For hotels without an on-site F&B option, ensuring guests are able to satisfy morning hunger pangs or midnight munchies can be a challenge. For many of these properties, a solution has emerged in the form of app-based food delivery sources like DoorDash, UberEats, Postmates, and GrubHub. Some guests are already very familiar with these companies and are old pros at ordering dinner via app, but others may need a bit of encouragement to take the plunge. That’s where partnerships have come into play, allowing hospitality companies to stretch their loyalty offerings and address a guest pain point.
One such company is Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, which has partnered with DoorDash to have food from local eateries delivered to its hotels. Wyndham has also tied DoorDash to its Wyndham Rewards program, offering members perks like free food delivery and the ability to redeem points through the app. According to Eliot Hamlisch, Wyndham’s senior vice president of worldwide loyalty and partnerships, the partnership “is a natural fit for Wyndham in part because of our largely economy and midscale portfolio. It’s not only the bulk of our hotels, but it’s also where the majority of our members are staying.”
Teaming up with a company that can offer a wide variety of options to guests is crucial. DoorDash worked for Wyndham because “it was critical we aligned with a partner that gave members the greatest access to this service.” Hamlisch says, adding, “DoorDash covers more than 60 percent of our distribution channel in the United States and is growing rapidly. They span more than 90 percent of all major restaurant chains.”
And every guest is traveling for a different reason; leisure and business travelers, for example, see new cities in different ways. If a guest doesn’t want to leave the hotel and room service is unavailable, having a partnership like this gives guests access to well-known, comfortable chains or allows them to try local restaurants they may not have known about before.
But guests won’t use these services if it’s not clear that they’re available. Wyndham is educating guests and team members about the partnership through promotional materials. Hamlisch notes, “It’s critical to make sure our members know this service is available and understand how it works. We partner closely with our franchisees to give them materials to make sure they know how it works and are able to educate our members.”
Hamlisch adds that both guests and team members are excited about the partnership. “We’ve received a lot of good feedback on both fronts; both our franchisees and members are excited about this,” he says.
