Meet the Loyalty Team: Ilyssa and Max

At 5&5, our Loyalty Team empowers restaurant brands to turn everyday interactions into lasting guest relationships, delivering measurable impact beyond the transaction. In our latest blog, we’re spotlighting two standout team members who specialize in loyalty: Ilyssa Perez and Max Dalebroux. Their passion, dedication, expertise and collaborative spirit set the tone for a team that’s trusted by some of the most beloved names in the restaurant industry.

Get to know Ilyssa and Max

llyssa, our Associate Director of Loyalty, has years of experience building loyalty strategies and brings a strong work ethic to everything she does. Her infectious energy, sharp thinking, and resourcefulness make her someone you want in your court, supporting your goals and initiatives.

Max, our Loyalty Manager, brings calm focus and a meticulous eye to every detail. He’s smart, friendly, and a trusted partner to both clients and his 5&5 teammates. Whether deep in data or shaping new campaigns, Max’s thoughtful approach ensures nothing slips through the cracks and every piece of the program aligns with a brand’s goals.

From strategy development to day-to-day program execution, the Loyalty Team at 5&5 offers end-to-end support that ensures loyalty programs are not only well-built but also continuously optimized. Their work spans everything from strategic intake and platform integration to campaign performance reviews, brand-aligned campaign deployment, hands-on troubleshooting, and seamless communication with client partners. Every step is handled with care, precision, and a deep understanding of what makes restaurant guests come back for more.

Let’s dive into a quick Q&A with Ilyssa and Max to better understand the role our Loyalty team plays and learn a little more about each of them, personally!

How does 5&5 help brands launch loyalty programs?

Ilyssa: At 5&5, we take a collaborative and flexible approach to launching loyalty programs. We kick things off with a discovery call to align with brand stakeholders. During this call we dive into program goals, current setup, active campaigns, guest journeys, segmentation, and any loyalty partners already in the mix. From there, we build out a working doc that acts as a living roadmap for the program. In this doc is where we track campaign planning, future requests, and key milestones. We keep regular touchpoints to stay aligned on business pulse, priorities, upcoming initiatives, testing, and execution. Whether a brand is starting from scratch or already has a system in place, we meet them where they are, either plugging into their current workflow or helping build a workflow from the ground up that is scalable.

What makes a loyalty campaign truly effective?

Ilyssa: The best campaigns start with a clear business goal and are delivered in a way that feels timely, relevant, and personal to the guest. We work as an extension of the brand, gut-checking each initiative to make sure it aligns with what we’re trying to achieve. We gather requirements, confirm what’s possible within the brand’s tech stack, and call out any red flags early on so there are no surprises.

If something needs to be adjusted, we’ll bring strategic recommendations to the table to help the campaign perform better and actually deliver on its goals. Once we’re all aligned, we build out the segments, assets, and workflows needed to bring it to life.

After a round of QA and final approvals, we schedule and deploy. But we don’t stop there—our goal isn’t just getting it out the door, it’s making sure loyalty is truly driving growth. We keep a watchful eye on performance and make optimizations along the way to get the most out of every campaign.

Max: For a loyalty campaign to be truly effective, it must reach the right segment of guests at the right time and include a personalized touch that makes the offer feel relevant and intentional. It is not just about presenting an offer—it is about making the guest feel like it was created specifically for them based on their preferences, behaviors, and habits.

Our approach to campaign strategy always starts with a deep understanding of the brand’s goals, whether that is driving more frequent visits, increasing average check size, launching a new product, or reactivating lapsed guests. With those objectives in mind, we dig into the data to identify the segments that will be most responsive and determine the best channels and timing to reach them.

From there, we build tailored offers and messaging that align with each segment’s unique behavior. For example, that could mean sending a free drink offer to a guest who visits weekly but has not been back in a month, or guiding a new loyalty member through their first few visits with helpful, well timed nudges.

Ultimately, our goal is to create campaigns that not only drive short term action but also strengthen long term loyalty by making every touchpoint feel thoughtful and personalized.

How does 5&5 shape campaign strategy to align with a brand’s long-term goals?

Max: Our approach to campaign strategy starts with a deep understanding of the brand’s goals. With that foundation, we craft offers and content designed to drive engagement and encourage meaningful use of the program. For example, a personalized strategy could be as simple as sending a “Happy Anniversary” message on the date a guest joined the loyalty program, or offering a reward based on their favorite item. For example, if a guest frequently orders lattes, we might send a push notification like: “Your next latte’s on us—thanks for being a loyal member!” These messages not only feel thoughtful but drive immediate action. To take it one step further, we always recommend utilizing dynamic tags that can pull in a guest’s first name so that it feels more personal.

We’ve seen great results from targeting guests based on their visit patterns – specifically whether they have or haven’t visited during certain dayparts. Sending a time-specific offer, like a breakfast deal to someone who typically comes in the evening, can help shift behavior. On the flip side, rewarding guests who are consistent during certain times helps reinforce habits. Product preference targeting is also really effective. Since we can see what guests usually order, we can personalize offers around their favorites or even encourage them to try something new they haven’t ordered before. We also run “Nurture” campaigns that help move a guest from sign-up to their first, second, and third visits. These are especially effective when paired with thoughtful messaging and occasional offers. Lastly, “Winback” or “recall” campaigns are useful for re-engaging lapsed or at-risk guests. Adding a sense of urgency like a limited-time reward tends to drive strong engagement.

There are a few things you can do to make sure your timing and messaging line up with guest behavior, but it really comes down to the data you are able to capture and how strong the platform’s segmentation tools are. For example, in Paytronix, you can segment guests based on when they are most likely to open an email, down to the day of the week and time, based on their past interactions. That means you are not just guessing, you are sending emails at the exact moment someone is most likely to engage. It leads to better open rates, more timely visits, and an overall stronger connection with guests.

Ilyssa: When it comes to campaign strategy, we always start with the business goal. Whether it’s driving traffic, increasing average spend, boosting online ordering, app adoption, optimizing the customer experience for a more personalized and authentic feel, or re-engaging lapsed guests —everything we do ladders up to that goal. From there, we look at how loyalty can play a role in supporting or amplifying that objective.

We build the strategy around who we’re trying to reach, what message or offer will move the needle, and how it fits within the brand’s tech and operational setup. That means making sure the campaign is not only creative and engaging but also executable—and measurable.

Once the planis in place, we map out targeting, build segments, identify the right channels and messages and put workflows in motion. Throughout the process, we’re focused on making sure the campaign is aligned, thoughtful, and ultimately delivers real results for the brand.

How does 5&5 ensure successful execution and redemption of loyalty offers across engagement channels?

Ilyssa: We’re big on making sure everything runs smoothly, so we put a lot of care into testing, and QA.  We know how important it is to get campaigns right the first time, so we take a proactive approach, thinking through edge cases and running things through real-world scenarios before anything goes live. This helps us catch any issues early and make sure every campaign is launched cleanly, consistently, and with confidence.

Max: We make sure everything runs smoothly by staying hands-on from start to finish. We work closely with our brands to set up offers correctly in the system, test everything before launch, and keep the user experience consistent across all channels—whether in-store, in app or online. We also monitor offer redemptions and adjust settings as needed to make sure everything’s working the way it should. It’s all about making it easy for the brand and, most importantly, the guest.

What happens when unexpected issues arise?

Max: When issues pop up, we jump on them fast and keep a clear line of communication while we investigate to keep everyone updated on the issue. We keep a close eye on campaigns as they go live, so if something is off we can catch it early and work with the right teams to fix it quickly. The goal is always to minimize disruption and keep the experience smooth.

Ilyssa: We take a hands-on, cross-functional approach to troubleshooting so we can tackle issues quickly and keep things running smoothly. When something pops up, our loyalty experts jump in right away, running tests, checking logs, and digging into reports to find the root of the problem. If it turns out to be bigger than just loyalty, we loop in our POS and online ordering pros to help get to the bottom of it.

One of our biggest strengths at 5&5 is having a team with deep technical knowledge across the entire tech stack. It means we can move fast, troubleshoot smarter, and solve problems before they turn into real disruptions. Plus, with folks working across time zones, we’re often able to catch and fix things in real time—sometimes before the brand or customer even notices.

What does a loyalty program audit from 5&5 involve?

Ilyssa: A Loyalty Audit is one of our favorite tools for helping brands find new ways to strengthen their loyalty programs and drive real business results. We start by talking with key stakeholders to get a clear picture of the brand’s goals and how loyalty fits into the overall strategy. Then we look at how well the current program supports those goals.

From there, we dig into everything from the value proposition and benefits mix to discount strategy, financials, segmentation, and well the brand is utilizing the platform feature. We want to make sure our brands are getting the most out of what they have and spotting any gaps.

The final deliverable is a clear, actionable set of insights and recommendations, all mapped out in a framework we’ve built from years of experience and industry best practices. Whether a brand is looking to fine-tune what they have or plan something bigger, our Loyalty Audit helps bring clarity, focus, and strategic direction to make loyalty a real growth driver.

Max: A full loyalty program audit from 5&5 is all about taking a step back and looking at the big picture. We dig into the data, review the loyalty program structure, offers, messaging, and how the program fits into the overall customer journey. We also look at how it stacks up against business goals and current consumer trends. From there, we can give recommendations to tighten things up, boost engagement, and make sure the program is actually driving results.

What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?

Max: The best career advice I’ve received is to embrace what feels uncomfortable. That feeling usually means you’re stepping into something new or unfamiliar—and that’s where growth happens. I’ve learned that when I feel uncomfortable, it’s a sign I’m pushing myself in the right direction and it’ll pay off in the long run.

Ilyssa: To me, accountability means doing whatever it takes to get the results you’re aiming for. In my experience, the people who really make an impact are the ones who take ownership and focus on following through, no matter how big or small the task.

What’s your ideal home office vibe?

Ilyssa: I do my best work in calm, quiet spaces, somewhere I can really focus without a lot of noise or distraction (think library or quiet coffee shop). When I hit a wall, I’ve learned that stepping away for a bit (especially if it involves a walk outside) helps me reset and come back with a lot more clarity and fresh ideas.

Max: I like to start my day drinking iced coffee and listening to music or a good podcast. I like to break up the day with a walk outside—it’s the best way to clear my head and recalibrate.

At 5&5, we know that loyalty is about more than offers and transactions; it’s about building genuine, data-driven connections that grow stronger over time. The Loyalty Team at 5&5, including standout leaders like Ilyssa and Max, brings this philosophy to life by combining strategic rigor with a deep understanding of guest behavior. With a relentless focus on personalization, flawless execution, and long-term value, they help our partners turn every interaction into meaningful experiences. Backed by a team that’s as invested in your success as you are, we’re proud to help brands not only grow, but grow closer to the people who matter most.

Curious how we can elevate your loyalty strategy? Let’s talk.