News Briefs

PPDS, the exclusive global provider of Philips professional displays and dedicated AV software solutions, is delighted to announce the launch of the powerful two-in-one Philips Professional Soundbar HAL5023 with built-in subwoofer, designed for Philips MediaSuite TVs.

Continuing PPDS’ accelerated ‘total solutions’ strategy, the new Philips Professional Soundbar combined with Philips MediaSuite – the world’s most advanced dedicated hotel TV – delivers the industry’s ultimate audiovisual experience, transforming hotel guest rooms into highly immersive cinematic experiences.

Designed and built in collaboration with TP Vision’s Philips sound team the slick and stylish trapezoid-design (W70 x D12 x H7cm) Philips Professional Soundbar features a professional 2.1 channel setup, with an output power of 200 W max / 100 W RMS (10% THD), bringing crystal clear audio performance. The built-in subwoofer adds an extra punch, immersing guests even deeper into the action. 

Suite sound installations

Back-end controls through Philips MediaSuite TVs also allow for specific configurations to be put in place, including volume limits, ensuring surrounding rooms are not impacted or disturbed.

Designed for fast and effortless installation, the freestanding or wall mountable (brackets included as standard) Philips Professional Soundbar, can be easily configured using the professional setup menu on the Philips MediaSuite TV. All related settings can be quickly and efficiently copied and transferred to the entire TV fleet remotely through cloning via PPDS CMND, saving significant installation times and costs.

Controlling your experience

Removing the need for multiple controllers, the Philips Professional Soundbar can be controlled using the standard Philips MediaSuite TV remote. Alternatively, the Philips Soundbar can double as a high-end speaker system for guests wishing to play their preferred music, podcasts, and radio stations via apps and accounts on their own personal devices. This can be achieved either through Bluetooth or via Philips MediaSuite’s inclusive Chromecast built-in technology.

With security a key feature on Philips MediaSuite TVs – and all PPDS solutions – all customer data, including Bluetooth pairing information from personal devices, is immediately cleared upon check out from the hotel.

Conforming with Philips MediaSuite’s impressive, near cable-free presentation, the Philips Professional Soundbar also comes equipped with a custom-designed power cable adapter*, enabling it to be powered via a single power socket, shared with the TV. An anti-theft cable to help prevent unauthorised removal of the device is also included.

Jeroen Verhaeghe, Global Business Development Director Hospitality, commented: “Philips MediaSuite was designed to enhance and, in many aspects, reinvent the hotel room experience, accommodating all the features and services guests are accustomed to in their own homes, within the hotel room. With a long-term commitment to offering Chromecast built-in™ technology, together with unrivalled relationships with streaming giants, such as Netflix, we’ve revolutionised the way people can access and enjoy their favourite movies and shows on the road. Today, we’re providing the opportunity for hoteliers to take that experience to the next level, with the Philips Professional Soundbar.”

Jan van Hecke, Global Product Manager Professional TV, added: “With today’s announcement, the industry's most advanced professional TV solution has just been given the perfect upgrade with even greater, more powerful sounding audio. With Philips Professional Soundbar, the in-room experience, for many, can now surpass that enjoyed at home, changing guests’ perceptions of hotels, and helping to ensure positive reviews and repeat business.”

The Philips Professional Soundbar is due to be available in warehouses Q4, 2023.

Domino's Pizza Inc. introduces its new and improved loyalty program. 

Domino's Rewards offers loyalty members even more opportunities to earn and redeem points across its corporate and franchise store locations. Domino's enhanced rewards program allows customers to:

• Earn points for less
  • Loyalty members will now earn 10 points on every order of $5 or more
• Redeem points for even more menu items – and earn free Domino's after just two orders
  • Members can redeem a variety of points for more menu items:
    • 20 points: A free dipping cup, a 16-piece order of Parmesan Bread Bites or a 20 oz. drink
    • 40 points: An order of Bread Twists or Stuffed Cheesy Bread
    • 60 points: A medium, two-topping pizza; pasta; Oven-Baked Sandwich; or a 3-piece order of Chocolate Lava Crunch Cakes
• Earn more rewards
  • Loyalty perks are now even better, as members will have exclusive access to member-only deals, special discounts and opportunities to earn bonus points!

"We are thrilled to give the brand's loyal customers additional ways to earn free Domino's items more often," said Mark Messing, Domino's vice president of digital experience and loyalty. "At a time when most brands are scaling back their loyalty programs and making it more difficult to earn and redeem points, Domino's is doing the opposite. We want to make it easier to reward our customers and give them more options so they can get rewarded faster."

Marketing a LTO 

From now until Oct. 22, 2023, rewards members can take advantage of a limited time offer to redeem 20 points for a free order of Domino's new Pepperoni Stuffed Cheesy Bread, which is normally a 40-point redemption, in celebration of the product's recent launch. 

Shiji, a global hospitality technology innovator, has partnered with IPORT, an award-winning manufacturer known for enhancing the usability of iPads and iPhones, to introduce an all-in-one software solution for hotel restaurants. This collaboration will provide hoteliers with a seamless combination of a tablet and payment device to maximize their F&B operations.

The integrated iOS and payment device solution simplifies guest service for hotel restaurant servers, providing them with an effortless tool to cater to their guests' needs. As a certified Apple partner, Shiji and IPORT guarantee exceptional performance and reliability. Hoteliers can choose from multiple device options, including iPad Pro, iPad Mini, and iPhone, ensuring flexibility and compatibility with their operations.

“IPORT products are built around modularity and flexibility that empower our hospitality customers to do more with the iOS platform. We are thrilled to partner with a leading iPad and iPhone cloud PMS and POS platform provider like Shiji,” said Chris Lawson, Head of Partnerships, IPORT. “We look forward to innovating with Shiji in disrupting legacy, monolithic providers who have limited the industry from harnessing the power of iOS and mobility. The future is bright, and the possibilities are endless with IPORT, iOS, and Shiji.”

"The partnership with IPORT is a significant milestone for Shiji in our commitment to provide innovative technology solutions for the hospitality industry," said Ryan King, Senior Vice President of Shiji in the Americas. "By combining our expertise with IPORT’s hardware solutions, we empower hoteliers to streamline restaurant operations and deliver exceptional guest experiences. This collaboration represents another step forward in our dedication to driving success in the Americas, and globally."

The tablet and payment device solution seamlessly integrates with multiple payment gateways, allowing hoteliers to choose the system that best suits their needs. By simplifying the payment process, it reduces operational complexities, minimizes errors, and saves valuable time and resources for hoteliers.

Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza & Wings is doing away with its automated phone answering system. From now on, customers will have a real person at the restaurant taking calls for their orders. 

"Our guests have told us loud and clear that they want to speak with a human when placing orders," said Carl Bachmann, Chief Executive Officer of BurgerFi. "Technology is critical for innovation, but AI for guest service was not providing an exceptional experience for our guests. Becky – our AI – has been removed. It's time for her to go, so we're saying ciao, baby! We want our guests to know we welcome them back – and their calls!"

As the rest of the world moves toward AI, Anthony's, owned by BurgerFi International Inc., is keeping it real and priority is doing what's best for the guest. The company will no longer use an automated answering system and instead will have humans operating their phones. Customers will get to chat with a live person instead of an AI. "Everyone at Anthony's must be serving a guest or someone who is," said Bachmann." It must be a win for the guests, a win for the team members and a win for our stakeholders."

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store  introduces Cracker Barrel Rewards. Members of the unique program can earn Pegs (like points) through restaurant or retail purchases and redeem them for rewards.

Plus, members can enjoy more of what they love from Cracker Barrel with Birthday, Anniversary and Surprise Bonus Rewards, and one-of-a-kind digital experiences just for being a member.

Earn Pegs toward Rewards

The program is inspired by Cracker Barrel's iconic and beloved peg game. Members earn Pegs on qualifying purchases made at all Cracker Barrel locations, on CrackerBarrel.com and in the Cracker Barrel app for every dollar spent, including to-go, delivery, catering and retail merchandise.^* The program is free and easy to join, and members receive a complimentary Barrel Bite appetizer just for signing up. To enroll, guests can visit any Cracker Barrel location nationwide, the Cracker Barrel app or CrackerBarrel.com.

Starting Sept. 25 and through Nov. 6, Tims Credit Card holders can get up to $10 back on transit fares every Monday when they use their card to tap onto a transit system that accepts Metrolinx's Presto contactless payment.

"We're so excited to be partnering with Metrolinx and some of the largest public transit systems in Ontario to give Tims Credit Card holders the opportunity to save money on their transit fares every Monday for a limited time," said Markus Sturm, Senior Vice President of Financial Services and Digital at Tim Hortons.

Loyalty Pays

Fans can apply for the Tims Credit Card through the Tim Hortons app and once approved, immediately can  their card to Apple Pay or Google Pay and be ready to get up to $10 off on transit fares on their Monday commute with this offer.

• 78% of customers want to receive discounts from a restaurant’s or hotel's loyalty program, according to, according to HTs 12^th annual 2023 Customer Engagement Technology Study.

Cardholders can also earn 5 Tims Rewards Points per dollar spent on their transit purchases. Points can be redeemed for more free coffee, beverages and food at Tim Hortons restaurants as a way to help fuel their Monday commutes.