Dive Brief:

• Denny's will offer free delivery through Dec. 19 on all digital orders placed via its website and mobile apps, according to a press release. The promotion is part of the restaurant chain's partnership with "The Matrix" franchise.
• During the promotion, Denny's Rewards members will experience a version of "The Matrix" where personalized "glitches" provide randomized, movie-inspired offers — like free menu items and special discounts — in their digital wallets through Jan. 4.
• The promotion allows Denny's to trumpet its digital transformation through a partnership with one of the year's most anticipated film releases. Warner Bros. will release "The Matrix Resurrections" in theaters and on HBO Max on Dec. 22.

Dive Insight:

Denny's latest activation around its partnership with "The Matrix" franchise comes as restaurant brands address consumer behavior changes — especially related to on-premise dining — that have been accelerated by the pandemic. The tie-in allows Denny's to amplify its digital transformation around digital ordering, delivery and its loyalty program while staying true to its brand, the company's chief brand officer, John Dillon, said in a press release.

"Creating personalized experiences for our guests has been an important part of our brand equity for nearly 70 years," Dillon said.

By using its rewards platform to recreate an experience inspired by "The Matrix" and the "glitches" that are part of the franchise's lore, Denny's can tap into culture around one of the year's most anticipated films. "The Matrix Resurrections," due in theaters and on HBO Max on Dec. 22, is the first installment in the franchise since 2003. Engaging with consumers around culture has increasingly been a marketer priority, and Denny's previously created accounts on video game platforms to connect with customers and offer them discounts on food.

The "Matrix" tie-up — which will continue into 2022 — follows Denny's recent efforts to revamp its digital experience, including a new digital app, personalized profiles and a digital wallet for rewards. Restaurants, especially QSR chains, have invested in loyalty rewards programs to engage consumers, as 57% of people who already use at least one restaurant's loyalty program would spend more on food orders from other restaurants if they offered loyalty programs as well, per a Patronix and PYMNTS study.