Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel, Chicago, Deploys IRIS Mobile Ordering to Grow F&B Revenue and Improve Staff Retention

IRIS, a global market leader in mobile F&B ordering, guest directory and concierge solutions for hotels and restaurants, has been selected by Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel, Chicago, to optimise and expand their F&B operations with mobile ordering.

The iconic four-star hotel in downtown Chicago is popular with leisure and business travellers alike and located in the modern Aqua building offering 334 guest rooms, on-site dining, and a rooftop pool.

The IRIS mobile ordering app will enable the hotel to expand their reach and offer F&B digital dining to all hotel guests, in addition to residents residing in the apartments above. Previously, staff were challenged with manually taking orders, and guests had to physically go the front desk to place their order and wait. Now, guests can order online from their own device and these orders go straight to the kitchen, thereby boosting turnaround times, reducing staff processes and improving customer deliveries. 

The integration with FreedomPay also enables guests to pay online minimising lost revenue and reducing the workload for staff.

Cyrille Pawelko, Director of Food & Beverage from Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel, Chicago, commented, “With 334 bedrooms, 262 condos and 479 apartments in the Aqua Tower, we wanted to maximise the potential from our F&B operations and drive revenue growth. IRIS mobile ordering empowers us to improve processes and enhance our service with a digital experience– not only for our guests but for our staff too. 

Guests and apartment residents can order F&B online for delivery or pick up which frees up staff time, expedites our processes and cuts wait times. 

Staff are more productive, and the elevated guest service will deliver more gratuities for waitstaff. This will provide staff with more opportunities to maximise their income, which in turn will help boost staff retention and keep staff morale high.

Next up, we’d like to offer mobile ordering at our rooftop pool and extend a pick-up service to people working in the offices nearby. As a scalable solution, the possibilities are endless.”

One of the standout reasons for choosing IRIS was the language switching feature which appeals to their international guests that frequent the convention centre. Overseas guests can order digitally in their own language, catering to those who may feel uncomfortable communicating in a foreign language.

Graham Rushin, VP Sales and Marketing at IRIS added, “We’re delighted to partner with Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel, who are now offering both their guests and staff an innovative digital experience. 

The integration of their branded app and direct QR code access to digital menus means guests can enjoy a heightened sense of comfort and convenience by ordering their F&B items from their own device, at their own leisure.

Designed to boost ancillary revenue and enrich the guest stay, IRIS mobile ordering optimises staff resources and empowers the team to be more efficient with the reduced steps and automated processes. We’re excited about the possibilities of this partnership.”