Subscriptions offer a unique opportunity to better serve guests and customers while creating a revenue stream that can support your business during precarious times\u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Much like the precarious times we\u2019ve had over the past few years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Great Restaurant Subscription Shift <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The restaurant industry started exploring subscription models more seriously in 2020. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Motivated primarily by the pandemic-induced need to diversify revenue streams, businesses started turning to subscriptions, reaching an all-time high in Q2 2020. In April 2020, Recurly Research<\/span><\/a> reported the highest growth for businesses trialing subscriptions, peaking at 85% growth and maintaining 60% growth week-over-week. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Fast forward to 2024, and diversifying with subscription models hasn\u2019t gone anywhere but up. Square\u2019s \u201cThe Future of Restaurants: 2024 Edition<\/span><\/a>\u201d reports that 90% of restaurant owners plan to start new revenue streams over the next year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Square also predicts<\/span><\/a> that choices for diversification will be heavily guided by consumer preferences and demographics\u2026 especially Gen Zers, the soon-to-be largest consumer demographic. So, considering 27% of Gen Zers<\/span><\/a> reported that meal kits and subscriptions would attract them to a restaurant\u2026 it looks like subscription-forward diversification is here to stay. <\/p>\n\n\n\n After reading about the industry\u2019s shift to subscriptions, the benefit of a restaurant subscription model seems obvious\u2026 but there\u2019s a caveat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Choosing a one-size-fits-all subscription model rarely works. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n There are hundreds of restaurant subscription options on the market, but they won\u2019t all be a perfect fit for your restaurant\u2019s goals, values, and needs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And, if your needs are hyper-specific, cutting-edge, or \u201cnever been done\u201d by a restaurant before\u2026 then none<\/em> of them will fit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But don\u2019t worry \u2014 there\u2019s an easy solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If no restaurant subscription model fits exactly what you\u2019re looking for, try looking outside of the restaurant industry, instead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There are tons of non-restaurant subscription models that not only offer proven results and successes but can also easily be adapted to the restaurant industry with customizable subscription tech (like Cr<\/span>aver<\/span>\u2019s Memberships & Subscriptions!<\/a>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are some of our top picks for non-restaurant subscription models to draw inspiration from during your restaurant\u2019s subscription development process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Everyone you know \u2014 including yourself \u2014 has probably used Amazon Prime at least<\/em> once. Considered \u201cthe largest and most lucrative subscription on Earth<\/span><\/a>,\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Amazon Prime offers borderline-unbelievable perks like 2-hour delivery, video streaming, reading, music, and more. 167 million<\/span><\/a> people use Amazon Prime in the U.S. alone, helping Jeff Bezos finish Q3 2023 with $143.083B<\/span><\/a> in revenue. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite Amazon Prime\u2019s impressive stats, there\u2019s one thing to note about its success: it\u2019s not about pricing or experience. Because third-party sellers make up over half of Amazon\u2019s marketplace, products aren\u2019t always cheaper on the platform than they are in other places\u2026 plus you don\u2019t typically<\/em> talk to anyone from Amazon unless something\u2019s wrong. Everything about this subscription is purely transactional \u2014 you buy and they deliver (in 2 hours).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ultimately, Amazon Prime\u2019s success boils down to two things: mind-blowing convenience and ridiculous speed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If your restaurant\u2019s guests prioritize convenience and speed above all else, then an all-inclusive subscription model is a great choice. By charging a monthly (or yearly) subscription fee, you can grant consumers \u201call-inclusive\u201d access to certain perks, like unlimited coffee and tea refills, order priority, or even free items.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But remember: you won\u2019t see much face-to-face engagement with a transactional model that\u2019s designed for people to \u201cgrab and go.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re interested in exploring live streaming, then Twitch is the <\/em>place to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Twitch is a live video-streaming platform, most popular for its community of live gamers. But, outside of gaming, curious minds can also turn to Twitch for things like cooking lessons and Esports\u2026 and a lot of people do. Twitch has 140M<\/span><\/a>+ monthly users, 30M<\/span><\/a>+ daily users, and 7M<\/span><\/a>+ active streamers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n By default, Twitch is free to use. But if viewers want to be more involved in their streaming communities, a subscription is their ticket in. Twitch subscribers gain access to a whole range of exclusive features<\/span><\/a>, like subscriber-only chats, ad-free streams, and subscriber badges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For Twitch subscribers, the power to engage is always in their hands. There\u2019s no \u201cone-size-fits-all\u201d subscription \u2014 users choose which communities they want curated, exclusive access to, and which ones they\u2019re okay without. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If your restaurant\u2019s guests prioritize curated experiences and engaged communities, then a pay-and-play model is a great choice. By offering choices for curated experiences \u2014 like an exclusive in-house tasting experience or a members-only coffee club \u2014 you\u2019re empowering them to choose when they\u2019d like to pay extra, and when they just want to be a regular guest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But remember: curating a community isn\u2019t a \u201cfast\u201d thing to do. People who want quick, fast solutions won\u2019t resonate with this kind of subscription. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When it comes to the beauty and skincare communities, IPSY is a top household name. <\/p>\n\n\n\n IPSY is a beauty subscription service that sends subscribers unique, personalized products in a monthly \u201cGlam Bag\u201d. When users sign up for IPSY, they\u2019re prompted to take a \u201cBeauty Quiz<\/span><\/a>,\u201d answering questions about personal preferences, physical attributes, and their favorite brands. Then, IPSY uses these answers to hand-select the subscriber’s products, ensuring they only send products they know the subscriber will like. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Currently, IPSY has 3.5M+ Glam Bag subscribers,<\/span><\/a> each paying 14 USD a month for a hand-selected, totally personalized beauty experience\u2026 but it doesn\u2019t stop there. IPSY also has a dedicated community of beauty lovers, with 3.3M followers<\/span><\/a> on Instagram, celebrity endorsements (like Gwen Stefani<\/span><\/a>), and upgraded (read: more expensive<\/span><\/a>) subscription options. <\/p>\n\n\n\n IPSY\u2019s success is rooted in simplicity: personalization over everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your restaurant\u2019s guests prioritize personalization and feeling seen and heard, then a personalized subscription model is a great choice. A quiz on guest food or drink preferences can result in curated monthly (or quarterly) subscriptions, whether that\u2019s coffee, snacks, wine, or something else entirely. No matter what the subscription contains, it\u2019ll show that you care enough to ask for \u2014 and<\/em> listen to \u2014 your guest\u2019s preferences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But remember: hand-selected subscriptions mean higher involvement and likely a higher price tag. Personalization is not for those seeking cheap, low-involvement options. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Both inside and outside the restaurant industry, businesses are looking toward subscription options as a way to offer curated, engaging, personalized options to their guests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Restaurateurs aren\u2019t jumping on the subscription bandwagon because it\u2019s popular.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They\u2019re doing it because choosing the right restaurant subscription model works<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Sometimes you just need to look outside of the restaurant industry to get the inspiration rolling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And if you’re ready to hop on the subscription train, then you\u2019re in luck \u2014 the Craver Membership feature has officially arrived! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Our Membership feature allows you to customize everything about your subscription, crafting your offer in a way that works for you <\/span>and<\/em> <\/span>your customers. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n![\"Man](\"https:\/\/www.getcraver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/meal-kit.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nLooking Beyond Restaurant Subscriptions <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Non-Restaurant Subscription Models to Inspire You<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. The All-Inclusive Subscription Model<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Popular Example: Amazon Prime<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"Amazon](\"https:\/\/www.getcraver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/amazon-prime-delivery.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nHow it Works:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Best For: Convenience and Speed <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
2. The Superfan Subscription Model <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Popular Example: Twitch<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"Woman](\"https:\/\/www.getcraver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/twitch-subscription.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nHow it Works:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Best For: Curating an Engaged Community<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
3. The Personalized Subscription Model<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Popular Example: IPSY<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"Young](\"https:\/\/www.getcraver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/woman-opening-package.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nHow it Works:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Best For: Creating Memorable, Personalized Experiences<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Wrap Up <\/h2>\n\n\n\n