Zonal, the UK’s leading hospitality technology provider, announces the appointment of Joel Chapman as Chief Executive Officer, effective from July 2026, ahead of its next stage of growth.

The appointment comes at a time of stability and investment for the business, which was acquired by Volaris Group, a division of Constellation Software, one of the world’s largest software firms, earlier this year. The deal brings a new permanent home and long-term backing for Zonal, heralding an exciting new era, with plans to accelerate development and further strengthen the platforms its customers depend on.

Joel has been part of Zonal since 2002 and brings more than two decades of hospitality technology experience to the role. He is a safe pair of hands for the business and for its customers, having joined the board in 2020 as Chief Customer Officer and played a central role in shaping how Zonal serves the hospitality sector.

The rest of the leadership team will remain in place, as the business continues to operate as it always has, with the same people, knowledge of the hospitality sector, values, and commitment to its customers.

Joel Chapman, CEO at Zonal, said: “I am thrilled to be appointed CEO of Zonal, a company I joined in 2002 and to which I remain deeply committed.

“As CEO, my role is to guide our future direction by listening closely to our customers and to our people, ensuring we continue to strengthen our position as the UK’s leading hospitality technology provider. With the backing of Volaris, I am looking forward to leading Zonal into this next chapter of its 45-year journey.”

Jesper Ulsted, Portfolio Leader at Volaris Group, comments: “We are delighted to appoint Joel Chapman the new CEO of Zonal. Following our acquisition of the business earlier this year, we spent time getting to know him and the team and are confident he is the person best placed to take the business forward.

“I’m especially pleased that we have been able to find such a strong candidate from within Zonal itself. It is another testament to Volaris’ dedication to developing talent and future leaders from within the businesses we acquire.

“Joel knows the business, its customers and its people inside out and he brings an experienced and steady hand to the role, as we look ahead with confidence to the future for Zonal.”

For more information, images, or to arrange an interview with Zonal, please contact Fleet Street Communications via zonal@fleetstreetagency.com

About Zonal

Zonal is the UK’s leading hospitality technology provider, trusted by the country’s largest pub, restaurant and hotel operators. With 45 years of UK hospitality expertise, a fully connected technology ecosystem and always-on, human-led support, Zonal gives complex, multi-site operators the clarity, control and confidence to run every site at its best.

Consumers are more than twice as likely to choose their local (34%) over travelling to other venues (17%)

The latest GO Technology report from leading hospitality tech provider Zonal, in partnership with NIQ, shows that 34% of consumers planning to tune in to the World Cup will do so from their local pub, bar or hospitality venue, with a total of 9.3m British consumers planning to watch at least one game in a pub, bar or restaurant this summer.

The new report demonstrates also how watching sport in pubs and bars is changing, becoming a more inclusive experience, with 79% of men and 77% of women who are looking to watch the World Cup in hospitality planning to watch the final in a venue.

The survey, of over 5,000 consumers, asked what the appeal of watching the World Cup in the pub is.

Half (50%) said it’s because it will provide a good social experience.

46% said it was because the atmosphere is better than at home.

38% said it’s because they want to buy drinks while watching a game.

24% think watching in a venue is the next best thing to being in a stadium.

This highlights the size of the opportunity for operators who get it right this summer, a crucial trading period for the sector.

When those planning to watch the World Cup in a venue were asked what would encourage them to visit and improve the experience, consumers were clear with (32%) saying it was the ability to book a table in advance, (31%) saying the ability to order food and drinks to the table and, for just under a quarter (22%), it was access to loyalty schemes. The right tech systems will therefore give operators a competitive edge during busy match days and play a pivotal role in motivating consumers to visit a pub or bar during the tournament.

Tim Chapman, Chief Commercial Officer, Zonal, said: “Major sporting tournaments like the World Cup are a huge opportunity for hospitality operators. Our survey shows that people want to make the most of the atmosphere and food and drink on offer, not stand in queues waiting for tables or hanging around the bar waiting to be served. Whether it’s securing a table before arrival with a booking, or ordering food and drink direct to their tables so they don’t miss out on any of the action, operators with robust tech systems can deliver a seamless experience World Cup watchers expect.”

Karl Chessell, Director – Hospitality Operators and Food, EMEA, NIQ, adds: “World Cups can be bonanzas for hospitality operators and drinks suppliers. Businesses need to know exactly who is going out and what they want. But above all it’s vital to understand why people swap the sofa for pubs and bars. Hospitality provides a unique way to experience big occasions with others, and the challenge is to show people that this is where the best memories of landmark events like the World Cup can be made.”

New insight from leading hospitality technology provider, Zonal, reveals an early surge in bookings for the first England match of the FIFA World Cup 2026, with reservations in pubs rising by +184% compared to a typical trading day.

Across the wider hospitality sector, bookings are also up significantly, increasing by +64% year-on-year.

The spike highlights how live sport continues to drive footfall, with fans choosing to secure their spot early to watch key fixtures in a social setting. This sharp uplift not only reflects the scale of national interest in England games, but also a growing behaviour shift towards pre-booking for major sporting occasions, rather than relying on walk-ins.

The trend isn’t limited to England fixtures alone. Data from the opening match of the tournament on 11th June, Mexico vs South Africa, shows a +51% uplift in overall hospitality bookings, with pubs alone seeing a +63% increase compared to the same date in 2025. This demonstrates the broader appeal of live tournament action in driving early demand across venues.

Much like other key calendar moments, the data suggests that anticipation plays a crucial role, with bookings building momentum in the days leading up to kick-off as fans plan group occasions. For operators, this creates a valuable opportunity to maximise covers, optimise staffing, and enhance the matchday experience.

Tim Chapman, Chief Commercial Officer, Zonal, commented: “Major sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup 2026 continue to be a significant driver of bookings, bringing people together and creating key trading moments for the hospitality sector.”

“With weeks still to go until the first games kick off, and demand set to increase as the event approaches, this early uplift in bookings is a welcome sign for hospitality.”

“The increase we’re seeing demonstrates how important it is for venues to plan ahead and capitalise on demand, ensuring they can deliver a great experience while maximising capacity.”

Guest blog by TiPJAR 

It was a fairly ordinary Sunday afternoon about a year ago when I took my parents out for lunch.

We headed to The Mill in Exeter, part of the St Austell Brewery estate, for what turned out to be a genuinely brilliant Sunday roast. As the bill arrived, complete with service charge, my dad leaned over to the waitress and quietly asked:

“Before we pay this, do you actually get the tip, or should we go and get cash?”

Having already introduced myself as someone from TiPJAR, the waitress and I exchanged a slightly amused look and reassured him, yes, the tips were fairly distributed to the team.

My dad is a classic baby boomer; practical, generous, and quietly sceptical of technology. But his question reflects something we hear all the time in hospitality: do digital tips really reach staff?

The answer is yes.

Tipping itself hasn’t disappeared in the digital age, it just evolved.

According to Zonal’s People vs Tech research, 92% of people say they tip when dining out. Among younger guests, that rises to 95% of Gen Z, while even 90% of baby boomers still tip.

The desire to reward good service clearly hasn’t gone anywhere. The way people pay, however, has.

While 73% of guests say they would tip with cash spontaneously, the reality is that very few people carry cash regularly anymore. Most of us have experienced that awkward moment of wanting to leave something extra but are only carrying a card or phone.

That shift creates a real challenge, and opportunity, for operators. Because if customers want to tip but can’t do so easily, your team misses out.

And when teams miss out on tips, businesses miss out too.

Integrating digital tipping as a seamless part of service removes any chance of friction.

Good tipping programmes help businesses attract and retain talent, improve motivation, reward great service and ultimately improve guest experience. Better guest experience tends to mean better reviews, repeat visits and stronger commercial performance.

At TiPJAR, we see the impact of this every day:

• 7.5% increase in revenue across managed houses from FY24 to FY25 at Wells & Co
• Honest Burgers improved retention by 30.5%
• St Austell Brewery saved £13k per month in National Insurance Contributions through a compliant tronc structure
• 280% increase in team mentions in feedback for Parogon Pub Group

TiPJAR customers who used Tap To Tip devices collectively distributed £44,000 in tips in April 2026 alone.

Historically, managing tips and troncs could be admin-heavy. Operators relied on spreadsheets, payroll workarounds or a tronc master manually handling distribution. It worked, but it was rarely seamless.

Modern systems like TiPJAR’s Supertronc™️ automate things, making tip allocation fair, transparent and fast, while helping operators stay compliant and reduce administrative burden.

For operators, the important point is this: technology is something to embrace and harness, when it comes to tipping.

In reality, tipping is already powered by technology. Operators just need to meet customers where they are.

Guests are ready to tip. Teams want fair access to tips. And operators who embrace modern tipping systems can unlock benefits that go far beyond gratuities alone, from retention and morale to stronger reviews and measurable bottom-line impact.

Great hospitality deserves to be recognised, and in 2026, the easiest way to make that happen is to make tipping effortless.

With 2026 fully underway, and millions of tourists preparing to explore the UK, the desire for meaningful travel has never been stronger. Quintessentially British pubs with rooms answer that call, blending comfort with character in a way other accommodation simply cannot. Inns, pubs with rooms, whatever you want to term them, don’t just provide a bed for the night, they welcome guests into a uniquely British experience, where comfort meets community and every visit feels personal.

In 2024, 22% of consumers stayed in a pub, showing that the demand for this accommodation offering is becoming more popular. Given that the UK forecasts 45.5 million international visitors in 2026, with overseas visitors spending £35.7 billion during their stays, this is a significant market that pub operators can target alongside the British staycationer.

What makes pubs stand out is their authentic link to local life. Unlike other types of accommodation, they offer insights that algorithms can’t replicate. And, whether it’s scenic spots that are off the beaten track, a hidden gem that many miss, or how to navigate local public transport, it’s pub teams that have the deep knowledge of the surrounding area and can offer insights that go far beyond what’s available online.

These personal touches enrich the guest experience in ways that digital platforms cannot reproduce. In fact, our research shows that 78% of consumers are likely to seek local information and recommendations during their stay. This is especially true among older guests, who place a high value on human interaction and personal advice. A third (34%) of those staying in pubs or interested in doing so are aged 55 to 64, and nearly as many (31%) are 65 or over, underscoring the importance of authentic, face-to-face engagement.

Staying in a pub isn’t just about finding a place to sleep, it taps into the desire for authentic travel experiences and an all-round, quality night away. Pubs stand out for their food and drink offerings, with 67% of consumers ranking them as the best among all accommodation types, more than double the number who favour hotels. By offering both accommodation and F&B, pub operators can join these aspects together to create memorable experiences for their guests, and support them with integrated technology.

Integrated booking systems for both rooms and tables give guests the opportunity to book a table in the pub’s bar or restaurant whilst they’re booking their room, allowing operators to maximise the exposure of a pub’s F&B offering by marketing both arms of the business as one joint offering, as well as ensuring guests choose to eat in the pub, rather than going elsewhere to dine.

Connected systems can also offer operational improvements for pubs alongside streamlining guest experiences. One of the first touchpoints guests encounter on arrival is check-in which, when done right through an easy, frictionless journey, can help to set the tone for the rest of the stay. With integrated EPoS and PMS systems, pubs can offer their teams the ability to check-in guests at the bar through any POS, saving staff time by removing the need to swap to a different system, and giving guests more flexibility, as well as a more authentic experience on arrival.

Through this integrated technology, pubs can post any F&B bills to a room and allow guests to pay for their meals and drinks at check out. This gives guests a more seamless experience during their stay as it eliminates a stage of the customer journey that can be prone to causing frustration, with previous research showing that 77% of guests find having to wait to receive and settle the bill to be a bugbear, and further encourages engagement with the pub’s F&B offering, which is a key draw of a pub stay.

Whilst chain hotels fill a particular need for guests, pubs, whether nestled in the countryside or standing proudly on bustling high streets, offer connection, character, and a slice of heritage that turns an overnight stay into an experience. Some 39% of UK consumers already believe pubs offer a more authentic local experience than other types of accommodation, highlighting the value of these venues in today’s travel landscape.

Hospitality is at the heart of the pub experience, with 79% of guests saying friendly and welcoming staff are a key reason for choosing pub stays. This warmth and familiarity create a sense of belonging that is difficult to find in more corporate accommodation settings.

The first impression a guest has of your pub often begins long before they walk through the door. It starts with a booking, and for 53% of people, complicated booking systems are a barrier. Whether it’s a table for two or a room for the weekend, that process needs to be frictionless, as consumers have grown accustomed to intuitive platforms that anticipate their needs, and pubs can’t afford to fall behind. Integrated systems that manage availability, capture preferences, and respond in real time aren’t just ‘nice-to-have’, they’re essential. Technology isn’t replacing hospitality, it’s amplifying it.

Value matters too. Over two in five consumers believe pubs offer better value than other types of accommodation, placing them just behind camping in terms of perceived affordability. This combination of value, authenticity, and hospitality makes pubs with rooms a compelling choice for travellers seeking meaningful stays.

By embracing their role in the community and showcasing their local knowledge, friendly service, culinary offerings, and smart use of technology, pubs can position themselves not just as accommodation providers, but as curators of memorable experiences. For operators, the message is clear: lean into what makes your pub unique, not just the rooms, but the stories, the people, and the flavours that surround them.

With consumer spending squeezed and visit frequency down, finding ways to keep guests returning is a top priority for many hospitality businesses. Rising costs, increased competition, and tightened margins mean that these loyal customers – those that do visit repeatedly, and spend more when they do – are an incredibly valuable source of revenue.

But consumer loyalty is ever-shifting, and what guests want (and expect) is something that operators may not be able to easily keep track of.

Drawing on our quarterly research of over 5,000 British hospitality guests, here are four loyalty insights to help you better understand the hospitality loyalty landscape, and boost guest loyalty inside, and outside, your venues.

Connection is a key loyalty driver

Loyalty is about so much more than just collecting points on purchases, or exclusive deals. It’s also building connections with customers, and making them feel valued. In fact, 54% of consumers we’ve spoken to told us that they’d be more likely to return to a venue again when they feel personally valued by a brand during their visit.

This emphasis on connection is further backed by our recent GO Technology research People vs Tech in 2026, where human interaction has become increasingly important for guests during their visits to hospitality venues. Just under half of respondents (48%) said that human interactions are the most critical factor during their visits to hospitality – a rise of 19% since we last asked this question in 2023.

But how do venues deliver this connection that makes consumers feel personally valued? It’s the small touches that resonate the most – a birthday treat, personalised messages and offers on items guests like the most, giving them a choice in where to sit, or even just remembering them when they visit.

All of these little touches come together to help deliver a more memorable experience for guests which, ultimately, drive brand advocacy and keep them coming back for more.

Consistency is key!

Loyalty is hard earned, but even once it’s established, it can be fickle. 61% of consumers say that encountering problems during a visit would lead them to visit less (or even never visit again), meaning that it’s important to get the fundamentals of good hospitality right every time, alongside delivering memorable experiences.

This is especially true during the current cost-of-living crisis. Previous research has uncovered that since the start of the cost-of-living crisis, 16% of guests are less loyal to hospitality brands, however 52% have higher expectations of the brands they are loyal to.

Greater emphasis should therefore be placed on staff training, helping to ensure that your teams are delivering a consistent level of service that matches guest expectations.

Competition can trump loyalty

Whilst guests may love what you do, they are shopping around for a better offer. 1-in-3 guests told us that they are likely to switch their loyalty to another hospitality brand if they spot something better. This propensity to switch is slightly higher for restaurants, with 34% of guests likely to switch to a different restaurant brand compared to 29% for pubs and 30% for bars.

What’s particularly important to note here, is that more frequent users of hospitality are also the most likely to switch up who they’re loyal to. 41% of those that eat and drink out weekly say they are very or somewhat likely to choose a different venue, 17 percentage points higher than the 24% of those who go out less frequently.

These frequent users of hospitality are also the most lucrative, so securing their loyalty through a combination of delivering on hospitality fundamentals, and giving them memorable experiences, will be key.

Loyalty schemes are a powerful loyalty lever to pull, but beware of barriers…

47% of guests say that value for money is a key factor in their loyalty to hospitality brands, and with 90% of consumers open to joining a loyalty scheme, a loyalty scheme can be a great way of helping to enhance the value of your offering.

Currently, 58% of guests believe that loyalty schemes represent good value for money, and 47% have joined more loyalty schemes to save money since the cost-of-living crisis began.

But what types of loyalty schemes are popular with guests? Unsurprisingly, schemes focused on monetary rewards are the most popular, however there is demand for additional benefits that can increase engagement:

Which of these loyalty schemes do you find most appealing?

1. Member-only prices (49%)
2. Collecting points for purchases (39%)
3. Cashback (37%)
4. Deals on regularly-bought products (29%)
5. Stamp cards (14%)
6. Chance to win prizes (13%)
7. Personalised offers (12%)
8. Deals on products in a different sector (9%)
9. Digital receipts (8%)
10. Subscription schemes (8%)

Despite consumers’ willingness to engage with loyalty schemes, barriers to entry do still exist for many.

A not insignificant 38% are put off by upfront membership costs, whilst a further 29% don’t want to be locked into subscriptions, and 22% feel that they wouldn’t get enough value out of signing up to a scheme. This apprehension around upfront costs can be a barrier for many operators where running an associated scheme will have costs associated with it, so it’s important to ensure that communications around the value any loyalty schemes offer are clear and compelling.

What loyalty offers to your venue in 2026

So, now that we’ve seen the insights, what are the main benefits a focus on guest loyalty can bring to your business?

Increased customer retention – Loyalty programmes encourage repeat business.

Increased share of wallet – Loyal guests spend more with you over time compared to the occasional visitor!

Valuable customer insights – Customer loyalty is also a great way to feed further marketing activity, providing valuable insights into customer preferences and behaviours, and helping you to tailor your offering to further build and enhance loyalty.

Click here to learn more about Zonal’s loyalty platform and how it could help you increase repeat visits and drive revenue!

Zonal partner, Grateful, is a next-gen tronc management and earnings platform built for hospitality to deliver unrivalled transparency for teams and ensure effortless compliance with regulations for operators across the UK. To coincide with the Government’s current consultation on tipping legislation, Grateful has written this insightful guest blog to outline what hospitality operators need to know and how they can contribute to the consultation document.

When the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act came into force in 2024, it changed the landscape for hospitality businesses overnight. Allocation processes became more formalised, transparency moved from good practice to legal expectation, and record-keeping climbed higher on the operational agenda. At Grateful, we worked closely with operators across the industry to help them adapt. And now, before the dust has fully settled, the Government is consulting again.

This time, the focus is on strengthening the law further by introducing a mandatory duty for employers to consult workers on tipping policies, when creating or updating them, and at least every three years thereafter. Employers would also be required to provide an anonymised written summary of the views expressed.
On the surface, that might sound manageable. In practice, anyone who works in hospitality will immediately recognise the complexity.

The Real-World Challenge
Hospitality is not a typical employment environment. Teams are large, shifts are variable, staff turnover can be high, and many businesses operate across multiple sites and brands. When the original tipping legislation landed, there was genuine friction across the industry, something Grateful saw first-hand when supporting clients through implementation. In part, the friction arose because the statutory guidance didn’t always reflect how hospitality businesses actually operate. Some examples were unclear. In one instance, guidance even contradicted existing legislation.

The current consultation is an opportunity to correct that. The Government is asking not just about the new duty to consult, but about how the existing Code of Practice has worked in real life, on fair distribution, transparency, and the record-keeping burden. These are not abstract policy questions. They go to the heart of daily operations, and at Grateful, we hear about these challenges from operators regularly.

Achieving meaningful consultation across a dispersed, shift-based workforce raises questions that don’t have simple answers. How do you include seasonal workers? What about agency or casual staff, where guidance is still unclear? How do you ensure representative input from across all departments, rather than just hearing from the most vocal people in the room? These are exactly the kinds of practical challenges policymakers need to understand.

The Wider Picture
There are also stronger voices entering the debate. Trade unions have indicated they believe the proposed duty doesn’t go far enough, with some calling for formal collective bargaining over tipping policies. There are also calls to reconsider the burden placed on workers within the employment tribunal process.
Whether you agree with those positions or not, the direction of travel is clear: policy is being shaped right now, through active input. If hospitality businesses remain silent, their perspective risks being left out of the final framework entirely. Grateful has been vocal on this point — operators cannot afford to sit this one out.

Why This Matters
It would be easy to treat this as another regulatory task to file away. That would be a mistake. The legislation will proceed regardless of whether operators respond. The Code of Practice will be drafted. The requirements will come into force, likely in October. The only variable is whether hospitality businesses have a hand in shaping what that looks like.

The consultation invites responses from employers, workers and customers. Everyone in hospitality occupies at least two of those roles. That combined perspective is genuinely valuable, and real, practical examples from the ground will carry real weight. Grateful’s own whitepaper on the consultation, developed following our February 2026 webinar, outlines the key issues in detail and is available for any operator who wants to understand the full picture before responding.

Policymakers need to understand how distribution models work across multi-site groups. They need to know where previous guidance has created confusion. They need to hear from all parts of the business, not just the loudest voices.

What to Do Now
There is no immediate operational change required at this stage. But now is the time to read the consultation document, reflect on how your business has experienced the tipping legislation over the past eighteen months, and think through how formal consultation would actually work across your sites. Grateful is here to support operators through that process.

To find out more about the UK Government Consultation on Tipping, visit: Make Work Pay: strengthening the law on tipping – GOV.UK. Responses must be submitted by Wednesday 1 April 2026 and can be sent by email to tipping@businessandtrade.gov.uk or via the Government’s online platform. You can respond as an individual, as a business, or from multiple perspectives, what matters is that your voice is included.

Tipping sits at the intersection of compliance, culture and commercial reality. Getting the framework right requires input from those who live it every day. At Grateful, we believe this consultation is one of the most important opportunities the hospitality industry has had to shape its own regulatory future. The question is whether the industry will take it.

Katie Linstead is Head of Services & Compliance at Grateful, a tronc and tipping specialist supporting hospitality businesses across the UK.

This article is for general information purposes and does not constitute legal advice.