Navan, the AI-powered business travel and expense platform, has partnered with OpenTable to integrate restaurant discovery and booking into its Navan Edge service. The collaboration aims to simplify dining arrangements for business travellers by incorporating OpenTable's reservation system directly into Navan Edge's chat-driven interface. The integration offers location-aware restaurant suggestions based on travellers' itineraries and preferences, personalised recommendations drawing from past reservations and dietary restrictions, and proactive booking reminders for popular venues. Future updates will include automatic adjustments for schedule changes and access to OpenTable's private and group dining platform for booking private rooms and large tables. OpenTable works with over 70,000 restaurants globally and facilitates 2 billion reservations annually.

5 restaurant loyalty trends shaping guest relationships. August 6, 2026 There was a time when restaurant loyalty was relatively simple. Guests collected points. Earned rewards. Returned for a free meal after a certain number of visits. For many restaurants, loyalty programmes existed alongside reservations, payments and marketing campaigns, operating as separate initiatives. Today, loyalty looks very different. It can influence where diners choose to eat, personalise the booking experience, recognise returning guests across multiple venues, encourage repeat visits and even support operational decision-making. Over the past few months, Mozrest Ltd. has noticed a growing number of announcements across the restaurant technology ecosystem pointing in the same direction. Reservation platforms, loyalty providers and hospitality software companies are all expanding the role loyalty plays within their products. This article brings together some of those observations. It doesn't attempt to rank loyalty platforms or predict the future. Instead, it highlights five developments that may help hospitality technology providers better understand how restaurant loyalty is evolving. 1. Loyalty begins before the first visit. Traditionally, loyalty programmes rewarded guests after they had already become customers. Increasingly, they influence where diners decide to eat in the first place. Tablein reported that 41% of customers are more likely to choose restaurants where they are already members of a loyalty programme, suggesting that loyalty can shape restaurant selection before a reservation is even made. A similar evolution can be seen in product development. OpenRice integrated the S[+] REWARDS programme directly into its restaurant discovery platform, allowing diners to discover restaurants and earn rewards within the same experience. Rather than sitting at the end of the guest journey, loyalty is increasingly becoming part of the beginning. 2. Personalisation is replacing generic rewards. Restaurants have always wanted regular customers. Increasingly, they also want to recognise them. OpenTable partnered with Loyalist to help restaurant groups build a unified view of their guests across multiple venues, making it easier to personalise future visits. Now Book It reported that 72% of customers are more likely to return when offered a personalised experience, reinforcing the growing importance of recognising guest preferences rather than simply offering standard rewards. These developments suggest that successful loyalty strategies increasingly depend on understanding individual guests rather than treating every customer the same. 3. Guest data is becoming the foundation of loyalty. As loyalty becomes more personalised, guest data is becoming increasingly important. Several recent announcements illustrate this shift. PAR Technology launched PAR Retail Drive(TM) AI, designed to automate loyalty execution and strategic planning by bringing together digital and physical guest interactions. Olo also introduced its first integrated loyalty solution alongside automated menu availability and operational enhancements, embedding guest retention directly into its broader restaurant platform. Rather than operating as standalone reward programmes, loyalty capabilities are increasingly becoming part of connected restaurant technology platforms. 4. Loyalty is becoming measurable. While loyalty programmes have long aimed to encourage repeat business, technology is making their impact easier to quantify. Weeloy reported that loyalty programmes can increase guest visit frequency by 20% to 35%, highlighting the measurable relationship between guest engagement and repeat visits. The same trend can be seen in other areas of the guest journey. SevenRooms reported that offering prepaid upgrades during the booking process can increase revenue per cover by 16%, while Tablein found that 30% of guests purchase add-ons when they are offered during booking, increasing average spend by 10%. Although these initiatives address different stages of the guest experience, they all illustrate how restaurants are increasingly measuring long-term guest value rather than focusing solely on individual transactions. 5. Loyalty is becoming part of a connected guest journey. Perhaps the biggest change is that loyalty is no longer confined to a single application. Restaurant discovery, reservations, guest profiles, payments and post-visit engagement are becoming increasingly connected. Recent announcements from OpenRice, OpenTable, PAR Technology, Olo and Weeloy all point towards the same direction: loyalty is evolving from a standalone marketing programme into a connected layer that spans the entire guest journey. As hospitality technology continues to evolve, loyalty is increasingly becoming less about points and rewards, and more about creating consistent guest experiences across multiple interactions. Looking ahead. Restaurant loyalty is no longer simply about encouraging diners to come back. It is becoming a way to recognise guests, personalise experiences, connect data across systems and strengthen long-term relationships. These developments illustrate a broader evolution taking place across the restaurant technology ecosystem. As loyalty becomes increasingly connected to discovery, reservations, guest identity and operations, hospitality technology providers will continue looking for ways to deliver more seamless and personalised guest experiences. Sources. Restaurant loyalty and guest engagement About this article. This article is part of Mozrest Ecosystem Insights, a series exploring how the restaurant technology ecosystem is evolving. Rather than commenting on individual announcements, Mozrest analyses publicly available research, product launches and partnerships from across the industry to identify recurring developments that may help restaurant technology providers better understand the market. The observations presented are evidence-based and intended to encourage discussion rather than provide market forecasts. Eurydice Hallé Eurydice is the Marketing Communications Manager at Mozrest. She develops the digital company's branding and awareness and is passionate about helping restaurants increase reservations and deliver superior guest experience.

Finalists announced for The 2026 Be Inclusive Hospitality Spotlight Awards. Be Inclusive Hospitality (BIH) has announced the finalists for the fifth annual BIH Spotlight Awards, recognising exceptional Black and ethnic minority talent across hospitality, food and drink in the UK. This year's finalists include Michelin-starred West African restaurant Chishuru, a Cantonese institution in Blackpool, Michael Wan's Mandarin, a MasterChef champion Jhané Gibson, and professionals from some of the UK's leading hospitality businesses, reflecting the diversity and breadth of the UK hospitality sector. Following a rigorous judging process, an independent panel of hospitality leaders selected finalists recognised for their accomplishments, leadership, and innovation. This year's judges included Shereen Ritchie, Managing Director of Kuvi Hospitality; Clement Ogbonnaya MBE, Founder of the Village People Pub Company; Laure Bornet, SVP of International Growth at OpenTable; and Junior Lewis, Global Hospitality Client Consultant at Caterer.com, alongside other senior industry leaders. The shortlist comprises 60 finalists across 15 categories, representing seven regions of the UK and more than ten cuisines. It brings together talent from major restaurant and hotel groups alongside independent restaurants, bars and hospitality businesses, celebrating established leaders, emerging professionals and the next generation of industry talent. Founder of Be Inclusive Hospitality, Lorraine Copes, said: "The BIH Spotlight Awards celebrate some of the very best talent in our sector, but they also shine a light on the breadth of opportunities that hospitality offers. This year's finalists demonstrate that there is no single route into our industry or to success. Whether you aspire to be a chef, restaurateur, general manager, people professional, or drinks expert, hospitality offers rewarding careers for people with a wide range of skills, ambitions and backgrounds. I hope these finalists inspire the next generation to see what is possible." Laure Bornet, SVP International Growth at OpenTable, said: "Hospitality is at its best when every kind of talent can be seen, celebrated and championed, and that's exactly what the BIH Spotlight Awards do. This year's finalists showcase the creativity, leadership and ambition driving our sector forward, and at a time of real pressure for the industry, backing them matters more than ever. That's why we're proud to return to partner with Be Inclusive Hospitality in building a more representative and inclusive future for hospitality." The 2026 Finalists Chef of the Year - - Kareem Roberts - The Burleigh Arms - Chinelo Awa - Good Cake Day - Kanthi Thamma - The Spice Circuit/Tiger Eats - Ayesha Kalaji - Queen of Cups Rising Star - - N'jhell Wilson, General Manager - Bleecker - Natalia Middleton, Head of Food Education - Food Behind Bars - Dijön Bascombe, Chef & Founder - Dijön Cafe, London - Jhané Gibson - Chef Writer of the Year - Ankita Neotia - Crispy Compass - Safiya Robinson - Sisterwoman - Anna Ansari - Ruchira Neotia - Ruchira's Table Wine Professional of the Year - - Anoushica Matthews - MJ Wine Cellars & Sweet Spice - Shehnaz Hansraj - Presenter of A-Z of Wine with Shehnaz - Emmanuel Mireku - Manny Does Wine - Toni Osoba - Toni's Wine Club Beverage Professional of the Year - - Eron Mibo - Tales & Tails - Marverine Cole - Accredited Beer Sommelier - Ruchira Neotia - Drinks Consultant - Marcy Ecoue - Marcy's Mixes Head Office Impact - - Kethi Taitt, Senior Human Resources Officer - The Park Tower Knightsbridge - Patsy Ankrah, Inclusion and Diversity Lead - Nando's UK & Ireland - Bertha Dewi, People & Culture Manager - The Wolseley Hospitality Group - Priya Narain, Head of Purpose & Programmes - KERB+ African Food - - Chishuru - Gwafu Vegan - Shwen Shwen - The Flygerians Caribbean Food - - 2210 by NattyCanCook - Paradise Cove - Windrush Cuisine - Jam Delish East and Southeast Asian Food - Michael Wan's Mandarin - Poon's London - Namo - Liu Xiaomian South Asian Food - Bindas Eatery - Darjeeling Express - Rinku Dutt - Third Culture Kat Middle Eastern Food - Queen of Cups - Fattoush, Leicester - Mouna's Kitchen - Samarkand Palav Bar/Pub of the Year - - House of MOBO - Bar Lotus - The Regency Club - Tiki Bar Restaurant Brand of the Year - - Borough 22 Doughnuts - Flake Bake - Chaps - 2210 by NattyCanCook Voting for the People's Choice awards is now open via the link, allowing the public to champion their favourite restaurant and hospitality professional from the finalist shortlists. People's Choice Person of the Year - - Nathaniel Mortley - 2210 by NattyCanCook - Chris Ilankovan - MOTHER Canteen - Sting Khumalo - The Biltmore Mayfair - Jocelyn Wong - Canopy by Hilton London City People's Choice Restaurant of the Year - - Darjeeling Express - Chuku's - Cavita Restaurant - Chishuru Voting for the People's Choice awards closes on 14th August at 11:59pm.