News Briefs

GTT Communications, Inc., a leading networking and security as a service provider for multinational organizations, has announced that Radisson Hotel Group has selected GTT Secure Connect (SASE) to enhance the security, resilience and performance of its global network, which connects more than 800 hotels and offices, as well as cloud service points of presence, across Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

“With GTT as our partner and leveraging the Envision platform, we’re reducing the complexity of implementing best-of-breed technology for our business in a way that supports our ability to grow quickly on a global scale,” said Adolfo Sanchez, Senior Vice President & CIO, Radisson Hotel Group. “GTT Secure Connect improves our network and application performance, offers availability and resiliency, ensures consistent enforcement of our security policy across all locations, and provides a safer experience for our guests and hotel owners.”

Radisson Hotel Group has just concluded a record-breaking year, having increased its international portfolio with over 300 new signings and openings in 2024.(1) The hospitality group is present in over 100 countries across 10 distinctive brands.

GTT Secure Connect is being implemented in all existing and new hotels. It leverages all components of Envision: EnvisionCORE, EnvisionEDGE, EnvisionDX, and managed, professional and technical support, providing Radisson Hotel Group with a seamless SASE framework. The solution integrates a global managed SD-WAN and distributed security architecture, including Firewall-as-a-Service, Secure Web Gateway, Cloud Access Service Brokerage and Zero Trust Network Access. In addition, the service is complemented by a Managed Firewall at branch locations. Existing on-site connectivity is augmented with wireless access for enhanced business continuity and resiliency.

Radisson Hotel Group subscribes to GTT’s premium managed service, providing co-management, 24/7 monitoring and access to ticketing support through EnvisionDX. Additionally, GTT provides a tailored commercial arrangement in which a pricing catalog offers each hotel flexibility based on its size, operations and business requirements. This operational expenditure model not only minimizes the capital investment for Radisson Hotel Group but also ensures price stability and predictability for all hotels within the group, regardless of their locations.

“GTT is proud to serve Radisson Hotel Group with a global solution for managing its connectivity, networking and security that provides enhanced visibility, control and efficiency for its many stakeholders,” said Tom Homer, President, Europe Division, GTT. “Secure Connect, GTT’s SASE framework, provides a robust defense across an organization’s digital footprint. This technology framework is trusted by ever-evolving enterprises to maintain application performance and security without needing to grow their IT teams.”

(1) Radisson Hotel Group (Jan. 29, 2025). “Radisson Hotel Group concludes record-breaking year with over 300 new signings and openings in 2024.” https://www.radissonhotels.com/en-us/corporate/media/press-releases/RHG-concludes-record-breaking-year-with-over-300-new-signings-and-openings-in-2024.

 

Fishbowl and Onosys announce a strategic partnership.  

By integrating Fishbowl's iGuest Relationship Management, loyalty, marketing automation, and analytics with Onosys' omnichannel online ordering capabilities, this partnership creates a seamless ecosystem for restaurant operators. The collaboration will empower brands to leverage customer data more effectively, deliver highly personalized marketing campaigns, and optimize the digital ordering experience.

A Unified Solution for Restaurant Growth

Through this partnership, restaurant operators will benefit from:

• Enhanced Customer Insights – By combining transactional data from Onosys with Fishbowl's marketing intelligence, brands can gain deeper insights into customer behavior and preferences.
• Personalized Marketing Campaigns – Restaurants can deliver hyper-targeted promotions and loyalty programs, increasing guest retention and order frequency.
• Seamless Digital Experience – A frictionless transition from marketing campaigns to online ordering reduces drop-off rates and improves conversion.
• Increased Revenue Opportunities – Data-driven promotions and an optimized ordering experience help restaurants maximize order values and drive incremental revenue.

"At Fishbowl, our mission is to help restaurants build stronger connections with their guests through data-driven marketing. Partnering with Onosys allows us to extend this value by ensuring that the guest journey from engagement to transaction fits the brand's standards and elevates the guest experience," said Adam Ochstein, CEO of Fishbowl.

"Onosys is committed to providing restaurant brands with the best digital ordering experience while reducing operational friction. By collaborating with Fishbowl, we're equipping operators with the tools they need to drive guest loyalty marketing and long-term success," added Chris Anderle, President at Onosys.

This collaboration marks a significant step toward the future of restaurant technology, where marketing and digital ordering work together to create a more personalized and profitable guest experience.

Qu released its sixth annual State of Digital Report, unveiling critical insights for fast casual and quick service restaurant (QSR) operators. Based on data from 170 brands across 85,000 locations, the report uncovers a growing shift as brands reclaim the guest relationship and streamline systems to fuel profitable growth.

The findings reveal that restaurants relying on fragmented, third-party ordering platforms face hidden challenges that erode margins and complicate operations — making it harder to meet guest expectations and accurately forecast performance. By consolidating systems and moving to direct ordering, operators can eliminate the disconnect created by multiple ordering channels, third-party marketplaces and piecemeal tech providers. This shift unlocks real-time business insights, empowering smarter decisions, more efficient operations and a deeper understanding of guest preferences. First-party ordering isn't just about cutting fees — it's about owning the guest experience, building real loyalty and creating sustainable growth that boosts corporate and franchise value.

"When restaurants own the guest relationship and bring all their data together, they stop operating in the dark," said Amir Hudda, CEO of Qu. "Our report's findings make it clear: holistic, integrated tech gives brands the clarity and agility they need to navigate changing market dynamics and stay ahead of the competition. For franchise systems, this connectivity translates into stronger P&Ls, justifiable tech fees and a more compelling pitch to prospective franchisees."

Six trends driving fast casual and QSR profitability this year:

1. Shift from third- to first-party ordering: Forty percent of brands say first-party digital sales represent their biggest revenue growth potential in 2025, followed by catering (24%) and on-premises ordering (14%). For QSRs, 55% eye first-party ordering for revenue growth, outpacing drive-thru and third-party apps. Fast casuals follow with 36% prioritizing direct digital channels. By reducing reliance on third-party platforms, brands can control costs, improve unit-level economics and lay the groundwork for more personalized loyalty and marketing efforts.
   
    
2. Consolidating tech systems unlocks efficiency and prepares brands for AI: Sixty-four percent of brands are simplifying their tech stack, transitioning to unified systems to reduce costs and eliminate tech debt, while aligning the underlying data infrastructure and models. This simplification is freeing up resources for growth and accelerating access to richer data insights — critical for both operational efficiency and AI-powered innovation. For franchises, streamlined systems reduce onboarding time, lower training costs and make scaling easier.
    
3. Data-driven personalization unlocks guest engagement: While loyalty program participation lags, with 85% of guests still unreachable through traditional programs according to Paytronix, operators are shifting investments. Loyalty spending dropped 8% year-over-year, but investments in guest data platforms increased by 11%. As Chris Demery, CTO of Blaze Pizza – a Qu customer, noted at MURTEC 2025, leveraging real-time data is key to anticipating guest needs and driving satisfaction.
   
   "At Blaze, we use Qu's cutting-edge tech to enhance hospitality — texting guests when orders are ready, delivering tableside and capturing real-time feedback," said Demery. "This kind of data helps operators and franchisees forecast demand, manage surges and streamline orders — all of which drive better guest experiences. Even one extra visit per guest each year can boost revenue by 5 to 10%."
   
   Hudda added, "When brands unify their data, they can create more relevant and personalized experiences that keep guests coming back. Without real-time, connected data, loyalty programs are bound to fall short."
    
4. Kiosks ease labor strains: Sixty-two percent of brands are adding kiosks, with adoption even higher in QSRs (80%). While kiosks are becoming ubiquitous, operators are primarily using them to reduce labor pressures and give guests more flexibility — speeding up service while enhancing the in-store experience.
    
5. Smart kitchens drive accuracy and productivity: With 70% of brands citing order accuracy and team productivity as key operating challenges, many are adopting smart kitchen tech that uses unified data and AI to optimize workflows, minimize errors and improve speed of service, leading to a more consistent guest experience.
    
6. Digital sales level off, pushing brands to focus on profitability: After years of rapid growth, digital sales have plateaued, rising just 4% over the past three years. This signals a shift from chasing volume to refining operations, balancing on-premises and off-premises channels and using data to build sustainable, long-term profits.

Unified data is the foundation of future success

The Qu report underscores one overriding takeaway: success in 2025 hinges on how well brands unify and activate their data. Restaurants that build a connected technology ecosystem that effectively centralizes and unifies their underlying data — integrating first-party channels, AI-driven insights and operational tech — will gain a lasting competitive edge. For franchise brands, this level of connected intelligence isn't just a growth driver — it's a powerful tool for recruiting franchisees and accelerating market expansion.

"In the rush to 'go digital,' many brands built their tech stacks like a Jenga tower — unstable, ready to topple and blocking innovation," Hudda said. "With digital sales growth now stabilizing, restaurants must focus on dismantling these disconnected, legacy systems and adopting more modern, flexible approaches. The next phase of growth lies in using unified data to create more value for guests, improve staff efficiencies and drive lasting profitability."

The Qu 2025 State of Digital Report is available as a free industry resource. For more information and to access the full report, click here.

Hotel Investor Apps (HIA), the hospitality-specific ERP platform, announced the implementation of Peachtree Group (Peachtree), a vertically integrated investment management firm, on its enterprise financial management software. The move enhances operational efficiency across Peachtree’s hospitality management division, which oversees more than 120 hotels and restaurants.

With HIA, Peachtree gains more advanced accounting capabilities, automations, and efficiencies from the ERP software. Key features include advanced intercompany functionality for simplified management company billing, streamlined approval workflows, a global chart of accounts and global vendor structure, and greater flexibility to control user access. Additionally, Peachtree utilizes HIA’s single sign-on capability with Microsoft Active Directory, which makes the software easier for users to access, more secure, and provides more corporate oversight.

“We were looking for a technology partner to deliver additional functionality and flexibility. We know we have got that with HIA,” noted Dave MacRae, Senior Vice President of Finance and Accounting, Peachtree Group. “At Peachtree, we strive to be at the forefront of technology, always looking to the future and implementing best practices.”

“HIA’s advanced functionality has significantly enhanced our financial reporting and operational efficiency,” said Cheryl Mathews, Vice President of Hotel Accounting, Peachtree Group. “Their training and support ensured a smooth transition, and our team is already seeing the benefits in day-to-day operations.”

“Peachtree Group needed a robust, hospitality-specific ERP that supports advanced financial management,” said Charlie Fritsch, CEO of Hotel Investor Apps. “HIA delivers automation, streamlined workflows, and financial tools built for sophisticated hotel operations.”

Peachtree’s adoption of HIA underscores its commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology to drive efficiency and growth in hospitality operations.

• Casting & Streaming: Utilizing GuestCast, HIS’s award-winning hotel casting solution, guests can wirelessly stream their favorite subscription services, such as Netflix, Disney+, Hulu and YouTube, directly from their personal devices to the TV—without entering login credentials.
• Custom Branding & Information Hub: Hotels can tailor the user interface with branded content and promotional messaging, and PMS integration allows for personalized welcome messages, guest messaging and room status updates. SmartRoom TVs can also be used in public spaces as digital signage with optional interactive functionality.
• Enhanced Guest Convenience: Remote checkout, room service ordering and housekeeping requests can be made directly from the TV, while reducing staff workload and increasing efficiency.
• Operational Functions: A housekeeping suite streamlines cleaning and maintenance coordination and supports task assignments, and emergency messaging functionality facilitates evacuation in emergency situations.
• Multi-Industry Applications: BeyondTV SmartRoom is designed for hotels, resorts, cruise ships, hospitals and other industries looking to provide a seamless entertainment and communication experience.