Eye on POS: Preferred Hotels Prefer Toast; NCR Voyix Expands at Stater Bros. Markets

Why It Matters

The moves diversify both companies’ customer bases, reducing reliance on restaurant clients and positioning them for growth in high‑margin hospitality and grocery verticals. Expanding into these sectors strengthens their competitive foothold in the crowded POS market.

Key Takeaways

• Toast becomes endorsed POS provider for Preferred Hotels' 625 luxury properties
• Partnership covers United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Ireland markets
• NCR Voyix to modernize POS for nearly 170 Stater Bros. supermarkets
• Deployment begins Q3 2026, with phased rollout through 2027
• Both deals broaden each company's vertical reach beyond restaurants

Pulse Analysis

Toast’s entry into the luxury hotel space reflects a broader shift as hospitality operators seek integrated technology that can handle complex, multi‑concept dining environments. By joining Preferred Hotels’ Alliance Partner Program, Toast gains exposure to a network of high‑spending guests and can leverage its cloud‑based payments, inventory and analytics tools to differentiate properties that prioritize guest experience. The partnership also signals Toast’s ambition to move beyond its core restaurant market, tapping into the higher‑margin, globally dispersed hotel sector.

NCR Voyix’s expanded relationship with Stater Bros. Markets underscores the growing demand for modern, resilient POS infrastructure in grocery retail. With nearly 170 stores, Stater Bros. will adopt the Voyix Commerce Platform to improve transaction reliability, streamline back‑office operations, and adapt quickly to evolving consumer expectations such as curbside pickup and contactless payment. The phased deployment, beginning in late 2026, allows the retailer to test new functionalities in pilot labs before a full rollout, reducing risk while delivering measurable efficiency gains.

Together, these announcements illustrate how POS vendors are diversifying their portfolios to mitigate saturation in the restaurant segment. By targeting hospitality and grocery verticals, companies like Toast and NCR Voyix can capture new revenue streams and deepen their data insights across different consumer touchpoints. As retailers and hoteliers prioritize seamless, omnichannel experiences, the ability to provide a unified commerce platform will become a decisive competitive advantage, shaping the next wave of POS innovation.