News Briefs

ezCater and The Habit Burger Grill, today announced the launch of the restaurant brand’s first catering program. Workplaces can now get The Habit Burger Grill’s award-winning Charburgers, onion rings, tempura green beans and salads catered from a majority of the fast-casual chain's locations on ezCater.com and the ezCater app as well as habitburger.com/catering/.

"Partnering with ezCater allows us to extend our reach by connecting with new, high-value business clients and incremental orders," said Jack Hinchliffe, Chief Marketing Officer of The Habit Burger Grill. "It's also about expanding our dining options to create memorable experiences with our California-inspired recipes. Cooked freshly to order on the flame, our food brings a unique flavor to any event, and I love that ezCater makes this all effortless."

The Habit Burger Grill takes part in ezCater's Reliability Rockstar program, an earned status that highlights the most reliable restaurants on the ezCater Marketplace. In just a few months since launching their pilot with ezCater, 21 of The Habit Burger Grill locations have already received ezCater’s Reliability Rockstar badge, showcasing the chain’s commitment to delivering an excellent customer experience grounded on orders delivered on time and as ordered.

“We’re thrilled to help The Habit Burger Grill capitalize on the growing demand from workplaces nationwide who want to feed their employees," said Michelle Smart, Chief Customer Care Officer, ezCater. "We both share a commitment to exceptional customer experience and the high reliability our business customers expect. This dedication makes for a perfect partnership.”

The Habit Burger Grill is also participating in ezCater’s first-ever Deal-icious Summer Savings promotion. Customers who order from participating The Habit Burger Grill locations on ezCater between June 24, 2024 and July 5, 2024 can receive savings of $20 off $200 or more, $30 off $300 or more, or $40 off $400 or more of their purchase using promo code “DEALS”. Orders must be placed and fulfilled between June 24, 2024 and July 5, 2024. Terms and conditions apply to all offers. For more information on ezCater’s Deal-icious Summer Savings, visit: https://www.ezcater.com/company/lp/deal-icious-terms-and-conditions

ezCater helps more than 100,000 restaurants and catering partners, from local independent restaurants to national chains, grow, manage, and analyze their catering businesses. To learn more about the ezCater Catering Growth Platform, visit www.ezcater.com/grow.

LG Business Solutions USA will demonstrate an impressive array of hospitality-focused innovations at the HITEC 2024 hospitality technology trade show, June 24-27 at the Charlotte Convention Center, with highlights including Google Cast- and Apple Airplay-ready TV models, captivating DVLED displays, a new electric vehicle (EV) charger, two distinct CLOi autonomous mobile robots and more.

According to LG Business Solutions USA Senior Vice President Michael Kosla, the unique capabilities and advanced features of LG’s hospitality solutions are already enabling hoteliers and hospitality businesses to elevate their customer experiences and deliver exceptional service that meets the needs of today’s tech-savvy, content-hungry travelers.

“LG is the world’s leading supplier of hotel TVs for a reason, and by making our selection of models Google Cast- and Airplay-ready, we are empowering hospitality businesses to deliver hotel stays with superior personalization and instant access to virtually any streaming content a guest desires,” Kosla said. “With the addition of powerful crowd-pleasing robot assistants, attractive digital signage displays with webOS™ control software, touch-capable signage, displays optimized for digital artwork and customizable DVLED displays, we aim to help HITEC attendees envision their guest rooms of the future and all the value-added experiences our technologies can offer throughout a property.”

In booth 3036, visitors can test out LG’s newly launched Google Cast and Airplay-ready capabilities on a 75-inch TV model (75UM77H), which brings the comfort and convenience of home to the hotel experience. Meanwhile, a 55-inch hotel TV model (55UM777H) demonstrates the integration of Amazon’s popular Alexa for Hospitality AI capability with LG hotel TVs through the use of smart lighting controls. The same model will show off LG Pro:Centric Stay, believed to be the world’s first all-in-one customizable television platform for the short-term rental industry.

Interested industry insiders, designers and integrators can also see how the industry-leading LG OLED Hotel TV lineup provides the perfect solution to differentiate their luxury suites or high-end accommodations, with 55-, 65- and 77-inch diagonal models demonstrating the breathtaking picture quality and viewer experience of OLED technology. For conference rooms or any other larger areas, LG will demonstrate various 4K ProBeam and CineBeam Laser Projectors to show how any space can benefit from a large, high-definition projection display.

Forward-thinking business owners will also be interested in LG’s new Level 2 EV Charger for hotel guests to charge their EVs. These owner-operated chargers will help hoteliers take part in the EV charging market without relying on third parties, empowering them to set their own rates and ensure enough capacity to meet local demands. Also featured in the LG booth is a new Melitron enclosure featuring LG EV charger and digital signage technologies.

LG is highlighting several digital displays optimized for public hotel areas including a 136-inch All-in-One DVLED (direct-view light emitting diode) display that can be deployed in a single day and a 55-inch touchscreen One:Quick Works All-in-One conferencing and screen share display that’s ideal for meeting rooms or as a lobby wayfinding display. To address ultra-high-end experiences and the best-of-the-best for in-room TVs, attendees can see the stunning picture and awe-inspiring performance of LG’s 118-inch 4K MAGNIT display with MicroLED technology, a 0.68mm pixel pitch and dual 50W speakers.

Continuing through the booth, guests encounter LG’s unique Kiosk display solution that can provide seamless check-ins and payment, a 75-inch ART display specially designed for digital artwork, a 55-inch Transparent OLED that seamlessly and naturally blends into its surroundings, an 86-inch CreateBoard interactive digital board and UltraStretch signage displays.

Finally, visitors can experience the new door-type LG CLOi ServeBot serving robot and preview the wow-factor and value of LG’s all-new cutting-edge CLOi DoorBot and Vacuum-Bot autonomous mobile robots for the first time at the show.

LG Business Solutions USA today introduced its next generation LG CLOi ServeBot, an autonomous, door-type service robot designed to provide safe delivery services in hospitality and healthcare settings. Featuring a four-door design with ample interior storage space, the new CLOi ServeBot (model LDLIM31) can perform simple and repetitive delivery tasks to reduce the burden on busy staff.

“Our newest service robot brings a new level of functionality and flexibility to the hospitality and healthcare channels,” said Mike Kosla, senior vice president, LG Business Solutions USA. “Featuring advanced platform technologies that include AI, communications and control, the new CLOi ServeBot is going to help our hospitality and healthcare customers streamline their operations. The introduction of a door-type service robot reinforces our commitment to constantly innovate in ways that bring meaningful new benefits to our customers.”

The introduction of the new LG CLOi ServeBot at the HITEC 2024 hospitality technology trade show bolsters LG’s portfolio of advanced AI robots and robot control solutions and aligns with the company’s plans to accelerate the expansion of its B2B business, including in the areas of delivery and logistics services.

The door-type CLOi ServeBot has won international recognition for its innovative, convenience-enhancing design, earning the 2024 Red Dot Design Award 2024 and 2024 iF Design Award.

Boasting four internal compartments, each capable of holding items weighing up to 30kg, the new model is able to make multiple deliveries or collections. Its generous and secure cargo space can comfortably accommodate as many as 32 standard-sized, 12-ounce coffee cups, while its shelving can be easily adjusted according to item- or load-size.

Tailored for indoor hospitality and healthcare environments, LG CLOi ServeBot offers expanded operational coverage due to its ability to utilize elevators to move between floors. Six wheels with independent suspension provide excellent stability, enabling CLOi ServeBot to transport beverages over uneven surfaces without any significant spillage.

For user convenience, the CLOi ServeBot’s doors can be set to open or close automatically during operation. LG CLOi ServeBot can even tell when a delivery has been completed, as camera sensors built into its internal compartments detect when items have been removed. Thanks to an AI algorithm, the new model can safely navigate around obstacles, determine the optimal route to its destination(s), and communicate with up to 20 other CLOi ServeBots to maximize task efficiency and avoid potential collisions.

LG CLOi ServeBot is equipped with a front-facing 10.1-inch display that serves as a mobile advertising platform. Users can easily upload content for display via the LG CLOi Cloud Station (mobile/web use) or CMS mobile app. Furthermore, LG’s latest CLOi solution can escort customers to a given destination and provide voice guidance for sight-impaired users. Additionally, users can monitor the robot’s status in real time using the LG CLOi Cloud Station, which also offers convenient paging and scheduling functions.

With years of robotics industry experience, LG continues to provide versatile robot solutions for various environments, including airports, hotels, hospitals and warehouses. The company is now developing a comprehensive suite of solutions to efficiently manage the entire distribution process, from supplying robots to facilitating the last-mile delivery of ordered products.

xnPOS and Adyen, the global financial technology platform of choice for leading businesses, announce their new partnership whereby xnPOS is fully integrated with Adyen offering hoteliers the benefit of Adyen’s complete end-to-end payments solution and combined data & financial management in the same technology platform. The integration of xnPOS to Adyen supports all forms of payment including Pay@Counter, Pay@Table and e-commerce for transactions processed by xnPOS GO, the QR based guest self-ordering and payment system.

xnPOS and Adyen payment solutions are already working successfully in a number of hotels across Europe.

To see the new integrated payments on the xnPOS booth visit HITEC booth 230.

As part of the partnership xnPOS will be launching a new fully mobile combined POS and payment device at HITEC Charlotte. The device features a full version of the leading xnPOS point of sale system combined with the Adyen payment platform to give a fully mobile POS and PCI compliant payment solution. The highly functional mobile solution allows for tips, part payment, bill splitting and fiscal receipts. To increase security and convenience of use servers can log on to the device by tapping the scanner with their dedicated employee identification card.

The new mobile device increases productivity by reducing the number of journeys made by serving staff from the table to a fixed workstation and has the potential to reduce the number of devices that servers have to carry by combining a POS tablet, PED terminal and belt printer into one convenient mobile device.

The Castles Technology SF12 device is highly user-friendly and features a 5.5” high definition color screen with a built-in thermal 2” printer. Payment options include Chip & PIN, magnetic stripe or contactless. The robust device is fully portable with dimensions of 3” x 8” x 2”(maximum depth) and weighing only 18oz ( including paper roll) .

Zaplox, a provider of digital guest solutions, enables Strawberry’s Clarion Hotel Post to offer NFC mobile keys in Google Wallet. With this feature added to their digital guest journey, they are now the first, and only hotel in the world to offer mobile keys in both Google Wallet and Apple Wallet, using this technology.

“We are honored to announce the launch of mobile keys in Google Wallet. This launch demonstrates our vision of delivering next-generation technology and proves that when visionary minds unite and work together with the latest technology, we can truly leave a mark on the industry,” said Kim Lood, CTO at Zaplox.

In 2023, Zaplox entered a close collaboration with Google to develop a proof of concept for mobile keys in Google Wallet, at Google's Bay View Suites in Mountain View, California, using the existing BLE technology. This was the first step in a partnership that has prompted the launch of mobile keys at Clarion Hotel Post, now leveraging NFC. This launch is a result of Zaplox’s close collaboration with Google, Vingcard, an ASSA ABLOY company and leading provider of security access solutions and other advanced technologies, and NXP Semiconductors, a renowned manufacturer of integrated circuits.

Using a mobile key in Google Wallet provides enhanced convenience to Clarion Hotel Post guests. With a simple setup process, guests can effortlessly add their room key to Google Wallet and access their digital key to unlock the room, as well as other facilities throughout the property, whenever needed.

"Becoming the first hotel in the world to offer mobile keys in both Google Wallet and Apple Wallet is a testament to our commitment to enhancing the guest experience at every touchpoint and underscores the importance of collaborating with industry-leading technology partners. Our guests are always at the heart of everything we do, and we strive to continually improve the guest journey with innovative solutions that meet the expectations of the modern traveler. Behind every innovation lies a catalyst, an enabler of transformation, which is why we have chosen to work closely with Zaplox,” said Christian Lundén, Vice President Strategic Growth, at Strawberry.

“At Zaplox we believe in empowering our customers and unlocking the possibilities of what technology enables. Working hand in hand with a forward thinking and innovative customer like Strawberry is truly an exciting journey where we get to witness technology and its potential on efficiency and guest satisfaction first hand. Today we are extra proud to enable Strawberry and the Clarion Hotel Post to be the first hotel in the world to offer this to their guests,” said Tess Mattisson, President and CEO at Zaplox.

Google Wallet room keys are compatible with Vingcard door locks and Vostio Access Management by Vingcard.

“Mobile key solutions continue evolving to address guest demands for greater flexibility over how they choose to interact with the service. We are honored to work alongside Zaplox in deploying Google Wallet compatibility for Mobile Access at Clarion Hotel Post, providing its guests with an opportunity to take room access convenience a step further. As a company that shares our goal of bringing more innovation into the modern guest journey, we look forward to expanding our relationship with Zaplox as an option for more properties that are seeking the benefits of digital wallet-compatible Mobile Access,” said Richard Eastburn, Senior Director and Head of Product Management at Vingcard. 

Sabre Hospitality, a division of Sabre Corp. announced the next evolution of its retailing solution: SynXis Retailing. With the addition of standalone offers, not bound to a room reservation, and automated fulfillment powered by Nuvola, SynXis Retailing is the most comprehensive retailing solution in the market.

In addition to selling ancillaries with room bookings, the platform now enables the sale of standalone offers beyond the room, allowing hoteliers to set up virtual storefronts, broaden their catalog, and reach a wider audience. 

“Launching standalone offers represents a significant leap forward in our commitment to innovation in the hospitality industry,” said Scott Wilson, President, Sabre Hospitality. “Our evolved solution empowers hoteliers to unlock additional revenue by selling experiences, services, goods, and more without a room reservation. Enhancing traveler experiences through personalized and relevant offers, ultimately driving higher satisfaction and revenue. We are excited to see how SynXis Retailing will enable our customers to stay ahead in a competitive market.”

Furthermore, Sabre Hospitality announced the upcoming integration of automated fulfillment powered by Nuvola, their task management solution. The integration between SynXis Retailing and Nuvola’s ticketing functionality enables hoteliers to automate the fulfillment of ancillary offers. This integration provides automated ticket creation, scheduling, and notifications to facilitate the fulfillment of orders. By eliminating the need for manual management, it reduces the risk of errors and ensures guest satisfaction.

“With retailing transforming the hospitality industry, Sabre continues to amplify our Retail Studio portfolio with SynXis Retailing.” said Mykola Sheludko, product vice president, Sabre Hospitality. “Coming later this summer, our customers can tap into our integration of Nuvola features to optimize fulfillment. Looking ahead to 2025, we will continue to expand the retailing tools for our customers by enabling a marketplace for reselling third-party offers.”

The platform’s capabilities are designed to help hoteliers implement a successful merchandising strategy, resulting in a competitive advantage and aligning with the expectations of today's travelers and the next generation.

The SynXis Retailing Recommendation Engine leverages predictive analytics powered by machine learning to suggest targeted offers, increasing conversions through tailored recommendations. By offering more relevant ancillaries, hoteliers can achieve higher booking conversions, resulting in greater guest satisfaction, increased revenue, and strategic differentiation from competitors.

SynXis Retailing enables customers to achieve greater success, driving significant ancillary revenue and enhancing guest experience. With proven results, Sabre’s customers have experienced an average order value of $300 per ancillary booking, in addition to the room value. Moreover, customers that have upgraded to SynXis Retailing have witnessed up to a threefold year-over-year increase in average ancillary revenue.

Sabre is showcasing SynXis Retailing at HITEC in Charlotte, N.C., USA, between June 25-27, 2024, at booth 829.