A&W Launches Its Rewards Program: Everything You Need to Know

New A&W Rewards Program

A&W, the entirely Canadian fast-food chain, has just launched its loyalty program. This new initiative allows customers to earn points with every purchase and redeem them for rewards that are as good as its famous Root Beer. Let’s take a closer look at this new program.

How to Sign Up for the A&W Rewards Program

Signing up for the program is simple and free.

If you already use the A&W app, you’re automatically registered. Simply update the app to discover your new profile, points and future rewards.

For new members, you will need to:

• Download the A&W app
• Create an account
• Start collecting points

Earning A&W Rewards Points

At the restaurant checkout, you need to scan the QR code from your app. If you order through the mobile app, everything is done automatically and no further action is required on your part.

The program offers 10 points for every dollar spent on the order subtotal (before taxes and fees). If your invoice subtotal is $20.50, you’ll earn 205 points (10 x 20.50). Eligible purchases are primarily food, as gift cards, merchandise and orders placed with third parties (Uber Eats, Skip+, etc.) do not count.

From time to time, the A&W Rewards program will offer customized offers to provide additional ways to earn points.

Points are then quickly added to the account. They are valid for 12 months after the month in which they were earned. For example, if you collect points on April 23, 2025, they will expire on May 1, 2026.

To do double up, consider using a credit card that earns 5x points on your restaurant purchases, such as the American Express Cobalt^® Card.

You’ll earn A&W points while simultaneously maximizing your American Express Membership Rewards^® points. This way, you’ll double your benefits every time you enjoy your favourite meal at A&W.

Only participating A&W restaurants accept American Express credit cards. In the app, you may be able to pay with them via Apple Pay or Google Pay. If your A&W restaurant doesn’t accept American Express cards, take the opportunity to buy A&W gift cards at the grocery store, which will give you 5x points.

A&W Rewards Structure

The rewards are divided into four levels:

• 300 points: Regular-size A&W Root Beer , small coffee, apple turnover, hash browns
• 600 points: Buddy Burger, small latte, small fries
• 900 points: Onion rings, Mama Burger
• 1,500 points: Teen Burger, Chubby Chicken Burger, Mama Burger combo, Classic Breakfast combo

Thus, you need to spend $30 to get a free reward such as a Root Beer priced at $2.89 or a hash brown priced at $2.29. This translates to approximately 9.6% back if you choose the valuable root soda (2.89 divided by 30). According to our quick calculations, this is the best value you can get from the entire program.

Conversely, you’ll have to spend $150 to get a free Teen Burger at $8.59 (5.7% return) or a Mama Burger combo at $11.79 (7.9% return).

Of course, I recommend choosing the most expensive item at each tier to optimize your reward. But ultimately, take the opportunity to treat yourself to your favourite food and most importantly… for free!

Bottom Line

The A&W program is fairly easy to understand and use. Additionally, you can redeem up to three items per transaction using points, a benefit that other loyalty programs from A&W’s competitors do not offer.

Its only drawback is that it seems that the A&W Rewards program gives less value than the others.

Go further with American Express Membership Rewards

To maximize your Membership Rewards earning, check our complete American Express Membership Rewards program guide and our best American Express Membership Rewards credit cards ranking, updated monthly by the Milesopedia team.