MERCHANT REWARDS METHODS, SYSTEMS AND PRODUCTS THEREBY

• US 20090018916A1
• Filed: 07/10/2008
• Published: 01/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Transworld Benefits International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Transworld Benefits International, Inc.
• Inventors: Seven, Ryan, Graham, Stuart, Seven, Charles
• Application Number:
  US12/171,222
• Publication Number:
  US 20090018916A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.250
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0215 Including financial accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0258 Registration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants

Abstract

A method, system and products thereby for enhanced customer loyalty program with improved access to restaurant information. The system having a server configured to perform operations including storing restaurant data of a participating restaurant in a database and retrieving the restaurant data in response to a search engine command. The server may be further configured to receive electronic notification from the participating restaurant of a qualified purchase transaction associated with a customer account in a customer rewards program. Additionally, the server may be further configured to transfer an award associated with the qualified purchase transaction to the customer account, and process a customer'"'"'s directive for redeeming the award for use at the participating restaurant.

Claims

1. A system for promoting customer loyalty to a plurality of restaurants participating in a customer rewards program, the system comprising:

a memory for storing data including at least an identifier associated with a customer account in the customer rewards program; and

a processor configured to;

receive the data from a restaurant terminal relating to a qualified purchase of a menu item at a participating restaurant,

verify a customer'"'"'s membership in the customer rewards program,

transfer an award associated with the purchase of the menu item to the customer account, the award selected from a group consisting of a dollar amount, a cash value and a credit point, and

process a customer'"'"'s directive for redeeming the award for use at one of the plurality of participating restaurants.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to trigger the issuance of at least one check, credit voucher, or related electronic equity place holder for redeeming the award.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to trigger the issuance of a diner rewards card with a certain face value for redeeming the award.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to accumulate, in the customer account, additional awards associated with other purchase transactions.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to retrieve, from a database, restaurant data of the participating restaurant in response to a search engine command.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the retrieved restaurant data is mapped out by location.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to receive a customer review of the participating restaurant.

8. A process for providing promotional merchant programs and enhanced merchant data to customers, the process comprising:

storing, in a database, promotional programs and product data for a plurality of participating merchants;

retrieving the product data in response to a customer search engine command; and

providing the promotional program with at least one of the plurality of participating merchants'"'"' product data.

9. The process of claim 8, further comprising mapping out a location of the at least one of the plurality of participating merchants.

10. The process of claim 8, further comprising:

storing merchant data selected from a group consisting of a cuisine, a bar service, an amenity, an entertainment, a handicapped accessibility, and a parking;

receiving filtering criteria for the merchant data; and

filtering the at least one of the plurality of participating merchants'"'"' product data based on the filtering criteria.

11. The process of claim 8, wherein the promotional program is an offer to purchase a gift certificate with face value greater than its sale value.

12. The process of claim 8, further comprising processing a rewards card redeemable with at least one of the plurality of participating merchants.

13. The process of claim 8, further comprising providing a message board to facilitate communication between a customer and the plurality of participating merchants.

14. The process of claim 8, further comprising receiving a customer review of the at least one of the plurality of participating merchants'"'"' product data.

15. The process of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a favorite merchant designation from at least one customer; and

identifying the at least one customer as a member of a merchant fan club.

16. The process of claim 15, wherein the merchant'"'"'s promotional program is provided to the member of the merchant fan club.

17. A machine-readable medium that provides instructions, which when read by a processor, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

storing restaurant data of a participating restaurant in a database;

retrieving the restaurant data in response to a search engine command;

receiving electronic notification from the participating restaurant of a qualified purchase transaction associated with a customer account in a customer rewards program;

transferring an award associated with the qualified purchase transaction to the customer account; and

processing a customer'"'"'s directive for redeeming the award for use at the participating restaurant.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising determining at least one other participating restaurant with similar criteria as the participating restaurant with the qualified purchase transaction.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the restaurant data comprises a restaurant menu item.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 19, further comprising receiving a recommendation or endorsement of the restaurant menu item from a diet company.