Tony Loeb

🍴 In 2024, Starbucks experienced a mid-teens percent order incompletion rate in their Mobile Order & Pay channel due to long wait times and product unavailability. Steak n Shake implemented PopID's biometric check-in and checkout system for enhanced customer experience. Hospitality Technology announced the 2024 Top Women and Rising Stars in Restaurant Technology, highlighting tech innovation from Jersey Mike's to Pizza Factory. Robotics and AI were key topics at the National Retail Federation's Big Show. Southern Classic Chicken discussed new drive-thru tech plans in HT Talks Tech. POS software vendors shared their 2024 plans, following 2023 achievements. The 2024 Customer Engagement Technology Study by HT revealed how technology fosters customer loyalty. The 2024 POS Software Trends Study showed the importance of integration and adaptation in POS systems. The 26th annual Restaurant Technology Study by HT highlighted the use of human-digital hybrid solutions to address industry challenges.

📈 Kevin Bentley, Head of Technology at Jollibee Foods Corporation, with over 20 years of experience, will speak at MURTEC 2025 on "Personalizing the Guest Experience." Bentley's background includes marketing technology at Johnson & Johnson and automation at Inspire Brands. Discussion points include improving service time, streamlining operations, leveraging technology, and reducing labor costs. Attendees can register for MURTEC 2025, "Experience Matters," at MURTEC.com.

💻 Digital transformation in the food service industry continues post-COVID-19, focusing on robotics in kitchens, advanced data analytics for decision-making, and a shift towards back-office technology priorities. Restaurants integrate AI and machine learning to streamline operations, enhance efficiency, and inform growth strategies. The shift from front-of-house to back-office innovations addresses labor shortages and economic pressures, aiming to improve operational efficiency and profitability. Effective strategies include building integrated systems, prioritizing flexible solutions, and aligning technology with guest experience enhancements.

📈 Major advertising and marketing highlights from 2024, according to The Drum: Palliative Care Queensland's ad with The Pixies' soundtrack resonated in August, AMV BBDO's 'Never Just a Period' campaign for Bodyform stood out, KFC's 'Believe in Chicken' by Mother took a darkly humorous route, Marmite's April ad from Adam&EveDDB humorously imitated an investigative documentary, and Loewe's ad featuring Aubrey Plaza and Dan Levy cleverly addressed the brand's name pronunciation. Notable marketing moves include Guinness facing supply shortages due to successful marketing, Adidas Sambas becoming trendy, Liquid Death reaching a $1.4bn valuation, and Rhode's lip gloss phone case going viral. In contrast, The Body Shop and TGI Friday's entered administration, while Dr Martens and Nike lost cultural cachet. Looking ahead, marketers hope for stable budgets and political climate post-2024 elections. In media, the US Supreme Court agreed to review a potential TikTok ban set for January 19, 2025, while TikTok's CEO met with president-elect Donald Trump seeking a resolution. Omnicom and IPG's significant deals bookmarked the year, with agency acquisitions including WPP's NCA, Havas' B2B Ledger Bennett, Dentsu's Tag Worldwide, and Publicis' shopper agency Mars United. Investments in AI technology surged, with WPP dedic

💾 Hostaway, a vacation rental software company, secured a $365 million investment led by General Atlantic with PSG Equity participation. Founded in 2015, the company serves properties in over 90 countries with over 230 employees from 44 countries. Hostaway's marketplace includes over 200 partners. The investment, the largest in its segment to date, aims to fund international expansion, product development, and AI initiatives. The short-term rental sector is a $133 billion market, growing at 12% CAGR, serving over 21 million properties globally. Hostaway is also expanding in France, Italy, and Spain.