How the City of North Richland Hills Turned Hotel Occupancy Tax into $1M+ in Economic Impact

When deciding how to support local businesses, city leaders face a common challenge: how to design a program that is both highly effective and easy to administer. For the City of North Richland Hills, TX, the answer was a modern, digital-first approach to the traditional shop-local campaign.

By leveraging the Open Rewards platform, the city of North Richland Hills has successfully motivated residents to choose North Richland Hills, driving extraordinary economic resilience and reinforcing its reputation as "The City of Choice." In just a short period, the program has generated over $1 Million in economic impact, achieving an impressive 12X Return on Investment (ROI) while supporting 198 local restaurants and eateries.

Here is an inside look at how this community turned hotel occupancy tax reserves into a powerful engine for local commerce.

A Community Rooted in Growth and Pride

Located in Tarrant County within the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, North Richland Hills has a rich history that began as a farming and ranching community in the mid-1800s. Today, it stands as the third-largest city in the county, recognized by Money magazine and U.S. News & World Report as one of the best places to live in America.

NRH is known for its spacious parks, the beloved NRH2O Family Water Park, and a strong sense of civic pride. The city’s leadership consistently seeks innovative ways to enhance the quality of life for its residents while supporting the local business ecosystem. When it came time to boost the local economy—specifically the highly requested restaurant sector—city leaders knew they needed a solution that reflected the community's forward-thinking ethos.

A Frictionless "Shop Local" Experience

North Richland Hills launched its "Restaurant Rewards Program" using the Open Rewards platform in 2025. The premise is simple but powerful: incentivize residents and visitors to dine at local establishments by providing a 10% cash back reward on purchases.

• Zero Merchant Friction: Unlike traditional voucher programs that create administrative burdens for small business owners, Open Rewards is entirely frictionless for the merchants. Businesses are automatically enrolled. There is no staff training required, no POS integration, and no manual tracking of paper vouchers.

• Consumer Flexibility: Shoppers simply download the Open Rewards app, link their cards or upload photos of their receipts from any eligible NRH food establishment, and earn points (e.g., 1,000 points = $10.00).

• Seamless Redemption: Residents can easily cash out their rewards through modern digital payment methods like Venmo or PayPal, or via a check.

• Strategic Funding: The city intelligently funded the $100,000 rewards pool using hotel occupancy tax reserves—achieving outsized economic outcome.

Impressive Economic Impact & ROI

The data speaks for itself. By offering a localized, tech-enabled incentive, North Richland Hills turned a modest municipal investment into a massive economic driver.

NRH Open Rewards by the Numbers:

• $1,000,000+ in actual revenue generated for the local businesses

• 12X ROI on the city's investment

• 198 local restaurants, cafes, and eateries supported by the program

• 10% cash back rate strategically designed to shift consumer behavior and drive foot traffic

This phenomenal 12X ROI mirrors the success seen in other Open Rewards communities (such as Arlington, VA, and Indio, CA), demonstrating that when you remove friction and provide the right incentive, consumers will eagerly shift their spending habits to support their neighbors.

"A Blessing": What the Community is Saying

The true measure of a program's success is not just the dollars generated, but the sentiment it builds within the community. The North Richland Hills program has fostered a tremendous amount of goodwill between the city government, local businesses, and residents.

Residents have been highly vocal about how the program has directly influenced where they choose to dine. Here is what NRH diners are saying about Open Rewards:

"This program has been a blessing. Thanks for sponsoring it NRH and participating Heavenly Crust Pizza!"

"We passed several other places on our way home to stop at this one in NRH to get our points. Thank you!"

"Awesome environment! Staff was super friendly and loved the food! Love that Open Rewards pushes us towards trying new restaurants in our town!"

"Love this program. As a senior citizen, small rewards do add up. Thanks."

"NRH!! Have enjoyed many new restaurants!!!"

"Thanks NRH for this special fund that helped me help others!"

It isn't just residents who are feeling the impact; local business owners are seeing the direct benefits of this civic investment. For restaurateurs recovering from slower seasons or unexpected hits like severe winter storms, the program is a lifeline.

Mark Smith, owner of Patriotic Pig Smokehouse in North Richland Hills, highlighted the program's effectiveness during a particularly tough week in a recent feature on NBC5:

"Everybody's been eating groceries all week long... so it really especially this week entices people to get out and really eat local."

These quotes highlight a critical achievement of the program: it isn't just rewarding existing behavior; it is actively changing consumer habits. Shoppers are driving past out-of-town options and consciously seeking out new, local experiences specifically because of the city's investment, providing much-needed revenue boosts for homegrown businesses.

A Model for Economic Resilience

For municipal leaders and economic development executives across the country, the North Richland Hills story offers a compelling blueprint.

By utilizing Open Rewards, NRH bypassed the logistical nightmares of traditional programs and directly empowered consumers to inject capital into the local restaurant scene. The city fostered civic pride, stimulated measurable economic growth, and established a direct channel of engagement with its residents.

Supporting small businesses doesn't have to be complicated. With the right technology and a well-structured incentive, you can fundamentally shift consumer behavior and keep local dollars where they belong—at home.

To meet with the Open Rewards team, schedule a demo here.