Restaurant And Hospitality News – March 30, 2015
By Christine Kern, contributing writer
In news this week, POS systems are getting an overhaul to help combat security breaches; NexGen Hotels are bringing flight information to their guests; minimum wage hikes are forcing Washington State’s restaurant industry to find ways to adapt; and the Tennessee Aquarium is utilizing beacon technology to create “citizen scientists.”
White Castle, Starbucks Among Those Who Beef Up Security To Tackle Breaches
White Castle has enlisted the aid of global payment security company Elavon to implement layers of security at points-of-sales to help beef up efforts to fend off data breaches before they happen, Investors.com reported. The new efforts include encryption and tokenization and also support chip cards and contactless payments, according to Susan Carroll, White Castle’s director of information services. Meanwhile, Starbucks is working with Verifone Systems, a maker of POS terminals, to facilitate an upgrade of its POS to include customer-facing machines and accept smartphone secure payments. According to John Arato, vice president of retail solutions for MagTek, a secure payment technology provider, the move to new POS technology provides “an unparalleled opportunity” for heightened interaction with customers while simultaneously improving security and check-out times.
NexGen Hotels Upgrade Services To Provide Flight Information Displays for Guests
Nexgen Hotels are meeting the demands of its air travelers by bringing the airport to its properties and helping to ease the travel pains, according to this press release. FlyteBoard Flight Information Displays, a wall, floor, or ceiling mounted high-definition flat panel screen, will now provide guests with real-time airline flight information at NexGen’s Holiday Inn Cleveland Airport and Holiday Inn Mount Prospect at Chicago O’Hare International. The FlyteBoard system is more convenient than a mobile app. “Guests value accurate flight information, and the FlyteBoard display is real-time,” said Nexgen Hotels Principal Chris Patel. “Plus, it is very convenient. Guests don’t have to use their handheld to open an app, find the right airport, and hunt long lists for their flight number; it is ‘glance and go.” Patel said, “FlyteBoard will help guests so they don’t get stuck at the airport if flights are cancelled, and they can extend their stay if needed. It will also help our staff. We have crew room contracts and the FlyteBoard display will show us the right time to send our airport shuttle to meet crews when their planes actually land to save time. We will not have to wait for delayed arrivals.”
As Seattle’s $15 Minimum Wage Phase-in Begins, Industry Must Find Ways To Adapt
The initial phase of Seattle’s transition to a $15 minimum wage is set to take effect on April 1, even as state lawmakers consider legislation driving a broader state-wide wage hike to $12 per hour that would affect employers across Washington State, according to the Nation’s Restaurant News. A Seattle city ordinance was passed last year that mandates the increase of the minimum wage from the current $9.32 hourly to $15, over a period of seven years for employers of 500 or fewer workers or three years for those with more than 500 workers. As that new ordinance takes effect, the Washington legislature is scheduled to begin hearings on House Bill 1355, which would increase the state minimum wage rate from $9.47 to $12 over the next four years. Anthony Anton, president and CEO of the Washington Restaurant Association, is confident that the industry will find ways to adapt to the new regulations. “We can find a way to make this work,” he stated. “We can continue to have a thriving small restaurant scene and work on a better situation for employees. Those don’t have to be mutually exclusive.”
Tennessee Aquarium Engages Visitors With Beacon Technology
The Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga is now using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacon technology to engage its young visitors as they experience the aquarium, according to RFID Journal. The technology works by sending text alerts to their smartphones when they come within range of the beacons mounted on nearly two dozen exhibits throughout the Aquarium. The beacon sends cards to the app, indicating that the user should take note of particular animals and behaviors. The app was developed and donated by Tennessee Technological University’s BusinessMedia Center last year, with Chattanooga technology startup CloudBeacon providing beacons and software and services. The result is the High-Tech Animal Tracker Program, which went live recently. The app, available through both Google Play and iTunes, allows visitors to access information before, during, and after their visit, and allows children of all ages to act as “citizen scientists.” Thaddeus Taylor, a Tennessee Aquarium learning specialist, says "We didn't want this to just be a fact dump," he says, noting that many people do not read printed panels on exhibit walls, but prefer to simply observe the animals on exhibit. "We wanted to create a more game-like interaction."