The top 5 stories in hospitality this week 16/11 - 20/11
What were the hottest stories in hospitality this week? Here's our pick.
- The world's biggest hotel company was created after Marriott International bought Starwood in a $12.2bn deal. Analysts have predicted the mega-chain could see the sector's next-largest players Hilton and IHG merging in a bid to iceberg the 'titanic organisation'.
- It was war of the budget breakfasts this week, with Travelodge launching it's new cheap 'unlimited' breakfast offering to directly undercut its main rival Premier Inn. The new menu leans heavily on supermarket brands and forms part of an ongoing £100m overhaul of the chain.
- New research revealed there was something fishy about the UK's high street restaurants. Wagamama, Frankie & Benny's and Chiquito were among those named and shamed for either serving up unsustainable seafood or being unable to properly answer where their fish was coming from.
- Is the future of restaurants going online? Start-up EatFirst seems to think so. The site - which offers home delivery of restaurant quality meals - has secured $8m of funding to expand worldwide. Founder Rahul Parekh said EatFirst was aiming to become 'the largest online restaurant across the globe by 2018'.
- In the wake of the Paris tragedy hospitality businesses across the UK supported their French colleagues as part of the Tous Au Bistrot! (Let's all meet at the bar!) campaign. Restaurants, bars and pubs held a minutes silence and posted pictures online to show their support for French hospitality and the 'European way of life'.
For a full run-down of this week's news see here.
