The UK’s largest pizza restaurant group ended its relationship with the discount card specialist in 2019 as it looked to reduce its reliance on so-called deep discounting activity such as offering two-for-one deals on main courses.
Under the new partnership, tastecard and Gourmet Society members will get 25% off the bill at Pizza Express when they dine in.
The deal cannot be used in tandem with the chain’s sophisticated loyalty app, which launched in 2021 and has been a marked success with over two million people now signed up.
The Pizza Express Club offers a wide range of in-restaurant perks to customers across restaurants, delivery and its supermarket retail range.
Benefits for gold members – the app’s highest tier – include free dough balls; free Romana upgrade; free hot drink or Dolcetti dessert; free soft drink or free large water; and a free kids meal.
Other major casual dining operators have followed the group – which operates around 360 pizzerias across the UK and Ireland – in launching sophisticated loyalty apps including Nando’s and Wagamama.
Pizza Express says that 2024 has been a record year for establishing new partnerships.
Deals are also available for those signed up to Blue Light Card and Defence Discount Service; ODEON Cinemas MyLimitless members; O2 Priority; and some uses of the Monzo banking app.
“With many looking to dine out with friends and family during this festive time of the year, today marks a huge win for us,” says Pizza Express chief digital officer Arslan Sharif.
“With Ello Group we will have significant reach and real growth opportunities. Ello Group is a natural fit, focused on hard-working families that deserve some showtime added to their dinnertime.”
Matt Turner, founder and group CEO at Ello Group, adds: “We’ve always had a special relationship with Pizza Express, working together for 12 years prior to Covid. Many of our four million customers have been asking when they would get to use their memberships at Pizza Express again, and we were delighted to be able to tell them that Pizza Express is back.”
