Restaurant loyalty programs have become one of the easiest ways to save money on meals you were already planning to buy. Many chains now offer points, free food, birthday rewards, app-only promotions, or bonus offers simply for creating an account. The catch is that every program works differently, and some require considerably more spending before you receive anything useful. For frequent customers, however, the savings can add up over time. Here are seven restaurant rewards programs that can provide tangible benefits when you use them strategically.