News Briefs

SelfServe, a next-gen hospitality tech startup, is officially launching its BETA platform—an AI-driven guest engagement solution designed specifically for boutique and independent hotels. The platform transforms the traditional front desk into a digital-first experience, giving guests total control from the palm of their hand, whether they’re poolside, in-room, or planning before check-in.

SelfServe enables guests to:

• Book tailored packages in-app
• Request services and amenities on demand
• Adjust room settings remotely

At its core, SelfServe centralizes property management systems (PMS) and third-party tools into one intuitive interface breaking down data silos, speeding up response times, and eliminating language friction for both staff and international travelers.

What sets SelfServe apart? Deep-learning analytics. 

With every stay, SelfServe captures high-quality behavioral data, empowering hotels to build dynamic guest profiles that unlock hyper-personalized experiences, loyalty-driven upgrades, and data-backed service improvements.

“This isn’t just automation, it’s personalization at scale,” said Kush Mallick, CEO of SelfServe. “We’re giving small hotels access to the kind of intelligence and seamless service that was previously only available to large chains.”

SelfServe is currently onboarding a select group of properties during its BETA period.

Try the Demo :  www.selfserve.tech
Talk to the Founder : https://calendly.com/kush-selfserve/demo

LG Electronics has been singled out as the only supplier of commercial displays recognized for environmental sustainability excellence in the foremost third-party assessment of suppliers to the U.S. hospitality industry, earning the MindClick Sustainability Assessment Program (MSAP) “Leader” rating for the 10th consecutive year.

Announced during Earth Week 2025, LG hotel TVs, digital signage displays and computer monitors have earned the “Leader” rating for their hotel impact, guest health, end-of-use and responsible supply chain.* Overall, LG earned the Leader rating for hotel TVs, digital signage displays and monitors with sustainable content. According to MindClick, LG is “making big strides in sustainability – reducing carbon impact, increasing sustainable materials, and cutting down on packaging waste.” 

The MSAP is an annual manufacturer assessment evaluating the sustainability of product lifecycles, validated through MindClick’s rigorous audit process. Suppliers are rated in one of three levels: Starter, Achiever and Leader. Initially, only suppliers to Marriott International participated in the assessment; in recent years the program has expanded to include more suppliers, and their results are shared with additional brands, ownership groups and purchasing agents, such as Fairmont, Four Seasons, Hilton, Hyatt, Sonesta and others.

Among other things, the program measures metrics such as carbon footprint, use of sustainable materials, recyclability, and avoidance of chemicals of high concern. Suppliers are rated in one of three levels: Starter, Achiever and Leader.

*EDITOR’S NOTE: 

MSAP metrics, according to MindClick: Hotel/Facility Impact looks at Reducing Energy, Water, and Waste consumption at the sight of the product’s installation; Guest Health looks at Indoor Air Quality and Reduced Toxins; End of Use looks at products that have take-back programs, are reusable, are recyclable, or biodegradable; and Responsible Supply Chain (Manufacturing Social) looks at Child Labor, Discrimination, Environmental Law Compliance, Forced Labor, and Freedom of Association.

Choice Hotels International is introducing Mews as a property management system (PMS) option for international franchisees. The platform is designed to connect with Choice Hotels’ proprietary tools and systems using Mews’ PMS for enterprise-scale hospitality brands and offers robust integrations, intuitive workflows, and cloud-native architecture. It will enhance connectivity, streamline operations and drive guest loyalty across Choice Hotels’ growing portfolio using Mews’ next-generation PMS.  

Mews will be integrating with choiceEDGE, Choice Hotels’ proprietary, cloud-based, customer reservation system to provide real-time rate updates and availability across all booking channels, while enabling frictionless guest interactions. Choice Hotels’ franchisees can expect to see:   

• Full Data Visibility - Real-time access to property-level data, enabling strategic, data-driven operations.
• Operational Efficiencies - Smart automation tools designed to reduce manual tasks in front desk operations, housekeeping, and payments, improving staff productivity.
• Scalable Growth - A flexible infrastructure that adapts to Choice Hotels’ diverse brand portfolio, while maintaining service consistency.
• Enhanced Guest Experience - Personalised, frictionless stays powered by real-time data insights. 

Commenting on the agreement, Brian Kirkland, Chief Information Officer for Choice Hotels said: “As hospitality evolves, expanding our international connectivity and platform options are essential to franchisees. This agreement with Mews will provide another cloud-based platform option to serve Choice hotel owners outside of the U.S. with a tool that can meet their region-specific needs.”  

Matt Welle, CEO of Mews said: “We’re excited to help Choice Hotels set a new benchmark in modern, connected hospitality and this agreement marks another significant milestone for Mews as it continues to expand its footprint in the enterprise hospitality space. 

“Mews was built to empower enterprise hotel groups with a flexible, scalable, and open ecosystem. Together, we’re redefining the future of hotel franchising with innovation, efficiency and exceptional guest experiences.” 

Choice Hotels has built and introduced industry-first owner-facing technologies, including:  

• In 1995, Choice launched the first hotel website with real-time rate and availability information.
• In 2003, Choice launched the first cloud-based property management system (PMS), choiceADVANTAGE.
• In 2009, Choice released the first hotel app for iOS.
• In 2014, Choice became the first hotel company to offer instant booking on TripAdvisor. That same year, Choice was the only hotel company listed on Forbes' Top 100 Most Innovative Growth Companies.
• In 2016, Choice became the first hotel company to offer immediate in-app gift card downloads.
• In 2018, Choice launched choiceEDGE, the industry's first cloud-based central reservation system (CRS).
• In 2019, Choice became the first hotel company to commit to being 100% on AWS (Amazon Web Services) Cloud.
• In 2021, Choice launched ChoiceMAX, an award-winning AI mobile-first revenue management solution.
• In 2024, Choice announced the closure of its last data center, making it the first major hotel company to migrate its entire system infrastructure to AWS. 

Notes to Editors  

*The Radisson brands outside of the Americas are owned by Radisson Hotel Group, an unaffiliated company headquartered in Belgium, and are not eligible for participation. WoodSpring Suites® locations are not participating in Choice Privileges. At locations in Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden customers can only redeem (not earn) Choice Privileges points. 

Cvent, a meetings, events, and hospitality technology provider, announced that it has acquired Prismm, a provider of spatial event design technology. More than 5,500 event venues, hotels, planners and vendors rely on Prismm to connect and collaborate within virtual environments to create stunning event spaces and experiences. The acquisition of Prismm reinforces Cvent’s commitment to setting the industry standard for immersive 3D event diagramming technology that benefits both event and hospitality professionals.

“In today’s digital-first landscape, online collaboration is mission critical to get business done, and in an uncertain environment, you need more ways to engage and interact with customers and prospects to ensure you’re on the same page,” said Jim Abramson, Cvent Vice President of Product Management. “Given our expansive global network of more than 145,000 planners and nearly 340,000 hotels and venues across our Cvent ecosystem, we understand what time-strapped event professionals and resource-constrained hoteliers need to deliver bigger and better events. Collaborative, easy-to-use virtual event design technology has become an expectation among many event organizers, and our acquisition of Prismm illustrates that we’re continuing to invest to meet this demand, while helping hotels and venues simplify their event planning processes and maximize group business revenue.”

“Over the last 12 years, we have worked relentlessly to empower our customers to connect, collaborate, and transact across immersive virtual environments, and we’re proud to announce this next chapter as part of Cvent,” said Yaron Lipshitz, CEO of Prismm. “Combining our 3D design capabilities with Cvent's extensive network and industry expertise will empower event professionals and hoteliers to create unforgettable experiences and drive significant business growth.”

Benefits of immersive, interactive event design technology include:

• For Hoteliers and Venue Operators
  • Streamlined Event Creation: Online diagramming tools that are accessible to all key stakeholders reduce planning time and increase event design accuracy.
  • Elevated Sales and Marketing: Dynamic 3D virtual tours allow prospects to explore every aspect of a property and meeting space from anywhere.
  • Improved Customization and Competitive Differentiation: Offering cutting-edge event design technology can set hoteliers apart from their competitors, while personalized virtual “walkthroughs” with branded elements help bring a prospect’s vision to life and leave a lasting impression.
• For Event Professionals
  • Simplified Sourcing: When time and budgets are constrained, online diagramming tools accelerate and optimize the venue sourcing process via virtual site visits and accurate space visualization. This helps planners quickly identify which venues are best suited for their needs based on layout, capacity, and overall fit.
  • Enhanced Planning: Precision floor plans and templates enhance the ability to visualize layouts, seating arrangements, and decor, ensuring precise planning and execution. Planners can easily identify potential issues and adjust before the event, leading to a smoother and more successful experience.
• For Both Hospitality and Event Professionals:
  • Improved Collaboration: Cloud-based diagramming enables real time collaboration with all stakeholders and decision-makers.
  • Seamless Communication: With advanced spatial design tools, planners can share detailed virtual representations of event spaces with clients, vendors, and stakeholders. This fosters better communication and simplifies decision making.

Nfluence Partners acted as the exclusive financial advisor to Prismm on the transaction.

Jack in the Box Inc. introduced its multi-faceted “JACK on Track” plan, which includes a comprehensive series of actions to improve long-term financial performance across its restaurant system, strengthen its balance sheet and demonstrate its commitment to running an asset-light business model — all of which will position the Company for sustainable growth in the coming years. As part of the plan, the Company has engaged BofA Securities to assist in the process of exploring strategic alternatives for the Del Taco brand, including a possible divestiture of the business.

“In my time thus far as CEO, I have worked quickly with our teams to conclude that Jack in the Box operates at its best, and maximizes shareholder return potential, within a simplified and asset-light business model,” said Lance Tucker, who was named Chief Executive Officer at Jack in the Box on March 31. “Our actions today focus on three main areas: addressing our balance sheet to accelerate cash flow and pay down debt, while preserving growth-oriented capital investments related to technology and restaurant reimage; closing underperforming restaurants to position ourselves for consistent net unit growth and competitive unit economics; and, an overall return to simplicity for the Jack in the Box business model and investor story.”

CAPITAL ALLOCATION

• Jack in the Box will accelerate cash flow by selling a select number of owned real estate holdings, and direct proceeds towards debt paydown/leverage reduction.
• Jack in the Box will discontinue its dividend effective immediately and direct a majority of those funds toward debt paydown/leverage reduction, with the remainder directed toward share repurchases.
• Jack in the Box will significantly reduce its spend on company-owned new unit restaurant development beginning in 2026, but will continue with planned improvements of its current restaurant base via restaurant reimages.
• Jack in the Box will continue to invest in its evolving technologies and digital capabilities, enabling significant growth through its digital sales channels.

RESTAURANT CLOSURE PROGRAM

• Jack in the Box will implement a block closure program, which is projected to result in the closure of approximately 150-200 underperforming restaurants — a majority of which have been in the system for over three decades.
• The program will consist of approximately 80-120 restaurant closures between now and 12/31/2025, with the remaining underperforming restaurants closing thereafter based upon respective franchise agreement termination dates.
• This program does not include the expected 1.5% to 2.0% of system unit closures for FY 2025, and an ongoing annual closure rate thereafter of approximately 1% of system units beginning in FY 2026.
• Upon completion of the program, Jack in the Box expects to deliver consistent, positive net unit growth, helped by the strong performance of new markets and tremendous whitespace opportunities.

2025 GUIDANCE AND LONG-TERM OUTLOOK

The following guidance and underlying assumptions reflect the company’s current expectations for the fiscal year ending September 28, 2025. Jack in the Box guidance measures not listed below are postponed until we provide future updates related to “JACK on Track” initiatives on third quarter earnings call. All brand segment guidance measures for Del Taco will be suspended indefinitely.

Company-wide

• Capital Expenditures of $100-$105 million
• Share Repurchases of approximately $5-$15 million
• Adjusted/Operating EPS Tax Rate of ~26.0%
• Adjusted EBITDA of $282-$292 million, excluding the impact of future “JACK on Track” actions that may take place in late FY 2025
• Operating EPS of $5.05-$5.40, also excluding the impact of future “JACK on Track” actions that may take place in late FY 2025

Jack in the Box Segment

• Same Store Sales of negative low-to-mid-single digits vs. FY 2024
• 35-40 gross restaurant openings
• Company-Owned Restaurant Level Margin of 19%-21%
  • Including the impact of a full year of AB1228 wage increases, higher utility costs, and low to mid-single digit commodity inflation

Management expects to debut new Long-Term Guidance measures as progress is made on the “JACK on Track” initiatives.

PRE-ANNOUNCED SECOND QUARTER 2025 RESULTS

Jack in the Box has also announced the following select preliminary financial results for the fiscal year second quarter ended April 13, 2025:

• Jack in the Box same-store sales of -4.4%
• Del Taco same-store sales of -3.6%
• Adjusted EBITDA of $66-$68 million
• 5 restaurant openings, 12 restaurant closures for Jack in the Box
• 6 restaurant openings, 4 restaurant closures for Del Taco

**The preliminary results for the second quarter ended April 13, 2025, are an estimate, based on information available to management as of the date of this release, and are subject to further changes upon completion of the company’s standard quarter and year-end closing procedures. It is possible that management may identify items that require it to make adjustments to the preliminary financial information set forth above and those changes could be material. Jack in the Box does not intend to update such financial information prior to release of its final second quarter earnings release and conference call, both which are currently scheduled for May 14, 2025.**

Guesty, a property management platform, launched a Quality Dashboard for property managers using Airbnb. This all-new feature empowers property managers with real-time data-driven insights to help enhance stay quality, anticipate guest needs, and deliver exceptional guest experiences at scale. By seamlessly tracking the ratings of listings, guest feedback, and other quality metrics, property managers can take proactive steps to create memorable stays, turning great reviews into loyal guests and increased bookings. 

As an Airbnb Preferred+ Software Partner, Guesty is uniquely positioned to offer enhanced support to property managers, enabling them to deliver consistent, high-quality service. The launch of the Quality Dashboard exemplifies how OTAs and PMS providers are working together to future-proof the industry by offering advanced tools that help property managers to enhance their listings, improve guest experiences, and maximize property potential. Guesty's Quality Dashboard provides property managers using Airbnb with a streamlined, real-time view of listing quality, aggregating guest ratings across key performance categories such as accuracy, check-in, cleanliness, communication, location, and value.

Performance Impact of the Quality Dashboard¹ over an 8-month period:

• Increased Quality Score: Guesty users managing listings on Airbnb via the Quality Dashboard saw up to 10%¹ higher average quality scores compared to accounts managed without the Quality Dashboard, giving property managers the opportunity to improve rankings in Airbnb search results for increased visibility and booking potential.
• Higher Review Volume: Property managers using Guesty's Quality Dashboard have seen a 17%¹ increase in the number of reviews, improving engagement and credibility to prospective guests, helping to build trust and drive more bookings.
• More 5-Star Ratings: Users saw a 7%¹ increase in the number of 5-star ratings their listing(s) received, leading to stronger guest satisfaction and an increased potential to not only attract more bookings, but to also become eligible for Airbnb's Superhost program - an indicator of credibility.
• Competitive Edge: Guesty users are able to maintain an average of 5-star ratings from 84%¹ of their Airbnb reservations, reinforcing their reputation for quality hospitality and helping property managers maintain a competitive advantage and stand out in a crowded market.
• Proactive Issue Resolution: Property managers have been able to track trends and address concerns before they impact guest experiences to help proactively maintain high satisfaction scores, reduce negative reviews and encourage repeat bookings.

Finally, Guesty equips property managers using Airbnb with the tools to make informed, data-driven strategic decisions that enhance their listings performance and maintain compliance with Airbnb's quality standards.

"Our relationship with Airbnb is of key importance to us and our customers and has always centered around empowering them with the tools they need to succeed," says Guesty CEO & Co-Founder Amiad Soto. "The Quality Dashboard is a game-changer for property managers. By providing real time insights into guest stays, we're helping property managers to optimize their listings, protect their rankings, and ultimately drive more bookings. This launch is a testament to our commitment to innovation, consumer trust, and building the best platform with the best technology for the short-term rental industry."

¹ Based on data from Guesty users who are subscribed to Advanced Analytics Add-On over an 8-month period (August 2024 to March 2025).