soft perks have more than 20% higher retention, and that members who have access to these perks come in on-premise more often. We recommend tagging your members in your reservation platform or POS so you can extend that extra hospitality touch when they come in. Learn more about Soft Perks and our Digital Membership Cards here!
5. Elevate the unboxing experience! Our experience shows that presentation closely predicts consumers’ perception of value, which closely predicts retention. Simple upgrades like branded bags, a polished menu card, and a linked Spotify playlist, and a touch of branding across packaging — can elevate the entire experience. Check out our Packaging Guide here.

The menu card for the Red Hen x All Purpose Chef’s Dinner Club with a personalized note signed from Chef Mike Friedman:

🔁 Reducing Skips

Skipping occasionally is expected, but multiple skips can signal low engagement or unclear value. Here’s how to help members stay excited to receive their monthly experience:

1. Build anticipation for each order. Share previews of the upcoming menus or themes to build excitement and anticipation. Remind them why each month is unique — and worth sticking with. If you share your menu or contents with us by the 1st of each month so we can include in the scheduling communications sent to members!

2. Offer Flexibility Where Possible: To the extent that you don’t face operational constraints, consider more flexibility for pick ups.
• Wider pickup time windows — Ideally at least some of the window is outside of 9am to 5pm working hours. We’ve heard that 2pm to 6pm is a good sweet spot that provides flexibility but doesn’t impact the busiest hours for service.
• Multi-day pickups — Ideally include a weekday and a weekend day (such as Friday and Saturday, or Sunday and Monday) but even multiple consecutive weekdays are helpful!
• Multi-week fulfillments — Some larger programs have had success splitting their fulfillments into two days across two weeks, like the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month. This may be a good option for partners who have a customer base who travel for business frequently.
• Alternate pickup options — Even if you’d like most pickups to occur on a single day, you could have a dedicated “alternate pickup time” for those who can’t make the default date.
3. Make your pickups an occasion that members look forward to! Hosting a pick-up party, offering a small tasting, or honoring members-only specials when dining in (complimentary pour or bite from the kitchen) can turn fulfillment into a memorable moment. We want to give your members a healthy dose of FOMO.

Publican Quality Meats Butcher Club members have their choice between the second and fourth Thursday of each month.

💌 Running Winback Campaigns

Former members already know your brand — and a well-timed, thoughtful re-invite can bring them back.

1. Lead with a discount or offer. Money talks! Most successful winbacks lead with a discount, gift, or unique perk if a member reinstates their membership. Table22 can create and apply a one-time promotion code on your behalf. 20% off your first month back is a good default, offering a discount for 2-3 months is even more compelling.
2. Consider individual outreach. To go the extra mile, consider an individual and personal winback invitation from the chef, GM, or club lead. This approach feels high-touch, genuine, and drives higher reactivation rates than generic campaigns.
3. Customize based on cancellation reasons: Reference cancellation reasons to make the offers feel more personal. If someone left due to pick-up confusion, highlight improved communication or flexibility. If someone left due to perceived poor value, lead with a discount or special offer.
4. Utilize the Table22 Messaging tool. You can download a list of all of your Cancelled Members in the “Members” tab of the Partner Portal to send an email externally. Even better — use the Messaging tool within the Table22 Partner Portal! When you create your message, just select the “Cancelled Members” cohort under Manage Recipients.

Sample Winback Campaign drafted in the Table22 Partner Portal

Still have questions? Get in touch!

We’re here to act as your partner in reducing member churn and driving long-term retention. Whether you're brainstorming a winback message, building a new perk, or just want to gut-check your member experience, we’re here to support. Email us at merchant-partners@table22.com with any questions!