News Briefs

Cendyn and Loyalty Juggernaut have announced a strategic partnership aimed at transforming loyalty programs for global hotel enterprises. By integrating Cendyn’s CRM platform with Loyalty Juggernaut’s GRAVTY® system, the collaboration creates a dynamic loyalty ecosystem that consolidates guest data, supports advanced segmentation, and delivers personalized experiences across digital and physical touchpoints.

Key technical highlights:

• Integrated platforms: Loyalty data and communication preferences from GRAVTY® feed directly into Cendyn’s CRM, creating a unified guest profile for deeper personalization and engagement.
• Scalability and configurability: The solution is built to flex with shifting market conditions, supporting global rollouts and localized loyalty strategies.
• Advanced segmentation: Enables precise targeting across communication channels, improving membership growth and brand loyalty.
• Operational efficiency: Reduces dependence on static, one-size-fits-all loyalty systems and costly third-party tools.

Why this partnership matters:

• Aligns with growing demand for adaptive, data-driven loyalty infrastructure
  With guest expectations evolving, CTOs need loyalty systems that can integrate seamlessly with broader tech stacks and adapt in real time.
• Supports revenue growth through deeper personalization
  Moves beyond traditional point-based systems by using real-time data to reward guests based on brand engagement across all channels.

Trend Watch:
This partnership taps into a broader industry movement toward CRM-driven personalization and next-gen loyalty programs that are agile, modular, and designed for multi-brand, multi-region hotel groups. It reflects a shift away from rigid tier systems and toward intelligent engagement that boosts lifetime value.

DoorDash has partnered with Wing to offer drone delivery in Charlotte, N.C.

DoorDash customers within about four miles of The Arboretum Shopping Center in southern Charlotte can order from a selection of local and national restaurants and choose to have their items delivered by drone. The lineup includes local brands like Matcha Cafe Maiko and Panera Bread— the city's first national partner available for drone delivery. 

The Charlotte expansion is the next step in a successful partnership between Wing and DoorDash. DoorDash and Wing first launched drone delivery together in Australia in 2022. Since then, the partnership expanded to the U.S., with drone delivery service available to DoorDash customers in parts of Southwest Virginia, the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, and now Charlotte. DoorDash and Wing plan to expand to additional neighborhoods later this year.

“Autonomous delivery will help shape the future of local logistics, and we’re proud to introduce drone delivery to Charlotte for the first time with Wing,” said Harrison Shih, Head of Product for DoorDash Labs. “What makes this launch special isn’t just the technology, it’s the experience. Whether it’s your favorite Panera sandwich, a savory snack from DashMart, or a local matcha latte on DoorDash, there’s something special about watching your order arrive by air in minutes. DoorDash and Wing aren’t just delivering faster, we’re delivering what’s next.”

This partnership was born out of DoorDash Labs, DoorDash’s robotics and automation arm. DoorDash Labs focuses on identifying and integrating autonomous solutions that can enhance the customer experience, drive increased demand for local merchants, and create more earning opportunities for Dashers. In addition to Wing, DoorDash also partners with Coco Robotics for sidewalk robot delivery, reinforcing its commitment to building a multi-modal delivery platform designed to support the fastest and most efficient deliveries possible.

“We are committed to continuously redefining convenience and unlocking innovative ways to enhance the Panera experience, and we’re thrilled to partner with DoorDash and Wing on this pilot,” said Meenakshi Nagarajan, Chief Digital Officer, Panera Bread. “This partnership offers a cutting-edge way to deliver the quality and craveability that our guests know and love, right to their doorstep.” 

How it Works

To get started with drone delivery on DoorDash, eligible residents browsing the DoorDash app will notice the “Drone” icon on the homepage of their app. Tapping that will let them browse restaurants eligible for drone delivery.

If the items they choose meet the size and weight criteria, shoppers will have the option to select drone delivery during checkout. After confirming their delivery location, they’ll receive live tracking updates as the drone approaches.

Charlotte residents can check their address for eligibility at wing.com/charlotte. Anyone who isn’t eligible today can join the waitlist to be notified when drone delivery expands to their neighborhood.

Not all integrations are created equal.  

At NRA 2025, DoorDash introduced the DoorDash Preferred Integrations Program (DPIP). The program provides merchants with real-time visibility into how different point-of-sale (POS) and middleware providers perform on the DoorDash platform, along with the specific features they support, so merchants can select the best fit for their unique needs.

Built in collaboration with integration partners and shaped by direct feedback from merchants, the program is part of DoorDash’s broader commitment to improving operational transparency and driving better outcomes for merchants.

 
To qualify, integration providers must meet key performance benchmarks, including order and error rates below 1%, and offer features that directly benefit merchant operations, such as self-serve onboarding, real-time menu sync, live item availability, and order ready notifications.

Based on current performance and feature capabilities, the inaugural cohort of 2025  DoorDash Preferred Integration Partners includes Checkmate, Chowly, ChowNow, Deliverect, Otter, PAR, Qu, Square, Stream, Toast, and UrbanPiper.

Benefits of the HungerRush Grubhub Integration

• Streamlined Operations: Manage orders from Grubhub, DoorDash, and Uber Eats in one unified POS system, eliminating the need for separate tablets and third-party aggregators.
• Improved Efficiency: With everything centralized in one system, restaurant staff can focus on serving customers, not managing multiple systems.
• Real-Time Menu Management: The integration provides real-time updates to inventory and menu availability, reducing order errors and ensuring accurate information across all platforms.
  
   

HungerRush has rolled out its Grubhub Marketplace integration for the HungerRush POS system. This new integration allows restaurants to seamlessly receive and manage Grubhub orders directly from their HungerRush POS platform, alongside existing integrations with DoorDash and Uber Eats. By centralizing all marketplace orders in one system, HungerRush is simplifying restaurant operations and enhancing operational efficiency.

Previously, restaurants had to rely on third-party, tablet-based solutions or aggregator services to manage Grubhub orders. With HungerRush’s latest integration, restaurant operators can now eliminate the need for additional devices and middleman services. With direct integrations for all major delivery platforms, restaurant teams no longer need to juggle multiple systems, ultimately saving time, reducing unnecessary costs, and minimizing employee frustration.

“The new Grubhub POS integration is a game-changer for us,” said James Ryan, franchise owner of Flippin’ Pizza. “Having all our marketplace orders come through one POS system, including Grubhub, has simplified our processes and improved order accuracy. The integration has helped us streamline our operations, eliminate third-party services, and reduce complexity—allowing us to focus more on what matters: serving our customers.”

“By integrating Grubhub into our POS system, we are providing operators and owners with a powerful tool to centralize ordering and consolidate technology clutter, while focusing on improving the guest experience,” said Eran Hollander, Chief Product Officer at HungerRush. “Our mission has always been to focus on improving operational woes for restaurant owners and providing a superior guest experience. Through this integration, we can continue focusing on that mission.”

The Grubhub integration is now available to all HungerRush customers.

A new survey from the TravelTech Show reveals a major disconnect between traveler behavior and operator readiness: though 98% of Millennials and Gen Z own smartphones and heavily rely on mobile apps to book travel, less than one-third (31%) of travel operators have integrated mobile-first tools into their booking and payment platforms.

The biggest barriers to adoption are:

• Complexity of integration (37%)
• Security concerns (15%)
• High transaction fees (13%)

Other findings include:

• The most common tech integrations are:
  • Mobile apps/mobile-first tools (31%)
  • Multiple payment gateways (24%)
  • Virtual credit cards (17%)
• Only 10% plan to invest in security and fraud prevention tools, though this is up from 4% in 2024.
• 83% of travel operators have no plans to adopt cryptocurrency payments within the next year.
• The customer journey most commonly begins with general search (51%), followed by social media (15%) and metasearch (8%).

The data was gathered from 94 travel company reps in March 2025.
 

Key Takeaways for Hotel IT Leaders:

Mobile-First Isn’t a “Nice-to-Have”—It’s the Standard

Despite clear evidence that mobile is the dominant channel for younger travelers, adoption among operators remains low. With 80%+ of Millennials and Gen Z booking online via smartphones, hotels and resorts that neglect mobile-first UX risk alienating a growing share of the market.

Security is a Rising—but Underfunded—Concern

The increase from 4% to 10% of operators investing in fraud and security solutions shows positive momentum—but this still lags behind the threat landscape. Given recent attacks on major retailers, IT leaders should consider proactive security upgrades as core infrastructure, not reactive add-ons.

Payment Preferences Are Diversifying

While adoption of cryptocurrency remains minimal (and perhaps rightly so, given its volatility), guests increasingly expect flexible payment options. Multiple gateways and virtual cards are gaining traction and may help reduce transaction friction—especially for international travelers.

Integration Complexity Is the No. 1 Obstacle

With 37% citing integration as the top challenge, this points to a systemic issue: legacy tech stacks are holding the industry back. IT leaders should advocate for open API-based platforms and scalable payment ecosystems that enable seamless mobile upgrades.

Agilysys, Inc., a global provider of hospitality software and services, announced that Boyd Gaming Corporation has signed a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) agreement for InfoGenesis, the Agilysys omnichannel enterprise POS ecosystem, to be deployed across its 28 gaming entertainment properties in the United States.

When fully implemented, data and transactions will be unified across all endpoints, including self-service kiosks, on-demand mobile food and beverage ordering profit centers and kitchen display stations. Data across systems will help Boyd optimize guest engagement and offers as well as operational decisions. 

In addition to the InfoGenesis core system, Agilysys solutions in the agreement include OnDemand, guest self-service Kiosks, Kitchen Display Stations (KDS), Loyalty-Promotions and Analyze.

Johan Martensson, Senior Vice President, Business and Technology for Boyd Gaming commented, “The unified technology and feature sets across solutions in the InfoGenesis POS ecosystem were key factors in our decision to commit to this technology across our properties. Delivering exceptional guest service is at the core of the Boyd brand, and we are confident the InfoGenesis solution will further enhance the guest experience across our nationwide operations.”

Joe Youssef, Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer for Agilysys, said, “Through close collaboration with Boyd Gaming, we demonstrated how Agilysys can help teams across properties leverage InfoGenesis deployed in a SaaS model to achieve their near-term and long-term vision for creating remarkable guest experiences, enhancing automation to support staff and delivering deeper operational insights. We look forward to working together to achieve these ambitions.”