Hospitality is a subjective matter. What I experience as hospitality can be bothersome for others. However there are hospitable gestures that always score with guests. Especially small gestures can make quite the difference, these are the gestures that guests will remember fondly in years to come and maybe even make them come back. In the article ‘Small gestures in hospitality’ we do give great examples…. Click here to download the bookled for free.
Just great to watch, kids about Valentine’s Day. No trend or anything but we started this morning with a smile.
Have a nice day. Video and image courtesy of YouTube, Small Fry
Today one of the famous fast food item ‘currywurst’ (curry sausage) will be introduced at McDonald’s Germany. After the German specialties Big Rosti and McBrezer, the ‘McCurrywurst’ will be sold in approximately 1.400 locations. The next six weeks visitors can order the ‘McCurrywurst’ in combination with a Kaiserroll or with fries in a menu. McDonald’s Germany hopes that the McCurrywurst will soon become the company’s next classic menu item.
Another example of how to use Social Media. The campaign ‘Holiplay’ by Lego is simple. Simply building something with Lego, combine it with whatever you have in your surroundings and snap a photo. That concept captures the very essence of LEGO – use your imagination and play. Konstellation, the creative digital agency, responsible for the campaign likes to refer to it as ‘Brickmented Reality’. Watch the movie and see how Lego has used Social Media and the effect of it.
The Toasted Sandwich Factory, a living installation about the miracle that precedes the food on your plate. Situated in the middle of Amsterdam (in de Van Gendthallen) where the Toasted Sandwich Factory becomes part of the temporary city of Mediamatic. All the ingredients used in the toasted sandwich are grown or fed in the factory. Within a couple of months grain should be ready to harvest, the pigs ready for slaughter and the cows supply milk for the cheese. Anyone can come and visit or possibly help at the factory. The factory shows the origin and the production process of the toasted sandwich. Currently, the enthusiasts behind the Toasted Sandwich Factory are looking for donations.
Russian studio Arch Group has filled an old building in Moscow with its portable sleeping capsules to create the first Sleepbox hotel, Tverskaya. We already saw CityHub in the Netherlands, Tverskaya is founded the same idea. Each Sleepbox is mobile and can be placed anywhere, provided it can be connected to a power source. As well as beds, the rooms are equipped with LED reading lamps, plus sockets for charging laptops and mobile phones. Storage, toilets and showers are located outside the Sleepbox. Watch more pictures at Dezeen.
Inspiration from the Malaysian kitchen. Use crêpe batter instead of the salted coconut milk recipe of the ‘Roti Jala‘. Fill a mold as shows or a funnel with the batter and make circular movements above the stove. By circling you will create a perforated crêpe, streched over a dish will create a chic effect.
The Italian restaurant Sogno di Vino in America gives some families with children a discount on the bill. When children behave well during dinner, the parents will get a discount of 4 dollar. It is described at the bill as ‘Well behaved kids’.
Inspired by the Asian food court, the students Maaike and Charlotte devised the catering concept WE CANTEEN. This catering concept is for universities, businesses, hospitals or other institutions. There are several stalls where local entrepreneurs can offer their products and tell the story behind it. For each location WE CANTEEN determines which local entrepreneurs can offer their specialties for the relevant public. The offer will be diverse and the local entrepreneur get the opportunity to sell their products. During the Dutch Foodservice Congres 2013 (the 5th of February) WE CANTEEN is awarded ‘Most innovative Out of Home concept 2012/2013’.
The online restaurant reservation provider, OpenTable, has acquired ‘FoodSpotting’, a San Francisco start-up. FoodSpotting is an app and it’s sole mission is to let users showcase their latest restaurant meal, what it looks like and where to get it. OpenTable will intergrate the app into its reservation system. How the integration will look like isn’t clear yet except that the focus will be on visuals.
2021: the ‘FoodSpotting’ app, the Hot Trend of 2010, is no longer available. Check out the article at ChefsTemp about what happened to the app that once promised users they would help them decide “what to eat, not just where”?
A new shot of liquor, the bright green drink G-Shot. Introduced by two young entrepreneurs, Jeffrey van der Meer and Lars Bos from The Netherlands. According to the entrepreneurs: ‘The one and only tingling party shooter’.
Diageo, the owner of the famous whiskey Lagavulin, offers a whiskey fan the opportunity to spend two days at the distillery. Participants can register until 31 March on the website Friends of the Classic Malts. On the subscribers can be voted. The warehouse boss Iain McArthur who plays the leading role in the atmospheric film chooses the lucky one from the top 10 with the most votes. A nice way to put your company in the spotlight and start an application process at the same time.
Flip van Ierschot of Foodwire, has made a movie which shows the energy of the Slow Food fair ‘Terra Madre’ in Turin. It gives a nice overview of the exhibition in almost four minutes.
At the Fiturtech, the International Tourism Trade Fair, in Madrid the new concept ‘ITH Room Xperience’ has been presented. This prototype hotelroom has multi-touch transparant wallscreens which can be controlled via a smartphone or microsoft tablet. The room further has interactive floors and mirrors and a fingerprint payment system. The ultimate guest experience according to the architects, Serrona Brothers. Check out the Xperience is this movie.
The Leading Hotels of the World commemorates its 85th anniversary year along with Hollywood’s Oscars. To celebrate this exciting milestone, they have selected 85 Leading Hotels featured in iconic films over the past decades around the globe. Click here for the Leading Hotels.
We couldn’t find an immersive Christmas Light Maze in Europe yet, howevere correct us if we are wrong. But we love the idea, another fun read more
We have been sharing inspiration on our website since 2007, inspiration that we find in the hospitality industry or by online spotting of what our read more
We have been sharing inspiration on our website since 2007, inspiration that we find in the hospitality industry or by online spotting of what our read more
Restaurant Klein Paardenburg in Ouderkerk aan de Amstel caused a stir by sending a mailing with the picture above included. Many regular guests contacted the restaurant immediately to ask if the restaurant was for sale. It was a promotional stunt, in cooperation with a real estate broker offering 3 -, 4 – and 5 – course menus. The restaurant itself was ofcourse not for sale.The stunt was created by Lennert Rietveld, Van Spronsen & Partners horeca-advies.
After 6 years of research they finally developed an anti-hangover drink. The contents of the 3cl bottle temper the hangover. The ingredients of the drink are a combination of several herbal extracts, with pear flavor. These herbs are known for their detoxifying effect. It should work approximately 45 minutes after consumption.
Vin Service is a delivery service in Leeuwarden, The Netherlands, for chilled beer, wine, soft drinks, chips and liquor. They also rent out party tents, BBQ’s and DVD players. They are open from Wednesday through Saturday from 8:00 p.m. to 1:00 and Sunday from 8:00 p.m. to 0:00. To create name recognition, they did most of their promotion through the social network Hyves.
In The Netherlands it’s not uncommon to live on water. The British company Space Water may even have based there H2Office on it . This floating office is suitable for two people, and can be placed in most ports. This creates opportunities for ports that are just not deep enough for most boats.
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines introduced new seats in the economy class with a remarkable marketing campaign. The posters show passengers whithout seats, as if they are floating.
Last March in Boston a “winter” restaurantweek was organised. This restaurantweek wasn’t only meant to eat out good and cheap, one could get discount for cinema- or theatretickets as well.
Hamburger restaurant ‘Norms’ came-up with a really nice commercial to focuse the consumers attention at Twitter and Facebook.
The Dutch ‘Beter Boerenbed’ is for guests seeking quality on a small scale, for whom the experience itself is most important. It is a very comfortable and spacious tent. The tents at farmersground are CO2 neutral (no electricity, no gas). You have to heat the bath, shower and sauna yourself, of course with a clear instruction.
Instead of the ‘Choco inhaler’, David Edwards,of French designstudio Le Laboratoire, made a ‘Coffee inhaler. A shot of caffeine without taking a sip.
We did not yet spot macarons on a stick.
Coca Cola will focus more on social media. Under the guise of “be where the customer is” Coca Cola Marketing now focuses on Facebook among others. The key is to offer interesting online content, according to Coca Cola. It is supposed to work better than distributing free samples.
These modern outdoor showers heat water by using solar energy. The only thing needed is a water pipe and the shower provides hot water.
In South Korea they made an observation-point from old shipping containers to enjoy the sunset. Another creative way to use old containers.
This moving winebar is part of Vini Del Monde, which does import Italian wines. This unique converted Piagge Ape can is also available for events, celebrations and parties serving the finest wines.
Givv is a website where you can specify which charity you want to support and also the amount you want to donate per month. Givv writes off the monthly total and divides it between the different charities. If you want terminate your donations all at once, Givv will arrange that for you.
W Hotels is the first hotel group to hire a fashion director. Amanda Ross is assigned to design the staff uniforms and the interior of the hotel. She has worked for renowned designers like Julien Macdonald and Dennis Basso, and styled the American TV series Lipstick Jungle.
Starbucks uses the online tool “My Starbucks idea” to improve their concept. Guests can submit ideas about the products and the concept online. Already 70,000 ideas have been submitted. Ideas that are executed, will be published on the website.
In the Bordeaux, France, they make a very exclusive tea. This tea is made from dried red vine leaves and seeds of red grapes. The tea can be found in the more exclusive restaurants in France.
Research shows that an overnight stay at a hotel is the most desired Valentine’s gift. The city of Groningen in The Netherlands therefore launched a website where lovers with a webcam can make a message for their partner. After the partner has seen the message, they can book a hotel room in Groningen with one touch on the button.
After a successful trial in Rotterdam, Domino’s pizza only wants to use electric scooters for pizza delivery within two years. The scooters are less polluting and more quite. The only problem now is that the battery runs-out rather quickly.
Studies have shown that certain aromas can evoke moods. A smell of mowned grass gives an experience of spring and summer. Certain herbs, certainly not too strong, have a calming effect. Coffee aromas are associated with relaxation and fun and will generate more sales in coffee. Fragrances therefore determine the perception of your customer. Studies have shown that people are 15% longer to stay in a room that smells pleasant.
This ‘Archipod’ is an excellent alternative for an office. It is elegant, spacious and can be placed almost anywhere. When the door opens up it kind of looks like a modern space shuttle.
This ‘umbrella blunt‘ is designed to avoid sharp points. It is available in different colors and can handle wind speeds up to 100 kilometers per hour.
In Singapore 25 degree Celsius opened. This is a (cooking)bookshop with a test kitchen and a café/bar. Recipes from the cookbooks that are sold, are prepared in the kitchen. This allows customers to try recipes before they buy books.
After two years of research Heinz has a new portion packaging for their ketchup. Except that this package contains 3 times more ketchup than the old packaging, the user can also choose between Squeeze or Dip. Take the top off the ketchup and then squeeze it out, or remove the foil, and dip.
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