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News Briefs

  • 12/4/2023

    Omni Hotels & Resorts And Groups360 Expand Instant Group Booking Technology

    Omni Hotels & Resorts and Groups360 announced the expansion of GroupSync Instant Booking, the ability to book hotels for small group blocks, at all Omni properties in the United States and Canada. Through GroupSync, event organizers can now secure group guest rooms directly online, further streamlining an often complex RFP-based group booking process.

    For Omni Hotels & Resorts, Instant Booking provides group travel organizers and planners a faster, more convenient method to book 10-25 guest rooms in a single online transaction without contacting a property directly. These simpler group transactions will help both planners and Omni's sales teams become more efficient through automation and direct data integration needed to provide real-time group rates and room availability.

    "We take great pride in being leaders and innovators in the meetings and events industry, so we are excited to now offer GroupSync technology across all of our properties," said Dan Surette, chief sales officer at Omni Hotels & Resorts. "Our goal is to always provide a seamless experience for group business, and the ability to self-serve for smaller room blocks is an important option to offer planners. Our partnership with Groups360 allows us to continue to focus on what matters most to our guests, as we further elevate our brand's offerings."

    GroupSync, Groups360's flagship solution for booking group room blocks and meeting space at over 200,000 properties worldwide, is radically improving the way hotels are booked online. Its total number of guest rooms available for instant booking exceeds 1.7 million worldwide, with more inventory planned for the upcoming year. By providing greater transparency for group rates and availability, a faster booking process and intuitive technology, GroupSync is quickly becoming the preferred hotel booking solution for groups, meetings and events.

    "Omni is a leader among the meetings-focused hotel brands and they truly understand the value that GroupSync's Instant Booking and Smart RFP can bring to their customers. This expansion is concrete evidence of our shared philosophy of making group travel simpler," said Kemp Gallineau, CEO, Groups360. "We're excited to see how this partnership will impact meeting and event planners by making hotel sourcing faster and easier, as well as the efficiencies this will bring to Omni's sales organization."

    Group travel organizers and planners can visit groupsync.comto log in or sign up for a free account. For more information about GroupSync, please visit groups360.com.

    To learn more about Omni Hotels & Resorts meeting and event offerings, please visit omnihotels.com/meetings.

  • 9/13/2023

    Domino's Updates Rewards Program

    Dominos Rewards Updated

    Domino's Pizza Inc. introduces its new and improved loyalty program. 

    Domino's Rewards offers loyalty members even more opportunities to earn and redeem points across its corporate and franchise store locations. Domino's enhanced rewards program allows customers to:

    • Earn points for less
      • Loyalty members will now earn 10 points on every order of $5 or more
    • Redeem points for even more menu items – and earn free Domino's after just two orders
      • Members can redeem a variety of points for more menu items:
        • 20 points: A free dipping cup, a 16-piece order of Parmesan Bread Bites or a 20 oz. drink
        • 40 points: An order of Bread Twists or Stuffed Cheesy Bread
        • 60 points: A medium, two-topping pizza; pasta; Oven-Baked Sandwich; or a 3-piece order of Chocolate Lava Crunch Cakes
    • Earn more rewards
      • Loyalty perks are now even better, as members will have exclusive access to member-only deals, special discounts and opportunities to earn bonus points!

    "We are thrilled to give the brand's loyal customers additional ways to earn free Domino's items more often," said Mark Messing, Domino's vice president of digital experience and loyalty. "At a time when most brands are scaling back their loyalty programs and making it more difficult to earn and redeem points, Domino's is doing the opposite. We want to make it easier to reward our customers and give them more options so they can get rewarded faster."

    Marketing a LTO 

    From now until Oct. 22, 2023, rewards members can take advantage of a limited time offer to redeem 20 points for a free order of Domino's new Pepperoni Stuffed Cheesy Bread, which is normally a 40-point redemption, in celebration of the product's recent launch. 

  • 12/5/2023

    McDonald's New Concept Focuses on Beverages, Snacks

    cosmc sign

    McDonald’s is opening the first CosMc’s location  in Bolingbrook, Illinois, this month – with 10 locations to be opened in the next year.  

    CosMc’s will have “a uniquely seamless digital and drive-thru experience” with ”dynamic menu boards and cashless payment devices to breeze through the ordering and payment process, allowing for guided exploration and customization along the way,” according to a company statement. Drive-thru pickup windows are assigned once the order is ready. 

    Demand for Drive-Thru

    Drive-thru traffic rose 30 percent from 2019 to 2022, according to a report from the food service research firm Technomic and reportd by the New York Times. 

    Brands including Chipotle, Shake Shack and Sweetgreen are among the fast-casual brands expanding their drive-thrus as consumers shy away delivery and fees and instead opt to pickup their off-prem orders.  

    CosMc’s menu features specialty lemonades and teas,  blended beverages and cold coffee – think Sour Cherry Energy Slush, Tropical Spiceade and S’mores Cold Brew. Customizations are available and include popping boba, flavor syrups, energy or Vitamin C shots, and  more.

    The food menu includes  Spicy Queso Sandwich, Savory Hash Brown Bites and Pretzel Bites served with dipping sauces. On the sweet side, there's a Blueberry Lemon Cookie Sundae and Caramel Fudge Brownies, to name a few. And there will be a few of the McDonald’s classics on the menu.

    Visit cosmcs.com or follow CosMc’s on Instagram, TikTok and X.

     

     

     

  • 12/5/2023

    Rock N Roll Sushi Hires New CEO, VP of Operations

    Rock N Roll Sushi  has made two major additions to its executive lineup with Craig LeMieux joining as the new CEO and Terri Jessen coming aboard as Vice President of Operations. 
     
    LeMieux succeeds CEO Chris Kramolis, who has served in the role since October 2020, and will stay on with the Tampa-based companyas Chief Development Officer to focus on franchise development and real estate.
     
    “It's been a great 3-year run as CEO of Rock n Roll Sushi, but it's time for someone else to grab the baton and run,” said Kramolis. “I'm excited to hand it off to my long-time friend and business partner, Craig LeMieux. He has a long list of accomplishments and accolades and I'm sure his tenure in this new role will only add more.”
     
    A current stockholder in Rock N Roll Sushi, LeMieux is a partner both in a multi-unit franchisee group and in the Area Representative territories of Arizona and Central Florida.
     
    Before joining Rock N Roll Sushi, LeMieux was Area Developer/Multi-Unit Franchisee for Tropical Smoothie Café. He opened the brand’s first Michigan location in 2004, grew the region into its second largest market and was twice awarded “Area Developer of the Year.” LeMieux currently owns franchise locations for Pet Supplies Plus and Mayweather Boxing + Fitness.
     
    As the new Vice President of Operations, Jessen will be leading a team of five people, overseeing the franchise business consultant program as well as the culinary and procurement/supply chain departments. She and her team will work closely with the Rock N Roll Sushi franchisees across the country to ensure strong unit-level operations with the ultimate goal of increasing sales and franchisee profitability.
     
    Jessen brings two decades of restaurant industry experience to her new role, and is currently part of a multi-unit franchisee group for Rock N Roll Sushi in Arizona and Florida, as well as a partner in the Area Representative group for Arizona and part of Florida.
     
    Like LeMieux, Jessen was a successful multi-unit franchisee for Tropical Smoothie Café from 2004 to 2013, owning and operating multiple locations in Florida. She and her husband earned the brand’s Franchisee Rookie of the Year Award in 2005. For her demonstrated expertise and elite performance, Jessen was named Area Developer of the Year twice, in 2013 and 2018. 
     
    Rock N Roll Sushi has more than 50 locations in the Southeast.
  • 12/5/2023

    WorkJam Launches Automated Attestation Module to Simplify Time and Attendance Tracking for Frontline Employees

    workjam logo

    WorkJam, a digital frontline,  announced the launch of an automated attestation module that streamlines compliance for companies with large hourly workforces. Employers will now be able to create specific questions within the WorkJam app that employees have to answer in order to comply with local labor laws. The attestation module simplifies time and attendance tracking for both frontline staff and employers, reducing errors while improving accountability, efficiency and transparency.

    “Our enterprise customers need a simple way to automatically enable employees to attest that they have received all their mandated meal and rest breaks throughout their workday,” said Steven Kramer, CEO of WorkJam. “We’re thrilled to offer this first-of-its-kind digital attestation module to help streamline compliance, recordkeeping and payroll for our partner companies and their frontline employees.”

    In certain states across the U.S. and in some other regions, hourly employees must confirm that they have taken the meal and rest breaks required by law in their area before clocking out at the end of their shift. WorkJam’s new attestation module simplifies compliance with these laws by ensuring each employee is automatically asked to attest that they have taken those breaks before punching out using the WorkJam app. The module enables employers to easily track break activity, so they can accurately report on compliance, foster accountability, and leverage time and attendance data for decision making.

    Enterprises can also use the new module to enhance compliance with other mandatory activities, such as prompting employees to attest that they feel healthy and fit to work before clocking in. In addition, the module enables employers to gather real-time data insights and foster two-way communication with frontline staff by prompting employees to respond to specific questions as they clock in or out, such as how their previous shift went. Designated administrators can easily set up questions within the WorkJam platform and configure them to be automatically presented to specific employee groups or teams in targeted locations. The digital module eliminates the need for manual and paper-based time and attendance tracking, ensuring accurate, timely verification processes that reduce administrative burdens and discrepancies and streamlining payroll processing and analytics.

    WorkJam is the leading digital frontline workplace enabling large enterprises to orchestrate their frontline workforces to improve productivity, engagement and retention. The solution is the only one on the market that offers modules for four key areas in a single app—scheduling, communications, task management and training. In 2023, WorkJam was named to the TIME100 Most Influential Companies list, which highlights companies making an extraordinary impact around the world.

  • 12/5/2023

    Carnival Corporation on Pace to Achieve Next Aggressive Food Waste Reduction Milestone on its Path Toward Ambitious 2030 Goal

    breakfast on a cruise ship

    Carnival Corporation & plc announced it has achieved a 38% reduction in food waste per passenger relative to its 2019 baseline, nearing its interim target to reduce food waste by 40% per person by 2025 on its path toward a 50% reduction by 2030. Less than a year since surpassing the previous 30% food waste reduction goal announced in its 2022 Sustainability Report, this performance signals continued momentum in the company’s efforts to shrink its food print – an important element in the company’s long-standing commitment to sustainable operations from ship to shore.

    To achieve its goals, Carnival Corporation has taken decisive measures onboard its ships to minimize unused food across every aspect of food preparation and dining services. In addition, the company has invested in advanced waste management technologies such as biodigesters to naturally break down and responsibly dispose of unused food. Together, these strategies support the company’s responsible waste management practices and drive continuous momentum toward achieving its 2030 food waste reduction goal – part of its circular economy objectives to use fewer resources, produce less waste, and maximize recycling, while also helping to reduce the company’s environmental impact and greenhouse gas emissions.

    “One of the many ways we create unforgettable happiness for our guests is through world-class food and dining experiences on our ships,” said Bill Burke, chief maritime officer for Carnival Corporation. “Our food tells a story and it’s a labor of love to serve amazing meals to millions of guests each year while making sure we manage it in the most sustainable way possible. It’s a virtuous cycle from start to finish that reduces our environmental footprint while ensuring the extraordinary guest experiences that make our world-class cruise lines stand out.”

    Innovative Solutions to Maximize Food Efficiency

    Carnival Corporation has put in place several practical, technological, and educational initiatives designed to creatively cut food loss while continuing to deliver exceptional dining experiences. By monitoring and analyzing guest dining trends and flow, including utilizing AI technology, the company has further optimized food use at every step of the food lifecycle onboard its ships – from purchasing fresh ingredients, recipe creation and menu design, to real-time meal prep, creation and presentation techniques and in-suite dining. Many of the company’s brands have also implemented onboard awareness campaigns to educate both guests and crew alike on doing their part to help reduce food waste onboard. Plus, Costa Cruises works with a network of registered food banks in communities it visits to deliver hundreds of thousands of surplus ingredients and meals to people in need.

    In addition, the company also continues to explore even more ways to create and reimagine creative recipes that get the most out of every possible ingredient. Whether transforming orange peels into citrus muffins or unserved bread into croutons, the company’s award-winning culinary teams find delicious ways to use every ingredient to its fullest, and in the process, reduce waste.

    Food Management and Disposal Technology Investments

    Carnival Corporation continues to invest in the industry’s smartest solutions to safely treat and handle uneaten food, while helping to substantially limit impacts from conventional disposal methods, such as landfills. The company leads the industry with over 600 innovative food waste biodigesters installed across its fleet, which house naturally occurring bacteria that enable the ships to organically break down and liquify 80% of uneaten food on board to just a fraction of the original volume. By “digesting” this leftover food down to a liquid form, it can be sustainably returned to nature and diverted from landfills where natural decomposition would otherwise slowly release methane – a greenhouse gas. As a result, in 2023, the company has avoided over 31,000 metric tons of equivalent greenhouse gas emissions that would have been generated had the food gone to a landfill.

    In addition, the company continues to innovate its approach to maximizing waste diversion by installing technologies such as dehydrators. These machines build on the effectiveness of biodigesters by enabling the ships to sustainably break down a wider range of food items, including fruit and vegetable rinds, animal fats and other solid foods that are traditionally harder to break down. To date, the company has installed 45-plus food dehydrators across the fleet to remove excess water from leftover food, reducing waste volume by up to 90%.

    Food Waste Reduction Goals Advance Carnival Corporation’s Long-Term Sustainability Plan

    These advancements support the company’s ongoing commitment in leading the way in sustainable cruising by promoting positive climate action, contributing to a circular economy, partnering with the communities it sails to and from, and reducing its greenhouse gas footprint.

    Overall, the company – including its world-class brands AIDA Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, P&O Cruises (Australia), P&O Cruises (UK), Princess Cruises and Seabourn – is investing to achieve its 2030 sustainability goals and to pursue net zero emissions from ship operations by 2050. To accomplish this, the company has six key areas of focus, all aligned with elements of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, including climate action; circular economy; sustainable tourism; good health and well-being; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and biodiversity and conservation.

    The company’s current Sustainability Report provides more detail on its progress against all its 2030

    sustainability goals and its strategy to pursue net zero emissions from ship operations by 2050. The report is available at www.CarnivalSustainability.com.

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