GYG Singapore thinks your loyalty deserves more than free guac

Guzman y Gomez (GYG) Singapore is moving beyond points and discounts with the launch of "GOMEX 100 day", a new annual initiative designed to recognise and reward its 100 most loyal guests through exclusive experiences.

The initiative is the first of its kind across GYG globally, with Singapore becoming the first market to introduce the programme. It also reflects the brand's strategy to evolve its loyalty programme beyond transactional rewards and towards deeper customer recognition.

Rather than relying on lucky draws or blanket promotions, GYG will identify its top 100 diners through GOMEX, the loyalty programme housed within the GYG app. The brand said the programme is designed to celebrate guests who consistently choose GYG, with the number one top GOMEX member receiving an all-expenses-paid trip to Sydney for themselves and three guests.

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Speaking to MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Adora Sarah Chou, chief marketing officer at GYG Singapore, said the idea stemmed from a desire to rethink how loyalty is recognised in the quick service restaurant sector.

"Loyalty programmes in F&B often default to the same mechanics – spend, earn points, enjoy a discount. It's transactional, and it treats your best customer the same as a lucky draw treats a stranger," she said.

GYG wanted to flip that model by recognising guests who repeatedly choose the brand with an experience rather than another promotion. "Our most loyal guests aren't chasing a discount, they're choosing us again and again, often several times a week, and that deserves genuine recognition, not another voucher," said Chou.

According to the Chou, "GOMEX 100 day" came out of asking questions such as 'What would it look like to thank the hundred people who love us most?'. The answer was simple: not with a promotion, but with an experience. 

The programme is intended to become an annual tradition, with this year's top 100 members invited to an exclusive appreciation event on 31 July before the number one top GOMEX member is revealed.

During the invite-only celebration, guests will mingle with media, creators, food personalities and travel partners while getting a first look at upcoming features for the GYG app. The evening will also recognise the restaurant managers and chefs behind the brand, reinforcing the people behind its food.

The grand prize takes the number one top GOMEX member and three guests to Sydney, where GYG was founded in 2006 by childhood friends Steven Marks and Robert Hazan. Beyond visiting the original Newtown restaurant, the itinerary includes a meeting with Marks and a behind-the-scenes look at the farms and wholesalers that supply the brand's ingredients. Anchoring the prize in the brand's heritage was a deliberate decision to ensure the reward felt authentic rather than simply being another high-value travel giveaway, explained Chou. 

"GOMEX 100 day" sits at the heart of GYG Singapore's wider strategy for growing its loyalty ecosystem, with the brand looking to use customer insights to build stronger, longer-term relationships rather than relying on mass promotions. Looking ahead, the brand will be moving from mass promotions toward genuine, data-informed recognition, using what it knows about its guests to reward them meaningfully. As Chou puts it: 

Loyalty you celebrate once is a campaign; loyalty you celebrate every year becomes part of the brand.

Future editions of "GOMEX 100 day" will expand beyond Sydney to showcase more of Australia's regions, producers and farms that form part of its supply chain, giving future top GOMEX members a closer look at where the brand sources its ingredients.

The next qualification period begins on 1 August, with eligible spending counting towards "GOMEX 100 day" 2027. While attendance and app engagement will be measured, GYG will be looking beyond transactional metrics to evaluate the programme's success.

"Attendance and engagement are the easy metrics, but they're not the point. The real measures are longer-term: retention and repeat behaviour among our most loyal cohort, whether membership feels more valuable to the wider base, and whether guests talk about it, because word of mouth from your best guests is the strongest signal of a thank you," she said, adding that "GOMEX 100 day" is the brand's way of turning loyalty into something fans can feel. 

The launch of "GOMEX 100 day" builds on GYG Singapore's recent efforts to strengthen customer engagement through its loyalty programme. Last month, the brand leaned into World Cup fever with its "Up for the Cup with GYG" campaign, combining match-day promotions, merchandise giveaways and grassroots football initiatives.

As part of the campaign, GOMEX members could unlock rewards if Australia or Mexico secured victories during their opening World Cup matches, with chief marketing officer Adora Sarah Chou saying the activation was designed to deepen engagement with existing customers, strengthen the brand's cultural relevance during the tournament and drive long-term loyalty beyond the World Cup.

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