"I will have a Coke." Usually, for a waiter, it is just another order in a long line of orders. But for Hajrudin, over the past two and a half months, every bottle opened from the Coca-Cola portfolio meant another step towards the top of the leaderboard. Under every cap was a new code, another entry into the app, and behind every entry another opportunity to get closer to one of the prizes in the Waiters Incentive 2026 programme.
"I was hoping for a good result, but I wasn't expecting first place. I knew there were many waiters from all over Bosnia and Herzegovina taking part and that the competition would be strong. Still, I was motivated by the attractive prizes, especially the grand prize, which came at exactly the right moment for my family," says the winner, Hajrudin Klačar, with a smile.
Coca-Cola's Waiters Incentive 2026 programme brought together waiters from hospitality venues partnered with Coca-Cola HBC B-H across Bosnia and Herzegovina. Winners of the many attractive prizes were determined solely by the number of points collected. Participants entered codes found under the caps of products from the Coca-Cola HoReCa portfolio through a web application, followed their ranking and watched the leaderboard change from day to day.
"I first heard about the programme from Coca-Cola sales representative Muhamed. He explained how the programme worked and motivated me to start collecting points. I think the fact that the result depended entirely on my own effort was particularly motivating. I've learned to rely on my own work and dedication rather than luck or chance," says Hajrudin.
When the competition ended, Hajrudin's user profile showed 102,786 points, first place and the first prize – a gift card worth BAM 10,000.
He says he was genuinely thrilled when he realised he was the winner. "It took me a few moments to realise that I had actually won first place. Of course, it is a valuable prize, but what means even more is the feeling that hard work and dedication truly pay off." He says the prize already has a purpose: "We've had some family plans for a long time, and this prize will allow us to finally make them happen."
Every participant suggestion became an improvement
The Waiters Incentive programme was created so that Coca-Cola HBC B-H could further reward the very people who represent its brands every day in hospitality venues, says Jasmina Zulović, Marketing Manager at Coca-Cola HBC B-H Sarajevo, explaining: "Alongside our HoReCa partners, waiters are our most important partners. They are in direct contact with guests every day and often play a decisive role in recommending and choosing beverages. We wanted to further motivate them, recognise their contribution and enable them to earn valuable rewards through their everyday work."
This year's edition of Waiters Incentive 2026 was upgraded following a detailed analysis of experiences from the previous cycle, Jasmina says, while work on improvements continued throughout this year's programme based on participants' feedback.
"The digital platform enabled participants to create a user profile in one place, track their points in real time, receive all important information and notifications, and easily enter the codes found under the bottle caps. This made the entire process more transparent, while becoming faster and simpler after the implementation of the AI solution for entering codes during the programme itself."
The results showed that the concept was well received and that the competitive spirit and atmosphere remained at a high level. Over the course of two and a half months, participants entered more than 700,000 codes, collected more than three million points, and waiters from as many as 124 cities across Bosnia and Herzegovina took part in the programme.
"We are especially pleased that we remained in constant communication with participants throughout the programme. Their suggestions helped us improve the programme even while it was still running, and those same suggestions will serve as the starting point for the next edition. Our goal is for Waiters Incentive to become a long-term platform that will continue motivating waiters and strengthening cooperation with our HoReCa partners. We are already preparing new improvements and believe that next year's edition will deliver an even better experience for all participants," Zulović concludes.
For Hajrudin, this year's Waiters Incentive will always be remembered by one number – 102,786. Behind it are dozens of working days, thousands upon thousands of opened bottles and a great deal of dedication. In the end, it all turned into a victory that, as he says, will bring the greatest joy to his family.
He would recommend everyone doing the same job to apply next year. "The programme is simple and engaging, and everyone who does their job with enthusiasm and dedication has the opportunity to achieve a great result and win fantastic prizes. It's worth giving it a try."
