News Briefs

A new report has been launched by Expert Market looking at the current state of the accommodation industry - highlighting the tech innovations businesses are using to modernize services and keep challenges, such as staffing, at bay.

The Accommodation Industry Report surveyed more than 400 accommodation businesses on the state of the industry, their biggest upcoming challenges, and how they aim to address them.

Guest communication is a central theme to the industry’s new tech as 12% of accommodation businesses want less reliance on front desk staff for customer support. 

When asked ‘what changes they expect to their establishments in the next five years’, a greater use of mobile phone apps for customer communication was cited as the primary way by 14% of the surveyed businesses. 5% stated that they would like to depend more on AI chatbots for this. 

The report highlights how accommodation businesses are using new technology and software to help streamline some staffing duties during their current staffing crisis, which has the highest industry quit rate since 2022. ‘Hiring and Staffing Levels’ was found to be the investment area that’d been reduced the most by franchise and independent accommodation businesses, 49% and 34% respectively, due to rising business costs. 

When asked what measures had already been taken to alleviate staffing issues, 12% said they’d invested in software solutions. Integration of smart technologies in guest rooms - such as automated lighting, climate control, entertainment systems - was another key way that 14% would like introduced to enhance guest personalisation and experience. 

11% are keen to harness customer data more to tailor services and marketing. By analyzing booking trends, preferences and feedback, accommodation businesses are optimising their offerings to meet evolving guest needs, further enhance operational efficiency, as well as driving profitability through better targeting and personalisation.

Recognising the importance of a strong digital presence for the future, 10% aim to employ dedicated staff to manage their establishment’s digital presence. 

The report also asked the accommodation businesses which technologies they currently used the most, finding that Surveillance and Security Systems were first, followed by Reservation/Booking Software, and Landline Telephones.

Cybersecurity Attacks were highlighted as a significant operational risk by 10%, it’s clear to see why many deem security at the top of their tech list.

Expert Market’s Editor, Chris Maillard, comments:

“As with most other industries in 2025, the accommodation industry is also looking to technology for evolution as well as a solution to the issues currently facing the industry, such as employment gaps and the burdens on staff.

Using technology to improve room facilities and create a better guest experience is hugely welcome. Initiatives such as growing online presence and implementing more data for better targeting and personalisation are essential in today’s competitive market.

While these may help a lot, ultimately it’s people that are still at the heart of the accommodation industry. Effective personnel is a vital part of what creates a great guest experience, so focusing on hiring and retaining great staff should still be paramount.”

Please see the full Accommodation Industry Report findings and business recommendations here: https://www.expertmarket.com/accommodation/industry-trends-key-challenges-and-future-predictions

Lunchbox, the leader in enterprise restaurant catering and off-premise technology, has announced the appointment of James Walker as CEO as the company enters a new era of growth with a clear roadmap to profitability and innovation. With record momentum—including high-profile enterprise brands joining its expanding portfolio, an explosive rise in product adoption, and a sharpened focus on the next generation of restaurant technology—Lunchbox has also announced a funding round led by a strategic investment from Shift4, the leader in integrated payments and commerce technology.

James Walker Appointed as CEO, Nabeel Alamgir Executive Chairman
James Walker and Nabeel Alamgir will work as strategic partners to drive Lunchbox into its next phase of growth. Walker will lead growth and execution, leveraging decades of industry experience, while Alamgir doubles down on AI and automation, ensuring that Lunchbox remains the industry's most advanced, operator-first platform. Together, they're building a Lunchbox that helps operators scale faster, work smarter, and stay ahead leveraging best-in-class technology.

"We're charting a bold new course for restaurant technology," said Nabeel Alamgir, Executive Chairman of Lunchbox. "With James at the helm, Shift4's backing, and our relentless focus on innovation, we're not just building for today—we're designing for tomorrow's restaurant operators."

James Walker Brings Operator Edge, Decades of Experience 
A seasoned industry leader, Walker brings 30+ years of executive experience across QSR, Fast Casual, and Casual Dining, scaling global brands like Subway®, Nathan's Famous®, and Cinnabon®. Before stepping into the CEO role, he has served on Lunchbox's Board of Directors for over x years, playing a key role in securing its investment and partnership with Shift4.

Walker, widely respected in restaurant tech and delivery, combines expertise in enterprise growth, AI strategy, and operations to drive Lunchbox's next phase of growth. He holds an MBA from Duke and has completed executive programs at Harvard, Yale, and MIT, including a focus on AI strategy at MIT.

"Lunchbox is a pioneer in restaurant innovation, and I'm honored to lead the charge alongside Nabeel Alamgir," said James Walker, CEO of Lunchbox. "Restaurants deserve technology that works for them, not against them. My focus is on scaling our solutions to meet the evolving needs of enterprise brands, ensuring they have the tools to compete and succeed in today's digital-first landscape."

Record Growth and a Focus on the Future
Lunchbox has experienced record-breaking growth, with a 340% increase in average deal size since 2022, as it continues moving upmarket with brands like Paris Baguette, Pei Wei, Friendly's, Hawaiian Bros, Biscuitville, and Papa John's. The company's long-standing partners—including Clean Juice and other multi-unit brands—have contributed to 300% growth in product adoption, with the average number of products per client rising from 1 to 4 since 2022.

Strategic Investment Led by Shift4
Fueling this momentum, Lunchbox has secured a new round of funding, led by Shift4, further validating its market leadership and profitability strategy. This funding will accelerate product development, enhance enterprise capabilities, and reinforce Lunchbox's commitment to helping restaurant brands scale seamlessly. With the strategic partnership, Shift4 will prioritize Lunchbox as the enterprise solution for its SkyTab POS system.

"We're excited to partner with Lunchbox as they set the standard for order management and other enterprise restaurant solutions," said Taylor Lauber, President of Shift4. "By integrating their powerful capabilities into SkyTab POS, we're able to enhance our product ecosystem to better serve the needs of enterprise restaurants and deliver a unique differentiator to this customer segment. Our investment reflects our confidence in Lunchbox's vision to continue to transform the restaurant technology landscape."

With a sharpened focus on AI, automation, and the evolving needs of enterprise brands, Lunchbox is redefining what restaurant technology can achieve. Built by operators, for operators, the platform continues to evolve, with its customers having a direct seat at the table in shaping the roadmap.

Presto Phoenix Inc., a provider of AI-driven solutions for the quick-service restaurant (QSR) industry, announced an expanded partnership with Galardi Group, the parent company of Wienerschnitzel, to deploy its cutting-edge Voice AI ordering technology across the quick-service restaurant chain's drive-thru locations.

The Galardi Group now has 35 locations operating with Presto’s Voice AI in the drive-thru. The company has already enrolled over 50 locations, with rapid 2025 expansion plans for Wienerschnitzel's nationwide network of over 350 corporate and franchise drive-thru locations.

“We're thrilled to expand our partnership with the Galardi Group and bring Presto Voice™ to Wienerschnitzel locations across the country,” said Gee Lefevre, CEO of Presto. “Our AI-driven solution has significantly improved upsell and labor optimization while helping the staff focus on providing exceptional service and food quality.”

“We are delighted to be an early adopter of AI with Presto and have conviction in the ROI we see across upsell revenue, labor cost, and the consistency of the customer experience,” said Rusty Bills, Chief Operating Officer of Galardi Group. “It is time to scale our partnership toward a fully AI-enabled system, which we believe will greatly contribute to the success of our franchisees. The QSR space is rapidly moving in the technology space, and we are happy to partner with Presto to help us navigate this current way of doing business.”

Presto Voice is an industry-leading Voice AI product that automates drive-thru order-taking, in the process becoming a virtual employee, helping staff avoid excessive multi-tasking and driving higher order accuracy and superior customer service. A Presto Voice upsell test with Wienerschnitzel’s all-beef hotdog yielded a 5% average increase in total sales when Presto Voice consistently upsold the all-beef hotdog.

“Ours is a story of great American entrepreneurship and growth that started with a single hot dog stand in 1961. As we expand our business over the next decade, we believe our early adoption of AI will help enable this same culture of being forward-thinking and results-oriented,” said JR Galardi, CEO of Galardi Group.

Presto pioneered LLM-driven drive-thru Voice AI, which gets increasingly intelligent every day. With over 15 years of enterprise restaurant experience to scale rollouts nationwide and a customer-centric model that emphasizes corporate and franchisee relationships, Presto has become the best-positioned Voice AI partner for the drive-thru QSR industry.

To learn more about Presto, please visit presto.com.

CardFree, the all-in-one platform empowering merchants with customized order, pay, and loyalty solutions, is pleased to announce the launch of a new, class-leading, end-to-end AI ordering and payment solution in collaboration with SoundHound AI.

The new feature streamlines phone-in takeout orders by integrating SoundHound’s industry-leading AI-powered voice technology with CardFree’s world-class ordering and checkout flows, utilizing its Text-to-Pay platform. This solution reduces staff workloads and mitigates fraud by eliminating the need to take orders or credit card credentials over the phone, while improving the guest experience with features like loyalty integration, rewards redemption, and seamless payment options like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and gift cards.

“Our team has always taken pride in bringing new and innovative products to market that drive incremental revenue, streamline operations, and improve the guest experience. When we launch a solution that checks each of these boxes, it’s a huge win for our brands and their customers. We’re excited this joint solution with Soundhound is already live with a mutual client, Torchy’s Tacos, which has one of the most passionate customer bases around. Making it easier to get ‘Damn Good tacos’ is a win for everybody,” said Jon Squire, Founder & CEO at CardFree.

“We’re excited to work with CardFree to offer innovative voice ordering technology that enhances the guest experience and streamlines operations, making it easier than ever for restaurants to serve their customers," said James Hom, Chief Product Officer of SoundHound AI.

AI Voice Order & Pay is another example of CardFree applying practical and immediately actionable applications of the latest technology, similar to the recent release of its Smart AI Upsell feature. CardFree continues to work hand in hand with our partner brands to bring new technologies to market that streamline the dining experience.

BeCause, the Danish start-up breaking down barriers in sustainability data management for the global hospitality and tourism sectors, has introduced Certification Co-Pilot, a new tool designed to streamline the eco-certification process for hotels and certifiers. It allows stakeholders to manage certification applications through a single, automated workflow, reducing manual effort and improving efficiency.  

‍Launched today at ITB Berlin, the tool is currently being piloted by customers in several markets and will be fully available at the end of Q2 2025.  

‍Certification Co-Pilot works by connecting hotels directly to certifiers via the BeCause sustainability hub. Applicants simply need to fill in their application on the platform and transmit it to auditors for evaluation. Feedback is managed within the platform as well, while built-in intelligent prompts help identify potential issues and information gaps before transmission, enabling quicker resolutions and significantly reducing certification timelines.

“By removing these barriers, we are confident that hotels will be incentivized to apply for, and obtain, a greater number of eco-certifications — the key criteria consumers and booking platforms use to evaluate a brand’s sustainability credentials,” says BeCause CEO Frederik Rubens Steensgaard.

Hotels can leverage existing sustainability data across frameworks, calculators and within hotel groups using BeCause’s mapping capabilities. For example, figures used to comply with the European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive or carbon emission metrics calculated through HCMI are automatically mapped to the chosen certification and can be applied to the application. This process minimizes duplicate data entries, greatly reducing data collection costs and enabling brands to pursue more ambitious sustainability goals with fewer resources.  

“We are excited to be one of the first certifications available through Because’s Certification Co-Pilot and are proud to advance the digitalization of the certification process, especially helping hotels to a very accessible, fast and smooth process leading to certification,” says Julian Reingraber, Strategic Development Manager at GreenSign, who introduced the tool alongside BeCause during a panel discussion at ITB.  

“By automating key steps, it provides a reliable and efficient path towards hotels realizing their sustainability goals, while also increasing consumer trust and transparency,” he adds.

A Game-Changer for the World of Certifications

‍Without BeCause and Certification Co-Pilot, sustainability data collection is often labor-intensive, limiting access to third-party verified eco-certifications. Through the sustainability data hub, hotels can efficiently collect, validate, and share their data, ensuring compliance and credibility.  

Corporate hotel headquarters can pre-populate preferred certifications for specific regions or business units within Co-Pilot, providing relevant data and monitoring progress in real time via an intuitive dashboard, improving investor and stakeholder accountability.  

“Consumers increasingly want to travel more sustainably but often question the validity of green claims. With Certification Co-Pilot, hotels and travel companies have fewer barriers to securing third-party eco-certifications and meeting the growing demand for more sustainable travel options,” says Rubens Steensgaard.  

BeCause also updates a hotel or tourism company’s certification status in real time, ensuring booking engines have immediate access to the most up-to-date sustainability credentials. This seamless integration eliminates the need for manual updates, giving travellers confidence in their booking choices.