Key stat: 35% of US QSR loyalty members say points expiring too quickly is their top frustration with loyalty programs, the No. 1 complaint in Alchemer's March 2026 study, eight points clear of the next gripe.

Beyond the chart:

• The stakes for fixing these gripes keep climbing. QSR loyalty transactions rose nearly 30% YoY in 2025 while anonymous transactions fell 6.7%, according to PAR Technology's 2026 QSR Operational Index report.
• Meanwhile, value-seeking is funneling more diners onto QSR apps in the first place. Some 44% of lower-income US fast-food consumers have curbed eating out, per YouGov.

Use this chart: Drop this in your loyalty program review to show where reward economics break trust. Use it to benchmark expiration policies against member frustrations when scoping rewards refreshes, or show this to executives debating whether shorter point lives boost engagement or just push members toward competitors.

Related EMARKETER reports:

• 3 Industries Waiting in Commerce Media's Wings (EMARKETER subscription required)
• Infopack: Restaurants 2025 (EMARKETER subscription required)

Methodology: Data is from the March 2026 Alchemer report "2026 Quick-Service Restaurant Study: Winning the Cost-Conscious Diner." 800 U.S. adults ages 18+ who had purchased from a quick-service restaurant in the past month and were current members of at least one QSR loyalty program were surveyed during October 8-9, 2025.

We prepared this article with the assistance of generative AI tools and stand behind its accuracy, quality, and originality.