HT's Most Read Headlines Reveal Key Industry Trends from the Last Six Months

Every six months, the editors of Hospitality Technology like to take a step back to analyze our website data and to provide its readers with a countdown of its most read headlines. The reasons for this are two-fold: 1.) to catch readers up on the important headlines that they may have missed from the last six months, and 2.) to provide readers with insight into the industry trends and news items that are garnishing the most attention from your peers. Hospitality is among the most competitive of industries, and the insight gained from these articles can be tremendous in creating differentiation. Can you afford not to have read them when your peers already have?

At this time last year, point of sale (POS) technologies — specifically tableside payment options —and in-room innovations that foster a home-away-from-home experience topped the most read article list. Not surprisingly, the POS continues to top the most read headline list, with articles dedicated to 2009 system trends, software innovations, industry implementations and more. An additional development is occurring within the pizza segment, as Pizza Hut and Domino's both continue to tap next-gen customers through iPhone apps and on-line ordering respectively. However, a more important trend that can be revealed from the last six months is that operators, both hotels and restaurants, are dedicated to finding ways to cut budgets and increase revenue through information technology. From labor management best practices to solar-powered WiFi, budget cutting solutions proved to be a hot topic over the course of the last six months.

The full list of headlines is as follows:

11. Inside the CityCenter Guestroom
The December 2009 opening of the 67-acre CityCenter metropolis is expected to deliver the most technologically-advanced guest rooms anywhere in the U.S. From solutions that foster personal automation to its next-generation networking capabilities, Scot Campbell, senior vice president and CIO for MGM Mirage, takes us inside the guest room technology of the industry's most-watch project.

10. Subway to Implement Restaurant POS across 30,000 Global Locations
After evaluating over 25 POS vendors, SUBWAY announces that it has selected Torex's Quick Service Restaurant POS solution to be installed in over 30,000 of its restaurants in 87 countries.

 

According to the NDP Group, Domino's Pizza beat out both Papa John's and Pizza Hut in online ordering sales in the first quarter of 2009 to capture 28 percent of the market share.

8. Shrink Restaurant Labor Costs: Four Fundamental Best Practices
Determining "what's right" for labor is an eternal pursuit that involves chasing the labor percentage and budget, creating the right chemistry between staff and management teams, and combining the expertise of managers with the science of money and labor forecasting. Learn how to shrink labor costs while enhancing your restaurant's culture.

7. Hotels Cut Costs, Go Green with Solar-Powered WiFi
Providing guests with consistent and robust wireless internet is a must these days for hotel operators. Give guests the technology that they want while tapping into the environmentalism segment with the addition of solar WiFi solutions.

 

6. Pizza Hut Targets Next-Gen Guests with Launch of iPhone, iPod Touch App
Pizza Hut joins the ranks of restaurants that are beginning to embrace the use of mobile ordering applications. Guests can order pizza, wings and more through a free iPhone or iPod Touch app. The app's interactive features include exploding pizzas, flaying chicken wing sauce, and more.

5. Future Proof: Hotel 1000 Takes Tech to New Levels
Seattle's Hotel 1000 opened in 2006 with one of the industry's first fully-converged IP networks, and since then has continued to exceed guest and industry standards for IT innovation. In this exclusive interview with the hotel's management company MTM Luxury Lodging, HT offers the inside scoop on how Hotel 1000 is leveraging its network with new applications that wow guests and offer many happy returns.

4. POS Software Innovations
Hospitality Technology scours the POS vendor marketplace to find out the latest innovations in POS software. Bundled offerings, new third-party integrations, and simplified user interfaces are just some of the newest updates.

3. Top Seven Guest Trends for 2009
With the prediction that 2009 will be another challenging year for the hospitality industry, it is crucial that operators understand and exceed guest expectations in order to gain a better financial footing. From personalization to social networking, learn what technology and trends are influencing guest behavior in 2009.

2. Scorecard 2009: Restaurants Rate Top POS Trends
Ask any operator, and they will tell you that point of sale (POS) systems are at the heart of restaurant management systems. Learn how operators across quick service, family/casual, and fine dining restaurants rank POS features, peripherals and system replacement plans in 2009.

1. POS System Trends 2009
As the end of a tumultuous 2008 draws near, the majority of hospitality operators are looking for ways to cut costs, curb waste, and coax consumers into their doors. What many may not have considered is that one of their heaviest pieces of artillery in the battle against a downturned economy is their point of sale systems. Hospitality Technology puts a focus on POS trends, functions and releases to find out what exactly this system can do to help restaurants sell more and spend less in 2009.