News Briefs

Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®), the global spokes group for the industry’s hospitality technology segment and producers of the HITEC® brand, announced today a new project that will develop a code of digital responsibility for hospitality.

Earlier this year, HFTP commissioned the University of Houston College of Global Hospitality Leadership to write a white paper on digital responsibility, which is featured in the inaugural issue of HFTP’s Tech+Fin Hospitality Magazine available at HITEC 2024 and on the association’s website (available June 24). Resulting from the paper’s conclusion and discussions with industry experts, it became clear that the industry needs some base guidelines or code of conduct for digital responsibility. Therefore, HFTP decided to adopt the project, beginning by convening a task force of industry experts and academics to develop the code.

Task force members include:

• Co-chair Scot Campbell, CHTP • Principal for Integrated Resort Advisors, HFTP Global Past President, and inductee to the HFTP International Hospitality Technology Hall of Fame
• Co-chair Agnes DeFranco, Ed.D., CHAE, CHE, CHIA, CAHTA • Conrad N. Hilton Distinguished Chair at University of Houston and HFTP Global Past President
• Mike Blake • Vice President of IT for Kemper Sports
• Steven Bronken • Head of Global Hospitality for Ruckus Networks
• Sanovnik Destang, CPA, CA, CFA • Executive Director for Bay Gardens Resorts
• Florian Gallini • CEO at INTEREL
• Thomas Hempel • Strategic Vice President of Sales and Partnerships at VENZA
• Barry Thomas, CHTP • Vice President of Technology for Orient Express and Fairmont Hotels
• Sherry Marek • Founder of Aiken Street Consulting and inductee to the HFTP International Hospitality Technology Hall of Fame
• Shannon McCallum • Vice President of Hotel Operations at Resorts World Las Vegas,
• Neal Patel • Managing Parter of Blue Chip Hotels
• Andrew Rubinacci • Chief Advisory Officer for FLYR for Hospitality
• Thomas Atzenhofer, CPA • Deputy CEO for HFTP

“There are many good practices for digital responsibility throughout the industry, but these have never been aggregated, vetted and published as a compilation of the best practices in a uniform guide,” said Thomas Atzenhofer, HFTP Deputy CEO. “HFTP’s task force of global industry technology and business experts, has agreed to tackle the task and make the industry better for all segments… from small to large.”

The first in a series of task force meetings will be held later this month at HITEC 2024 in Charlotte, N.C. Once a draft code is developed, it will be presented for industry feedback. Ultimately, a final code will be developed and hospitality enterprises who opt to follow the base guidelines will be awarded a compliance seal.

“The advent of AI and digital responsibility is going to continue to be a growing concern to our customers” said Scot Campbell, Task Force Co-chair.  “Rather than have disparate governmental regulations by those who don’t understand our business, it is more prudent to have these guidelines developed for the industry by the industry.  None of us want to be able to have an unhappy customer whose digital information is accidentally used in a way they did not intend.”

HFTP is accepting applications of interest for additional task force volunteers. Send a message of interest along with your LinkedIn profile to [email protected] by June 17, 2024. The target date for the release of the guidelines is Q4 2024.  HFTP will also publish code guidelines for the club industry in Q1 of 2025.

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.”

Lemongrass, a software-enabled services provider synonymous with SAP on Cloud, announced that Radisson Hotel Group (RHG) has selected Lemongrass to migrate their entire SAP landscape to Amazon Web Services (AWS). The project includes transferring existing systems to AWS and optimizing the hotel group’s SAP landscape to leverage Cloud-native efficiencies, such as automation, data analytics, and cost optimization, to deliver enhanced experiences and drive customer loyalty.

Radisson Hotel Group sought a comprehensive strategy to integrate multiple operations and build a globally unified and scalable corporate IT infrastructure with an agile and cost-effective hosting solution. RHG selected Lemongrass to be its migration partner for its extensive expertise and flawless track record in migrating, operating and optimizing SAP workloads on the Cloud. Lemongrass has over 8,000 SAP servers and over 750,000 SAP users under its management and provides clients with near-zero downtime migrations and operations for SAP and its related workloads.

Another pivotal component of the migration was RHG’s demonstrated commitment to sustainability. RHG has opted to migrate and run these systems in AWS’s Stockholm region, known for its carbon-neutral operations, to align with the Group’s sustainability and governance objectives. This strategic decision not only supports RHG’s transparent environmental stewardship but will also enhance Radisson Hotel Group’s appeal to eco-conscious guests and business partners.

“The transition to AWS is more than just a technological upgrade; it is a transformational shift that empowers Radisson to meet the evolving demands of the hospitality industry,” said Jaime González-Peralta, CIO of Radisson Hotel Group. “This migration will set a new standard in our operational capabilities, enabling us to significantly enhance our operational agility, and enable us to bring innovative solutions to market even more rapidly, which are critical for personalizing guest experiences and optimizing our service delivery.”

Recognizing the complex requirements of RHG’s expansive SAP systems, Lemongrass will employ its patented Minimum Downtime Operations (MDO™) technology, ensuring that Radisson Hotel Group’s operations, remain fully functional with near-zero downtime thereby preventing any potential revenue losses, whilst ensuring systems are secure, performant and available.

“Radisson Hotel Group is an innovative leader in the hospitality sector and we are very honored to be selected to assist them with their digital transformation,” said Michael Rosenbloom, CEO of Lemongrass. “We look forward to our continued partnership with RHG and AWS to further modernize and support their SAP and Cloud initiatives.

PPDS, the exclusive global provider of Philips Professional Displays and complementary hardware and software solutions, is delighted to announce the latest evolution of its multi-award-winning ePaper with Android SoC signage range, launching the new 13” Philips Tableaux 4150 at InfoComm 2024. 

Unveiled and exhibited on the Philips Booth W2544 inside the Las Vegas Convention Center (June 12-14), the portrait or landscape mountable 13” Philips Tableaux 4150 Series has been designed to deliver greater choice and new opportunities for hotels and resorts looking to introduce or expand their digital signage network – from reception areas, bars, restaurants, cafes, gift shops, wayfinding and more – using revolutionary and highly sustainable, full colour ePaper displays. 

Driven by feedback from customers, the new 13” Tableaux display marks the latest evolution of PPDS' growing ePaper portfolio, adding to the acclaimed 25” 4150 and 32” 5150 models launched at ISE 2023 and 2024 respectively.

Maximum impact, minimal power

Available globally, and featuring a white bezel design, the 13” Philips Tableaux 4150 – developed with PPDS’ longstanding technology partner, E Ink – Philips Tableaux displays are an ideal energy saving solution for hotels and resorts looking to digitise their paper-based signage and communications. The new 13” Philip Tableaux 4150 providing vivid sunlight readable imagery, which can be displayed without using a single kilowatt of electricity indefinitely, only requiring super low power during image changes. 

For maximum versatility and flexibility, Philips Tableaux displays – designed for 24/7 usage – can operate entirely unplugged, making it ideal for locations with limited or no access to power sources. Weighing just 1.3kg, the 13” 4150 is light enough to be easily transported and used in other locations when required.

Displaying with a 1600 x 1200 resolution, the 13” Philips Tableaux 4150 ensures clear and confident messaging. What is more, with 16GB internal memory, there is no need for an external media player, keeping costs down and minimising additional future electronic wastage. Simply plug into a power source to upload new static content for instant play via USB, LAN or WiFi connections.

Tailored for you 

Andrea Barbuti, Global Product Manager EMEA at PPDS, commented “In businesses, there are always instances where additional and often temporary messaging and communications are required. This could be as simple as warning customers staying at the hotel that the bar, restaurant or store will be closing early on a given day.

“There are examples of locations where ePaper can provide significant benefits almost everywhere you look. Just walking into the Las Vegas Convention Center this week, I have seen hundreds, maybe even thousands of posters placed along the walls and above escalators, each advertising events and products. These have all been manually placed and will have to be replaced and binned in the coming days. That’s a lot of paper wastage, and unnecessary printing, travel and expense. With Philips Tableaux, all of that is gone. Messages can be created and presented on the Philips Tableaux in a matter of minutes, with the freedom to place the unit wherever is most convenient – temporarily or permanently. Not only does it reduce waste, it looks far more professional, too.”

Wave of management opportunities 

As part of PPDS' growing Android SoC family, content updates on the 13” Philips Tableaux 4150 can be managed manually (including USB), or entirely remotely via a range of certified third party professional display control and management partners, as well as PPDS’ cloud-based Wave remote device management platform. 

With Wave on Philips Tableaux, businesses can securely switch out content at any time and from any location, with firmware upgrades, playlist creation and management, power scheduling and much more, all managed on Wave’s tailored and highly intuitive interface, saving on time, energy, and environmental impact.

Meet the family

Martijn van der Woude, VP Global Marketing and Business Development at PPDS, concluded: “PPDS broke new ground in 2023 by becoming the first global display manufacturer to launch a full size, full colour ePaper display. We continue to experience incredible success with our 25” and 32” Philips Tableaux models, with examples of installations in an ever-growing variety of situations, all around the world. At PPDS, our teams are relentless in their quest for providing more energy conscious displays. It was clear listening to our customers that there was an appetite for a smaller ePaper model, bridging the gap between A4 and A3 paper – or in the US between letter and legal sizes.”

“Our fantastic partnership with E Ink, together with our technical expertise, means we are once again able to respond quickly to the demands of the market with this 13” Philips Tableaux. We are delighted to be launching this, our third full colour ePaper display, at InfoComm 2024 in Las Vegas.”

CKE Restaurants Holdings Inc. (CKE), parent company of Carl's Jr. and Hardee's, is announcing the appointment of Justin Falciola as chief technology & growth officer for both brands.

Improving the guest and team experience through technology and digital solutions has been a priority for Carl's Jr. and Hardee's, with a focus on digital platforms and capabilities. In this new role,  Falciola will align business goals with information technology, digital strategy and operations, as well as guide the implementation of new technologies and support the digital evolution of loyalty, first-party and third-party digital channels.

"We are excited to welcome Justin to the organization," said CKE Chief Executive Officer Max Wetzel. "As technology continues to shape and change the QSR industry, I am confident that his extensive record of success leading high-performing analytics, digital and IT teams will help both Carl's Jr. and Hardee's enable digital growth."

A Proven Track Record

Falciola is a results-oriented executive with a proven track record of driving sales and leading growth through technology. He comes to CKE from Papa John's International where he served as Chief Insights and Technology Officer since 2018. Prior to that, Falciola served in roles at Humana, Fifth Third Bank and JPMorgan Chase. Falciola received his bachelor's degree in information systems from Rutgers University.

Earlier this year, CKE Restaurants announced the separation of the Carl's Jr. and Hardee's brand and introduced a leadership structure with three teams, each led by a president driving execution of strategic growth plans. Advancing digital is a major focus of the company's growth strategy.

To help make their craveable food even more accessible, Carl's Jr. and Hardee's are focusing on evolving their technology offerings for guests and restaurant operations. By investing in areas like mobile ordering, delivery and loyalty programs, the brands are prioritizing increased convenience, engagement and value for guests while boosting sales from digital and delivery channels. This commitment to tech-driven improvements reflects a dedication to meeting the ever-evolving needs of today's guests.

"It is an exciting time to be joining CKE Restaurants," said CKE Chief Technology & Growth Officer Justin Falciola. "I look forward to leveraging my experience to help Carl's Jr. and Hardee's reach their unique business goals, evolve the team and guest experience through technology and ultimately grow these two iconic brands."