No more hangry hangouts in the restaurant foyer. Google’s new feature helps customers find out how long a wait to expect before they head out to dinner and add their names to the hostess list if there’s a queue — even at restaurants that don’t take reservations. Here’s how it works and how restaurateurs and their customers can take advantage — plus, where Google plans to apply the feature next.  Read More...

When it comes to making beer, it’s all about the hops. Now, with the help of payment-powered platforms, it’s easier for independent brewers to get their hands on them. In the latest edition of the Payments Powering Platforms Tracker, in collaboration with WePay, Shane Kunkle, co-founder of the Lupulin Exchange, explains how its platform is helping craft brewers source and sell ingredients to produce the perfect pour. Find that, plus headlines and rankings for 82 providers, all inside the new Tracker.  Read More...

Alternative payment methods are in demand in a world where eCommerce is growing by leaps and bounds, including across borders. But cash still remains sticky and, in some regions, a favored conduit for transactions. In the latest Data Drivers, Steve Villegas, vice president of partner management at PPRO, weighs in on how hard currency and other forms of payment can make the leap into the digital realm.  Read More...