Chipotle Relaunches Rewards and Brings Back Its Hockey Jersey BOGO

Chipotle is running two campaigns at once this week, and together they sketch out a picture of where the brand is putting its energy.

On April 13, the chain relaunched its rewards program under a new platform called Rewards on Repeat.

It features monthly free food drops, a redesigned app, extended points expiration, and lower redemption thresholds for its 21 million active members.

Three days later, it announced the return of its Hockey Jersey BOGO for the sixth consecutive year, timed to the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on April 20.

One move is about deepening loyalty infrastructure, while the other is about showing up when hockey fans are paying attention.

Both are aimed at the same audience.

Rewards on Repeat and Gen Z Loyalty

Chipotle's rewards relaunch comes at a moment when Gen Z is actively reshaping how restaurant loyalty programs work.

According to data from PAR Punchh cited by Business Insider, nearly half of all new restaurant loyalty signups in 2024 came from Gen Z.

This marks the first time the generation overtook millennials in loyalty enrollment activity.

The National Restaurant Association's 2026 State of the Restaurant Industry report also found that Gen Z adults now average 4.4 restaurant loyalty memberships, above the overall average of 3.6.

One in four diners say they would switch to a less-preferred restaurant for better loyalty perks, according to PAR survey data from December 2025.

Chipotle's relaunch has been built around this data.

The new program extends points expiration from six months to a full year with just one qualifying purchase, introduces immediate rewards for new members, and lowers the point thresholds in its Rewards Exchange.

The brand has also identified a clear gap.

While 90% of digital transactions are linked to Rewards, only around 20% of in-restaurant transactions are.

To address this, the relaunch includes in-store signage, crew incentive programs, and physical placements across cups and receipts.

The Hockey BOGO and What It Does for the Program

On April 20, fans who wear a hockey jersey to a participating Chipotle location after 3 p.m. local time can claim a buy-one-get-one entree.

This is the sixth consecutive year Chipotle has run the promotion, but this year it's added a new component.

A limited-edition Chipotle hockey jersey is available only through the Rewards Exchange, with just 75 units on offer.

Putting the jersey exclusively through the Rewards Exchange gives existing members a reason to log in.

It also gives prospective members a reason to sign up, while being timed to one of the most culturally engaged moments in the North American sports calendar.

Chipotle is also an official partner of both the NHL and the NHLPA, and has contributed more than $190,000 to grassroots hockey organizations across North America.

This includes over $52,000 through more than 300 fundraisers in 2025 alone.

Here are some things brands building loyalty strategies around Gen Z and seasonal activations can follow:

• Close the in-restaurant enrollment gap: Chipotle's 70-point gap between digital and in-store Rewards participation is a reminder that loyalty infrastructure needs physical touchpoints.
• Use limited-edition items to drive loyalty engagement: The 75-jersey release gives the Rewards Exchange a reason to exist outside of points redemption.
• Stack seasonal activations with platform relaunches: Launching Rewards on Repeat days before the Hockey BOGO gives the program a cultural milestone to attach itself to from day one.

The brands that build the most active loyalty bases tend to be the ones that give members a reason to open the app on days they are not ordering.

Our Take: Is Chipotle Getting Loyalty Right?

We think the sequencing here is smart.

Relaunching a loyalty program is a quiet news story.

Pairing it with a sixth-year cultural ritual that generates real foot traffic and a scarce physical collectible gives the relaunch something to attach itself to in the first week.

The in-restaurant gap is the most interesting strategic challenge Chipotle is naming publicly.

Doubling in-restaurant enrollment from 20% to 40% would have a measurable impact on the business, and tying crew incentives directly to signups is an effective way to pursue it.

In other news, Grubhub recently launched its Fee Return campaign ahead of Tax Day, giving diners $100,000 in credit for fees paid on any delivery app in 2025.

Restaurant brands building loyalty programs for Gen Z need agencies that understand how to connect digital rewards infrastructure with real-world cultural moments.

Explore the top food and beverage marketing agencies in our directory.