News Briefs

Hotel Communication Network (HCN), the world leader in guestroom tablets for hotels and resorts, is transforming the way operators are driving revenues and engaging with guests. Taking advantage of advances in AI technologies, HCN has developed an industry breakthrough by creating the first human-looking AI Concierge persona capable of addressing guests individually with full voice integration and providing voice-activated access to all guest services during their stay at HCN partner hotels. To make this technological achievement even more compelling, HCN’s new ad-supported revenue model makes the entire platform highly subsidized with a possible revenue share for hotels.

“Hoteliers, particularly those in the 4-star category, are facing smaller margins and increased competition,” said Kevin Bidner, HCN CEO. “They are desperately seeking more revenue and a way of increasing guest satisfaction, especially if it differentiates them from their competitors. The HCN AI Concierge Tablet + ad strategy solves these problems. Ads enable hoteliers to get this first-of-its-kind amenity at a highly subsidized rate (or possibly no cost), plus earn a share of the ad revenue to increase bottom-line profit. We are rolling out this platform globally with one of worlds' biggest brands, and we invite the rest of the industry to take advantage of this compelling opportunity.”

HCN will debut its all-in-one, ad-supported, human-looking AI Concierge tablet in Booth #2803 at HITEC Indianapolis, to be held June 16-19 at the Indiana Convention Center.

Peer-reviewed research shows that the average hotel guest spends 3.5 active waking hours per day in the room, creating the ideal time to deliver brand messaging to guests. While serving as a personal concierge, HCN tablets are actually a marketing engine in each guestroom, providing hoteliers with a highly targeted communication platform capable of integrating loyalty programs for deep personalization. This is a game changer, since the tablets can integrate with hotel property-management systems and other guestroom technologies, such as blinds, thermostats, roomservice, housekeeping and more. Because of this deep integration, tablet usage rates often exceed 90%, compared to QR codes and mobile apps which often average less than 20% utilization.

NEW! Tablet Content Transfers to Guests’ Mobile Phones

HCN’s in-room tablets are only the starting point. With millions of guests per day using this digital marketplace, HCN has added a mobile platform that mirrors in-room tablet content to guests’ mobile phones. This enables every traveler to take the AI Concierge with them wherever they roam to serve as a personal assistant throughout their stay.

“HCN has been working for this moment for many years: the convergence of technologies that makes tablets an invaluable asset with a breakthrough conversational AI Concierge for every guest with nothing to download, provided right on the tablet,” Bidner said. “At the same time, the advertising model is allowing us to provide this service at a low to no cost to the hotels, even with the potential for profitable rev-share.  It’s a true win-win.”

Terry Donnelly, HCN Chief Revenue Officer and architect of the advertising and ecommerce revenue platform, said the impact and reach of brand messaging for hoteliers on the tablet is tremendous.

“HCN’s messaging capabilities ensure that 100% of guests see the promotional content created by our hotel partners,” Donnelly said. “With our AI Concierge capabilities, the ability to serve guests comprehensively is now accessible for every hotel. Guests can access any amenity in the hotel, buy tickets for any local event, tour or attraction, and maximize every minute of their stay with exactly the kind of content and services they desire.”

Driving Revenue, Loyalty Point Redemption

With the HCN ad-supported model, hotels receive a state-of-the-art AI Concierge platform that will grow with guests’ needs. The multilingual platform can motivate travelers to become a loyalty program member or encourage existing members to redeem points and access the benefits they have earned while staying at the hotel. In addition, the hotel property can promote revenue-generating programs, services and amenities, driving upsell and cross sell opportunities.

“Travel is an $11 trillion market,” Bidner said. “HCN has turned its tablets into a global marketing medium capable of reaching millions of hotel guests with highly personalized offerings tailored to their profile with the hotel. The return on investment is instantly positive. If a hotel sold just one more dinner, spa treatment, scuba lesson, or cabana each day, and then multiplied that across every property, the additional revenue potential per year would have a significant, measurable, and durable impact.”

Hotel brands that don’t want to adopt an ad-supported model can still achieve a healthy and immediate return on investment with HCN’s traditional fee-paid tablet model, Bidner said.

“Even if the hotel decides to remain ad free, they can generate far more revenue with HCN tablets than without them,” he said. “For example, by using the tablet to opt out of housekeeping — a program that HCN calls ‘Guest Choice’ — that alone will offset the cost of the tablet. Each opt-out saves the hotel $15-$30 per room; the cost of an HCN tablet is significantly less than that. In addition, each HCN tablet replaces the need for peripheral room equipment — the phone, TV remote, clock/radio, and smart room controls are rolled into each device, along with interactive and AI enabled features (such as direct in-room messaging/marketing, hotel and local restaurant meal delivery, AI-based itinerary planning, merchandising, event communication, guest surveys, interactive city guides, local shops, and early/late check out), to give guests the best in-room experience possible.”

To meet AiMe (pronounced Amy) and discover a radically new way to drive revenues and guest engagement, stop by Booth #2803 at HITEC Indy.

VSR introduces the next-generation VAIA®, multimodal conversational AI voice assistant purpose-built for hotels. The platform is designed to enhance both guest satisfaction and hotel efficiency throughout the complete guest journey with intelligent and expressive generative multilingual responses across voice, text, chat, and email with no app download required. 

VSR will debut the new VAIA at the HITEC hospitality technology show in Indianapolis – Booth 3214. A Demo of VAIA can be viewed here. 

VAIA conversational AI assistant enables hotels to provide 24/7 service, enabling guests to receive immediate answers to their questions, make reservations, request housekeeping or maintenance, and access concierge services through the communication channel of their choice. Whether by phone, text, email, or chat, VAIA speaks with a warm, empathetic and conversational tone that reflects the property’s brand voice.

“VAIA represents the future of hospitality service,” said Mark Cederloff, CEO of VSR.  “It’s human-like, intuitive and most importantly, deeply aligned with each hotel’s unique identity. We’ve created a solution that simplifies operations, enhances service, and contributes directly to the bottom line.”

Deployment is fast and scalable, often taking just days to implement with minimal IT resources. VAIA is already proving to be a game changer for hotels looking to enhance the guest experience while reducing costs and increasing operational efficiency.

“We’ve been using VAIA for a few years now, and it’s made a real impact across our hotels — helping us improve communication, guest satisfaction, and overall efficiency. With the new updates like multi-lingual support, Quore integration, and the ability to handle reservations, VAIA is taking things to a whole new level. It’s a major step forward that will make a big difference for both our teams and our guests,” said Jon McMillian, Vice President of Marketing and Ecommerce, AD1 Hospitality

Hotels that implement VAIA experience a significant reduction in front desk workload, allowing staff to focus on in-person guest interactions and other high value tasks.  VAIA boosts incremental revenue by offering timely upsell opportunities for room upgrades, spa appointments, dining reservations, and more - triggered automatically based on guest behavior and intent. 

Operationally, VAIA’s API integration with leading PMS, POS service ticketing tools, and point-of-sale platforms; allows hotels to upgrade service while maintaining current property operational platforms. Additionally, VAIA now supports MCP (Model Context Protocol) Integration. This allows VAIA to offer dynamic tool access and connect to any MCP-compatible server with access to thousands of app integrations through providers like Zapier (7,000+ apps and 30,000+ actions). This translates into simplified integration process, reduced development time and flexible deployment options (local or remote).

VAIA seamlessly handles routine hotel requests and most any question; related to the property, geographic area or general curiosity; from pre-arrival through post-stay at a time that is convenient for the guest. Guests enjoy responsive, friendly service without delays or hold times, while hotels benefit from improved satisfaction scores, better online reviews, and increased guest loyalty.

Hotels may utilize to a real-time dashboard that provides valuable insights into guest behavior, service trends, and staffing needs. VAIA is built on a secure, cloud-native architecture to ensure enterprise-grade compliance. The platform is PCI, GDPR Compliant and HIPAA Compliance to protect healthcare-related information (PHI); and has cloud storage options of AWS S3, Azure Blob Storage, Google Cloud Storage and Cloudflare R2.

Donatos Pizza has opened its first fully autonomous restaurant at John Glenn Columbus International Airport  in Columbus, Ohio, powered by robotic technology from foodtech startup Appetronix and operated by HMSHost.

The 24/7 location leverages robotics, AI, and data science to deliver made-to-order pizzas with speed, consistency, and minimal human involvement. Travelers can watch their meals being prepared through an engaging, transparent cooking process, giving a glimpse into the tech-powered kitchen of the future.

Occupying just 150 square feet, the compact kitchen runs entirely on robotic and AI-powered systems to deliver hot, made-to-order pizzas 24/7. Orders can be placed via QR code on a smartphone or through a touchscreen kiosk. The first pizza is ready in about five minutes, with each additional pizza completed every 2.5 minutes.

Kevin King, President and CEO of Donatos, emphasized the alignment of this new venture with the brand’s long-term strategic goals:

“This aligns perfectly with four key pillars: people, innovation, brand, and growth... We're so excited about the opportunity and where this innovation will take us over the next several years.”

Nipun Sharma, Co-Founder and CEO of Appetronix,  noted the four-year journey to build a fully autonomous kitchen and called the collaboration with Donatos a “defining moment” for the industry:

“This is more than innovation—it's a transformative leap for the QSR space,” added“We're delivering hot, fresh pizza with unprecedented precision and efficiency ... We are truly honored that Donatos trusted us with this partnership... I can assure you that this is the Donatos Pizza that you’ve loved for 60 years, and it’s going to be the same quality, ” Sharma said.

Appetronix’s autonomous platform fully automates kitchen operations—from portioning and cooking to plating and cleaning—paving the way for deployment in airports, hospitals, universities, and other non-traditional restaurant spaces.

Industry vet Brian Wallunas has joined Ascent Hospitality Management, a franchisor to leading family dining brands Huddle House and Perkins American Food Co.,  as Chief Technology Officer. In this role, Wallunas will lead the company's digital strategy, with a focus on implementing customer-centric technology solutions that drive operational efficiency, elevate the guest experience, and fuel brand growth.

Wallunas brings more than two decades of experience in hospitality and technology, having successfully led digital transformation efforts across some of the industry's most recognized brands. Most recently, he served as Chief Technology Officer at Smokey Bones, where he spearheaded a comprehensive overhaul of the brand's technology infrastructure and eCommerce platform. Under his leadership, online sales tripled, and the brand's guest engagement capabilities were significantly enhanced.

"Brian is a forward-thinking technology leader with a deep understanding of how to leverage digital innovation to advance brand performance and guest loyalty," said James O'Reilly, Chief Executive Officer of Ascent Hospitality Management.  "His proven track record and strategic vision will be invaluable as we continue to modernize our operations and accelerate the digital evolution of both Huddle House and Perkins."

As Chief Technology Officer, Wallunas will lead the development of brand-specific technology strategies across the Ascent portfolio. He will oversee the implementation of scalable digital solutions tailored to each concept, with a focus on enhancing guest engagement, streamlining operations, and supporting franchisee growth. By aligning technology investments with brand goals, Wallunas will play a critical role in strengthening the digital foundation and long-term success of both restaurant systems.

Palona AI, the company redefining customer engagement with emotionally intelligent AI sales agents, announced the launch of Restaurant AI, a purpose-built AI sales assistant tailored for the Pizza, Fast Casual, and QSR restaurant industry. The launch comes on the heels of a successful pilot with West Coast favorite pizza chain Pizza My Heart, Palona is now working with more than 20 restaurants and brands nationwide including Twenty Five Teishoku House, Kobunga, MOTO Pizza, CaliBBQ, and Pleasure Pizza Santa Cruz, among others.

Palona’s new restaurant-dedicated AI combines Palona’s best-in-class conversational intelligence, complex customization handling, and multimodal memory system to solve one of the trickiest challenges in food sales: getting food orders right every time, via voice or text, with the same charm and care as a seasoned staffer.

New features dedicated to the unique needs of the restaurant industry include:

• Unified Voice and Text: Whether ordering or making reservations, customers receive the same on-brand, high-quality experience via voice or text
• Multi-lingual support: Speak to your customers in their language - English, Spanish, Chinese, and more languages seamlessly supported with no additional work required from restaurant partners.
• Voice Cloning, Accents, and Personality: Restaurant owners can clone their own voice or create the perfect voice to represent their brand - down to personality traits, regional dialects, accents, and vernacular.
• Accuracy: Proven accuracy even when handling the most complex orders and customer requests over voice and text. Order and payment confirmation eliminates erroneous orders placed to the kitchen.
• Upselling: Intuitive upselling at just the right moment in every conversation, leading to increased AOV.
• Escalation: Every Palona AI conversation is monitored by a managerial AI that helps quickly identify customer issues and escalate conversations to human representatives.
• Secure payment: Fully compliant payment that keeps customer information secure, including integration with existing payment systems.
• Loyalty and coupon support: Palona Restaurant AI not only connects to existing loyalty and coupon offers, but also dynamically introduces them to customer conversations to increase customer satisfaction, loyalty, and sales.

“With Restaurant AI, we’re bringing Palona’s powerful and delightful Agent experience to the most complex menu categories in food service,” said Maria Zhang, CEO and co-founder of Palona. “Our pilot with Pizza My Heart showed us just how impactful an intelligent agent could be when it understands every nuance of a menu, remembers past orders, and engages customers like a real team member. Now, with more nationwide restaurant brands on board, we’re scaling that service to a much broader audience.” 

The technology also integrates seamlessly with all major POS systems, ensuring that no restaurant owner needs to do complex integrations in order to get their AI up and running quickly. The system is designed to be low risk and easy to pilot in just a few steps: upload your menu, customize your on-brand agent, and forward your phone calls - done.

“When I started CaliBBQ, I wanted to build a personal relationship with every one of my customers - it’s part of what I love about owning a restaurant,” said Shawn Walchef, founder of CaliBBQ. “As any business grows, it’s so hard to scale that kind of relationship building, which is what makes Palona so powerful. Now, when a customer calls CaliBBQ, they’re not talking to some call center in another country - they’re talking to ShawnAI. I used Palona not only to match our customer service and our brand values, but to literally replicate my own voice. Whether it’s one or one thousand customers, they have a conversation with me, using my own voice, giving them the best hospitality experience possible.” 

Palona’s Restaurant AI leverages the most powerful AI capabilities, adapting to each restaurant's unique identity, including its tone, menu, and clientele.

In related news, Palona is also announcing two new major hires:

• Martin Briant, former President of North America for Me&U, a leader in guest experience and hospitality technology.
• Chris Stanton, former strategic sales executive for both Qualtrics and Tableau Software. Both have strong track records bringing technology to the mass market and years of experience serving the restaurant industry.

DoorDash is launching its most significant update to its advertising platform to date, introducing a new suite of AI-powered tools and announcing the acquisition of ad tech platform Symbiosys to expand offsite advertising capabilities. 

Symbiosys is a next-generation retail media platform that helps brands expand their reach into digital channels, such as search, social, and display, and enables retailers to extend the breadth of their retail media networks. These updates reflect DoorDash’s bold investment in global ad technology—empowering businesses with greater control, clearer results and insights on their performance, and new ways to connect with customers both on and beyond the platform.

Today, more than 150,000 advertisers — from global CPG leaders and Fortune 500 retailers to local restaurants — use the platform to reach high-intent customers, drive incremental sales, and grow their businesses. In 2024, DoorDash and Wolt Ads crossed an annualized advertising revenue run rate of over $1 billion across the 30+ countries where we operate. Reaching this scale in just three years makes us the fastest-growing retail media network in history and a leading global growth engine driving local commerce.

“We’re building the future of local commerce advertising,” said Toby Espinosa, VP of Ads at DoorDash. “With new product capabilities, AI-powered tools, and Symbiosys’ offsite reach, businesses of any size can now connect with high-intent consumers seamlessly. Moving forward, every business from local owner-operators to the largest global brands will have the opportunity to grow on DoorDash and beyond with the click of a button.”

What’s New and Upcoming in DoorDash Ads

For Restaurants

• AI Tooling For Campaigns, Targeting, and Discounts: SMB restaurant merchants provide us with their goals, targets, and budget, and then our AI solutions will do the heavy lifting to create customized campaigns that deliver results
• Interest Targeting and Category Share Insights on Ads Manager: Leveraging new insights, restaurants can grow their reputation in specific food categories to expand their core customer base.
• Report Builder: Easily track marketing spend with access to detailed reports, custom insights, and summaries across channels.
• Financial Reconciliation: Providing more granular data in financial reporting, including marketing spend details, to help merchants reconcile financials easily.
   

The acquisition of Symbiosys, valued at $175 million, brings more offsite advertising opportunities to the DoorDash Ads platform. Symbiosys’ self-serve platform lets advertisers run campaigns across search, social, and display, all integrated with DoorDash’s closed-loop measurement system.