Subscriptions

Make your customers at home feel like they never left

Your relationship with your customers doesn't have to end when they leave your physical location.

With a subscription program, you'll bring in recurring revenue, build your brand beyond your brick-and-mortar, and connect with customers—even when they're far away.

The Third Place helps you launch and grow a subscription program that's uniquely yours.

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Create a monthly product drop that sparks excitement for what's next. A wine club. A seasonal meal kit. An online forum for regulars to go behind the scenes. And more.

Build your subscription program on The Third Place

Customize your subscription page

Choose your colors, images, and logos. The page is automatically SEO-optimized and user-friendly.

Manage your subscriptions in one place

Organize pickups and deliveries. Send order updates and announcements (in bulk and 1:1). Get customer data. Configure billing. All on a streamlined dashboard that works with the tools you already use.

Show your customers some love

A dedicated member portal lets your customers easily skip, or edit their subscriptions by themselves, drastically reducing customer support time on your end.

It's easy to get started on The Third Place

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Set up a call with us and we'll build your subscription program together. You'll be ready to launch in as little as a week.

Onboard your team

Our visual guidebooks and intuitive backend make onboarding and training a breeze.

Get the word out

Our marketing guide will help launch your subscription program, while our built-in automations will keep it growing.

“The Third Place has made managing our sake and wine club incredibly easy. Whenever there is an issue, the team is quick to resolve it. It's also wonderful to see the community of restaurants and bars featured on their platform, which truly showcases the best.”

Angel DavisOwner, Millay

How our partners thrive with subscriptions

Verjus brings eclectic wines and French-inspired cuisine to San Francisco

Verjus pairs seasonally inspired French cuisine with an acclaimed wine program featuring small-scale, organic growers from around the world. Wine Club members receive sommelier-curated selections, spanning rare cult bottles to celebrated vintages.

Wine Club
One to three bottles each month, handpicked by Verjus' Wine Director, Matthias Cattelin, ranging from adventurous discoveries to rare and exceptional finds.

Visit Verjus

Silgaban: healthy, homemade Korean meal prep

Born from founder Joseph Shin's lifelong passion for food and countless hours spent in the kitchen alongside family in Korea, Silgaban offers a weekly rotating menu of hearty soups, protein dishes, and banchan, designed for families or individuals seeking the comfort and nutrition of homemade Korean meals.

Meal Prep Subscription
Weekly rotating menu delivered Bay Area-wide, with flexible subscription options to customize portion size, delivery frequency, and the option to pause or cancel anytime.

Visit Silgaban

Experience Sorrel's Michelin-starred California-Italian cuisine from the comfort of home

A quarterly rotating basket of high-quality provisions and handpicked wines, designed to be an extension of the restaurant experience beyond the dining room.

Provisions Club
Thoughtfully curated food and provisions, featuring creations from Sorrel's kitchen and seasonal produce from Bay Area farmers.

Wine Club
6 bottles per quarter, curated by Beverage Director and Advanced Sommelier, Thomas Renshaw.

Visit Sorrel

“Prior to The Third Place my subscription management was a series of confusing spreadsheets wasting so much time trying to stay organized. Since I have been using The Third Place platform, I am relieved that things are not falling through the cracks. I now have a system that works. Two of my favorite parts of the software are being able to click on a subscriber and check their activity, payment, information and being able to print out a monthly fulfillment list. I now have confidence to grow my Club because I can train staff on the system and know that everything is in one place.”

Janell PekkainOwner, Olive This Olive That

“I was trying to force my subscription club into a platform that charged me for every little thing, which ended up being very expensive. Charge for specific area code deliveries, charge for recurring items etc. The Third Place made it easy for me to run subscriptions and I always got my questions answered. I now spend far fewer hours (and $$). Everything is intuitive and built just for subscriptions!”

Jessica BellOwner, Fat Cat Wine Club

“I'm very happy with the hosting services that The Third Place provides for our wine club. It's extremely simple and efficient, and the customer service is very responsive. I highly recommend it!”

Ben HodsonOwner, Henry's

Your guide to restaurant subscriptions

Have questions that we didn't answer here? We're always one call away!

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How do I know if a subscription service is right for me?

A subscription isn't for every business. But it's a great net-new revenue stream if your business already has:

a core base of customers who love your products, and
the resources to prepare and package products monthly or quarterly.

Think of it like an extra guaranteed catering or bulk order every month or quarter with a menu of your choice, and that you can prepare during off-peak times.

Is it hard to migrate from a different software to The Third Place?

Not at all! We've helped businesses migrate from website builders, e-commerce platforms, subscription management software, and spreadsheets. All we need is a list of your existing subscribers and we'll guide you through the rest.

How much recurring revenue should I expect?

That depends on the details of your subscription program and how many members you take on. Some of our partners limit their subscriptions to as few as 20 spots in order to foster a tight-knit community with limited-availability product offerings. Others have hundreds of subscribers generating $120,000+ of revenue per month.

Will subscriptions help me reach new customers?

Yes! Your new customers will be people who:

have been gifted subscriptions from current members,
aren't in close-enough proximity to visit your business as often as they'd like, or
have opted in to hearing about updates from other businesses in The Third Place's broader network.

Can subscriptions help drive additional sales?

Yes—by increasing the frequency of visits to your establishment if you offer pickup, and by including add-ons with your subscription. We'll help you easily charge for one-off purchases, like when a customer requests a case of the wine they really liked from last month's subscription.

Can I export my list of subscribers' emails to Mailchimp or other email platforms?

Yes! From your main dashboard, go to the Guests page, then click the Download button above the list of guests.

As a reminder, email and text capabilities are built into your subscription program, so you may not even need another email platform.

Can my members choose from pickup, delivery, or shipping? Can we charge flat fees for delivery and shipping?

Yes and yes! You can even set different flat fees based on delivery ranges.

Can I export shipping information to upload into FedEx or UPS?

Yes! We automatically create packing slips that you can print and include in each package. Furthermore, you can export all your orders as a CSV file, upload the file to FedEx or UPS, and generate all your shipping labels in one go. Our data format is compatible with all major shipping and delivery companies.

Can I set the pickup location (if we have, or are planning to have, multiple locations)?

Yes! You can add as many pickup locations as you want, and set different days and hours for pickup per location.

How do subscription programs work, exactly?

Every subscription program is different, but here are the typical steps involved in creating and succeeding with one:

Determine your subscription offering: This could be exclusive perks, discounts, special menu items, access to events, or never-before-seen products. Ensure your offering aligns with your target audience's desires and preferences.
Set your pricing and structure: You can charge a monthly, quarterly, or yearly subscription fee. Consider offering different subscription tiers or upgrades.
Set your benefits and exclusivity: These could be priority reservations, personalized recommendations, members-only events, special promotions, or early access to new menu items. Create a sense of exclusivity to entice customers to join your subscription program.
Create a seamless signup: You'll get a dedicated URL with your brand name (e.g., your-business.thethirdplace.is) and a QR code that customers can scan to sign up. You can create a streamlined two-step signup, or customize the signup process for subscribers with questions, add-ons, and options.
Start marketing and promoting: We offer time-tested marketing guides—with strategies for social media, email, text, and your website—to help you spread the word and encourage people to join.
Get to know The Third Place platform: Managing, tracking, and growing your subscription program can all be done in one place. On our platform, you get:
- a dedicated dashboard to track and fulfill deliveries and pickups,
- a customer database to get to know your subscribers,
- an intuitive Member Portal for your customers to self-serve, skip, or edit subscriptions, and
- email and texting capabilities for 1-to-1 or bulk messages.
Communicate often: Regular communication with your subscribers is how you keep them engaged. Send updates about upcoming events, menu items, or promotions. Ask for feedback to tailor the program to your subscribers' needs.
Evaluate and optimize: Continuously monitor your subscription program (e.g., subscriber data) and adapt as needed to keep subscribers satisfied.
Focus on retention and renewal: Encourage your subscribers to renew their subscriptions or visit you in person. Celebrate their support and continuously strive to exceed their expectations, and you'll generate long-term loyalty and recurring revenue.

What are some subscription services my restaurant can offer?

Whether you're a fast-casual neighborhood spot or a Michelin-starred restaurant, there's a subscription service that fits your needs. Here are some to consider:

Wine (or alcohol) club: A unique, curated selection of wines, beers, ciders, spirits—you name it.
Coffee club: Fresh, high-quality beans, grounds, or convenient drip bags, usually customized to each subscriber's preferred beans, shipment frequency, and grind size.
Meal boxes: Convenient meal kits with pre-portioned ingredients and recipe cards. Great for staying top of mind and enticing more customers to come to your restaurant.
Artisanal product collection: Gourmet hot sauces, handcrafted soaps, or unique condiments that offer a taste of local and specialty items.
Seasonal or limited-edition delights: Handcrafted chocolates or seasonal treats, so customers can indulge in something that's only available through subscriptions.
Cheese club: Artisanal cheeses paired with complementary snacks.
Dessert club: A rotating assortment of sweet surprises.
Cocktail box: A craft-cocktail kit featuring premium spirits, mixers, and garnishes, along with a recipe card.
Spice box: Colorful spices, herbs, and seasonings.
Brunch club: Brunch essentials like freshly baked pastries, tasty spreads or jams, and gourmet coffee or tea.
Fresh juice club: Freshly squeezed or cold-pressed juices made from seasonal fruits and vegetables.
Charcuterie club: Cured meats, gourmet cheeses, artisanal crackers, and accoutrements.

Ready to meet your customers where they are?

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