Stop by our booth! #5313
Featured Sessions:
2026 Keynote Speakers
This year’s keynote kicks off with tennis legend, Olympic gold medalist, philanthropist, and education advocate Andre Agassi. Considered one of the most accomplished athletes of all time, Agassi will take the stage to share his journey—from the pressures of competing on a global stage to championing education rights for at-risk children.
Together with Michelle Korsmo, president and CEO of the National Restaurant Association, Agassi will dive into how the mindset of a champion applies across all facets of life, motivating foodservice professionals to push boundaries, embrace change, and lead with purpose and vision.
Using examples from his career—such as completing the Career Grand Slam after a dramatic five-set comeback victory in 1999—he will teach attendees how to reframe challenges as opportunities, embrace both personal and professional evolution, and recognize the importance of giving back.
This interview-style Q&A, led by Korsmo, will explore Agassi’s career evolution, philanthropic mission, and the principles that help leaders thrive in a rapidly changing environment—offering valuable lessons in resilience, perseverance, reinvention, and leadership.
Who: Andre Agassi, award-winning tennis player and entrepreneur; Michelle Korsmo, President and CEO, National Restaurant Association
When: Sunday, May 17, 2026, 1 P.M.
Where: Grand Ballroom, S100
[Details on sessions are subject to change. Please refer to nationalrestaurantshow.com for the most updated information.]
Featured Session: Technomic
Get it While it’s Hot: Driving Demand with LTOs
Ready to discover the secrets to successfully leveraging limited-time offers? This session, led by Joe Pawlak, managing principal at Technomic, alongside three leading independent and chain operators, will give attendees a competitive edge in today’s rapidly evolving market.
Speakers will share strategies to identify top-performing LTO trends—and how to integrate them—using real-world examples and firsthand experience. Attendees will learn how operators are using these tools to boost sales, engage customers, and execute planning cycles effectively without overspending.
This featured session blends innovation, strategy, and practical insight.
Who: Debbie Stroud, CEO, Whataburger; Jennifer Bell, CMO, Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants; Arthur Carl II, Vice President of Culinary, IHOP
When: Monday, May 18, 2026, 1 P.M.
Where: Grand Ballroom, S100
Saturday, May 16
Money Matters: Food Choices in the New Financial Reality
What does “value” mean in 2026? With inflation, higher interest costs, and shifting household priorities, consumers aren’t simply trading down—they’re value-flex splurging in smaller, more meaningful ways while cutting back elsewhere.
This session breaks down how that practical indulgence shows up across dayparts and channels, arming foodservice professionals with a playbook for balancing affordability and aspiration: where to premiumize, where to protect entry-level price points, and how to communicate worth in a skeptical market.
Attendees will also explore how offers, loyalty mechanics, and signals of real value—quality, functionality, and convenience—can resonate with consumers without causing fatigue or eroding margins.
Who: Suzy Badaracco, President, Culinary Tides Inc.
Where: Room S403, South Building, 4th Floor
When: Saturday, May 16, 2026, 1 P.M.-1:45 P.M.
The 2026 State of the Industry: Position Yourself for Success in the Face of Uncertainty
It’s no secret the restaurant industry is facing unprecedented headwinds—from rising operational costs to cautious consumer spending and broader economic uncertainty. With the right strategies, operators can navigate this complex landscape and turn obstacles into opportunities.
Using findings from the 2026 State of the Industry Report by the National Restaurant Association, this session will analyze industry challenges, evaluate strategic responses, and help operators develop action plans for sustainable growth.
Who: Chad Moutray, Senior Vice President, Industry Research & Knowledge, and Chief Economist, National Restaurant Association
Where: Room S502, South Building, 5th Floor
When: Saturday, May 16, 2026, 1 P.M.-1:45 P.M.
AI + Predictive Marketing: Smarter Campaigns, Less Discounting
Less is more. This session will teach operators how to use AI to identify raw signals and pair high-intent triggers—such as daypart, weather, and local events—with the right outreach channel to avoid guest fatigue and blanket promotions.
David Ciancio and Luke Scharlatt will reveal a playbook for launching predictive messages that lift frequency, a 30-day test plan that fits inside nearly any tech stack, and a trigger-to-message matrix designed to aim—not spam.
Who: David “Rev” Ciancio, Co-Founder and CMO at Handcraft Burgers and Brews and CMO at Salad House; Kenneth Scharlatt, Founder and Executive Director at Savage Orchid Hospitality
Where: Room S404, South Building, 4th Floor
When: Saturday, May 16, 2025, 2 P.M.-2:45 P.M.
Training in the TikTok Era: Micro-Learning and New Expectations for Workforce Success
With Generation Z—and soon Generation Alpha—making up much of today’s workforce, operators must understand how to train them to stay competitive. They’re younger, faster-moving, and more tech-driven than ever before, and this session explores how microlearning and career-focused education can boost retention, reduce turnover, and drive higher engagement and performance.
Panelists will share what’s working, offering actionable solutions that strengthen culture and make training less challenging.
Who: Steve Madonna, VP of Culinary, Connections; Shane Schaibly, Senior Vice President of Culinary Strategy, First Watch; Katy Velazquez, VP, Culinary Innovation at Qdoba Restaurant Corporation
Where: Room S503, South Building, 5th Floor
When: Saturday, May 16, 2026, 2 P.M.-2:45 P.M.
Sunday, May 17
10 Ways to Cut Food Costs Without Cutting Flavor
The pressure to balance rising food costs with delivering exceptional quality and flavor is higher than ever. But operators don’t have to sacrifice their culinary vision to protect the bottom line. In this session, guided by Erica Holland-Toll, operators will discover ways to engineer menus that highlight high-margin items, reduce waste, and work with existing supply chains to manage inventory more effectively and maximize purchasing IQ.
Who: Erica Holland-Toll, Culinary Director, The Culinary Edge
Where: Room S403, South Building, 4th Floor
When: Sunday, May 17, 2026, 3 P.M.-3:45 P.M.
Cook Up Financial Security: Safeguard Your Restaurant From Lawsuits & Taxes Slips and falls. Employee disputes. Costly tax burdens. These can threaten the financial future of any business—especially those in foodservice. In this session, Larry Oxenham will teach operators how to shield their businesses from lawsuits, implement tailored tax-reduction strategies, and plan for long-term success with an estate and business succession
Who: Larry Oxenham, Senior Advisor and Author, American Society for Asset Protection
Where: Room S502, South Building, 5th Floor
When: Sunday, May 17, 2026, 3 P.M.-3:45 P.M.
Frictionless or Forgotten: Rebuilding the Guest Digital Funnel
Consumers want ordering, paying, and reordering to be easy. Their digital experience must be frictionless from start to finish—from discovery to first order to repeat purchase. This session breaks down how operators can streamline their digital funnel and prevent revenue leakage by implementing AI upsells, smart menu routing, and QR journeys that actually work.
Attendees will leave with a playbook of low-lift steps that can be implemented across existing systems, along with a toolkit to track impact across AOV, turn times, and repeat rate through a simple KPI cadence.
Who: Kenneth Scharlatt, Founder and Executive Director, Savage Orchid Hospitality; Kayla Storey, Area Director of Sales and Marketing, Zieg Hospitality
Where: Room S504, South Building, 5th Floor
When: Sunday, May 17, 2026, 3 P.M.-3:45 P.M.
Training Without a Training Department: Practical Strategies for Restaurants
For independent operators, franchisees, and multi-unit managers, not having a training department—or a dedicated trainer—can be a challenge. Strong training is a cornerstone of restaurant success, from delivering consistent service to building guest loyalty.
This session will dish out actionable strategies for turning shift leaders and managers into confident, consistent trainers, building accountability through simple tools such as checklists and peer mentorship, and balancing speed and quality in onboarding and skills development—all without relying on a corporate training infrastructure.
Who: Kim Evans, Director of Training, Hopdoddy Burger Bar; Anna Mason, Vice President of People Experience, A.Ray Hospitality; Jason Lyon, COO, Wrap City Sandwich Company; Corban Nichols, Vice President of Restaurant Excellence, Piada Italian Street Food
Where: Room S503, South Building, 5th Floor
When: Sunday, May 17, 2026, 3 P.M.-3:45 P.M.
Community-First Marketing in a Tech-Driven World
With an ever-increasing focus on technology and AI, the human element of marketing can get overlooked. Session host Kristen Corral didn’t grow her restaurant by chasing likes and shares—she succeeded by owning her neighborhood.
She’ll share strategies to turn local partnerships, give-back programs, and local media into steady traffic, higher check averages, and repeat visits. Attendees will leave knowing how to cultivate a ride-or-die fan base that keeps coming back because they care about the brand.
Who: Kristen Corral, Co-Founder, Tacotarian
Where: Room S504, South Building, 5th Floor
When: Sunday, May 17, 2026, 4 P.M.-4:45 P.M.
How to Turn Followers into Guests in the New Era of Social Media Marketing
How do thousands of likes translate into loyal foot traffic and real dining decisions? Join Hifsah Ahmed as she explores proven strategies for creating content that sticks, including short-form video, influencer collaborations, and trend-driven campaigns that deliver measurable results beyond vanity metrics.
Backed by restaurant-focused case studies and actionable frameworks tailored for multi-unit brands and independent operators, this session will show attendees how to elevate visibility, strengthen customer relationships, and maximize ROI—including how to leverage micro- versus macro-influencers.
Who: Hifsah Ahmed, Content Creator and Influencer, Hifsah Ahmed
Where: Room S404, South Building, 4th Floor
When: Sunday, May 17, 2026, 4 P.M.-4:45 P.M.
The Adults’ Table: Winning Over the 50+ Diner
Consumers over the age of 50 account for more than half of all U.S. spending, yet they are often overlooked in the dining segment. Service fees, strict table time limits, and forced tipping can strip the joy from their dining experiences and drive them away entirely. Restaurants also increasingly limit group bookings to maximize turnover, overlooking the fact that this audience often dines together.
This session will explore how operators can design appealing menus and leverage trust-based, community-rooted marketing to capture this loyal and influential demographic.
Who: Troy Kempton, General Manager, Wheat + Water; Carey Kyler, Senior Director of Insights, AARP Services Inc.
Where: Room S502, South Building, 5th Floor
When: Sunday, May 17, 2026, 4 P.M.-4:45 P.M.
Monday, May 18
7 Numbers Every Restaurateur Needs to Know
Join Anthony Lambatos as he pulls back the curtain on the seven key metrics every restaurateur needs to know to make better business decisions. These numbers track financial health, cost controls, sales and more, tying into current industry benchmarks and real-world applications. As a bonus, he’ll reveal how these numbers can also improve company culture.
Who: Anthony Lambatos, Owner, President, Footers Catering; President, Founder, and Speaker, MIBE Leadership & Culture Education
Where: Room S404, South Building, 4th Floor
When: Monday, May 18, 2026, 2:30 P.M.-3:15 P.M.
A Year of GLP-1s: Consumer Behavior That’s Here to Stay
As of late 2025, roughly 1 in 8 American adults is actively using GLP-1 medications, shaping how guests engage with the foodservice industry. After a year of observation, this session unpacks what’s changed—and what hasn’t—and explores what’s next.
Session host Rachel Royster will share practical menu and operations strategies that align with this shifting landscape while protecting brand identity and uncovering new revenue streams.
Who: Rachel Royster, Director, Strategic Planning & Innovation, Connections
Where: Room S403, South Building, 4th Floor
When: Monday, May 18, 2026, 2:30 P.M.-3:15 P.M.
AI in Hospitality: Keeping the Human Connection
Artificial intelligence doesn’t have to replace human connection in foodservice. This session will empower operators to blend technology with the timeless values of hospitality—warmth, personalization and excellence.
Attendees will explore how AI can support operations by assisting in food and beverage menu design, streamlining SOPs and handling routine guest inquiries with speed and accuracy in a way that is cost-effective, data-driven, creative and operationally sound.
Who: Casey Gamblin, Area Beverage Manager, Ithaka Hospitality Partners; Jacob Hoop, Assistant Food and Beverage Director, Ithaka Hospitality Partners
Where: Room S502, South Building, 5th Floor
When: Monday, May 18, 2026, 2:30 P.M.-3:15 P.M.
Cultural Intelligence as a Growth Strategy for Modern Restaurant Brands
Today’s restaurant landscape is shaped by ever-evolving guest expectations, workforce dynamics and operating environments. In this session, Erika Cospy Carr will discuss how Cultural Intelligence (CQ) functions as a business imperative, helping operators identify cultural blind spots, apply a repeatable decision-making framework and activate cultural intelligence within their teams.
Who: Erika Cospy Carr, Vice President at Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance (MFHA)
Where: Room S504, South Building, 5th Floor
When: Monday, May 18, 2026, 2:30 P.M.-3:15 P.M.
Keeping Customers Curious: Bold Flavors and the Quest for Quality
The secret to activating fearless culinary innovation is a foundation of discipline. In this session, attendees will hear how flavor-driven brands design structures and processes that support creativity and cultivate long-term customer loyalty.
Tamara Keefe will explain how experiences and brand partnerships can inspire unexpected innovation and differentiate offerings in a crowded marketplace—and how to strategically market, package and time launches so they resonate with customers and turn curiosity into sustained growth.
Who: Tamara Keefe, Founder and CEO, Clementine’s Ice Cream
Where: Room S504, South Building, 5th Floor
When: Monday, May 18, 2026, 3:30 P.M.-4:15 P.M.
Making Hospitality Hospitable (Again)
Do your frontline teams have the right tools to deliver consistently inclusive experiences? In this session, Audrey Benet examines real-world scenarios involving language, accessibility and identity, identifying common gaps that impact both guest and employee experiences.
She’ll uncover the tools and strategies needed to provide respectful, personalized hospitality while fostering a culture of belonging across diverse teams—resulting in stronger staff retention and engagement.
Who: Audrey Benet, Associate Professor, Valencia College
Where: Room S502, South Building, 5th Floor
When: Monday, May 18, 2026, 3:30 P.M.-4:15 P.M.
The Restaurant Loyalty Roadmap for Lasting Customer Growth
All too often, restaurant activations generate excitement at launch but quickly lose traction. This session teaches attendees how to segment audiences, tailor offers and messaging, and design a “whole product” experience that combines menus, operations and marketing to scale successful ideas into sustainable growth.
Attendees will also learn how to apply trust-building tools such as reviews, loyalty programs and guarantees to boost repeat-visit rates and lifetime value.
Who: Andrew Gottlieb, CEO and Founder, No Typical Moments
Where: Room S404, South Building, 4th Floor
When: Monday, May 18, 2026, 3:30 P.M.-4:15 P.M.
Tuesday, May 19
Personalization Strategies for Exceptional Guest Experiences
Personalization and customizable experiences are more in demand than ever. This session highlights seasoned hotel and hospitality professionals, exploring how they approach experiential, tailored customer journeys.
Attendees will gain actionable insights into the art of personalization to better meet the evolving needs of today’s consumers.
Who: Michael Jacobson, President & CEO, Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association; Nick Johnson, Senior Vice President of Full Service and Lifestyle Hotels at First Hospitality; Cannon Porter, Partner, Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants; Michael Wilson, Director of Sales and Marketing, Hotel Zachary
Where: Discovery Theater, South Hall, 2693
When: Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 10 A.M.-10:45 A.M.
Mochi Innovation: Driving Business Success with Craveable Textures and Globally Inspired Comfort Foods
Sponsored by Mochi Foods and SpotOn, this session explores culinary’s next big trend: texture. Mochi-based methods can be applied to sweet and savory menu items, boosting differentiation, social media visibility and repeat purchases.
Attendees will learn how to infuse texture into their existing menus, streamline kitchen execution and increase perceived value without adding complexity to prep time or labor.
Who: Albert Lee, COO, Mochi Foods; Isabella Lee, Global Culinary Applications Manager, Texture Innovation, Mochi Foods; Pei Wu, Founder and CEO, Mochi Foods; Kevin Yu, Chef and Owner, 2D Restaurant
Where: Innovation Theater, North Hall, 5577
When: Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 11:30 A.M.-12:00 P.M.
Fluid Motion: Smarter Bar Techniques and Design to Improve Efficiency and Execution
It’s time to get behind the bar. This mixology demonstration and educational session will teach attendees proper shaking techniques, tool usage and movement strategies that streamline cocktail preparation and enhance quality.
Graham Essex will explain how thoughtful bar design and setup can improve bartenders’ physical well-being while boosting operational efficiency—ultimately increasing revenue and elevating the guest experience.
Who: Graham Essex, Award-winning Bartender and Mixologist, Gibson’s Italia
Where: The Beverage Room Stage, 13955
When: Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 12:00 P.M.-12:30 P.M.
Culinary Demonstrations
Are you ready to witness culinary excellence live on stage? This year’s National Restaurant Association Show hosts food and beverage demos by restaurant masters at the top of their game. Be sure to stop by The Culinary Experience, Lakeside, 12448.
Saturday, May 16, 2026
Leah Cohen
Chef, Television Personality, Owner, Pig & Khao
When: 3:15 P.M.-4:00 P.M.
Sponsored by: CJ Schwan’s
Sunday, May 17, 2026
Chris Cosentino
Chef, Author, Cyclist, Philanthropist
When: 10:00 A.M.-10:45 P.M.
Sponsored by: Waring and CJ Schwan’s
Monday, May 18, 2026
Sarah Grueneberg
Chef, Television Personality, Author, Partner Monteverde Restaurant, Pastificio
When: 3:30 P.M.-4:15 P.M.
Sponsored by: The European Union and CJ Schwan’s
