Miscellaneous

🍴 In 2024, Toast processed 16% of U.S. restaurant card volume. Cloud disruptors, like Toast, Square, and Lightspeed, now dominate the POS market, once led by legacy vendors NCR Aloha and Oracle Micros. Platforms like DoorDash and Uber Eats command the U.S. delivery market, exceeding $170B TAM. Loyalty programs, advanced CRM tools, and integrated marketing solutions, such as Popmenu, are becoming essential. This transformation emphasizes streamlined operations and enhanced customer engagement.

🛫 LeShuttle and IAG Loyalty's new partnership allows customers to collect and redeem Avios for the first time on LeShuttle journeys. Launched last month, Club LeShuttle offers discounts starting at 1,000 Avios per vehicle. Exclusive offers and rewards target frequent travellers, families, and leisure adventurers. Deborah Merrens, CCO of LeShuttle, highlights this as a significant milestone for multi-modal travel loyalty, enhancing customer journeys. Club LeShuttle will roll out in phases over the coming year.

💻 KDS screens replace paper, offering real-time visibility into active orders, improving order accuracy, workflow efficiency, and communication. Customer-facing displays allow real-time order tracking. Labels enhance off-premises scenarios by ensuring order accuracy and reinforcing brand identity. Integrated KDS and label systems streamline operations, aligning order prep and fulfillment seamlessly, supporting both immediate efficiency and long-term growth.

🌇 Laho in Paris offers stunning sunset views above Gare de Lyon, with DJs on weekends. TOO TacTac, in the 13th arrondissement, provides panoramic views, including the Eiffel Tower. Khayma Bar at Generator Paris features cocktails starting at €13.00 with views of Sacré-Cœur. La Bellevilloise offers natural wines starting at €39.00 per bottle. Popular rooftops include Mademoiselle Mouche for Eiffel Tower snaps and Mama Shelter Paris East for brunch. Le Toit de la Tour and Le Bar à Bulles provide romantic and cultural experiences, respectively.

✈️ Jet2’s pre-tax profits increased by 12% to £593 million for the year ending March, with passenger numbers rising by 12% to 19.77 million. Annual revenue grew by 15% to £7.17 billion. The company expanded operations at Bournemouth and Luton airports, adding a fifth aircraft in Liverpool. Jet2 plans for a summer capacity of 18.6 million seats, 8% higher than last year. Seven new Airbus A321neos were added, and 132 more are expected by 2035.

🍴 Bret Thorn, Senior Food & Beverage Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News since 1999, specializes in food trends. Formerly, he was a New York Sun columnist (2005-2008) and Asia Times sub-editor (1995-1997). A Tufts University history graduate, he studied at Le Cordon Bleu and in China. Thorn won the 2006 Jesse H. Neal Award and served as IFEC president in 2005. He contributed to Oxford's food encyclopedias in 2012 and 2015. Thorn resides in Brooklyn, N.Y.

🏖 The French tourism industry faces a severe shortage of seasonal workers, with 63,000 positions unfilled in 2025 according to the Minister Delegate for Tourism. This issue affects hospitality sectors like restaurants and accommodation, which constitute 35% and 26% of seasonal jobs, respectively. Major tourist regions, including Occitania, report recruitment difficulties, exacerbated by a 40,000-worker shortfall in 2024. This challenge impacts various accommodations, including campsites, highlighting a persistent national workforce issue.

📍 Ryan worked with Ace Hotel for over 15 years until the pandemic hit, particularly highlighting the opening of Ace Hotel Kyoto during that time. Due to COVID-19, event programming, a major revenue driver, became untenable. Ryan transitioned to consulting and joined Vacation Inc., a sunscreen brand emphasizing fun. Ace Hotel's past collaborations, including with Converse, were based on relationships and curiosity. Pool Suite FM, an online radio since 2014, played a part in building Vacation's brand equity.

🚀 Virgin Atlantic will introduce free streaming-quality Wi-Fi on Boeing 787s, Airbus A350s, and A330neos by late 2026, fully installed by 2027. As the first UK airline to offer this, it capitalizes on Starlink's advanced satellite constellation for high-speed, low-latency global internet. Flying Club members enjoy free access across the fleet. The service supports multiple devices, enabling seamless connectivity for entertainment, work, and communication. Chief Experience Officer Siobhan Fitzpatrick emphasizes innovative, enhanced onboard experiences.

🛩 IndiGo Ventures closed its initial fund at $52 million, targeting early-stage startups for pre-Series A, Series A, and Series B investments. Approved by the Securities and Exchange Board of India in October 2024, the fund seeks innovations in aviation, sustainability, and digital solutions. IndiGo's expertise aims to foster new product development. The venture made its first investment in Jeh Aerospace, specializing in aerospace and defense manufacturing.