Innovation

☕ Starting 3 September, Pret's Club Pret membership will offer a 50% discount on up to five barista-made drinks per day for £5/month until 31 March 2025, then £10/month. The current Club Pret offers five free coffees daily and a 20% food discount for £30/month. YourPret Barista launched in September 2020 costing £20/month, later increased to £25 and then rebranded to Club Pret at £30/month. Pret's UK&I MD Clare Clough cites over a quarter of a billion coffees served since the pandemic as a sign of success. The chain now provides Arabica Filter Coffee at 99p and croissants from £2.30 to £1.99, with earlier price cuts on egg mayo sandwiches and tuna baguettes. Pret has cracked down on QR code sharing and issued refunds for app issues. Leon challenges Pret with a £25/month coffee subscription including a 20% food discount.

🔊 Beef 'O' Brady's, a US family sports bar and grill chain in over 20 states, partners with SoundHoundAI for AI voice ordering. Corporate locations plus franchises now employ the system that handles 100% of calls, even during busy periods. SoundHound's AI, active in over 10,000 restaurants, can answer menu queries, and was boosted by acquiring Allset, an online ordering platform. Nearly 80% of US diners foresee AI in food ordering soon, aligning with the upcoming 2024 Summer Olympics rush.

📊 The 2024 Restaurant Technology Landscape Report reveals that 76% of operators see tech as a competitive advantage, yet 23% feel behind in tech adoption. 45% of operators need more staff, while 27% struggle with hiring and retention. Automating tasks, such as temperature checks that cost $2.6 million annually for chains with 1,000 locations, can save time and money. Quick-service restaurants use 10x more energy per square foot than other retailers, with 80% of this energy being wasted. Embracing IoT could help streamline operations, reduce costs, and enhance customer satisfaction. Authors Tom Woodbury and Peter Cryan emphasize the importance of scalable solutions for profitability.

🍺 Beef 'O' Brady's, a US sports bar chain present in over 20 states, collaborates with SoundHoundAI for phone order placements using voice AI technology, which is now live in all corporate locations and available for franchises. The AI handles 100% of calls, even multiple orders simultaneously, and can answer menu-related questions, enhancing service efficiency especially ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics. SoundHound's voice AI is deployed in over 10,000 restaurants and has recently acquired Allset to expand its reach.

🔎 Beef 'O' Brady's partners with SoundHoundAI for AI-assisted ordering in its family sports bar and grill chain across more than 20 U.S. states. The AI, trained on Beef 'O’Brady’s menu, responds to natural speech for phone orders. With 100% call answer rate during peak times, the AI handles simultaneous orders and customer inquiries. The technology is part of the preparation for the 2024 Summer Olympics. SoundHound AI, employed in over 10,000 restaurant locations, recently acquired Allset to expand its reach.

🍽 Beef 'O' Brady's, operating in 20+ US states, uses SoundHoundAI's voice AI for phone orders. The AI, trained on the chain's extensive menu, handles 100% of calls, even during busy periods like the 2024 Summer Olympics. SoundHound's technology, deployed in over 10,000 restaurants, recently acquired Allset to grow its reach. Approximately 80% of U.S. diners expect AI to dominate food ordering soon. For more, visit www.soundhound.com.

🍕 Beef 'O' Brady's, operating in more than 20 states, partners with SoundHoundAI for phone ordering via voice AI, which is fully deployed in all corporate locations and available for franchise integration. SoundHound's voice AI answers 100% of calls, even during high volumes, allowing staff to focus on service and meal prep. Ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics, the technology is expected to offer seamless ordering for customers. SoundHound's AI, deployed in over 10,000 locations, recently acquired the Allset ordering platform, indicating expansion within the restaurant industry. Nearly 80% of U.S. diners foresee AI voice assistants dominating food ordering soon.

🔍 Beef 'O' Brady's collaborates with SoundHoundAI for AI-powered phone orders, active in all corporate locations and available to franchises. SoundHound's voice AI handles 100% of calls, even during busy times, taking multiple simultaneous orders. With the 2024 Summer Olympics approaching, customers can order meals with SoundHound's AI for quick, accurate service. SoundHound’s AI is deployed in over 10,000 restaurant locations and recently acquired the ordering platform Allset to expand its reach.

🏨 OTAs like Booking.com and MakeMyTrip adopt 'Buy Now, Pay Before Check-In' (BNPBC) to increase direct bookings for hotels. BNPBC allows guests to reserve a room and pay any amount before check-in, boosting revenues by nearly 20%. It mitigates risks compared to 'Pay at Hotel' options, encouraging commitment and reducing no-shows. The system automates payment collection, prompting guests to complete payments, aiding hotels especially during off-seasons. Article by Tarun Goyal, CEO of Simplotel, published on Jul 16, 2024.

🏨 In the hotel industry, AI-driven personalization is transforming shopping experiences with tailored discounts and unified shopping. Eddie Deyo, CTO at GK Software, highlights the importance of efficient, integrated POS systems and loyalty programs to meet high guest expectations. Personalized offers incentivize spending and foster loyalty, while the key to effective AI implementation is a connected experience across all hotel touchpoints, allowing for diverse payment options and seamless access to loyalty rewards.