Automatic

🧀 Appetronix launched a fully-autonomous kitchen for Donatos Pizza in Columbus, Ohio, last week and is developing new robotic verticals for Asian and Mexican cuisines. Their system integrates AI and robotics to improve QSR operations in airports, hospitals, and more. Key partners include Viam, providing AI for quality assurance, and investors N49P and AlleyCorp. Appetronix aims to solve labor crises and achieve scalability, with plans for a nationwide rollout and further investment.

💻 2023's Rackspace report reveals 75% of travel/hospitality firms view AI as key, but 56% cite accuracy issues. Only 28% are “AI leaders,” while 250% AI spending growth is expected from 2024 ($2.5M) to 2025 ($8.7M). Top AI uses: customer service (51%), productivity (44%). Key barriers: resistance (54%), talent gaps (52%). 42% of companies plan $1M–$5M AI investments in 2023, with 78% planning more by 2030. Compliance challenges grow with evolving data laws.

📈 Early in her career, a supportive general manager helped Angela Englett transition into Revenue Management by providing training and autonomy. Managing a portfolio of 100 hotels, she uses technology to isolate patterns and address specific issues. AI advancements excite her for enhancing revenue strategies and guest experiences. At Dreamscape Hospitality, she aims to build a tech-savvy team. Her advice: seek mentorship, be curious, and embrace unexpected opportunities for growth in hotel tech and revenue leadership.

📱 Taco John's integrated Flybuy's Smart Fire technology to optimize order timing for pickup, drive-thru, and delivery. This update led to a 70% increase in mobile order sales, a 10% reduction in delivery driver wait times, and a 23% decrease in missing or incorrect orders. Orders are prepared when customers are nearby, ensuring freshness and quick service. This has enhanced customer satisfaction and boosted loyalty through improved order accuracy and efficiency.

📶 Guests expect seamless digital experiences. SD-WAN and SASE platforms enhance this by encrypting tunnels and enforcing zero-trust segmentation. With 5G-ready SD-WAN, hospitality brands avoid costly $5,000-a-minute downtimes. These networks allow instant services like room unlocking or digital menu access. Strategy involves mapping digital journeys, assessing 30-minute outage costs, and ensuring diverse connectivity with at least two wired providers plus a 5G link. This approach bridges the competitive gap in the hospitality sector.