Pizza Salvatoré tops Quebec’s LoyauT 2026 loyalty programme rankings

Pizza Salvatoré has taken first place in Quebec’s LoyauT 2026 loyalty programme rankings on its first appearance in the study. Published on 29 October, this ninth edition places Groupe Abbatiello’s franchised brand ahead of Tim Hortons and Domino’s in Quebec. For the franchise sector, the result highlights the growing role of restaurants in consumers’ loyalty programme habits.

First place on its debut

Pizza Salvatoré’s programme uses a “100 = C$1” formula, according to Les Affaires. Its debut in the LoyauT study has earned it first place in Quebec and sixth across Canada. Chipotle Rewards leads the national rankings.

In Quebec, Tim Hortons’ Tims Rewards programme ranks second after climbing four places. Domino’s Rewards comes third, down two places. McDonald’s rounds out the province’s top four, meaning restaurant brands occupy all four leading positions.

This recognition concerns Salvatoré’s loyalty programme. It is not a ranking of restaurant profitability or franchisees’ financial performance. Operators and prospective franchisees should keep that scope in mind: the rankings provide insight into customer loyalty, but do not replace an assessment of an individual outlet’s results.

Restaurants climb the Canadian rankings

The LoyauT study is conducted by adviso, a Montreal-based marketing consultancy, alongside Ad hoc recherche. The 2026 edition draws on responses from 15,000 Canadians, including 6,400 Quebec residents, and assesses 83 programmes.

The trend extends beyond Salvatoré. Across Canada, fast-food restaurants and coffee shops occupy eight of the top ten places, compared with four in 2025 and just one in 2024. Their presence among the ten highest-ranked programmes has therefore increased substantially over two editions.

In Quebec, restaurant programmes account for half of the top ten positions. According to Les Affaires, their rise has pushed the programmes run by Starbucks, the SAQ and Metro’s Moi out of this group.

These changes reflect shifts in the rankings, not the closure of the programmes concerned. Nor do they, on their own, demonstrate a transfer of sales between brands. The supported finding is that restaurants have a stronger presence among the programmes that stand out in the study.

Recognition for an expanding franchise network

Pizza Salvatoré is Groupe Abbatiello’s original brand. The Quebec family business is run by five of the founder’s grandchildren, and its pizzeria network is expanding through franchising.

According to Les Affaires, the brand has more than 125 outlets across Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, up from 14 in 2020. Its LoyauT result therefore follows a substantial increase in outlet numbers.

These two developments should nevertheless be considered separately. Network growth describes the brand’s geographical footprint; the rankings assess its loyalty programme. The reported findings do not establish that the programme caused this expansion, or what share of sales can be attributed to it.

For the franchise sector, the significance of this news lies in the visibility it gives to a shared tool used by a brand operating across several provinces. Assessing its financial contribution to each restaurant remains a separate question from its position in the rankings.

Plenty of sign-ups, less regular use

The study also finds that Canadians belong to an average of 22 loyalty programmes but regularly use only nine. Both figures are unchanged from 2025. Restaurants are therefore climbing the rankings without any increase in the average number of programmes consumers join or use regularly.

For franchisees, this distinction is a reminder not to confuse membership with usage. A programme can attract members without becoming a habit for every one of them.

Key takeaway: Salvatoré’s first-place ranking is a positive sign for its loyalty programme. Before drawing commercial conclusions, franchisees should separately examine member activity, visit frequency and reward costs at their own outlets.