News Briefs

The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) today announced a revamped Hotel Kitchen platform that will help hoteliers around the country prevent food waste, protect the environment by diverting food from landfills, and reduce operating costs.

The revamped Hotel Kitchen platform will make it easier to reach the goal of cutting U.S. food waste in half by 2030. Improvements include:

• Guidelines and best practices for hotel employees at all levels, including corporate leadership and owners, hotel operators, and staff who run meetings and events and food & beverage operations.
• Faster access to Hotel Kitchen’s most popular resources, including the 16-Week Champion’s Guide Checklist for Fighting Food Waste, the Fighting Food Waste in Hotels Video Training Series, and the Food Waste Audit Guide.
• An updated Lobster Ink online training workspace for hospitality and tourism employees to track their progress as they implement Hotel Kitchen’s food waste reduction programs.

WWF and AHLA launched Hotel Kitchen in March 2017. Since then, more than 36,000 hotel staff have completed the video training series provided through the initiative. By implementing Hotel Kitchen strategies, pilot-program properties found food waste reduction between 17-38%. Improvements to the program will make it easier than ever before for hoteliers to learn how to achieve these efficiencies and start implementing these important changes.

Hotel Kitchen is one of several ways AHLA is building upon the hotel industry’s growing sustainability legacy as part of its Responsible Stay initiative, which is focused on hotel energy efficiency, waste reduction, water conservation, and responsible sourcing. Through Responsible Stay, AHLA is jointly operating the industry leading Green Key Global hotel sustainability certification program along with the Hotel Association of Canada. AHLA has also partnered with IncentiFind to help hotels identify sustainability-related cost savings.

“Reducing food waste provides a number of important benefits: It’s good for the environment, reduces hoteliers’ operating costs, and conserves resources at a time when too many Americans are food insecure,” said AHLA Vice President for Committees and Member Engagement Lauren Pravlik. “The Hotel Kitchen platform is dedicated to helping hoteliers achieve all of these important goals, and we are pleased to continue sharing this important resource with the industry through our partnership with WWF.”

“With food at the forefront of every hospitality experience, reducing food waste in hotels helps move the entire sector in the right direction,” said WWF’s Vice President Food, Food Loss and Waste, Pete Pearson. “For years, Hotel Kitchen has demonstrated what can be achieved when the right tools are used by hotels and event staff. The latest updates make the program even more accessible, as we strive to bring the broader meetings and event community and clients along on this journey.”

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.

Hallmark's new Gift Card Greetings combines a physical greeting card with a digital gift card that offers an easy solution for personalized gifting.

"When it comes to gifting, especially during the busy holiday season, customers want convenience and customizability, and that's exactly what Gift Card Greetings offer," said Lauren Benson, senior director of creative product development at Hallmark. "Nothing compares to the feeling of opening a greeting card with a heartfelt message, and when combined with a surprise digital gift card that caters to the recipient's favorite store, restaurant or retailer, it's truly a gift that's perfectly suited for anyone."  

Powered by The Gift Card Shop, Gift Card Greetings offer an innovative way for customers to add a digital gift card to a physical card. With more than 100 favorite brands including Starbucks, Darden Restaurants and DoorDash, to choose from, Gift Card Greetings provide a more meaningful way to send and receive digital gift cards this holiday season – and for any celebratory occasion.

"Pairing gift cards with greeting cards is a popular way to celebrate special occasions, and now consumers can make this experience even more personable," said Jaime Yeager, vice president of global business development at InComm Payments. "This collaboration highlights our shared commitment to enhancing customer experiences by merging the best of both worlds: Hallmark's trusted brand for meaningful greetings and InComm Payments' leadership in the gift card industry. The result is Gift Card Greetings, a seamless way to deliver digital gifts with a physical touch."

Gift Card Greetings come in a wide range of designs for multiple occasions and seasonal celebrations,  as well as holiday styles for Christmas. With Gift Card Greetings, it's simple, secure and fun to surprise someone with a digital gift card to their favorite brand inside a Hallmark greeting card.

To send a Gift Card Greeting, customers choose a design, scan the unique code inside the card to visit The Gift Card Shop, select a digital gift card from more than 100 favorite brands, add a dollar amount, and handwrite a personalized message. When the recipient opens the card, they simply scan the code and enter a four-digit PIN to redeem their digital gift card. More details on how Gift Card Greetings work can be found here.

Gift Card Greetings are powered by The Gift Card Shop, an e-commerce website managed by InComm Payments. They are available for $4.99 at Hallmark.com, Hallmark Gold Crown Stores and select retailers nationwide. For more information about Gift Card Greetings or to locate a Hallmark Gold Crown Store visit Hallmark.com.

As it celebrates 15 years, Kura Sushi USA Inc is currently implementing across all locations a QR-scan plate system that provides real-time consumption analytics, ensuring operational efficiency with precise demand forecasting.

The self-described "trailblazing leader in technology-driven dining experiences and authentic Japanese cuisine," celebrates its 15th anniversary in the U.S. this month. Since opening in Irvine, Calif.., in 2009, Kura Sushi has grown into the country’s largest revolving sushi bar chain, with nearly 70 locations across 19 states and Washington, D.C.

“Reaching this milestone is a testament to our commitment to innovation and our ability to seamlessly integrate advanced technology while staying true to our roots in Japanese culinary tradition,” said Jimmy Uba, President and CEO of Kura Sushi USA. “As we continue expanding, we remain dedicated to bringing our proprietary technology and eater-tainment experience to more diners across the country.”

Pioneering Technology

For the past 15 years, Kura Sushi’s growth and success have been driven by its pioneering technological innovations and partnerships. Central to this is the dual-layer conveyor system, featuring the revolving sushi bar that circulates freshly prepared dishes and the Express Belt, which delivers made-to-order items directly to diners. The revolving belt leverages the brand’s Mr. Fresh food safety dome, a plate-lid system that preserves sushi freshness by limiting airborne exposure coupled with tracking technology. Further accentuating the entertaining element is the Bikkura Pon prize system, a gamified feature that integrates with the table by counting plates for seamless billing accuracy and rewarding guests for every 15 plates, merging entertainment with dining. In continuous effort to create fun, immersive dining experiences, Kura Sushi has collaborated with IPs from notable licensors such as Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc., Crunchyroll, Nintendo of America, Peanuts , Sanrio , SEGA of America, Inc. and Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products. These innovations and partnerships have created a seamless and efficient dining experience rooted in quality and authenticity, serving as a cornerstone of the brand’s distinct atmosphere.

Building upon this legacy, Kura Sushi has continued to roll out more advances in recent years, further establishing the brand as one of the most robot-enhanced restaurant chains in the U.S.

• 2022: Introduced the largest fleet of drink delivery robots deployed by RobotLAB.
• 2023: Launched an improved waitlist system with robust integrated AI technology to increase accurate wait times powered by Wisely.
• 2023: Debuted the new Kura Sushi Rewards app with an upgraded interface powered by Punchh.
• 2024: Partnered with DoorDash to offer delivery, further expanding accessibility and consumer reach.
• 2024: Further building upon Mr. Fresh technology capabilities, Kura Sushi is currently implementing across all locations a QR-scan plate system that provides real-time consumption analytics, ensuring operational efficiency with precise demand forecasting.

Looking ahead, Kura Sushi will continue expanding into new U.S. markets, exploring innovations and introducing limited-time menu offerings. These additions reflect the company’s commitment to keeping its experience dynamic, while maintaining the authenticity of its Japanese flavors.

In celebration of this milestone, Kura Sushi is launching the “Fly to Japan” sweepstakes, running from Oct. 23 to Oct. 30. Guests who dine in and spend $65 or more will be provided with commemorative 15th anniversary chopsticks while supplies last, which will serve as an entry for the grand prize trip to Japan for two.

A recent HungerRush survey shows that 80% of diners are more likely to visit a restaurant with positive reviews about food quality and taste. As restaurant owners work to attract new customers, reviews have become more crucial than ever.

The survey also found that 77% of diners prefer restaurants with good service reviews. Customers are increasingly paying attention to the overall experience and sharing their feedback online, whether for dine-in, delivery, or pickup. 

Restaurant owners that listen to reviews and surveys have an opportunity to improve their operations and meet customer expectations. Ignoring feedback can lead to negative reviews, which may drive customers away—63% of diners said they would avoid a restaurant with poor food quality reviews, and 62% would steer clear of establishments that aren't clean. Additionally, 51% of diners shared a restaurant review in the past year.

Previously, restaurants could only hope satisfied customers would share their experiences online and unhappy customers would refrain. Today, there are many tools available for restaurants to better capture customer feedback. These tools help restaurants capture valuable customer insights and mitigate customer issues. Encouraging diners to give feedback directly to the restaurant as well as encouraging diners to leave online reviews allows them to choose and often gives the restaurants an opportunity to solve customer problems before they are publicly broadcast. In any situation, responding directly and quickly is the best way to rebuild a customer relationship.

Bad Ratings 

The top reasons customers leave negative reviews are poor service (57%), low food quality (28%), incorrect orders (26%), and high prices (20%). On the other hand, positive reviews typically mention great service (50%), delicious food (33%), discounts (31%), and consistent quality (22%). When restaurants respond to negative reviews, they gain valuable insights to improve their business and rebuild customer relationships, potentially turning negative situations into lasting improvements and loyal customers.

Shannon Chirone, SVP of Marketing at HungerRush, says, “Restaurant owners want to know what makes customers happy and what frustrates them. Quick responses to feedback—whether it’s about service, food quality, or new technology like self-service ordering—are key to long-term success.”

For more details on HungerRush’s survey findings on restaurant review trends, click here. 

SIHOT, a hotel management system, has unveiled its latest hardware-software solution, a self-ordering terminal designed for fast-moving food and beverage outlets.

SIHOT developed the self-ordering terminal to support busy catering establishments – reducing queues, waiting times and pressure on staff - improving operations with digitalized ordering systems. The self-ordering terminal features an intuitive touch screen display with customized menus, enabling customers to easily place orders and access information about nutritional values and allergens. Payments are fast and secure using credit card or mobile via the integrated payment system.

SIHOT’s self-ordering terminal is fully integrated with SIHOT.POS, benefiting from real time data transfer of customer orders to the kitchen printer, and providing customers with a digital receipt. As part of the self-ordering terminal, hospitality and catering businesses can improve the customer experience with a fully integrated card terminal and barcode scanner.

Carsten Wernet, Chief Executive of SIHOT said, “With increasing expectations from customers and greater pressures on businesses, there’s a need to improve processes to fulfil customer orders. Our self-ordering terminal gives F&B outlet customers more autonomy to process their own orders, while teams and processes are efficient to enhance customer experiences and reduce wastage across the business. The integration with our existing systems provides business leaders with full commercial transparency to improve business processes and maximise revenue potential.”

SIHOT’s self-ordering terminal will be unveiled at Südback, Stuttgart from the 26th - 29th October 2024 in Hall 5, Stand D68. For more informations contact SIHOT or visit www.sihot.com