The initiative: Jack in the Box introduced an in-app, AI-powered “choose your own adventure” game to deliver more deals to customers and increase engagement.

• The Halloween-themed DealQuest: Revenge of the Munchies offers players the opportunity to unlock discounts on the fast-food chain’s late-night Munchie Meals and other menu items throughout October.
• The deeper players go, the bigger the discounts; since the game is replayable, customers have multiple opportunities to unlock savings.

The trend: More quick-service restaurants (QSRs) are turning to gamification to reverse slumping traffic, spotlight value offerings, and attract more diners to their apps.

• Chipotle brought back its Chipotle IQ trivia game in August, just weeks after lowering its FY sales forecast, with the largest prize pool and longest play period in the promotion’s six-year history. The company gave away over $1 million in free food, with the chance to win further prizes through its “Summer of Extras” campaign.
• McDonald’s revived its Monopoly promotion after nearly a decade, with prizes ranging from $1 million in cash to Best Buy gift cards.

While Jack in the Box’s game is a limited-time promotion, it is a “taste of where we’re headed: a digital ecosystem where great food, craveable deals, and unforgettable experiences come together, and the deeper you go, the more you unlock,” chief customer and digital officer Ryan Ostrom said in the statement announcing the launch.

Our take: Offering gamified experiences is an effective way for QSRs—and even retailers—to get new customers into their orbits while encouraging existing ones to order more frequently.