Makeen Technologies | Latest mobile app development trends
14-7-2020
This is a guest blog by Makeen Technologies from the U.S. with their thoughts on cloud computing, user engagement, wearable tech, mobile payments, in-app marketing, app security and HTML5. With their thoughts on the future; “Developers are shifting toward a future governed by user experience, mobile payment, and hybrid technologies that reach across platforms. Current and future app development will be in part tested by its ability to incorporate cloud computing, m-commerce, and mobile advertising into its arsenal. While you may not be able to include these trends into your current development alone, you can find the right team to implement them for you.” Makeen Technologies is a leading global provider of end-to-end technology solutions.
A guest blog that might enable hospitality entrepreneurs to stay up-to-date with the latest trends in the mobile landscape.
Net zero energy-designed McDonald’s restaurant at the Walt Disney World Resort
14-7-2020
What if a restaurant could generate all its own power from renewable energy? McDonald’s has completed construction of a first-of-its-kind restaurant designed to do just that – create enough renewable energy on-site to cover 100% of its energy needs on a net annual basis. Their global flagship restaurant will serve as a learning hub for McDonald’s to test solutions for reducing energy and water use, a testament to the company’s ongoing commitment to sustainable innovation.
WATER³ natural mineral water | A sustainable choice for responsible consumers
7-7-2020
Very environmentally friendly WATER³ (Water Cubed) from DRINKS³ (Drinks Cubed), 100% recyclable, greater transport efficiencies versus conventional plastic bottles and made with 95% plant based materials. The team behind DRINKS3 has a mission to build a brand based on ethical production and planet sustainability that trail-blaze the rest of the drinks industry for a better tomorrow.
WATER³ natural mineral water is a sustainable choice for responsible consumers, the carton-bottles are made FSC® Certified, they generate 41% less CO2 than disposable PET multilayer bottles and are thus 100% recyclable. WATER³ is sold in the UK for at example at different Whole Foods locations, like Clapham Junction, Camden, Fulham, Kensington, Piccadilly Circus, Richmond and Stoke Newington.
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The Upside Down Amsterdam | The largest ‘Instagram museum’ in Europe
7-7-2020
On the third of July Anna Nooshin opened the doors of her own completely new Instagram museum: The Upside Down Amsterdam. After a year and a half of brainstorming, planning and searching for the perfect location, this dream has come true in collaboration with entrepreneur Hans Plesman. Visitors can immerse themselves in a completely new museum experience. The Upside Down Amsterdam also wants to activate social involvement and bring a deeper message. Attention is asked for ‘forgotten children’, among other things, with which they support the foundation ‘Het vergeten Kind’ (the Forgotten Child). The initiators believe that everyone has the right to play and that’s why they are opening up the experience to this target group in cooperation with the foundation.
“It’s great that after years this dream can finally be realised. With The Upside Down Amsterdam we want to create so much more than just an Instagram worthy museum. We want to tell a story about the Netherlands of today and give visitors and creatives the opportunity to fully develop themselves in our museum. In addition, one of our most important pillars besides entertainment is education and we will focus on lectures and master classes where experienced content creators and influencers share their creative passion with our visitors”, says Anna Nooshin.
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Trends we spotted | Week 26
30-6-2020
Here in the Netherlands it looks like we control the #Covid-19 outbreak and we’re trying to get used to the new normal. We wish all those living in areas where all the measurements against the pandemic are still in place to stay healthy and take care of each other.
At horecatrends.com or hospitalitytrends.eu we spot many national and international trends on a daily basis. We pick the most interesting ones to write about, the other trends we use in our weekly column ‘Trends we spotted this week’.
This week, among other links to articles about Prosecco Rosé that will hit the market in 2021 and about a Ramen Pizza, created by Pizza Hut and Japanese ramen chain Menya Musashi.
In Reykjavík ICE & FRIES opened their doors, a selfservice concept with a bionic bar. Two cocktail-shaking and dancing robots create more than 150 drinks per hour.
And in New York the city government is considering extensive road closures as part of its plans to slowly reopen its economy, The architecture and design company The Rockwell Group have created a modular kit to create safe terraces on the pavements.
Airbnb is going to measure discrimination at their platform, they’re creating a system in cooperation with Color Of Change and with guidance from civil rights and privacy rights organizations. The project is called Project Lighthouse. And Starbucks introduces an Impossible Breakfast Sandwich in selected locations in the U.S.
‘Rain Check Registry’ by Domino’s Pizza in the USA | For those who have to postpone their wedding because of the pandemic
29-6-2020
Domino’s Pizza knows that wedding planning is exhausting. Replanning a wedding due to a pandemic is twice as exhausting. Now friends and family can send couples pizza to show their support with Domino’s new Rain Check Registry, on dominosweddingregistry.com.
Many couples have had to postpone their weddings due to the circumstances around COVID-19. Great marketing by Domino’s Pizza in the USA to help make their days brighter with their ‘Rain Check Registry’.
The WELYNQ app , the smart green card for an event and hospitality visit
29-6-2020
Everyone is looking forward to visit events, theatres, a cozy terrace or booking a table in a restaurant. The event and hospitality industry is ready, but also knows that the requirements are strict. Here in the Netherlands everyone has to indicate to be healthy beforehand. Only when you answer all questions about your health positively, you get a virtual green card that allows you to enter either the event, theatre or restaurant. A great step forward, but there are quite a few snags. And what if it turns out that someone with corona was at the location you visited? Then you want to know that, too. WELYNQ has developed an app that solves it all.
What does the hospitality industry do in the context of the COVID-19 virus? | Inspiration June 9
9-6-2020
Since the first of June the Dutch restaurants and bars reopened. We already enjoyed the first terraces again and we also went out for dinner. Wonderful to be able to enjoy a restaurant visit again! But we’ve experienced first-hand that there is no rush to enjoy dinner or lunch, not even on the terraces. Let’s hope that everyone regains a little bit more confidence after the first effects of the relaxation of the corona measures become known. For the time being, it looks like the Dutch intelligent lockdown has worked so now we need more sun and better temperatures to enjoy our great terraces! We hope that you will be able to reopen or enjoy dinner or lunch in your country as well. We have come across some great articles as inspiration on what’s going on in the hospitality industry.
With this week links to articles about DIY ‘Social distancing crowns’ by Burger King in Germany and the trendiest suntan trend 2020 we spotted on the Instagram account of hotel Dexamenes in Greece! Both funny!
Another funny article is about a Covid-19 masks for dining out with a remote control mouth! And inspiration for other hotels; a nice gesture ‘Together again’ by Oaks Hotels, Resorts and Suites in Australia.
In the south of the Netherlands, in the city Maastricht, Dadawan restaurant reopened with robots as extra staff and check out the Smink mobile with which restaurant Smink delivers their @home menu. And created in Japan: the Norimaki Synthesizer, which allows us to taste video games!
Stay healthy and take care of each other! ^Team Horecatrends
What does the hospitality industry do in the context of the COVID-19 virus? | Inspiration May 18
18-5-2020
As noted last week, we here in the Netherlands are still in an ‘Intelligent Lockdown’ which means, we’re all working from home if possible and our high schools, universities, restaurants, cafés, gyms, leisure centers, museums, etcetera are closed. But we can take a walk outside and shop for food and even shop at hardware stores and garden centers. As from May 11 our primary schools have re-opened as have the day-care centres but also hair and beauty salons and physiotherapist are allowed to re-open.
As from the first of June restaurants will re-open with a maximum of 30 persons inside, and a social distance of 6 feet, terraces are re-opening as well without a maximum of guests. This, of course, if the Covid-19 casualties remain low. Our government created a path in which they think our economy has to restart, with no festivals, concerts or congresses till the first of September and even gyms aren’t allowed till then. In the meantime we keep spotting all kind of inspiration worldwide around the hospitality industry.
With this week links to articles about the Robot dog Spot that is used in a park in Singapore to warm people to observe a social distance. And the Restaurant Brands International Inc. (Burger King, Tim Hortons and Popeyes) considers designing face masks as part of their uniforms.
‘Care by Roseate Hotels & Resorts’ is an interesting article for those hotels who aren’t sure yet what measures to take to implement a touchless hospitality. And Eleven Madison Park’s chef-owner Daniel Humm says the coming back of his famous restaurant is a question mark.
The Frontline Stays Program by Airbnb has had 100,000 nights booking in free or subsidized accommodations for first responders. And check out the red puzzle by Heinz Canada! Would be appreciated by European puzzle and ketchup aficionados as well, especially during lockdown.
Stay healthy and take care of each other! ^Team Horecatrends
Pay-it-Forward Pizza Program by Uno Pizzeria & Grill
15-5-2020
Here in the Netherlands we saw the big line ups with people waiting for food in the U.S. and we’re very happy that up till now we don’t have that many people losing their jobs because of the Covid-19 crisis. The crisis also brings out the best in people and companies. Uno Pizzeria & Grill chain in the U.S. introduced a Pay-it-Forward Pizza Program. Customers can buy an extra pizza to help feed those on the frontline, hospital workers, first responders and to those that are now food insecure. If a customer buys 1 extra pizza ($ 10) the chain will match the contribution. So, the buyer will be “digging deeper” to feed those who need it most and to keep the restaurant workers at Uno Pizzeria & Grill employed during these challenging times.
We’ve seen many pay-it-forward examples back in time when we started with horecatrends (2007) and we can imagine lots of people love the gesture. It made us think why there aren’t more initiatives like this when there isn’t a crisis. Personally I always hate it to walk past homeless people without acting. Last year we were visiting the U.S. and noticed the many homeless people and wondered why there aren’t more small food businesses selling small ‘gift certificates’ guests can buy and hand out to homeless instead of money! ^Marjolein
Makeen Technologies
Makeen Technologies
Makeen Technologies
