Why Prezzo Italian’s Loyalty Relaunch Is More Than Just Pasta and Points. A deep dive into one of the boldest loyalty transformations in UK hospitality

Why Prezzo Italian’s Loyalty Relaunch Is More Than Just Pasta and Points

Hospitality is hard, where attention spans are short, brand fatigue is real, and digital transformation is no longer optional, legacy brands are under more pressure than ever to stay relevant. But while many attempt flashy rebrands or bolt-on tech gimmicks, few achieve a true reset.

Prezzo Italian just might be one of those few.

Under the leadership of CEO James Brown, with Mark McCulloch as CMO and Brand Consultant, David Broom as CIO, and a tech stack powered by Pepper, the brand has undergone a loyalty-driven transformation that’s been as brave as it has been bold. The new app didn’t just land with a quiet update, it debuted at #1 in the App Store’s Food & Drink category and became a springboard for reshaping how the brand connects with modern diners.

But this isn’t just a story about downloads or discounts. It’s about how brand clarity, thoughtful technology, and strong operational execution can breathe new life into a tired name, while creating a playbook for the rest of the industry.

The Brand Reality Check

When Mark McCulloch joined Prezzo Italian, it was with a clear brief: refresh the brand. But what he discovered was a much deeper opportunity, and a risk.

“Prezzo was known, but not considered,” Mark explained. “The branding had become so abstract that people didn’t even realise we were Italian. That’s a problem when you’re serving pasta and pizza.”

Rather than rebrand entirely or strip everything back, the team made a conscious choice to reframe Prezzo Italian as the home of the classics. The insight? People weren’t looking for innovation, they were craving familiarity done well. Lasagne. Garlic bread. Tiramisu. That’s the brand’s heritage, and the emotional hook.

And crucially, this repositioning wasn’t just for a niche audience. The sweet spot was, and remains, mainstream Britain. That meant thinking more like ITV1 than Sky, more Clubcard than Soho House. In short, relatable over rarefied.

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From Pointless Points to Purposeful Loyalty

Enter David Broom, CIO of Prezzo Italian and one of the most quietly influential figures in the transformation.

David had seen leadership teams come and go in his 11+ years at the business. But the arrival of JB and Mark signalled a step-change: the vision was no longer incremental, it was holistic.

“It wasn’t just about putting in an app,” David said. “It was about redefining how we engage guests, from their first visit to the third or fourth, and beyond.”

Rather than defaulting to a points system or basic discounting, the team wanted to create something more experiential, more layered, and more rewarding.

With Pepper onboard as the delivery partner, the team built Club Prezzo, a tiered loyalty programme offering Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels, each tied to visit frequency and packed with tangible rewards.

From a free Italian doughnut on sign-up (now one of the most popular items on the menu) to Club Pricing (a nod to Tesco’s Clubcard) and refer-a-friend incentives, the app became a genuine driver of revenue and retention.

Critically, it wasn’t just a points card, it was a new guest experience.

Tech That Works Because It Fits

One of the most impressive elements of the Prezzo Italian relaunch wasn’t just the speed or scale, it was the restraint.

Rather than rip out legacy systems, David and his team prioritised integration over innovation. They stuck with their POS (despite its age) and built everything around making that work. This pragmatic approach enabled the team to invest where it mattered: the guest journey.

The result? A hybrid app that allows guests to order drinks the moment they sit down, view menus, redeem rewards, and split bills, all while feeding crucial data back into the CRM. It’s smooth, modular, and scalable.

And from day one, it delivered.

• 5% of all covers are already transacting through the app
• App users spend £1+ more per head on average
• They tip more, order more sides, and are demonstrably more engaged

It’s not a leap to suggest that what was once seen as a loyalty scheme is quickly becoming a new operational model.

Culture Eats Tech for Breakfast

Perhaps the most underrated part of the story? The internal rollout.

Prezzo Italian didn’t just “launch an app”, they galvanised a team.

The summer conference served as the internal launchpad, where the app was introduced not as a tool, but as a movement. JB took to the stage. Mark presented the rationale. The product team held focus groups. QR codes went on every table. Regional champions were trained. And every GM was brought into the “why” behind the change.

The result? When the app hit the public, staff were ready, not just to explain it, but to champion it.

That’s where so many brands go wrong. Tech without cultural buy-in is just clutter. Prezzo Italian proved that the tech your team loves is the tech your customers will use.

Offers, Audiences and the Psychology of Free

The launch campaign was a masterclass in strategic generosity.

From 99p pasta to £1 mains and free Nutella balls, Prezzo Italian didn’t hold back. But these weren’t just giveaways, they were onboarding levers. To unlock them, guests had to download the app. And once inside the ecosystem, the data engine began.

In the first month alone, 100,000+ customers signed up. Some arrived for the deal, but many stayed for the value. And as Dom Rosenfold from Pepper noted, this is where the real power begins.

“Loyalty today is about progression,” Dom said. “You need to reward guests for the journey they’re on, not just the money they spend.”

And that’s what Club Prezzo does. Whether it’s through tiered rewards, refer-a-friend, or personalised offers, the system is designed to reward frequency and deepen relationships over time, not just drive one-off discounts.

The Data Layer and What Comes Next

This isn’t a short-term play. The next phase for Prezzo Italian is all about intelligence.

Now that the data is flowing, David and team are layering in AI and machine learning to start segmenting audiences and creating more meaningful, timely communication. Think students, parents, lapsed guests, frequent silver-tier diners, all treated differently, but all within the same ecosystem.

There are also CRM upgrades underway, deeper POS integrations planned, and the wider rollout of QSR screens and Dojo terminals, all of which support the broader vision: a smarter, faster, more connected Prezzo Italian.

“We’re not trying to be Spotify,” said Mark. “We just want to make eating out feel a bit more personal, a bit more intuitive, and a lot more rewarding.”

Final Thoughts: What Can the Industry Learn?

So what does this all mean for hospitality leaders watching from the sidelines?

Here are the takeaways:

1. Clarity beats cleverness.

Prezzo Italian leaned into the familiar, not the flashy. The result? A brand that makes sense to its audience.

2. Don’t wait for perfect.

The app wasn’t flawless on day one. But it worked, and it improved rapidly. Better done than delayed.

3. Reward progress, not just payment.

Loyalty isn’t just about points, it’s about taking guests on a journey. Club Prezzo proves that.

4. Tech must fit your culture.

David Broom made it clear: integration trumps invention. Your systems need to work for your teams, not just your roadmap.

5. The best marketing is internal.

Staff adoption was one of the biggest drivers of success. Don’t launch tech, launch belief.

6. Don’t fear big offers, if they build your funnel.

£1 mains sound expensive. But not if they bring in lifetime value. Think funnel, not flash sales.

A New Chapter for a Classic Brand

Prezzo Italian has always had good bones. But what the team has built over the last year is something far more valuable than a new app or loyalty programme, it’s a foundation for long-term guest relationships.

In a world where many hospitality brands are chasing short-term tactics or outsourcing their loyalty to third parties, Prezzo Italian is building something deeper. Something stickier. Something that feels… well, Italian.

And if that sounds like something your brand wants to emulate, there’s plenty to take note of.

One doughnut at a time.

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