Frugal Family: Local Merchants Reward Loyal Customers

It feels good to receive a warm welcome.

Personal attention and a keen eye for what customers appreciate is the hallmark of these local business. Owners have found an additional way of thanking and encouraging frequent visits by providing rewards to customers.

Eats & Treats is a charming soup, salad and sandwich shop that prepares daily specials and lets you create your own sandwiches and salads. Its Frequent Purchaser's Card is marked and dated each time you buy anything in the store. After 10 visits you can choose either a free small frozen yogurt, a small salad or a small soup.

, and Oliver’s (Katonah) are a family of restaurants offering the Royalty Rewards Program. You will receive a 5 percent discount off of your bill when you sign up for this (free) program. Diners receive a “thank you “card that looks like a credit card. You present this card each time you pay your bill. For each dollar you spend, you earn one point toward gift certificates. For every 200 points earned, you receive a $10 certificate that can be applied to any purchase of food or drink. Members also receive the "joke of the week” via email bringing them up-to-date information about how many points they need to receive their next certificate. Royalty Rewards also offers money-saving promotions throughout the year including a free meal (with the purchase of a second) on your birthday.

is open 24 hours on weekends and from 6 a.m. until 11 p.m. during the balance of the week, giving patrons ample opportunity to dine time after time. The diner offers two levels of free VIP Club Membership. The Blue and Gold card matures on your 14th visit making purchases of $10 and above, giving you a discount of $10. The Red and Gold card is validated on your 21st visit with purchases of $21 and above, providing a discount of $21.

Pony Express to Go (30 Wheeler Avenue) serves burgers, sliders, chili, hot dogs, chicken, quesadillas and salads using zero trans fats and all-natural, organic, hormone-free and antibiotic-free ingredients. The Premier Pony Rewards Club card is punched each time that you make a purchase of $5 or higher that entitles you to a 10th meal (valued at up to $9) for free. Pony Express To Go also has coupons on their website for food and discounts on purchases of $15, $25 and $45.

Once you have eaten your way through Briarcliff and Pleasantville, you may want to nourish your mind as well. The frequent buyer program provides a way to save approximately 7.5 percent after 15 purchases. Your card is validated at the time of each purchase ($5, excluding sales tax, and up). When your card is completely filled you are presented with a credit equal to the average of those 15 recorded purchases that you redeem, in full, at one time.

“Frugality is founded on the principal that all riches have limits." —Edmund Burke