The old loyalty math—earn a point, redeem a reward—is starting to feel about as fresh as a punch card. And in a market where guest attention is the scarcest ingredient of all, "collect and redeem" simply isn't enough to keep diners coming back.
Enter Island Fin Poké Co. The Hawaiian lifestyle-inspired fast-casual franchise is rolling out a reimagined loyalty program, powered by Hang, that swaps static points for interactive play. Think rotating monthly challenges, mini-games and surprise rewards—loyalty that keeps guests engaged even when they're nowhere near a restaurant.
Loyalty That Plays Like a Game
The new Island Fin Poké Co. app is built to go well beyond the transaction. Members can dive into interactive mini-games and rotating monthly challenges—called Quests—earning rewards for completing activities and visiting their local Island Fin.
The headline feature is the app's Mystery Boxes, which reward guests based on visits, referrals or qualifying purchases. The boxes are available for a limited time before they vanish, injecting a dose of urgency and exclusivity into every interaction. Rewards scale by tier, including:
- Smaller perks like a free topping or fountain drink
- Heftier discounts
- Even a complimentary poké bowl
It's a deliberate design choice: turn one-time transactions into an ongoing guest experience that lives both inside and outside the four walls.
"We've always believed that a great guest experience goes beyond serving great food," said Mark Setterington, founder and CEO of Island Fin Poké Co. "The new loyalty app allows us to extend that experience beyond our restaurant walls by giving guests unique ways to interact with our brand and earn rewards between visits. It's another way we're creating memorable experiences for our Ohana."
Why Hang and Island Fin Are a Fit
Hang bills itself as the AI-native loyalty and personalized marketing platform built for restaurants—one that replaces the legacy stack of loyalty, offers, CDP and CRM tools with a single data model and AI engine designed to engage each customer 1:1 and drive them back.
"Successful loyalty programs start with brands that have authentic relationships with their guests, and Island Fin has built exactly that, which is why they're an ideal fit for Hang's platform," said Chad Fox, Co-Founder and Director of Operations at Hang. "We're excited to bring a new level of engagement to their loyalty program while helping guests discover even more ways to connect with the brand."
For nearly 10 years, Island Fin has served up island-inspired, boat-to-bowl proteins, crisp vegetables and house-made sauces. Founded in 2017, the Florida-based concept now has 15 locations open with more in development—and a shelf of recognition that includes a #29 ranking on Entrepreneur Magazine's 2023 Top New & Emerging Franchises list, a spot on Fast Casual's 2023 Top Movers & Shakers list, and a Top 100 Game Changer for 2022 nod from Franchise Dictionary Magazine.
Why It Matters
For restaurant operators and foodservice executives, this launch is a signal worth reading closely. Loyalty is no longer a discount mechanism—it's an engagement channel, and increasingly a first-party data engine. As third-party cookies fade and marketing costs climb, owned relationships with guests become one of the most valuable assets an operator holds.
Here's the practical takeaway:
- Gamification drives frequency. Quests, Mystery Boxes and limited-time drops manufacture reasons to return—and urgency to act now—rather than passively waiting for points to accrue.
- Engagement happens between visits. A program that lives on the phone keeps your brand top-of-mind on the days guests aren't dining, extending your marketing reach without extra ad spend.
- Consolidated tech reduces friction. Platforms that fold loyalty, offers, CDP and CRM into one AI-driven system can simplify the operator's stack and sharpen 1:1 personalization—an appealing model for multi-unit and franchise brands watching both margins and data.
The lesson for procurement directors, franchise operators and marketing leads: when evaluating a loyalty vendor, look past the points scheme. Ask how the platform builds ongoing engagement, captures usable first-party data, and turns your best guests into repeat—and referring—customers.
The Bottom Line
Island Fin's bet is that fun, surprise and interactivity will do what discounts alone can't: build lasting loyalty within its "Ohana." The app is available now on the App Store and Google Play.
For more on how operators are rethinking guest experience and program economics, explore our coverage of the new economics of craft and top restaurant franchises to consider.
Is gamified loyalty the future of guest retention—or a passing trend? Weigh in with your take in the comments.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine’s “Top 40 Under 40” for founding American Wholesale Floral. Politz is also the founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
