I came across an https://hightouch.com/lifecycle-leaders?utm_campaign=18255144-Lifecycle%20Leaders&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8K49Za-zzOIuqa1tQDMx3JWIB8AMRWPie8_32jPFGp3lZcE_P_NzEy826Csy25O9Mvw4yN8Ehi5kljIugzliY0yYNr6w&_hsmi=399878704&utm_content=399878703&utm_source=hs_emailinteresting breakdown recently about Jersey Mike’s, and it stopped me in my tracks — not because of the food, but because of the system.

The author joined their loyalty program and collected every SMS message they sent over time to understand what was really driving a 15M+ member base and roughly $3.3B in annual revenue.

What showed up wasn’t flashy marketing.

It was habit engineering.

And honestly, chiropractors should be paying attention.

This Isn’t Clever Marketing — It’s Behavioral Design

Most brands treat experimentation as constant reinvention: new offers, new creatives, new hooks.

Jersey Mike’s does the opposite.

They focus on simplicity, repetition, and timing — reducing the mental effort required for a customer to say yes.

That’s the key distinction: they’re not convincing people to buy, they’re making the decision easier to repeat.

That’s not marketing. That’s system design.

The SMS Strategy: Predictable Simplicity

Their entire SMS approach appears to revolve around just four offer archetypes, each designed to increase order frequency — not average order value.

When you translate this to chiropractic, the implications are massive.

1. Friction Removal

QSR version: Free delivery Chiropractic equivalent:

• No-charge rechecks
• Same-day adjustment availability
• “We’ll handle the insurance side”

Remove the primary barrier between intention and action.

2. Loyalty & Progress Gamification

QSR version: Double points Chiropractic equivalent:

• Care milestones
• Visit streaks
• Phase-of-care progress reminders

People don’t want to “waste” momentum they’ve already built.

3. Purpose-Based Reasons

QSR version: Cause-related campaigns Chiropractic equivalent:

• Posture Month
• Migraine Awareness
• Back-to-School nervous system checks

These break the transactional rhythm and give patients a reason to come in that feels bigger than pain.

4. Seasonal & Cultural Anchors

QSR version: Events & seasons Chiropractic equivalent:

• Snow shoveling season
• Travel season
• Sports season
• Stress season

When care aligns with life events, the chiropractor becomes the default solution — not the backup option.

Why Frequency Beats AOV (and Always Will)

One of the most interesting insights was when Jersey Mike’s sends their texts.

Almost always around the same time — before lunch.

Why?

Because reducing choice reduces friction.

Customers don’t have to evaluate a new deal. They just decide if they’re hungry.

That’s the lesson.

Great marketing doesn’t persuade harder — it helps people decide faster.

Instead of using SMS to increase order size, Jersey Mike’s uses it to push customers into the app, where the interface naturally increases AOV through add-ons and upsells.

Once someone is “inside the system,” value grows automatically.

What This Looks Like When You Model It

MetricOne-Off PatientConsistent Care PatientAvg visit valueHigherSlightly lower90-day visitsLowHigh90-day revenueFlatPredictable & higherData capturedMinimalRobustRetention riskHighLow

Frequency creates predictability. Predictability creates real practice value.

The “Adjustment Above” Framework

Jersey Mike’s wasn’t acquired for billions because they make good sandwiches.

They were acquired because they programmed recurring behavior.

Here’s how that translates to chiropractic:

Send-Time Optimization

People have predictable rhythms when they’re most open to decisions. Win before pain spikes — not after.

Controlled Variables

Keep the message and offer consistent. Let the environment be the variable. That’s how you learn what actually drives behavior.

The Frequency Engine

High-performing systems understand this: frequency drives AOV, not the other way around.

The Real Lesson for Chiropractors

Frequency creates:

• Better outcomes
• Better retention
• Better referrals
• Better lifetime value

AOV creates short-term spikes.

If you over-optimize pricing before you build consistency, you create fragile revenue.

Solve for behavior first. Pricing becomes easier after.

Consistent action is worth more than big promises.

That’s how billion-dollar systems are built — even when they start with a sandwich.