Make a splash this summer: 10 ways mobile ordering transforms poolside profitability

When the sun is shining and your poolside is buzzing, expectations are high. Guests want to relax, unwind, and enjoy seamless service – without ever leaving their lounger. But for hotel teams, peak-season demand can stretch resources and slow service.

That’s where mobile ordering steps in.

IRIS, the global market leader in digital F&B and guest experience solutions for hotels, provides 10 top tips on how activating digital poolside dining can help you maximise revenue, streamline operations, and elevate the guest experience this summer.

1. Put ordering power directly in guests’ hands

With mobile ordering, a simple QR code scan will take guests straight to the digital menus where they can browse and order food, drinks, and even extras like sun cream, directly from their phone. No waiting, no queueing or hunting for a menu – guests are firmly in control and it’s just pure relaxation.

2. Turn convenience into higher spend

When ordering is effortless, guests order more. From second cocktails to spontaneous snacks, mobile ordering encourages impulse purchases and boosts average check values – especially when you’ve got upsells activated and seasonal specials highlighted.

3. Eliminate the wait (and the wave!)

No more trying to catch a server’s attention or queuing at the bar. Guests can order instantly from their lounger or cabana whenever the moment takes them – keeping them relaxed and engaged.

4. Speed up service with seamless POS integration

Orders go straight to the kitchen or bar via your POS system, improving accuracy and reducing delays. As a result, there’s fewer manual uploads, faster service and happier guests.

5. Capture revenue – even when areas are unmanned

Early morning by the pool? Quiet beachfront moments? Mobile ordering ensures you’re still capturing orders and generating revenue, even without staff being physically present.

6. Lighten the load for your team

Less time taking orders and going back and forth from the POS system (especially when covering a large pool area or a long stretch of beach) means more time delivering exceptional service.

Staff can focus on guest interaction and efficient delivery rather than running back and forth in the blazing sunshine.

7. Do more with less resource

Mobile ordering reduces the need for large poolside teams. With fewer staff required to take orders, hotels can optimise labour while maintaining (or improving) service levels.

8. Keep operations running smoothly at peak

Handle high volumes with ease. Digital ordering allows multiple orders to be processed simultaneously, helping your team stay on top of demand during the busiest times.

Orders flow direct to the POS so your kitchen team can start processing them straight away.

9. Upgrade your menus – digitally and sustainably

Say goodbye to soggy paper menus or out of date promotions.

QR codes on loungers, cabanas, or tables offer a smarter, more hygienic solution – while giving you the flexibility to update menus, advertise one-off drink collaborations and promote seasonal specials or events instantly.

10. Unlock revenue potential across every space

From poolside to beachfront, terraces to cabanas – mobile ordering activates every corner of your hotel. As these case studies highlight:

Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Port Douglas saw a 51% increase in revenue after implementing IRIS poolside ordering.

Likewise the Sheraton Mallorca Arabella Golf Hotel  achieved a 60% increase in F&B revenue, reduced resources and added location-based delivery via QR codes (on the sun loungers) with poolside ordering.

With guests self-serving from the comfort of their lounger via a QR codes on their parasol at Danang Marriott Resort & Spa, the hotel has halved the amount of time the waitstaff spend in the sun and reduced their physical activity in the heat (as well as the amount of walking in the sand!).

Dive into a better guest experience

Mobile ordering doesn’t just streamline service, it can transform it. With faster delivery, clearer communication, and effortless ordering, guests can fully relax while your team operates at peak efficiency.

This summer, don’t just keep up with demand, get ahead of it and give your guests (and staff) an experience to remember.

For more information on IRIS or to request a demo please visit iris.net/demo