Industry: Restaurant & Hospitality

Use Case: Customer retention, loyalty programs, guest engagement

Product used: Fortis Loyalty

Polline Italian Restaurant is a family-friendly dining destination located within the Beachwalk Boutique Hotel near Jumeirah Beach. Led by Managing Director Nihal Pawar, the restaurant has built a reputation for serving authentic Italian cuisine, offering everything from all-day breakfast and freshly made pizzas to handcrafted pasta dishes prepared with traditional techniques.

Beyond dining, Polline has become known for creating memorable customer experiences through its interactive pizza and pasta-making workshops, allowing guests to engage with the culinary process and connect with the brand in a unique way.

With a strong focus on hospitality and community, the team is always exploring new ways to strengthen relationships with guests and encourage repeat visits.

The Challenge

As Polline continued to grow its customer base, the team wanted a simple and effective way to reward loyal guests and encourage repeat business.

The restaurant was looking for a solution that would give an incentive to customers to choose Poline repeatedly without creating any friction in the process.  They needed a solution that was easy for both staff and customers to use and could seamlessly integrate into day-to-day operations.

There were several options on the market: they could either go for an app, but customers usually don’t prefer downloading one. The second option was to launch a physical stamp card. However, there was always the risk of customers losing it.

The Solution

Polline then came across Fortis Loyalty Program, a digital loyalty solution that allows merchants to reward customers with points or stamps without the need of downloading an app.

With Fortis loyalty program, Polline was able to launch branded digital loyalty cards. The sign up process was simple for customers, all they had to do was:

1. Scan a QR code placed on the tables
2. Sign up using their phone numbers
3. Add the restaurant’s digital loyalty card to their digital wallet.

The loyalty program allowed customers to earn points on their purchases and redeem rewards on future visits, creating an additional incentive for guests to return and engage more frequently with the brand.

Driving Customer Engagement

Since launching the program, Polline has seen strong enthusiasm from customers.

Guests have been excited to earn points and redeem rewards, adding a new layer of value to every visit. The program has also contributed to positive customer feedback and reviews, helping strengthen relationships with regular diners while enhancing the overall guest experience.

By rewarding repeat visits, the restaurant has been able to create stronger customer connections while encouraging long-term loyalty.

The Impact

Although still in its early stages, the Fortis Loyalty Program has already generated encouraging results for Polline.

The restaurant has benefited from:

• Increased customer excitement and engagement
• Positive feedback from regular guests
• A simple and easy-to-use loyalty solution
• Strong support during implementation and onboarding
• Additional incentives that encourage repeat visits

The positive response from customers has reinforced the restaurant's commitment to building lasting relationships with its community.

Looking Ahead

With strong early feedback from customers, Polline is excited about the future of its loyalty program.

The team continues to focus on delivering exceptional dining experiences while exploring new ways to reward and engage guests. As the program grows, Polline looks forward to strengthening customer loyalty and creating even more reasons for guests to return.

Why Fortis Loyalty

For hospitality businesses, creating memorable guest experiences goes beyond great food and service.

Fortis Loyalty gives restaurants like Polline a simple way to reward customers, encourage repeat visits, and build stronger long-term relationships. By making rewards easy to earn and redeem, the platform helps businesses turn satisfied guests into loyal customers while supporting continued growth.

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