News Briefs

Continued inflation is driving consumers to seek out more promotions, discounts and loyalty programs to manage costs associated with dining out, acccoing to the Givex 2024 Restaurant and Dining Trends Survey.

The Givex 2024 Restaurant and Dining Trends Survey draws from responses of over 1,000 Americans, offering a detailed look into evolving consumer behaviors as the economic landscape shifts.

According to the survey, 86% of Americans cite promotions as a major incentive to dine out, closely followed by coupons and discounts at 81%. Additionally, 65% of respondents find value in loyalty programs, and nearly half (47%) are attracted to Happy Hour deals. This shows a clear trend of consumers seeking ways to maximize value in response to rising menu prices and the ongoing impacts of inflation. 

"The ongoing economic challenges have understandably altered the way people approach dining out," said Givex’s Chief Commercial Officer, Mo Chaar. "Our survey indicates that while price sensitivity has increased, so has the appreciation for value-added services like loyalty programs and promotional offers, which can help restaurants maintain customer engagement during these challenging times."

Other key insights include:

• Inflation Impact: A notable 78% of Americans agree that higher menu prices have made dining out more challenging over the past year.

• Shifts in Dining and Delivery: Some 41% of respondents are dining out less frequently, while 45% have reduced their food delivery orders compared to last year. Meanwhile, 60% report cooking more at home.

• Loyalty Programs: Nearly half of all Americans prioritize grocery loyalty programs, with 49% rating them as most important. Overall, 87% of Americans participate in at least one loyalty program. 
  
  When asked what they really want from loyalty programs, 78% of customers surveyed want discounts, according to HTs 12^th annual 2023 Customer Engagement Technology Study.  

• Technology Adoption: There's a growing acceptance of AI — specifically conversational AI-driven product recommendation technology — in the restaurant industry, with 52% of Americans comfortable with its implementation. In Hospitality Technology's 2024 Restaurant Technology Study co-sponsored by Givex, 63% of restaurant operators surveyed said they are planning to use or add AI or automation/robotics into their operations. Both data sets underscore the growing demand for emerging technology to enhance the customer experience and restaurant operations.

"As we navigate a period marked by economic adjustment, understanding consumer priorities is essential for businesses aiming to enhance customer experiences and drive sales," said Chaar. "The insights from our 2024 survey provide critical data that can help restaurant owners and operators make strategic decisions that align with customer preferences."

For more information about the technology solutions offered by Givex, visit givex.com.

ParTech, Inc. (PAR), a global restaurant technology company providing unified commerce solutions for enterprise restaurants,  announces its PAR Brink POS  2024 Spring Release. Designed to empower restaurants in navigating the balance between operational efficiency and exceptional guest experiences, this update introduces a variety of features aimed at simplifying daily administration, enhancing table service, and strengthening the connection between businesses and their patrons.

Enhanced Table Service

At the heart of Brink’s Spring Release is a comprehensive suite of table service enhancements, reinforcing PAR's commitment to elevating the dining experience. The introduction of PAR Pay-At-Table allows guests to review and pay their checks directly at the table, streamlining transactions and eliminating unnecessary wait times. The Tip Share feature facilitates the inclusion of tip amounts for all staff involved, fostering workplace transparency and ensuring equitable distribution of gratuities among both back-of-house and front-of-house teams.

• 66% say enabling new payment options like mobile wallet is impacting POS upgrade decisions in 2024,  according to HT's 2024 POS Software Trends Survey

Additionally, guests can now pre-authorize their credit cards upon arrival, allowing them to keep tabs open throughout their visit. This ensures a seamless and leisurely dining experience while also safeguarding restaurants and bars against the risk of unpaid walkouts.

The release also includes reporting features exclusively tailored for full-service concepts. Brink's Checkout Report ensures precise register-side management, particularly in situations where servers need support to finalize table closures during tip-sharing scenarios. Other capabilities, such as automatic order splitting by seat and effortless one-click printing of individual checks, expedite table turnovers, which is particularly beneficial for larger groups.

Solutions to Today's Challenges

Restaurants navigate a tightrope in today's macro landscape – battling inflationary pressures, labor costs, and lower traffic while still crafting an unforgettable experience for guests with ever-rising expectations.

Brink’s new release empowers operators to navigate the challenge on both sides with meaningful enhancements that include:

• Gamification to encourage upsells and increase average check values.
• Simplified ordering, streamlined pick-ups and automated lane and KDS re-sequencing for single, dual, and multi-lane drive-thrus. 
• Multi-reward Redemption with Punchh , PAR’s  loyalty platform. 
• Support for 24x7 restaurant operations on Register and KDS.
• Seamless EBT Payments with PAR Pay, PAR’s payments platform.

"This new release represents a significant milestone for PAR Brink POS," said Savneet Singh, CEO of PAR Technology Corporation. "It continues our commitment to constant innovation, capitalizing on strong investment and hard work of our team. Stasis is death for a product led software business that will never happen at PAR."

Well-known restaurant brands such as Hooters of America trust PAR Brink’s table service capabilities. 

For more information about PAR Technology and PAR Brink, please visit partech.com.  

Recipe  Unlimited, a Canadian full-service restaurant company, is embarking on a new venture by testing state-of-the-art automation of  Gastronomous Technologies'  "flame grill" at select Harvey's restaurants across Ontario. 

Called the Chronogrill this innovative solution incorporates AI, advanced vision systems, and industrial-grade automation to grill the perfect burger in half the time while reducing energy consumption. "The goal of integrating this cutting-edge technology is to deliver an exceptional guest experience by serving top-quality flame-grilled burgers 100% of the time while simultaneously increasing our speed of service and lowering our environmental impact," says David Colebrook, President of Limited Service Dining for Recipe.

Utilizing Internet-of-Things connectivity, the system provides detailed operational insights, 24/7 remote monitoring, and seamless service support.

Kevork Sevadjian, CEO of Gastronomous Technologies, echoes David Colebrook's sentiments, emphasizing the success of the collaboration. "Recipe has been an exceptional partner throughout this journey," he remarks. "Recipe's forward-thinking leadership and their team's collaboration have been instrumental in realizing the potential of this partnership. This milestone not only marks a significant achievement for Recipe but also heralds a new era of innovation for the entire restaurant industry."

Caption: Recipe Unlimited and Gastronomous Technologies partner to set new standards of excellence and productivity in the culinary landscape (CNW Group/Gastronomous Technologies Inc)

RoomRaccoon, a hotel management system for independent hotels, is expanding its hotel guest management software offering through new partnerships with Orana Stay, GuestTouch, and Woby. 

The partnerships will empower RoomRaccoon users with a comprehensive suite of guest-centric features, including personalized communication, digital concierge services, automated upselling, and advanced guest feedback management to elevate the guest experience and drive revenue at every point of the guest journey. 

“Guest expectations are always evolving, particularly in terms of technology,” says Stevie Reffin, Head of Partnership at RoomRaccoon. “Guest experience tools are hugely beneficial for maximizing guest satisfaction, particularly when they are integrated with a Property Management System (PMS). We are thrilled to offer these expert resources through the RoomRaccoon Marketplace to bring even more value to our hoteliers."

Orana Stay redefines hospitality by offering hoteliers an integrated messaging system with AI-driven translations in over 100 languages, digital guest guides with auto-recommendations for restaurants, attractions, and events, and the opportunity to promote property amenities and services throughout the guest journey. 

GuestTouch is a popular guest messaging and reputation platform that allows hotels to connect with guests at every stage of the journey through their preferred communication channels, including SMS, WhatsApp, Email, Google Chat, and more to boost revenue and enhance the guest experience.

Woby is a popular web application in the Netherlands that allows guests to place orders and pay for them online by connecting hotels’ POS and PMS systems. With Woby, guests can easily request housekeeping services, access concierge services and guides, order food and beverages and more, all from one app.

These partnerships underscore RoomRaccoon's commitment to providing its users with comprehensive solutions that drive success in today's competitive hospitality landscape.

RoomRaccoon users can easily activate these integrations through the system’s Integration Marketplace.

Cendyn, a global integrated hotel technology and services company, and Shiji, the global hospitality technology innovator, are empowering hoteliers to improve profitability with optimized rates and availability.

The new system integration seamlessly synchronizes data between Cendyn CRS and Shiji Enterprise Platform PMS. Hoteliers, including independent hotels, brands, and chains, benefit from a streamlined process that minimizes the need for manual updates in the PMS, driving improved productivity and greater operational efficiencies.

Through harnessing this powerful integration, hoteliers can centralize operations via Cendyn CRS, facilitating intelligent rates and availability management, ensuring a smooth data flow of reservation data into the Shiji PMS.

“System integration is paramount today in enabling hoteliers to run smart, efficient and profitable hotel business operations. Through our partnership with Shiji, hoteliers can confidently and swiftly adjust rates and availability in the Cendyn CRS and have them reflected instantly in Shiji PMS. Group and portfolio brands can gain greater control and visibility of all their properties, ensuring each hotel performs to its best ability,” said Chris Egan, Chief Product Officer, Cendyn.

“The Shiji and Cendyn partnership provides hoteliers with fully integrated systems that encourage enhanced efficiency and productivity in staff. With a constant support of real-time information, hotels can avoid data discrepancies while having the most up-to-date guest profiles to enhance the overall guest experience and execute highly targeted marketing strategies,” said Kevin King, CEO, Shiji International.

By leveraging the Shiji PMS and Cendyn CRS integration, hoteliers can intelligently manage rates and availability for their hotel business, driving revenue, maximizing profitability, and creating deeper connections with guests.

With an immediate need to update and standardize its point-of-sale systems across 30 restaurants plus event venues and other partners, and enable corporate to self-manage and maintain all systems, Oliver & Bonacini Hospitality (O&B) has transitioned to Silverware POS.

O&B is recognized as one of Canada’s leading restaurant and event groups with locations in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Edmonton and beyond. The company credits its success to developing a strong corporate culture where food quality and service are valued above all else and leave lasting, positive impressions on every guest through our intelligent, enthusiastic and emotional service.

Trusted by the most notable brands around the globe, Silverware develops enterprise point-of-sale solutions for large venue operations and deploys systems to meet the needs of multi-revenue operations with restaurants, bars, lounges, roomservice, banquet and retail facilities.

Wanted:  Personalized Service 

“The demands of today’s diners are changing,” said Charlotte Newbury, Oliver & Bonacini Hospitality associate director of business operations. “At high-end restaurants, people expect personalized service with a great view and a one-of-a-kind culinary adventure. At more casual places, diners may prefer to be more interactive or self-serving with their experiences. Time is precious, and therefore they do not want to wait on service associates to pay their bills; a scan, pay and leave scenario more aptly fits their lifestyles. To support this mix – dictated by the market and the concept – we needed a point-of-sale solution that did it all. It needed to be user friendly and give us access to the back end so we could manage and maintain it on our own. Silverware has the flexibility to do all that and much more.”

•  33% of restaurants are using AI to make personalized recommendations to customers according to HT's 2024 Restaurant Technology Study

A key criteria for O&B was finding a POS platform that drives efficiency. The goal of the new system was to get food out faster and send orders to the kitchen in clear, concise ways without lag time. The company also wanted a solution that its employees would be eager to engage with since most of the wait staff are young and comfortable adopting new technology. Silverware was purpose built to drive efficiency, improve profitability, and enhance every aspect of the dining experience.

“When onboarding new employees or bringing a restaurant online with Silverware, everyone is amazed at the user friendliness of the system,” Newbury said. “Most servers think ‘you’ve seen one POS, you’ve seen them all,’ but that is not the case. Our staff consistently tell us they can’t believe how intuitive Silverware is. Anything and everything you can possibly think of is already built in. Our people say they especially like the fact that pricing levels change automatically; when lunch is over and Happy Hour begins, price changes don’t have to be input manually. Whenever Silverware asks if we would like to pilot new features, we jump at the chance to provide insight.” 

Users can be trained on Silverware in about 45 minutes, Newbury said. Immediately following training, O&B’s associates are comfortable using it. That means the company doesn’t have to spend a lot of time or money on training and retraining. And because all back-end programming is done internally, their team can step in and troubleshoot if needed. In fact, 16 employees oversee, manage, and provide back-end programming to Silverware across the vast foodservice enterprise. Newbury said her department was created specifically to do most of the heavy lifting for all point-of-sale systems companywide.

“The bottom line is Silverware simplifies our operations, and their support is outstanding,” Newbury said. “Should we need additional assistance with something that we can’t handle internally, we can always reach someone at the Help Desk 24/7. Silverware’s account managers are extremely accessible and receptive. More importantly, they’re honest; they will let us know if they can or cannot do something. There is never a delay in response. It’s great knowing that if we need them, Silverware is standing by to assist.”

Online Ordering 

One of the newer features of Silverware being leveraged by O&B is GuestX for online ordering. The GuestX platform enables diners to seamlessly place orders and pay through their mobile phone by credit card, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. It’s fully customizable to match each restaurants’ branding and ensure a consistent experience for diners whether they eat in or order out. For a company with multiple platforms such as O&B, maintaining consistency is vital.

“O&B is committed to quality, growth, and technology,” Newbury said. “We are always looking for efficiencies while staying cutting edge. If we can do that, it will extend to the guest experience and make it the best it can be.

“The future is bright,” she added. “We have about six new restaurants coming online in 2024, plus a large food hall project this Spring with 16 food stalls. Silverware will be by our side every step of the way and we wouldn’t have it any other way.”