Como

Overview

Como is a customer engagement and loyalty platform for food, beverage and retail businesses. It is best suited to operators that want loyalty, ordering and marketing campaigns to draw on the same customer data; its breadth is useful, but demo-led sales and custom pricing make it harder to assess before committing.

Key features

Como connects data from POS systems, online ordering, apps, websites and Wi-Fi, giving businesses a real-time view of customer activity. That foundation can make audience targeting more relevant, particularly for businesses with several customer touchpoints, but its value depends on the systems a business connects and the quality of the data it gathers.

Loyalty options span points, digital punch cards, cashback, tiers, referrals and mobile Wallet. Businesses can tailor gifts and coupons to member profiles, preferences and purchase history, or trigger them around birthdays and spend thresholds. This range supports varied retention strategies; businesses seeking only a basic points program may find the breadth unnecessary.

The branded app can be customized with a business’s colors, fonts and layouts, and can display news, offers, catalogs and menus. Comillia applies machine learning to segment members, predict behavior from activity history and target offers. These features give marketing teams several ways to personalize campaigns, but are most useful when a business has the capacity to act on customer insights.

Campaigns can run through SMS, push notifications, in-app messages and email, with audience selection, A/B testing and reporting. Rule-based automation and a campaign wizard that suggests campaigns based on business goals can reduce repetitive campaign setup. Businesses can also use feedback and surveys as part of their communications.

Como says customers can place orders through a business’s platform at 0% commission, including through its app, website and social media pages. Its POS API exchanges information to support loyalty, registration, benefit redemption and club payments at the point of sale; Como’s site lists more than 90 POS integrations. It also describes integrations for online ordering, payments, omnichannel communications and kiosks. The ordering and POS capabilities are a meaningful draw for operators trying to connect marketing with transactions, though a business should confirm that its systems are supported during the sales process.

Como’s Knowledge Center offers guides and tutorials, and customers can submit support tickets. Under its privacy terms, the business is the controller under GDPR or business under CCPA for end-user data, while Como acts as processor or service provider. The terms exclude sensitive data such as children’s, financial and health data. Como says it uses appropriate technical and organizational security measures and will notify businesses of security incidents as required by data protection laws. Its external payment processor is PCI compliant, and Como says it does not hold credit card information.

Pricing

Como is paid, with custom pricing. Prospective customers are directed to book a demo, so there is no published self-serve price or plan breakdown to compare. That sales-led route may suit businesses that need to discuss integrations and scope, but it is a drawback for buyers who need to screen tools against a fixed budget before speaking to sales.

Platforms

Como supports Android, iOS, web and API access. That combination covers mobile and browser use as well as system connections, relevant to businesses coordinating customer engagement across ordering and POS channels.

Who it's for

Como is a strong candidate for food, beverage and retail operators that want loyalty mechanics, a branded app, direct ordering and multichannel campaigns linked to customer data. It is less compelling for a business that needs only a simple rewards scheme, or for buyers who require public pricing and a self-service signup. Como was founded in 2005 and lists offices in the USA, UK, UAE, Israel, France and Spain.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Loyalty supports several program types and personalized rewards, giving businesses options beyond a basic points scheme.
• Pros: POS data exchange, more than 90 listed POS integrations and ordering across app, website and social media can connect campaigns with customer transactions.
• Pros: Campaigns combine multiple channels, segmentation, A/B testing and rule-based automation.
• Cons: Custom pricing and demo-led access make it difficult to evaluate cost without engaging sales.
• Cons: The breadth of loyalty, data and campaign tools may be more than a small business needs if it only wants simple rewards.
• Cons: The privacy terms exclude sensitive data, including children’s, financial and health data, which limits what businesses should put into the service.

Alternatives

Businesses comparing restaurant marketing and loyalty tools can also browse Restaurant Marketing Software and Loyalty Program Software.

Sidedoor is worth considering for businesses interested in a free plan that includes guest-list bookings, priority queue skips at participating venues, reward points and five free keys, with a paid Starter plan at £99 a month.

Clover Online Ordering may suit businesses focused on takeout, curbside pickup or dine-in ordering without setup or subscription fees; delivery fees may apply.

Reelo offers a Forever Free plan with SMS and email campaigns plus customer and business insights, making it a potential fit for businesses that want to start with a free marketing tier.

Hang is another paid option for businesses comparing customer engagement software.

Fivestars may be relevant to businesses looking for a customer touchscreen, customer database and automated campaigns.

Fleksa Marketing Automation is an alternative for businesses seeking a branded website, online ordering and loyalty at €99 a month, with a Bundle plan at €199 a month that adds a branded iOS and Android app.

Forge is a paid restaurant platform that directs prospective customers to book a demo.

PAR Engagement is another paid option for businesses comparing engagement platforms.

Verdict

Choose Como if your food, beverage or retail business wants loyalty, branded app features and multichannel campaigns connected to customer data, especially alongside POS and direct ordering. Its strongest advantage is the combination of personalized rewards and operational connections; look elsewhere if published pricing or a simple, self-serve product is essential.