Zipline unveiled its new platform that provides autonomous delivery directly to homes in cities and suburbs. The company’s next generation home delivery platform is practically silent, and is expected to deliver up to 7 times as fast as traditional automobile delivery, completing 10-mile deliveries in about 10 minutes.

Zipline has spent the last several years building and fine tuning its next generation technology, Platform 2 (P2), to provide an optimal customer experience at scale. Zipline’s drones, or Zips, fly more than 300 feet above the ground. When the Zip arrives at its destination, it hovers safely and quietly at that altitude, while its fully autonomous delivery droid maneuvers down a tether, steers to the correct location, and gently drops off its package to areas as small as a patio table or the front steps of a home. This is all made possible through major innovations in aircraft and propeller design.

Several businesses across the healthcare and restaurant sectors have already signed on to use Zipline’s new home delivery service. Sweetgreen is partnering with Zipline to further its mission of connecting people to real food in the U.S., while moving a step closer to its pledge to be carbon-neutral by 2027. By ordering through Zipline's marketplace, Sweetgreen customers can get their orders using 97% less energy than traditional automotive methods.

“The future of delivery is faster, more sustainable and creates broader access, all of which provides improved value for our customers,” said Jonathan Neman, Co-Founder and CEO of Sweetgreen. “We couldn’t be more excited to work with Zipline to complement our delivery strategy. Zipline’s sustainable technology and ability to reach customers quickly, with a great delivery experience, will help us give our customers what they want, when they want it.”

Michigan Medicine will use Zipline’s new service to more than double the number of prescriptions it fills each year through its in-house pharmacy. Intermountain Health will use it to deliver prescriptions to patients’ homes in the Salt Lake City metro area. MultiCare Health System plans to use the new platform to expedite diagnostics and deliver prescriptions and medical devices.

Zipline’s end-to-end solution seamlessly integrates with a business’s current operations. That includes its dual-use docking and charging hardware, software that easily works with third-party inventory management and ordering systems, and mobile app.

3Sixty, an online accommodation booking and management tool for business and relocation travel, has announced its partnership with Hotelbeds, the B2B TravelTech company. 

A direct API between 3Sixty and Hotelbeds will unlock access for 3Sixty clients to over 300,000 hotels in more than 195 countries worldwide. The integration marks a significant diversification of the 3Sixty network, which already comprises one million ‘alternative accommodation’ options such as serviced apartments and aparthotels. 

Hotelbeds is a global leader in the TravelTech space, connecting and empowering companies like 3Sixty by facilitating bridges in the rapidly evolving travel ecosystem. 3Sixty will now access Hotelbeds' global portfolio of hotels, joining the company’s strong network of 71,000 travel distributors across 150 global source markets.

The 3Sixty team has been growing and evolving its supply partnerships over the past year to provide clients with maximum choice and flexibility in booking accommodation. 3Sixty’s most prominent corporate clients book up to 100,000 nights per month through its proprietary platform. Offering more hotel rooms allows their employees to find a stay that suits their unique travel needs – particularly for shorter trips.

3Sixty’s technology removes the need for travel buyers and guests to make exhausting back-and-forth comparisons of housing features, compliance, and pricing. A simple search shows the live availability of accommodation options, and searches can also automatically filter down those options to comply with a customer’s company travel policies. 3Sixty, which differentiates itself on its duty of care solutions, recently announced a new insurance offering.

Carrie Hartman, Chief Revenue Officer at 3Sixty, said, "As market demand for business travel and relocation is rising, we're actively widening our supply network to meet increasing demand. Our partnership with Hotelbeds is an important step in this endeavor. 3Sixty will always champion alternative accommodations, but we also recognize that different travelers have different needs, and we want to cater to all of them."

Robyn Joliat, Chief Technology Officer at 3Sixty, said, “Hotelbeds and 3Sixty are like-minded brands that are committed to innovating their technology, so it's been an exciting process to launch this integration together, and we’re delighted to be able to reveal it. Today’s traveler expects tech solutions to act as a one-stop shop for all their needs for a trip, from flights and accommodation to communication and insurance. Reflecting this, we will soon expand our partnership to offer the full suite of Hotelbeds travel services, such as car rentals and activities, to our 3Sixty guests to make use of.”

Matt Ellis, Strategic Partnerships at Hotelbeds, said, “As we look to increase our footprint in new business segments, it’s important for Hotelbeds to align with partners that have the same vision and core values. We are delighted to be partnering with 3Sixty, a leading and respected name in the business housing and travel space. Pairing our global range of travel products with 3Sixty’s innovative platform will provide travelers with a wide spectrum of choice, supported by best-in-class technology.”

IDeaS, a SAS company and a provider of hospitality revenue management software and services, announced today that Oregon-based Oxford Collection chose to adopt G3 Revenue Management System (RMS) across all its 17 U.S. hotels to deliver precise pricing and forecasting, manage operational resources more economically, and increase market share.

Given its goals to increase efficiency, expand operations, and remain nimble in the face of competition from larger brands, Oxford Collection needed a more comprehensive, automated revenue management system that was free from the limitations of its previous rules-based system.

After evaluating a series of providers, Oxford Collection discerned that IDeaS offered the most robust, functional solution and the highest level of support needed to take their operation to the next level. For an organization accustomed to the central management of its revenue strategy, Oxford Collection felt that a fully automated RMS was a necessity that could help increase the efficiencies of its small, hard-working team.

• Automated decision empowerment: Having experienced the challenges of both a 100 percent manual system and a rules-based RMS, Oxford Collection decided it would benefit from the enhanced efficiency of the fully automated strategic pricing decisions provided by IDeaS G3 RMS (e.g., overbooking decision management, room-type pricing, etc.)
• Enhance profitability: G3 RMS uses a unique, proven approach that automatically produces rate availability decisions that holistically work together with pricing to ensure the properties are accepting the most valuable business based on available demand.
• Detailed revenue forecasting: Oxford wanted to bring its revenue performance to the next level withG3 RMS, which quickly provides highly detailed, granular automated forecasts that analyze data from various sources, leading to more effective decisions and higher revenue.

Christian Boerger, vice president of revenue strategy, Oxford Collection, said: “In a certain way, working with IDeaS felt like coming home, knowing you’re in good hands. The automatic configuration tool has worked like a charm, not to mention the amount of time it has saved us. Apart from this, the level of attention provided as we go through the implementation process has been fantastic. I know the IDeaS Care team and their support is here to stay which is highly encouraging as we start this partnership.”

Garth Peterson, area vice president of sales, IDeaS, said: “Adopting a centralized revenue management system that streamlines operational resources plays a crucial role in helping hoteliers stay competitive and agile. IDeaS is proud to partner with Oxford Collection to help their products achieve the highest yield based on the local conditions of their market.” 

RoomRaccoon, an all-in-one hotel management system (HMS), has announced the launch of its new online check-out functionality. The new feature was unveiled by Tymen van Dyl, the CEO and Founder of RoomRaccoon, at the Independent Hotel Show in Amsterdam and delivers intuitive technology for guests to simplify and digitize their hotel stay. 

This contact-free feature allows guests to check out and settle outstanding bills from the comfort of their rooms via an email link on their devices. By eliminating the need for check-out at the front desk, online check-out is perfect for hotels looking to save time and improve the guest experience at their property.

For Tymen van Dyl, the launch of RoomRaccoon’s online check-out feature is the next step in empowering hoteliers with technology that thrills modern guests. He shares: “These days, guests value convenience and choice. With the addition of online check-out to our HMS, RoomRaccoon clients can offer a seamless journey from booking to departure and allow guests to have more control over their stay.”

With RoomRaccoon’s online check-out, hotels can provide a frictionless payment experience for guests. The system uses PSD2 SCA and PCI-compliant payment gateways andmerges industry-leading security standards and automation to offer payment methods that guests know and trust.

“The evolution of RoomRaccoon’s platform continues our purpose of empowering independent hoteliers with smart technology that drives better-performing hotel businesses and provides a guest experience that is both personalised and modern. We’re excited to expand our platform to become the most complete HMS on the market and deliver five-star experiences for our clients and their guests,” says van Dyl.

 Just days after revealing "It's Diner Time," a new brand platform that doubles down on delivering diner comfort for today's America,  Denny's announces new elements of its overall experience including the debut of a bold, bright new menu to welcome all and make guests feel even more at home when visiting America's Diner.

As part of "It's Diner Time," Denny's invested more than $25 million to upgrade and improve kitchen equipment, propelling the development of new and improved food offerings while increasing efficiency and reducing food waste. In-restaurant touch points include an entirely redesigned menu featuring Denny's classics like Moons Over My Hammy and Build Your Own Burger.

Jumping Off The Menu

The new menu also features a custom augmented reality (AR) experience to take guests on a vibrant visual tour with the turn of each page. Denny's designed its AR menu feature to bring the brand to life through a memorable and mouth-watering journey as part of the dining experience. A multitude of opportunities to interact, access exclusive deals, and learn about the brand and its storied 70-year history.

Denny's has also unveiled new employee uniforms along with fresh new merchandise available on DinerDrip.com to further cement the brand in diner culture and meet consumers where they are. 

Outside of the restaurant's four walls, Denny's has launched a national TV campaign that showcases the vibe and feeling of a Denny's diner while highlighting the time-warping flavor of the new menu that mashes the past, the future.

Two new sections are highlighted in the redesigned menu, including "Diner Classics Plus" and "Savory Diners Spotlight." The full menu and AR feature is available in Denny's locations nationwide and items can be ordered online at www.dennys.com or through the new Denny's app

Unlock Protocol, the NFT-based protocol enabling creators and brands to form direct relationships with their communities online, has integrated with Stakes, the customer loyalty platform for hospitality businesses. Together, Unlock and Stakes are making it possible for restaurants to sell memberships to their best customers, unlocking perks like last-minute reservations, premium tables, access to secret menu items, special events like wine tastings, cooking classes, performances and more.

How it Works

Customers purchase a membership to their favorite restaurant using crypto or a credit card, and customers mint an NFT that either goes directly to their wallet or is custodied by Stakes. When the customer books a reservation, the system automatically recognizes them and unlocks the perks of their membership. When they arrive at the restaurant, the staff can tell it's a member reservation and they can provide a premium table, free drinks or desserts or the infinite other possibilities this infrastructure provides. Additionally, the membership NFTs provide a touchpoint for restaurants to reach out and engage their best customers by inviting them to special events, to vote on holiday menus, and offer just about any other perks imaginable.

This integration will unlock future capabilities like menu voting, exclusive tastings, referral bonuses and more. Using Stakes, restaurants can boost the lifetime value of their customers by providing them a unique experience that keeps them invested in the brand and coming back.