News Briefs

Mark Shambura has joined Panera Bread as Chief Marketing Officer. Shambura will lead all aspects of marketing at Panera, including Brand Building, Digital & Loyalty, Product Strategy & Consumer Insights. An accomplished marketing leader with broad expertise in the restaurant industry, Mr. Shambura has previously held marketing leadership roles during pivotal growth periods for top brands including Chipotle, MOD Pizza, and most recently Papa Johns.

"Mark brings an impressive background building brands and leading marketing teams for fast-casual restaurants, and we’re thrilled to welcome him to Panera Bread,” said José Alberto Dueñas, Chief Executive Officer. “As Panera continues to evolve our brand, guided by listening to our guests, Mark’s depth of experience and ability will help drive our growth as a brand that serves great food you feel good about eating.”

Shambura previously served as CMO at Papa Johns, where he led a revitalization of the brand by enhancing its iconic “Better Ingredients, Better Pizza” platform, and developing a more modern, innovative omnichannel approach to transform how Papa Johns appealed to both new and loyal consumers. As Executive Director at Chipotle, Mr. Shambura guided the marketing function through periods of both sustained growth and transition, providing leadership over brand strategy, advertising, digital, social, events/sponsorships, promotions, and field marketing, including playing a key role in spearheading its “Real Ingredients” brand strategy.

“I’m proud to join the Panera Bread team and excited to build on the momentum of the brand's transformation as it continues to evolve in service of our guests,” Mr. Shambura said. “Panera propelled and cemented its position at the top of the fast casual restaurant segment through its promise of high-quality ingredients and freshly prepared food, and I’m thrilled to join a highly talented team to help shape its next chapter.”

Prior to his tenure in the restaurant industry, Mr. Shambura gained extensive marketing agency experience, working with a broad array of top global consumer brands for over a decade. Shambura will report directly to José Alberto Dueñas, Chief Executive Officer, and officially assumed the role of Chief Marketing Officer on July 29, 2024.

Tredence, a global data science and AI solutions company, announced its latest AI-driven innovations in the Travel and Hospitality sector through its partnership with Snowflake’s AI Data Cloud. With a focus on transforming customer experience, revenue management, marketing, and operations, Tredence has developed a suite of AI accelerators tailored for airlines, hotels, cruise lines, and travel technology providers. Leveraging Snowflake’s AI Data Cloud for Travel and Hospitality, these solutions integrate industry-specific datasets with Snowflake's unified platform to drive operational efficiency and business growth.

“Tredence's expertise in deploying industry-specific data and AI solutions, paired with Snowflake's robust AI Data Cloud, will transform how travel and hospitality companies manage their operations and engage with customers. We are excited to continue our work with Snowflake to deliver cutting-edge, scalable data solutions that drive revenue growth management, optimize costs, and create personalized experiences,” said Sumit Mehra, Chief Technology Officer and Co-founder of Tredence Inc.

Tredence is joining Snowflake in mobilizing the world’s data to help organizations unlock new business value and drive innovation. Through continued collaboration with Snowflake, Tredence's accelerator addresses critical industry trends such as hyper-personalized marketing, enhanced customer experience, and optimized revenue management. Tredence’s AI-powered solutions, such as recommendation engines for dynamic pricing and frameworks for real-time personalized customer engagement, empower travel and hospitality companies to stay ahead of the curve in a rapidly evolving market.

“The travel and hospitality industry is at a pivotal moment, with AI and data-driven insights becoming more critical for business success in areas ranging from customer experience, marketing, operations, and everything in between," said Whitnee Hawthorne, Global Head of Travel & Hospitality at Snowflake. “Tredence and Snowflake are jointly empowering clients to transform operations and deliver unparalleled customer experiences through the AI Data Cloud.”

This powerful collaboration is exemplified by Tredence’s multi-year partnership with one of the world’s largest hotel chains. Leveraging Snowflake’s AI Data Cloud, Tredence has driven significant data-led growth, improving the company’s Net Promoter Score (NPS) by 7 points and increasing the average member value by over $500 through personalized promotions. Additionally, this partnership has optimized revenue management with predictive customer lifetime value (CLTV), dynamic pricing, and cross-channel marketing analytics, solidifying the client’s leadership in the hospitality industry.

Stayntouch, a global leader in cloud hotel property management systems (PMS) and guest-centric technology, announced a new partnership with Cobblestone Hotels, a fast-growing hotel franchise chain with over 160 properties across 29 states. Stayntouch deployed its cloud-based PMS across Cobblestone’s portfolio at an unprecedented speed, leveraging advanced automation technology.

Founded in 2008, Cobblestone Hotels has quickly become one of the fastest-growing hotel franchise chains in the United States, focusing on providing upper-midscale hotel accommodations to smaller communities and a service philosophy that emphasizes “Big City Quality with Small Town Values.” By partnering with Stayntouch, Cobblestone Hotels benefit from: 

• A modern cloud-based PMS with reliable performance and 100-percent uptime, streamlining operations and deployment across multiple properties. It boasts a comprehensive feature set, multi-property functionality, the ability to enhance operational efficiency by 70 percent and features designed to expedite new property setups with template configurations.
• Advanced multi-property management system designed for large portfolios, offering centralized control and chain-wide standardization. It enhances operational efficiency and significantly saves time and resources.
• An integrated Rate Strategy module that intelligently automates revenue and occupancy optimization, harnessing the power of built-in AI to streamline operations. It operates seamlessly, eliminating the need for manual oversight or external tools.
• A full suite of Stayntouch products to power their operations, drive revenue, enhance guest experiences and ensure tech scalability. 

Josie Kilgore, Brand President of Cobblestone Hotels, commented, "We chose Stayntouch for their outstanding customer support and dedicated team members, who remain consistently available—a quality we truly value. Their cloud PMS is incredibly intuitive and comprehensive and they've shown great flexibility in developing new features tailored to our needs. Stayntouch's multi-property features and wide range of integrations give us the confidence to expand our tech strategy and roll out new technologies across our portfolio. Plus, their creation of a Rate Strategy module based on our request is a game-changer. We're truly excited about teaming up with Stayntouch!”

Jacob Messina, CEO of Stayntouch, replied, “We’re excited to announce our partnership with Cobblestone Hotels and are proud to have their portfolio live with our cloud PMS in record time. We look forward to growing together as they continue to expand rapidly. At Stayntouch, we understand the unique challenges faced by hotel chains like Cobblestone, which is why we’ve tailored our solutions to meet their specific needs. This collaboration underscores our commitment to innovation, delivering cutting-edge solutions that not only enhance operational efficiency but also drive incremental revenue for owners and operators. We prioritize understanding their needs, delivering consistently, and fostering trust as a reliable partner.” 

TRAY, a global provider of cloud-native enterprise-class POS systems, has expanded its existing partnership with Alraedah Finance, a financial and digital solutions provider based in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 

Alraedah has made a significant financial investment in TRAY further empowering the technology provider to develop its cutting-edge POS system and support its Enterprise customers. Alraedah Digital Solutions, a division of Alraedah Finance, will provide additional resources and expertise in data analytics, product development, and third-party integrations. The two parties launched an exclusive reseller agreement in 2023 to power small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as well as larger Enterprise customers across various industries in the Middle East & North Africa region with cutting-edge POS Solutions, sometimes referred to as Electronic Cash Register (ECR) Solutions in the region.

As the exclusive reseller of TRAY POS in the MENA Region, Alraedah resells, configures, and supports the TRAY solution, which is available in English as well as the local language and currency, making the solution accessible and turn-key for end customers. TRAY-branded financial products are also slated for development including TRAY Capital and TRAY Pay. Given the flexible technology TRAY offers, the same can be done in other international markets with ease.

"We’re appreciative of the partnership and investment from Alraedah,” said Peter Kellis, Chief Executive Officer of TRAY. “Their support and vision are instrumental in propelling our mission to revolutionize the restaurant POS industry. This collaboration not only strengthens our global presence but also enhances our ability to deliver innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our clients.”

caption: Peter Kellis, Chief Executive Officer of TRAY, pictured left, with Paul Melotto, CEO of Alraedah Digital Group, pictured right. 

Over the last year, TRAY's state-of-the-art POS system has enabled Alraedah Digital Solutions to provide customers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with easy-to-use and reliable solutions that optimize business operations and enhance customer experiences. The new financial support provided bolsters TRAY’s ability to expand international reach and enhance service for existing US and Canada customers.

“TRAY has proven to be an indispensable tool for hospitality businesses in our region,” stated Paul Melotto, CEO of Alraedah Digital Group. "This growing engagement deepens both party’s ability to support businesses on an international scale. Together, we are poised to set new standards in the industry and drive meaningful growth. We look forward to the continued success of this partnership and the exciting opportunities it will bring."

Hospitality operators in food and beverage, cafes and lounges around the MENA Region have growing access to an efficient, reliable and scalable POS solution that can optimize business operations and enhance in-store consumer experiences through the partnership between Alraedah and TRAY. TRAY’s extensive experience in delivering POS solutions to businesses worldwide, coupled with Alraedah's commitment to championing growth for independent and fast-growing brands, will further empower and enhance existing service offerings such as POS financing, and also contribute to the overall development of the SME sector in Saudi Arabia.     

ParTech Inc. announced the Q4 2024 launch of the PAR POS Fall Release, introducing significant advancements in point-of-sale technology. This update brings a next-generation platform, and cutting-edge features designed to enhance operational efficiency, boost customer satisfaction, and future-proof restaurants in an ever-changing landscape.

From contactless payment options to multi-lane drive-thru innovations, the Fall Release sets a new benchmark for restaurants aiming to meet modern demand with speed, reliability, and flexibility.

"With this release, we’re pushing the boundaries of what restaurant technology can achieve," said Savneet Singh, CEO of PAR Technology. "The PAR POS Fall Release brings forth impactful solutions, like QR code payments, native digital wallets, and new order modes, transforming how restaurants engage with their customers. Our evolved architecture ensures restaurants are equipped to stay ahead of industry and business demands, enhancing every facet of their service delivery."

84% of survey participants plan to add new functionality, features, or modules to their current POS software, according to HT's 2024 POS Software Trends Survey

Key Features 

• Pay-at-the-Table via QR Code with PAR Pay and CheckPlease
  Contactless payments are transforming how restaurants operate. Through its partnership with CheckPlease, PAR Pay now allows guests to settle checks instantly via QR codes on their mobile devices. Perfect for table service, drive-thru, and to-go orders, this solution delivers a frictionless checkout experience with flexible payment options. It helps speed up table turnover, boosts average tips by 16%, and allows staff to focus on delivering exceptional service.
   
• Platform Extensibility and More Control Over Your Data
  Restaurants will be able to integrate kiosks, menu boards, and other external systems directly within the restaurant via local RESTful API endpoints. This in-store integration bolsters independence from the cloud, further strengthening in-store reliability, even during internet outages. Guests will enjoy faster, more responsive ordering experiences since the data is processed locally. Additionally, with this release, PAR POS strengthens restaurant data management by allowing restaurants to organize and categorize information with custom labels, identifiers, and brand-specific terms, making data easier to find, analyze, and export to third-party platforms. This extends data consistency across systems and enables more targeted, informative reporting.
   
• Faster, More Accurate Ordering
  With Rapid Promo Entry, restaurants can now automatically apply promotion items to orders with a simple promo code, speeding up transactions and reducing errors. This streamlined approach ensures both ease and accuracy at the point of sale. Additionally, the new On the Fly, One Behind Ordering feature allows for natural guest ordering by holding items back from the kitchen display until the next one is started. This gives time to finalize modifiers, preventing early preparation, reducing errors, and cutting down on food waste. It’s designed to enhance kitchen efficiency and improve both speed and service quality.
   
• Multi-Lane Drive-Thru Enhancements
  The new Multi-Lane Drive-Thru Enhancements allow a default register to be assigned to an Order Confirmation Board (OCB), persisting day-to-day to eliminate the need for repeated setup. An indicator on the register shows the assigned OCB, improving visibility and order accuracy while reducing labor effort and staff frustration. This feature builds on earlier innovations, including larger order preview panels and drag-and-drop order re-sequencing in-lane and on the kitchen display system (KDS).

Redefining Restaurant Success

The PAR POS Fall Release reflects PAR’s ongoing commitment to evolving technology for the restaurant industry. Its modular architecture delivers faster updates and enhanced in-store performance, ensuring flexibility to meet future challenges.

The Future of Restaurant Management Starts Now

The rollout of the latest version of PAR POS begins in Q4 2024,