News Briefs

Holland America Line is more than halfway through updating internet to SpaceX's Starlink across its fleet of 11 ships. The first ship to receive this next-generation technology was Koningsdam, and now Oosterdam, Volendam, Westerdam, Zaandam and Zuiderdam all have the high-speed internet on board.

Starlink is the leader in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite technology providing high-speed internet around the world. Since receiving Starlink internet, the ships have sailed through Alaska, the Mediterranean and Canada with positive guest and team member feedback on the performance of the Wi-Fi.

"Our goal is to continue keeping all guests connected to the internet to share their memorable experiences, and to allow our team members to stay in touch with their loved ones back home," said Kathleen Erickson, vice president of technology for Holland America Line. "It's important we stay up to date with evolving technology to ensure the best experience for everyone stepping foot on our ships."

Adding Starlink to Holland America Line's fleet brings faster internet to guests and team members in all weather conditions and locations. The upgrade has made it easier to stay connected to friends and family around the globe and allows professional communications for guests who can't leave the office behind.

Holland America Line is scheduled to have Starlink internet installed on the remaining five ships in the fleet by mid-December 2023.

Shiji, a global hospitality technology innovator, has partnered with IPORT, an award-winning manufacturer known for enhancing the usability of iPads and iPhones, to introduce an all-in-one software solution for hotel restaurants. This collaboration will provide hoteliers with a seamless combination of a tablet and payment device to maximize their F&B operations.

The integrated iOS and payment device solution simplifies guest service for hotel restaurant servers, providing them with an effortless tool to cater to their guests' needs. As a certified Apple partner, Shiji and IPORT guarantee exceptional performance and reliability. Hoteliers can choose from multiple device options, including iPad Pro, iPad Mini, and iPhone, ensuring flexibility and compatibility with their operations.

“IPORT products are built around modularity and flexibility that empower our hospitality customers to do more with the iOS platform. We are thrilled to partner with a leading iPad and iPhone cloud PMS and POS platform provider like Shiji,” said Chris Lawson, Head of Partnerships, IPORT. “We look forward to innovating with Shiji in disrupting legacy, monolithic providers who have limited the industry from harnessing the power of iOS and mobility. The future is bright, and the possibilities are endless with IPORT, iOS, and Shiji.”

"The partnership with IPORT is a significant milestone for Shiji in our commitment to provide innovative technology solutions for the hospitality industry," said Ryan King, Senior Vice President of Shiji in the Americas. "By combining our expertise with IPORT’s hardware solutions, we empower hoteliers to streamline restaurant operations and deliver exceptional guest experiences. This collaboration represents another step forward in our dedication to driving success in the Americas, and globally."

The tablet and payment device solution seamlessly integrates with multiple payment gateways, allowing hoteliers to choose the system that best suits their needs. By simplifying the payment process, it reduces operational complexities, minimizes errors, and saves valuable time and resources for hoteliers.

Sage Hotel Management, a Sage Hospitality Group company, announced today the latest addition to its Commercial team, Priya Chandnani, who has stepped into the role of Senior Vice President, Revenue & Distribution Strategy for the organization.

"I am thrilled to welcome Priya to our team," said Patrick Pahlke. "Her proven track record as a leader and deep understanding of revenue management and distribution will undoubtedly contribute to our success as we continue on our path to becoming America’s favorite lifestyle hospitality company.”

In her new role, Chandnani will partner with leaders across the organization, both at the property and corporate level, to ensure alignment and a shared vision on revenue optimization. She will play a critical role in maximizing revenue and profit by implementing data-driven pricing, distribution, and inventory management strategies. In collaboration with her team of talented revenue management experts, she will analyze market trends, manage pricing structures, and collaborate with various departments to ensure effective revenue optimization across the hotel portfolio.

An industry veteran, Chandnani brings with her a wealth of experience and expertise. Prior to joining Sage, she held the position of Vice President of Revenue & Distribution Strategy at Pyramid Global Hospitality, where she successfully led the revenue management team for that company’s Luxury and Lifestyle portfolio. Her tenure at Pyramid was marked by her unwavering commitment to profit-centric revenue management principles, her innovative approach to emerging distribution platforms and her dedication to talent development within her team.

With an impressive career spanning over two decades, Priya Chandnani has played pivotal roles in hospitality sales and revenue management for renowned organizations including Hyatt, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and PM Hotel Group. Her extensive knowledge of the industry and her passion for staying at the forefront of hospitality trends make her a valuable addition to Sage.

“I’m very excited for what the future holds with Sage, and I look forward to continuing to build on the foundation of success already in place as we continue to drive our revenue management strategies forward,” Chandnani said.

To learn more about Sage Hospitality Group and its companies, as well as its growing portfolio of hotels and restaurants, visit www.sagehospitalitygroup.com.

Tripleseat, a provider of cloud-based event management software for the hospitality industry, announced the strategic acquisition of Attendease, a meeting and event software for enterprise and corporate event planners.

The acquisition is a natural fit. It combines two separate ecosystems, social and corporate event planners and event managers at restaurants and hotels. The sales and event management platform of Tripleseat and the Attendease event planner application come together for a frictionless planning process, further entrenching Tripleseat as the powerhouse in end-to-end event management solutions. The combined company will operate under the Tripleseat brand and will be managed by Jonathan Morse, Tripleseat co-founder and CEO.

"With this acquisition, we will expand our offerings with specialized and flexible event planning and management tools - for social and corporate event planners. Tripleseat will now be the one-stop shop for people to locate the perfect venue and manage and market their event," Morse said in a statement. "Attendease provides functionality that empowers planners with dynamic features such as event registration, ticketing, VIP and speaker management, website building, and data-driven reporting  that will integrate with Tripleseat's sales and event management platform."

The Tripleseat acquisition of Attendease is a game-changer for restaurants and hotels. It provides a one-of-a-kind integration to event planners looking to book an event at their venue. In addition, event planners will now have a seamless and easy experience finding, booking, and planning their weddings, corporate events, birthday parties, or tradeshows.

Tripleseat will always continue providing award-winning customer support for existing and new customers. As the event industry continues to evolve, Tripleseat remains committed to delivering innovative solutions to empower event professionals with the tools to thrive.

Roboost, a provider of fully automated home delivery management solutions, is pleased to announce its partnership with McDonald's Egypt. With Roboost's AI-powered solution, McDonald's Egypt is poised to fully automate their last-mile delivery cycle, optimizing operations before delivery starts, and reducing manual actions.

Home delivery in Egypt has been popular for years, yet it remains a complex operation to master. McDonald's Egypt was the first market with a developmental license to establish home delivery in the world. Therefore, the partnership between Roboost and McDonald's Egypt is a testament to Egypt's leading role in the home delivery space. Bringing together decades of home delivery expertise and technology to transform the delivery market in Egypt.

Roboost's cutting-edge technology has already helped many businesses in the market, doubling their delivery speeds, increasing productivity by 60%, and reducing operational costs by 30%, making them the ideal partner for McDonald's Egypt.

With Roboost, McDonald's Egypt can now fully automate their delivery operations, and benefit from greater visibility and control over each stage of the delivery cycle, to not only enhance delivery speed but also gain clear reliable operational insights, to help improve the overall customer experience even further. The solution will also help ensure optimum productivity from the fleet.

"We are excited to partner with McDonald's Egypt and help them continue to deliver on their famed promise of the fastest delivery in Egypt," said Mohamed Gessraha, CEO of Roboost. "With our AI-powered solution, they can fully automate their home delivery operations, optimize their routes even without digital locations, and improve their delivery times, all while offering their customers a consistently superior delivery experience. We are confident that our partnership will set new standards in the delivery market across the region."

"At McDonald's Egypt, we take pride in being pioneers in the home delivery sector and consistently raising the bar in terms of speed, reliability and overall customer experience," said Essam Reda, Senior Director of People & Operations at McDonald’s Egypt. "Partnering with Roboost allows us to take our delivery operations to the next level through automation and AI-driven route optimization. We are excited to utilize Roboost's solution to streamline our end-to-end delivery process, gain even faster turnaround times, and further enhance food quality and safety, providing our valued customers with the best delivery experience possible."

Newk's Eatery debuts a rebranding initiative reflecting the brand's modern evolution and commitment to providing exceptional dining experiences. With its new tagline, “Extra with Every Bite,” the rebrand amplifies all the little “extras” guests love about the restaurant – brought to life through a fun, colorful and energetic aesthetic that speaks to its roots and menu.

Newk’s marketing team spent the last year conducting research, asking guests what they love about the brand and what keeps them coming back for more. The common theme from the study was guests’ delight with the many “extras” they get at Newk’s. The brand used this feedback to enhance the “extras” on its menu, keeping in line with its philosophy of “extra flavor, extra quality, extra service and extra love with every guest experience." The new tagline reflects this competitive distinction, the innovation behind Newk’s signature recipes and LTOs, and the brand’s dedication to providing fresh, high-quality meal options for the whole family at an affordable price.
“The rebranding initiative reinforces our passion for serving every meal to every guest with a little something extra, every time,” said Denise Pedini, Chief Marketing Officer at Newk’s Eatery. “We are committed to using fresh, high-quality ingredients, providing friendly and attentive service and creating a welcoming atmosphere. We are confident that the new branding will further strengthen our bond with our loyal guests, help us attract more discerning customers and position us for continued growth.”

The brand refresh rolls out across Newk's Eatery’s website, app, packaging, marketing and uniforms today. Dallas-based creative firm White Unicorn Agency worked alongside the Newk's team.

To learn more about Newk’s Eatery, visit Newks.com.