Essential Hotel POS Features to Thrive in 2025

The hospitality industry is transforming, and nowhere is this shift more evident than in hotel food and beverage (F&B) programs. Too often, hotels treat F&B like a checkbox—a necessary service rather than an opportunity to create memorable guest experiences. In contrast, independent restaurants continuously adapt to market changes and consumer preferences, embedding themselves in their communities.

By embracing innovation and treating F&B as a core part of the guest journey, hotels can break the stigma surrounding their dining options. In 2025, the following modern Hotel POS features will be essential for meeting the needs of all generations and creating exceptional experiences.

Room Service Mobile Ordering

In 2025, guests expect convenience, efficiency, and personalization. The days of calling to place a room service order are over. With GoTab’s mobile ordering solution, guests can now scan QR codes in their rooms to browse menus, place orders, and charge purchases directly to their rooms, all made possible through seamless integrations with property management systems.

This feature extends far beyond convenience—it transforms the pre-arrival phase into an opportunity to wow guests before they even step foot in the hotel. Picture a guest pre-ordering a bottle of their favorite wine, a perfectly timed dessert, or their preferred morning coffee. When these personalized touches are waiting for them upon arrival, it creates an immediate sense of care and connection. By meeting and exceeding guest expectations from the start, hotels can set the tone for an exceptional stay and build lasting loyalty.

‍Shared Tabs & Hybrid Service Models

Travelers in 2025 value flexibility and efficiency, especially when managing payments. Traditional payment methods often result in frustration, whether it’s waiting for a check or dealing with complex bill-splitting. These pain points are amplified in hotels where guests frequently move between outlets like the bar, pool, restaurant, and room service.

GoTab’s shared tabs feature eliminates these challenges by allowing guests to start a tab at one outlet and seamlessly carry it over to others. A tab initiated at the bar can follow the guest to the pool, restaurant, or even room service, creating a unified and streamlined payment experience. Guests receive their tabs via text, enabling them to order and settle their bills from anywhere, without waiting for assistance. They can also share tabs with other members of their party, pay for specific items, or change the designated ordering zone while continuing to use the same tab.

This approach aligns perfectly with the needs of modern travelers and families, offering convenience and flexibility that enhances their overall experience.

 Leveraging First-Party Data for Personalization

First-party data is a game-changer for hotels in 2025. Unlike third-party platforms, which limit a hotel’s ability to connect directly with guests, first-party data gathered through tools like mobile ordering provides valuable insights into preferences and behaviors.

By leveraging this data, hotels can create highly personalized guest experiences. For instance, a guest who frequently orders a particular type of wine can receive a follow-up offer with a discount on that same wine for their next stay or a recommendation for a similar product. Tailored promotions like these not only keep hotels top of mind but also make guests feel uniquely valued.

Transparency is more critical than ever in this era of evolving privacy expectations. Guests are more likely to trust hotels that are open about how their data is collected and used to enhance their experience. By effectively utilizing first-party data, hotels can build trust and loyalty while creating memorable, personalized moments that bring guests back time and time again.

Seamless PMS Integrations

In 2025, seamless integrations between property management systems (PMS) and F&B operations are essential for providing a cohesive guest experience. These integrations eliminate friction by linking dining orders directly to room accounts, allowing for effortless transactions across all touchpoints.

Beyond convenience, PMS integrations offer operational advantages. They enable detailed reporting, helping hotels gain insights into guest preferences, track spending patterns, and refine their offerings. This integration ensures that every aspect of the guest journey—from check-in to dining to check-out—is as smooth and connected as possible, reinforcing the sense of care and efficiency that modern travelers demand.

Transforming Hotel F&B in 2025

The days of static, outdated F&B programs in hotels are over. By embracing features like mobile ordering, shared tabs, first-party data, and PMS integrations, hotels can reimagine their F&B offerings as dynamic, guest-focused experiences. These innovations not only meet the expectations of a diverse, multi-generational audience but also position hotels as leaders in hospitality, capable of adapting to the ever-changing needs of travelers.

In 2025, it’s no longer enough to simply provide F&B services. Hotels must create memorable, seamless, and personalized dining experiences that set them apart. The future of hotel F&B is here—are you ready to innovate?

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