5 reasons to attend the 2023 National Restaurant Association Show

The foodservice industry is gearing up for four straight days of food, tech and more food, also known as the National Restaurant Association Show.

This year, the Show takes place from May 20-23 at Chicago’s McCormick Place, and takeaways for foodservice operators are likely to abound.

Here’s what noncommercial types (and others) can anticipate during the event.

Lots of LTO inspiration.

Whether to build menu buzz or simply contend with a fickle supply chain, foodservice operators are finding favor in limited-time offers (LTOs). But they can’t all be the McRib.

Show attendees looking to bolster their LTO strategy can pick up some ideas during a Sunday session led by Technomic’s menu research and insights director, Lizzy Freier, and Pizza Hut’s chief food innovation and quality officer, Ana Maria Rodriguez. Culinary demos from chefs such as Rick Bayless, Jeff Mauro and Lauren Van Der Pool may provide further inspiration for menu specials.

A peek at the latest tech.

Technology plays a larger role in foodservice each and every year, and it can be tough to parse through all of the options out there to figure out what’s right for your operation.

Earlier this year, the Show named the 20 winners of its Kitchen Innovations Awards, recognizing some of the most cutting-edge equipment on the market, including robotic fryers and an autonomous barista. Show attendees will have the chance to scope out the winners for themselves in the Kitchen Innovations Showroom and hear more about them during a Saturday session on the changing back of house.

Labor solutions that work.

As workforce woes continue to roil many operations, Show attendees can learn some coping strategies. A Sunday session on the state of labor will examine how the industry came to have such trouble recruiting and retaining employees, and offer employers some solutions. And a Monday presentation featuring points of view from Chook Charcoal Chicken and Platinum Dining Group promises the “secret sauce” to hiring in today’s world.

A deep dive on Gen Z.

Millennial consumers are in the rearview for school foodservice teams, and K-12 and college campuses are looking for fresh ways to appeal to the next generation of eaters. A Saturday session on how Gen Z is redefining dining may provide some ideas, as might a Tuesday presentation on ways to grab Gen Zers’ attention amid a host of competition.

Networking with noncommercial peers.

Aside from mingling on the Show floor, there will be ample opportunities to connect with fellow operators, including a dedicated noncommercial professionals meetup on Tuesday, where folks from across the industry can gather to share ideas, ask each other questions or just catch up.

The National Restaurant Association Show is operated by FoodService Director’s parent company, Winsight LLC, in collaboration with the National Restaurant Association.