News Briefs

Uber and Visa announced a new program designed to support small-and medium-sized businesses in their transition to green and sustainable packaging solutions, as part of a broader year-long effort to support SMBs who use Uber Eats to grow their businesses. 

Together, the two companies will make $1 million accessible to qualifying Uber Eats restaurants in New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris and Madrid to be used towards funding sustainable packaging solutions to help transition to a greener future, which hospitality industry research indicates is a top priority for 2023.

Uber and Visa have launched this new initiative in Davos, Switzerland, where the companies are highlighting impact from their shared 2022 Grants for Growth program that has supported US small business owners still recovering from the pandemic and other unexpected events. Merchants received microgrants of $10,000, used for payroll, paying outstanding debt to vendors, upgrading payment technology infrastructure, and other immediate operational costs.

SUSTAINABILITY FOR THE PLANET

Sustainability matters to today's consumers and restaurant operators. Two out of three (66%) consumers surveyed feel it’s important that restaurants are open about their practices to limit food waste. According to the National Restaurant Association’s annual What’s Hot Culinary Forecast, sustainability will continue to influence menus and how restaurants make decisions.

"Building on the success of our shared support for small and medium-sized businesses, I'm very happy to be turning our efforts with Visa towards how we can help restaurant owners reduce packaging waste and contribute to the fight against climate change," says Pierre-Dmitri Gore-Coty, SVP and Global Head of Delivery for Uber. "Single-use packaging is used in nearly every takeout order worldwide—with Visa and our restaurant partners we can work towards reducing waste and helping small businesses thrive."

"With consumers continuing to express desires to live more sustainably, businesses across sectors have a notable opportunity to adopt more sustainable practices to meet this demand," said Douglas Sabo, Chief Sustainability Officer, Visa Inc. "Visa is excited to expand on our partnership with Uber Eats to help small businesses to not be left out of the sustainable business transformations this moment requires."

A 2022 study by the US National Restaurant Association indicates that while the transition to sustainable packaging is a priority to many restaurants, the cost—and continued supply chain issues faced by the hospitality industry—make it difficult. It's the hope of Uber Eats and Visa that this new program is a small step in a positive direction for small business owners. Details of the new partnership, including how restaurants can qualify and apply for funding will be shared here in the coming months.

In 2020, Uber made the ambitious commitment to be a zero-emission mobility platform by 2040. To learn more, visit https://www.uber.com/us/en/about/sustainability/. Visa has committed to net-zero emissions by 2040, and in 2020 achieved carbon neutrality and transitioned to 100% renewable electricity across its operations. To learn more, visit https://www.visa.com/esg.

Focus Brands says dual branding is the future of QSR, and the parent company of Auntie Anne’s®, Carvel, Cinnabon, Jamba, McAlister’s Deli, Moe’s Southwest Grill, and Schlotzsky’s, is leading the charge. Today, the Focus Brands portfolio boasts 175-plus open dual branded units with at least 65 more in various stages of development across the country. 

Drive-Thru Convenience

The Focus Brands portfolio brands have signed agreements to open more than 50 dual and tri-brand locations in the coming year, many of which include drive-thrus for added convenience as interest in dual branded franchise opportunities continues to surge.

Flexible Store Formats

Focus Brands is among the brands introducing new store formats, including Krystal, Jack-in-the-Box and Panera Bread, which opened its Panera To Go, solely offering Rapid Pick-Up and Delivery shelves where guests and delivery drivers can easily pick up orders.  

Focus Brands has long pioneered the concept of dual branding, predominately in malls and non-traditional locations with Auntie Anne’s and Cinnabon. Now, the company’s portfolio brands have found new opportunities with streetside dual branded units, which is paving the way for immense franchise growth. 

“Dual branding is the future of our brands, especially on the specialty side of the business,” said Brian Krause, Chief Development Officer at Focus Brands. “There will always be a place in malls, but there is an immense amount of growth opportunity in streetside venues, and, by dual branding, there is more opportunity for enhanced revenue.”

The company invested heavily in consumer research to identify how to create combinations of its iconic brands to resonate with consumers and meet them where they want to be met.

Focus Brands has identified four dual-brand concepts:

• Auntie Anne’s/Cinnabon
• Auntie Anne’s/Cinnabon/Carvel
• Auntie Anne’s/Jamba
• Cinnabon/Carvel – Cinnabon Swirl. 

While key consumer benefits vary by dual-brand combination, one consistent benefit has been convenience. Having these brands together in one location makes them far more accessible than they are individually. This convenience also creates opportunity for franchisees, as co-branding leads to an expansive menu that drives enhanced unit-level volume. 

 

Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux is making its largest technological investment in brand history.

Walk-On’s is implementing a systemwide aggregator to consolidate third party orders, partnering with Lunchbox to upgrade its online ordering platform and guest loyalty program, and introducing a partnership with Toast to level up its POS management system.

71% say the ability to integrate with other systems is driving their POS purchase decisions, according to HT’s2 2023 POS Software Trends Report.

Walk-On’s new loyalty program and app, designed by Lunchbox, are scheduled to launch in the first half of 2023 with an improved interface and back-end integration that will create a more seamless user experience for guests and operators alike. 

Continuing with marked enhancements to the guest experience, Walk-On’s is also partnering with BOWEN to modernize the brand’s website presence and streamline the online ordering experience. 

In addition to the upgraded Toast POS system, Walk-On’s is installing Toast Kitchen Display System, and rolling out Toast Go 2 mobile handheld POS devices for tableside and curbside use at current and future locations. 

Walk-On’s will implement a phased rollout across all current locations throughout 2023 and begin immediate implementation at all new restaurants in their development pipeline. 

ASSA ABLOY Global Solutions, a provider of advanced security technology for the hospitality industry, announced a successful upgrade of its VingCard Classic door locks at The Water Tower Inn to VingCard Classic RFID. A member of the Best Western Premier Collection and benefitting from the technology expertise of ASSA ABLOY Global Solutions for approximately 20 years, The Water Tower Inn with its recent lock upgrade can now ensure enhanced guest peace of mind and the ability to keep pace with evolving security solution trends.  

By upgrading to VingCard Classic RFID, the property is notably able to eliminate keycard demagnetization issues that result in guest frustration and additional work for hotel staff. Switching to RFID-supported VingCard locks also significantly boosts hotel guest and staff safety by minimizing the risk of keycard cloning. Utilizing advanced data encryption protocols, VingCard Classic RFID ensures that only those with hotel authorization can ever gain access to a room. Should a security access related issue ever arise, staff at The Water Tower Inn can instantly review an event log in order to determine who entered a specific onsite area and at what time.  

“ASSA ABLOY Global Solutions has always proven to be professional, responsive and ahead of the latest hotel security needs, so working with them again to update our property’s security capabilities was a simple decision to make,” said Beverley Barber, Assistant General Manager at The Water Tower Inn. “Both the installation and training provided was painless and straightforward, and we are now fully confident in our ability to provide our guests with a stay experience that is always completely safe and stress-free.” 

Supported at the hotel by the Visionline access management system, VingCard Classic RFID can simultaneously maximize property security and efficiency while still ensuring a convenient and seamless experience for authorized guests. For example, guests can use the same keycard or a key wristband to access the hotel swimming pool or gym during designated hours. For hotel staff and visiting vendors, the property can instantly grant access to specific areas for a predetermined time period, ensuring that necessary tasks can still be completed while preventing any potential lapses in hotel safety. 

Another benefit now available to The Water Tower Inn is VingCard Classic RFID’s future-proof upgradability to Mobile Access. If and when property leadership identifies interest from guests for the feature, no replacement of existing lock hardware is required in order to activate Mobile Access. With just the addition of a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) reader, VingCard Classic RFID can offer guests the enhanced convenience of being able to use personal devices as a secure digital room key. 

Accor announced that Omer Acar has been appointed as CEO Raffles & Orient Express. His appointment will be effective March 1st, 2023.

An eminent specialist in luxury hospitality, Omer is a respected leader with high standards and an in-depth knowledge of the world of luxury. He will be bringing to Accor his strong expertise as well as his overall passion for brands and will help Raffles and Orient Express shine ever brighter around the world and further expand.

Omer will be based in New York. He will be reporting directly to Sébastien Bazin on the Luxury & Lifestyle Executive Committee and will work closely alongside the other brand CEOs of the division. To enhance the Group’s reach and recognition in the United States, Omer will also assume responsibility for representing Accor on the North American market.

Omer Acar holds degrees from Hotel Institute Montreux and Hawaii Pacific University, and a certificate from Cornell University. He started his career at Four Seasons in various operational positions at several hotels in the United States and Egypt. He moved to Harrods in England as Group Director of Food & Beverage in 2005, was appointed General Manager of the Ritz in Paris in 2006, then moved to Le Royal Monceau - Raffles Paris in the same capacity in 2011. He joined Katara Hospitality in 2014 as Managing Director for Europe and the Americas, where he supervised 18 hotels including The Plaza in New York, Peninsula in Paris, Carlton in Cannes, Excelsior in Rome, Grosvenor House and The Savoy in London.

Hotel Internet Services (HIS), a full-service provider of internet services and solutions for the hospitality industry, announced the implementation of advanced guest WiFi networks at several Graduate Hotels locations across the United States. With its focus on providing an enjoyable and memorable stay near several of the country’s most renowned university campuses, Graduate Hotels can now also ensure that guest demands for modern, reliable and secure internet access are always fully met.    

In catering to a guest demographic that includes alumni, students and their family members, Graduate Hotels identified providing a high quality WiFi service as a priority in maintaining high satisfaction rates. This was due to many guests seeking a stable high-performance connection for entertainment, work, study or for staying in touch with family and friends. The decision to select HIS to upgrade the networks of several Graduate Hotels properties came from the brand recognizing HIS as a leading expert in WiFi technology for the hospitality market. With its years of dedicated experience and access to the latest in network technology including advanced Ruckus access points, HIS has established an industry-wide reputation in being able to ensure strong WiFi signal coverage over a wide area that can effortlessly accommodate a multitude of guest devices. Graduate Hotels locations able to provide guests with first-rate online connectivity by partnering with HIS include: 

• Graduate Annapolis 
• Graduate Athens  
• Graduate Chapel Hill
• Graduate Cincinnati
• Graduate Columbia
• Graduate Eugene
• Graduate Lincoln
• Graduate Madison
• Graduate Minneapolis 

“A WiFi service that can be counted on to be fast and easily accessible is one of the first and most pressing demands made by today’s hotel guests, making it essential for us to work with a provider such as HIS that can ensure we meet this expectation fully and consistently,” said Benjamin Heiland, Vice President, Hotel Technology at Graduate Hotels. “Throughout each installation at our hotels, HIS has proven that they have the knowledge, technology and support services necessary to provide for a seamless upgrade that will continue to deliver high quality experiences for virtually any type of online guest need.”      

In addition to providing Graduate Hotels with the industry’s highest standard in internet connectivity, HIS will further equip property staff and guests with access to its 24/7 support services. By making its expert representatives readily available, HIS can ensure that any network performance or troubleshooting issues are swiftly identified and addressed before satisfaction rates are negatively impacted. This includes the ability to provide assistance with setting up VPN connections, overcoming login difficulties and many other types of troubleshooting issues that can frequently arise.