Providing hospitality technology with unbeatable UK customer support for over 40 years
The Zonal story
Formed in 1979, we’re a UK-based, family-owned business, established when the McLean family identified the need for a solution to solve stock control issues in their Edinburgh hotel. The solution was the very first electronic-point-of-sale (EPoS) system on the market, invented by Zonal’s founder, the late Ralph McLean.
This early EPoS system was admired by legendary brewer Scottish & Newcastle who then adopted it across their network of pubs, providing both head office and site managers access to a wealth of information.
Ralph handed the reins over to his son, Stuart, who became CEO of Zonal in 1997. Alongside his talented team, Stuart continues to grow and transform the company into what is now: the UK’s largest hospitality technology company, serving more than 16,000 businesses, from small, independent operators to multi-location hospitality brands such as JD Wetherspoon, Greene King, PizzaExpress, Macdonald Hotels, The Restaurant Group, Dobbies Garden Centres and Bourne Leisure.
16,000+Hospitality businesses trust Zonal
Our customers include
A full suite of integrated technology solutions for your hospitality business
Zonal’s range of best-in-class technology solutions include our award-winning point-of-sale, online ordering, booking systems, kitchen management, stock control systems and range of customer engagement tools such as loyalty and vouchering. Our scalable solutions are all integrated with each other and with our EPoS, sharing valuable data to enhance the customer experience, automate processes, and provide operators with time savings and actionable insights to maximise profits.
Our commitment to customer service
We work closely with our customers from day one, providing expert project management and a dedicated account manager to help get up and running and ensure a smooth transition from previous suppliers. We know that hospitality businesses don’t just operate from 9am to 5pm, so our UK-based customer support centre based in Edinburgh is available from 8am – midnight, 365 days a year to give customers peace of mind. Our team of +80 field service engineers work around the clock, covering every UK postcode to keep our customers doing what they do best – serving guests.
Our commitment to innovation
Our focus has always been on bringing cutting-edge, integrated technologies to our customers. We have remained at the forefront of technological innovation through ongoing investment in research and development and strategic acquisitions. We embrace new ideas and share a high-level of trust and openness with our customers, enabling them to be involved throughout each step of the product development process.
£9 million+Invested annually on Research & Development
2018
Comtrex, a leading EPoS company, joins the Zonal Group to further strengthen our position in both the UK and the US.
2016
Zonal acquires a majority stake in High Level Software, to further enhance our integrations and offerings within the hotel sector.
2015
Zonal acquires liveRES, an online booking and table management company, to enable customers to receive and manage their reservations in a smarter way.
2013
TXD Digital Marketing is acquired to enhance Zonal’s customer engagement solutions.
2010
Zonal acquires Freshnet, an online ordering and purchase-to-pay provider.
While technology changes, our values stay true
What mattered to us then is still important now: caring for the people who work with us; providing outstanding service to our customers; working together for the common good; and constant innovation. It is an intrinsic part of our DNA.
The long-term vision and family values that are demonstrated daily in our organisation make Zonal an outstanding place to work and a partner for life with our customers. We have built these values around 6 pillars: Teamwork, Innovation, Passion, and Professionalism, Accountability and Customer obsessed. We don’t just play lip-service to these traits, but live them every day in the decisions that are made throughout the company, from the exec team through to the shop floor.
The Zonal leadership team
Stuart McLean
Chief Executive Officer
Joel Chapman
Chief Customer Officer
Jon Woodforth
Chief Technology Officer
Matthew Easterbrook
Chief Operating Officer
James Taylor
Chief Financial Officer
Olivia Fitzgerald
Chief Sales and Marketing Officer
Richard Hammond
CEO, Zonal Hospitality Systems Inc (USA)
Rhys Swinburn
Managing Director - HLS
Howard McLean
Special Projects Director
James McLean
Property Director
Robin McLean
Giving back to the community
Zonal has a long tradition of giving back to charitable causes. In the last few years our teams have climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, run The London Marathon and taken on the Great Wall of China challenge – all in the name of good causes! In January 2021, we started our journey with Only A Pavement Away and were pleased to help launch the first Winter Warmth event in Scotland to support rough sleepers across the streets of Edinburgh.
In addition to our own initiatives, through our integration with the digital charity box Pennies and our partnership with PubAid, we are also actively involved in facilitating and promoting the great work the hospitality industry does in raising huge amounts for Charities the length and breadth of the U.K.
