News from Hilton Worldwide tells of the company’s plans to have under their brand some 500 new restaurants worldwide in the next three years. The launch of HiltonRestaurantConcepts.com is designed to integrate partnering restaurants into the Hilton framework, and vice-versa to bolster Hilton’s value. But, the larger value here may be in the engagement of the food and beverage community, period.
Hilton's initiative is actually quite brilliant, and could engage thousands if marketed properly
According to the news from Hilton, since the launch of the new website, some 900 hotel owners have registered. The underlying interest, according to Hilton, is in identifying new restaurant concepts. Beth Scott, vice president, food and beverage concepts, Hilton Worldwide, had this to add:
“Our goal is to provide our hotels with great concepts that are unique to their regions and offer menu options that will appeal to their repeat customer base. It’s also a great opportunity for restaurateurs interested in growing their brand.”
Restaurateurs visiting HiltonRestaurantConcepts are asked to offer their concepts such as; menu offerings, design elements, as well as pricing points, and etc. Approved submissions are then included on Hilton’s website. The current offerings consist primarily of Hilton Food and Beverage concepts originating from Hilton experts.
Some examples of concepts already in the matrix are; BGR – The Burger Joint, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, as well as Ruth’s Chris Steak House. Hilton says more deals are in the offing, and that 50 or more concepts will be available by year’s end. Getting restaurants to “opt in” to have their concepts scrutinized is a bit of a rub, but for a brand as powerful as Hilton’s, benefit runs both ways.
This is an interesting development, one we will follow closely. For more information, please consult the original Hilton press release here. Alternatively, the media contact for Hilton on this news is Dasha Ross. She can be reached via phone at: (703) 883-5805