To reflect the increased demand for hoteliers to offer an online food and drink ordering facility, Guestline has partnered with Deliverect, who integrate with third party food delivery platforms, to provide a two-way API interface with Guestline EPoS.

Automated food and drink orders direct to your EPoS

Through Deliverect, hotel guests can order food and drink items (from specific menus the hotel’s upload) on the hotel’s website or through popular delivery channels such as Deliverect’s own online ordering webpages or channels such as Flipdish. If you would like to sell to your local customers you are also able to connect to channels such as Deliveroo and Uber Eats (and others) – which then gets delivered to their homes or collected from the hotel.

The two-way interface automates and manages the process with little user intervention. Hotels upload their menu items from Guestline EPoS to Deliverect, customise their online menus and then distribute them to the online food delivery channels (or display them on the hotel’s website). Orders are then sent direct to Guestline EPoS and the kitchen printer for faster delivery and fewer errors, reducing the need to monitor external ordering sources for any new requests.

Increase revenue and new audiences

Neil Gilson, General Manager at the Sandy Cove Hotel in Devon is currently using the interface: ‘The 2-way interface between Deliverect and Guestline EPoS has enabled us to offer our guests a contact-free service and drive sales of food and beverages.  We have found that customers are ordering more as it is easier than walking to the bar to order – this is turn eases congestion at the bar and frees up a member of staff who would normally be taking orders and payments.

It’s a seamless operation that integrates brilliantly with the Guestline EPoS system – food orders come straight through to the kitchen printer and drink orders come straight through to the bar printer – it’s definitely a feature we will continue to use post the Covid pandemic.’

The Deliverect online food and drink interface will also allow hoteliers to expand their F&B operations?and customer base?beyond their usual restaurant or pub customers and resident guests - making their menu automatically available to potentially new customers, off-premise, across multiple?online delivery platforms. This enables hotels to connect with their local community and develop a new, contact-free revenue stream amongst a new audience. 

New habits, new normal

Jon Lee, Guestline EPoS product manager, commented, ‘As hoteliers adjust to new ways of driving revenue throughout their properties and appealing to new markets, we received lots of enquiries about offering a takeout or ‘click and collect’ service through delivery channels. After researching the market, and in line with our Contact-free hotel experience, we are delighted to announce?the launch of the Deliverect?interface.

Hotels and restaurants have had to revise their F&B strategies; however now more than ever, quick and efficient online ordering options have become the norm. And we’re confident that these new habits will remain and change the way hoteliers sell their F&B options and maximise off-premise sales like delivery, takeaways and collections. These will fast become an additional resource of revenue for hoteliers and restaurants even after measures have been lifted.’

A recent CGA study in the UK shows that of those who ordered delivery for the first time, or more often than usual, 60% said they would continue their frequency of ordering delivery from restaurants, or takeaways (70%). More than a third (37%) also claimed they were likely to order delivery from pubs and bars in the future, if available.

Claudio Colarossi, partner manager from Deliverect added, ‘We've seen an increasing number of hotels innovating their service by providing an in-house online ordering system for their guests and ordering at table, as well as providing off-premise ordering whether it be for collection or utilising a delivery channel that is operating in the area. The integration ensures that all online food orders are instantly transferred to Guestline EPoS and allows all orders and menus to be managed from a single interface.'

But the good news doesn’t end there, Guestline is also waiving the interface setup fee if hotels activate it before 31st August 2020.