NATIONAL RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION SHOW 2023 | WHAT TO EXPECT FOR EXHIBITORS
Exposure means everything to a business owner. If you’re in the restaurant industry, there’s no better place to get your business in front of buyers and network with other industry professionals than the National Restaurant Association Show 2023. This world-class trade show brings together the newest ingredients, trending restaurant equipment and technology, and fascinating demonstrations to boost the industry. The National Restaurant Association Show takes place May 20 – 23, 2023 at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois.
Find out more about the National Restaurant Association Show and learn why it’s a must-attend event for your business.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION
The National Restaurant Association is the largest foodservice trade association in the world. Advocating on behalf of over 500,000 restaurant businesses, the mission of the association is to advance and protect the restaurant and food service industry by working with state associations, industry leaders, and suppliers. The association was founded in 1919 and has been going strong for over 100 years, achieving major milestones like the Kids LiveWell initiative and the Dine for America relief.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION SHOW 2023
The National Restaurant Association Show is a must-attend event that focuses on trends in the hospitality industry, from food and beverage trends to innovative new technology. When you exhibit at the National Restaurant Association Show, you can take part in product demonstrations and fascinating educational sessions about emerging technology and innovations, while sampling delicious new recipes and cocktails from the top names in the business.
Over 60,000 attendees and 2,400 exhibitors spanning 900 product categories come together to share in awards, tastings, demonstrations, start-up showcases and more, giving you access to the best the industry has to offer.
EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS
The National Restaurant Association Show offers a range of educational tracks and sessions to further your learning and help your business succeed. The 2022 show features the following:
- Culinary Insights
- Operations Solutions
- The New Consumer
- Technology Strategies
- Trends in Adult Beverage
- Wellness
- Workforce Recruitment & Development
These specialized tracks will feature in-depth sessions covering topics like building your team, recruiting top talent, future menu trends, understanding the evolving culinary consumer, and leveraging blockchain technology.
WORKSHOPS
To maximize your time exhibiting, the show hosts workshops for a more in-depth look at hot topics and trends prior to the start of the day. These intimate workshops give you a chance to interact with experts and other professionals to work through strategies to make your business more efficient and successful.
Workshops include:
- Ghost Kitchens & Virtual Brands: Opportunities and Execution: This workshop focuses on the challenges and opportunities for ghost kitchens and virtual brands, and their significant impact on the market.
- Navigating the Foodservice Technology Landscape: This workshop brings in experts and operators who have successfully navigated the technology realm, bringing new insight to identify effective tech solutions, maximize your tools, and much more.
CELEBRITY CHEF & MIXOLOGY DEMOS
If you want your business to stay ahead, you can never stop learning. With celebrity chef and mixology demos at the show, you’ll learn from industry experts and hear about their personal success stories.
These demonstrations feature such top industry names as:
- Lanie Bayless
- Rick Bayless
- Lamar Moore
- Cassie Sakai
- Megan Scheider
- Donna Hood Crecca
You’ll also find master mixologists, brewers, and wine experts showcasing custom-crafted and trending drinks.
SPECIAL EXHIBITS & PAVILIONS
To make the most of your show experience, the trade floor is categorized by top trends, products, and emerging technologies.
TECHNOLOGY
- Startup Alley: Startup Alley features innovations for improving operations and future food service trends.
- TECH Pavilion: The TECH Pavilion showcases the leading products, tools and technology to improve profits and efficiency.
FOOD AND DRINK
- American Food Fair: The American Food Fair features producers and processors that utilize unique ingredients used in preparing classic American fare.
FABI AWARDS
The FABI Awards honor the most unique and delicious food and beverage products on the market. Each year, an expert panel of judges chooses the products with taste, marketability and creative potential to alter the future of food. Throughout the show, you can find FABI Award candidate booths to sample some of the delicious options.
KITCHEN INNOVATION SHOWROOM
The Kitchen Innovation Showroom features the winner of the Kitchen Innovation Awards, which is given to the suppliers with superior cutting-edge kitchen equipment to improve efficiency and profitability in the back of the house.
NETWORKING AND CELEBRATIONS
Suppose you’re planning to make valuable contacts at the National Restaurant Show. In that case, attend one of the many networking events or celebrations to interact with some of the leading names in the industry. Some of these events include:
- Industry Night Out
- Young Professionals Party
MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR TRADE SHOW EXPERIENCE
Small-business owners benefit substantially from exhibiting at a trade show, but it’s also a significant investment of time and resources. Ensure your trade show exhibit generates interest and maximizes your profitability with proper planning and insights.
Here are some tips for a successful trade show experience:
- Find out the details of the show, such as the type of attendees and the space of the booth area you’ll have, so you can plan the booth size, company displays, and other logistics.
- Make your display stand out. Use your company colors and attention-grabbing graphics to ensure your booth attracts attention in a crowded room.
- Use videos and slide shows to draw attention and showcase what your products or services can do. You can rent large tv monitors on a stand or rack, catching the attention of visitors walking by and encouraging them to learn about your business.
- Promote yourself on social media. Once you know you’re participating in a trade show, advertise your attendance and encourage your clients to come to the show and visit your booth. Be sure to start promoting well in advance to give your clients time to arrange travel.
- Host giveaways. When you’re exhibiting, it’s important to have a range of freebies to give to your visitors, such as logo pens, brochures, magnets, business cards, and other free stuff. You should also have a few high-value items that you can give away in contests, such as gift cards or samples, to attract people to your booth.
For more tips, check out our Trade Show Preparation Guide to learn how to position your business for success.
GET A SHOW-STOPPING BOOTH WITH XIBIT SOLUTIONS
If you’re planning to exhibit at the National Restaurant Association Show 2023, a must-attend event for the food service industry, it’s vital to make a lasting impression.
At Xibit Solutions, our years of experience creating a standout trade show booth benefit your business, with customized booth designs and graphics that catch the eye of passing visitors. We can help with your booth layout, design, and logistics to ensure you have an attractive and practical design that puts your business at the forefront.
There’s a lot to see and do at a trade show, so let us do the work. We’ll give you a trade show presentation that stands out. Contact us today to learn more about our custom trade show services and see what we can do for you!
