The Gwen Hotel, Chicago (HEI Hotels & Resorts)- IRIS mobile dining
Hotel Overview
Located on Chicago’s iconic Magnificent Mile, The Gwen Hotel (part of HEI Hotels & Resorts) is a luxury lifestyle hotel known for its 1930s Art Deco elegance, exceptional service, and immersive guest experiences.
Part of the Luxury Collection by Marriott, The Gwen caters to discerning leisure and business travellers who expect personalised service and modern conveniences throughout their stay.
Challenges
As guest expectations continued to rise and operational demands grew, The Gwen encountered several challenges:
Front Desk staffing constraints: With a lean team in place, front desk agents were stretched thin - balancing guest check-ins with taking room service orders. This led to time-consuming manual processes, extended wait times, and an increased likelihood of errors.
Order errors: At times, front desk agents, not always F&B specialists, miscommunicated orders or missed key details, leading to guest dissatisfaction and the need to issue service recoveries.
Outdated ordering process: With guests increasingly preferring digital, contactless experiences (especially for early-morning orders), the traditional call-down method felt outdated and inefficient.
In response, The Gwen sought a solution that would not only improve operational efficiency but also meet the digital expectations of today’s luxury travellers.
Solutions
IRIS Mobile Dining with POS integration - a digital solution which lets guests browse menus, customise orders, and schedule delivery from their own devices. With real-time POS integration, orders go straight to the kitchen, reducing errors and freeing staff to focus on guest service — boosting efficiency, revenue, and guest satisfaction.
“It’s 2025 and convenience is the hallmark of luxury - IRIS helps us deliver that at scale and appeal to the expectations of modern guests.
IRIS has been an outstanding addition to our guest and staff experience. Not only has it helped us deliver smarter service, more efficiently, but it’s driven significant F&B growth and guest satisfaction. Likewise for staff - taking room service orders used to be the bane of their existence. Now, their workday is smoother and more focused.
We look forward to modernising our F&B experiences even further with the addition of more images and upsells to boost sales and enrich the guest experience.”
Benefits
Significant Revenue Growth
Order volume has increased year on year, with guests now ordering more, thanks to ease of access and improved visibility of menu items.
Average guest spend has increased by over 20%, reversing a previous downward trend and helping the hotel exceed its F&B budget targets.
The team is now enhancing upsell opportunities with “related items” and adding imagery to drive even more conversions.
Enhanced Operational Efficiency
Orders are sent directly to the POS, eliminating the need for front desk involvement, saving time and reducing manual errors.
The integration ensures accurate, real-time order processing and a seamless back-of-house experience.
The front desk team is now free to focus on core responsibilities – assisting with guests at check-in/out and delivering exceptional guest service.
Increased Guest Satisfaction
Guests enjoy the convenience and control of ordering digitally - it allows guests to browse menus, customise orders, and schedule deliveries, all from their personal devices, without the need to speak with staff.
There are now fewer frustrations and minimal service recoveries, thanks to increased accuracy and order customisation options.
The mobile experience aligns with the hotel’s luxury positioning and provides guests with a convenient, modern, seamless experience.
Sustainability & Menu Management
Eliminating printed menus has saved on printing costs and reduced waste.
Menus are now easy to update in real time - no more editing across multiple platforms or reprinting hard copies.
POS and IRIS menu data are fully synchronised, ensuring accuracy and consistency at every touchpoint.
Improved Kitchen Efficiency
Guests enjoy the pre-ordering feature which enables the kitchen to prepare and plan ahead, especially during peak periods.
Scheduled orders appear clearly for the culinary team, reducing missed items and late deliveries.
Support That Delivers
The hotel has praised the IRIS support team for being highly responsive and helpful with any queries, ensuring smooth day-to-day operations.
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