News Briefs

More than three-quarters of surveyed hotels are experiencing a staffing shortage, and hotels are increasing pay, benefits, and perks to recruit and retain employees, according to a May survey of hoteliers conducted by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA).

Over the last six months, 86% of respondents have increased wages, 52% have offered greater flexibility with hours, and 33% have expanded benefits to cope with the nationwide workforce shortage. Nonetheless, 79% say they are still unable to fill open positions.

Seventy-six percent of survey respondents said they are experiencing a staffing shortage, and 13% reported they are severely understaffed, meaning the shortage is affecting their hotel’s ability to operate. The most critical staffing need is housekeeping, with 50% ranking it as their top hiring need.

These survey results indicate a worsening workforce situation for hoteliers over the last few months. In a January 2024 survey, fewer respondents (67%) said they were experiencing a staffing shortage, and fewer (72%) said they were unable to fill open positions.

In the May survey, however, respondents said they are attempting to fill an average of seven job openings per property, down from almost 9 positions per property in January.

These staffing challenges are resulting in historic career opportunities for hotel employees. Since the pandemic, average hotel wages have increased faster than average wages throughout the general economy, and hotel benefits and flexibility are better than ever.

“Strong summer travel demand and a nationwide workforce shortage have combined to create more pay, perks, and upward mobility for current and prospective hotel employees,” said AHLA Interim President & CEO Kevin Carey. “But hotels need access to more workers to continue creating jobs. AHLA is lobbying Congress and the administration for a variety solutions to grow the workforce, while the AHLA Foundation’s Empowering Youth and Registered Apprenticeship programs continue to give workers the tools and support they need to enter, advance, and succeed in our industry.”

As of April, there were 8.1 million job openings in the United States and only 6.5 million unemployed people to fill those jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. There are tens of thousands of hotel jobs currently open across the nation, according to Indeed.

AHLA is calling on the Department of Homeland Security to expand the workforce by making available nearly 65,000 additional H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas as soon as possible, under authority Congress gave it as part of the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act.

Congress can help hoteliers address workforce shortages by taking the following actions:

Expanding and streamlining the legal H-2B guestworker program. The H-2B program allows employers to hire workers from other countries on temporary work permits to fill nonagricultural jobs that last less than one year. The H-2B program is vital to helping independent hotels and resorts in remote vacation destinations fill seasonal roles, but the program is capped at 66,000 visas each year.

Passing the Closing the Workforce Gap Act of 2024 (H.R. 7574). This bipartisan bill would replace the arbitrary annual cap of 66,000 H-2B guestworker visas with a new, needs-based system for allocating visas.

Passing the H-2 Improvements to Relieve Employers (HIRE) Act. This bill would expand the H-2A/H-2B labor certification period to three years and permanently authorize the waiver of in-person interviews for returning workers. The HIRE Act would make it easier for qualified workers to secure jobs in fields that are struggling to recruit and retain enough employees to meet demand. By growing the pool of seasonal workers, the bill would give seasonal small business hotels critical staffing relief and facilitate the hotel industry’s continued recovery.

Passing the Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act (S.255/H.R.1325). This bill would allow people seeking asylum at ports of entry to be eligible for work authorizations starting 30 days after they apply for asylum, provided their applications are not frivolous; they are not detained; their identities have been verified; and their names are run through the federal government’s terrorist watch lists. This change would help hotels address critical staffing needs by allowing certain asylum seekers to work as soon as 30 days after applying for asylum. Current law prevents them from legally working for at least six months, forcing them to rely on assistance from local governments and communities.

Methodology: AHLA’s Front Desk Feedback survey of 456 hoteliers was conducted May 16-24, 2024.

PopID and Steak n Shake announced today that all Steak n Shake locations in the United States now accept PopID Check In (to review favorite orders and loyalty points) and PopPay for checkout. With more than 300 locations, Steak n Shake is the first national restaurant brand in the United States to adopt biometric check-in and checkout nationwide. PopID’s biometric check-in feature makes kiosk ordering faster, easier, and more personalized.

The implementation of PopID in every Steak n Shake location was accomplished rapidly and at low cost through a partnership between PopID and ACRELEC, a leading supplier of kiosk-ordering hardware and drive-through products. Cameras were shipped to every restaurant for attachment to the existing ACRELEC kiosks. “As explained in our recent publication, ACRELEC believes that our integrated biometric solution provides various benefits to restaurant operators related to throughput, ticket size, and loyalty engagement,” says Bruno Lo-Re, President of ACRELEC America.

“We are thrilled about our partnership with PopID and to be on the edge of biometric technology for the benefit of our customers. Our guests now have the option to use biometrics for a faster and more seamless experience,” says Sardar Biglari, Chairman of Biglari Holdings, the parent company of Steak n Shake.

Now that biometrics are enabled for all ordering and payment inside Steak n Shake restaurants, PopID and Steak n Shake will begin implementing biometric check-in and checkout at the restaurant’s drive-through units. “Similar to the kiosks, biometric check in can increase loyalty participation and revenue at the drive thru while also reducing payment processing costs,” says John Miller, CEO of PopID and Chairman of Cali Group. “Additionally, biometric payment at the order confirmation screen enables staff members to work on tasks other than taking payments by card and phone at the order pick-up window.”

Boxxtech announces the launch of their second alcohol vending machine at Progressive Field, the home stadium of Major League Baseball’s Cleveland Guardians. Ballgame attendees can skip long lines and purchase beer and pre-packaged cocktails from the refrigerated The Boxx machine.

“We are excited to be among the first companies to make unattended alcohol sales safe and effective by embedding ID authentication directly into the machine,” said Boxxtech CEO, Lauren Smee. “For busy environments like stadiums and festivals, The Boxx is an ideal way to keep lines down for pre-packaged products, and reduce staffing costs while still serving the same amount of product.” Boxxtech first demo’d the technology at SuperBowl LVIII, where more than 1,000 beverages were dispensed before and during the game, generating more than $68 every minute it was operational. 

Unattended retail has previously been challenged to sell 21+ products due to ID verification. Boxxtech integrates IDScan.net Age Restricted Vending package, which includes best-in-class ID authentication, capable of rapidly confirming customer age, and detecting up to 95% of fake IDs. The tech also includes face matching, ensuring that the customer in front of the machine matches the photo on a valid ID or drivers license. This technology replaces visual ID checks that would normally be performed by bartenders or event staff.

“IDScan.net ID verification technology was the clear winner among the three services we tested for integration into The Boxx. Not only does it successfully catch all fake IDs, keeping minors from accessing products inside the machine, but it was easy to set up without complicated business logic, providing us a clear ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on every verification,” said BoxxTech CTO Chris Davis.

Boxxtech machines have served more than 27,000 customers since launch in April 2024. Two The Boxx machines are currently operational, with an additional 50 planned for rollout by the end of 2024, including at least one in a major league sports stadium, and a fleet for placement in a major hotel chain that is looking to sell beer in their lobbies without adding additional staff. The Phoenix-based company has already won several major awards, including the AZ Fire Inno Award by the Phoenix Business Journal, and the 2024 Female Founder Venture Madness Award. Additionally, Boxxtech has been awarded with the coveted Innovation Award for NFL Legends, and counts former Oakland Raider Lamarr Houston as its President. They are a Techstars portfolio company, with additional backing from the founder of RetailMeNot. 

GiftAMeal, the innovative cause-marketing program that turns customer photos into meals for local families in need, announces a significant milestone in donated meals with restaurant partner Lee’s Famous Recipe  Chicken.  As of June, Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken has donated 150,000 meals to families in need through GiftAMeal’s charitable partnership. In 2023, GiftAMeal was named one of HT’s Industry Heroes  for its solution.

Customers of Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken will soon notice something special about their orders – packaging – from drink cups to side boxes – will feature its involvement in GiftAMeal, along with information on how guests can participate in making a difference in their community. This creative initiative not only serves as a platform to raise awareness for the cause but also invites customers to join in supporting food banks across the country. The co-branded packaging will be available at locations nationwide, ensuring that every customer has the chance to fight local hunger. 

The new packaging will complement a digital effort announced earlier this year in which Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken revamped its mobile application and added a GiftAMeal button on the home page that allows customers to engage directly and effortlessly with the GiftAMeal program. By simply clicking the button and uploading a photo of their dining experience, customers trigger a restaurant-funded donation to a local food bank to help provide a meal to a family in need.

"By integrating GiftAMeal directly onto their packaging and mobile app, Lee’s has transformed each dining experience into a catalyst for change. Our partnership showcases how technology and collaboration can unite us in a shared mission to nourish those in need, and we are thrilled to continue this journey together," says Andrew Glantz, CEO and Founder of GiftAMeal.

With 130 restaurant locations participating in GiftAMeal, Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken is one of GiftAMeal's larger partners.

"The integration of GiftAMeal on our brand-wide packaging reflects our deep-rooted commitment to community engagement and enhances the impact we can make, all with no extra effort for our franchisees,” says Dan Sokolik, VP of Marketing at Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken. “Reaching 150,000 meals highlights the tangible difference we and our guests are making in the lives of local families in need.”

As GiftAMeal continues to expand its network of restaurant partners, the potential to combat food insecurity grows exponentially. Each new partnership amplifies the collective impact, enabling more families to receive the nourishment they need.

To learn more about GiftAMeal, visit www.giftameal.com. Restaurants interested in joining can visit  giftameal.com/partner to schedule a free demo today.

Hospitality America has promoted Justin Deyo to Corporate Director of Operations under the leadership of Vice President of Operations Frank Cook. Deyo’s addition to the Hospitality America leadership team aims to put a focus on mentoring and developing hotel leaders, driving the organization’s performance standards, and providing strategic support for renovations and new hotel openings. 

With a hospitality career spanning 20 years, Deyo joined Hospitality America in 2013, demonstrating a penchant for developing talent through exemplary leadership and operational expertise. He recently served as area General Manager in Columbia, S.C., overseeing two key assets in the Hilton Columbia Center and Hampton Columbia Historic District. Additionally, Deyo served as the inaugural Chair of Hospitality America’s Leadership Council which consists of property leaders across the portfolio tasked with vetting and deploying new processes and procedures. 

“I’m humbled to join an already impressive leadership team and looking forward to elevating our property leaders to another level of excellence,” Deyo said. In addition to serving as Chair of Hospitality America’s Leadership Council, Deyo is an active community leader, serving on the board for Friends of Fisher House, Tax A Committee of Columbia, and a member of the Columbia Vista Guild. 

“Under Justin’s exceptional leadership, two of our top-performing assets have not only thrived through three multimillion-dollar renovations over the past five years but have consistently remained at the pinnacle of their competitive sets,” said Leigh Holloway, Chief Strategy Officer. “His contagious passion and dedication will prove invaluable to Hospitality America’s vision. We’re thrilled to welcome him to our leadership team.”