Want to feel special? Stores and restaurants with paid memberships are betting on it
Paid loyalty programs are all the rage in the restaurant and retail worlds. Looking for reliable sales in an unpredictable spending environment, more companies have extended their points-based loyalty tiers to making their most dependable customers feel valued for an up-front fee. So how much does it cost to feel special? At family entertainment and pizza chain Chuck E- Cheese, the price is $7.99, $11.99 or $29.99 per month. In retailing, Target Corp. is taking on the Amazon Prime juggernaut with a paid loyalty program that will cost $99 annually a year. Then there's a shopping app called Long Story Short that will cost members $1,000 monthly for anonymous access to hard-to-get luxury goods.