At the end of May, we attended the National Restaurant Association Show along with thousands of other innovators and leaders in the food service industry. The 4-day event was packed with exciting developments: flying ice cream, discussions about tech and food service, the rise of alcohol-free cocktails and creative meat substitutions, the importance of women leaders in the industry, and robot food delivery.
Couldn’t make it to the Show? We have you covered. We’ve rounded up some of the most unforgettable developments from last month’s NRA Show, just for you. And even if you did attend, maybe you missed some of these exhibitors or speakers.
Let’s dive into the best parts of the NRA Show!
10 Takeaways from the National Restaurant Association Show
Looking for a quick and dirty recap of the NRA Show? Restaurant Business sums up the event in 10 simple takeaways. From the push toward plant-based diets to the ubiquitousness of QR codes, these are the biggest themes of this year’s show and the future of the industry.
4 Important Takeaways from “Restaurants in the Hot Seat”
“Restaurants in the Hot Seat” brought together Technomic expert Joe Pawlak and leaders from Papa Murphy’s International, P.F. Chang’s, and Jollibee Foods Corporation to debate subjects like ghost kitchens, labor challenges, supply chain issues, and tech in the food service industry. Get the biggest takeaways from their discussions below.
6 Marketing Innovations That Caused a Buzz at the NRA Show
While most of the focus at the NRA Show was on the food and beverage developments, there were innovations in all aspects of the food service industry. Nation’s Restaurant News compiled 6 of their favorite ways exhibitors got creative with marketing, including flying ice cream from a TikTok star, free tattoos, and a robot that delivers food from the kitchen to tables.
What Restaurants Can Learn From Reddit, Sneaker Culture, and FOMO
Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit, gave a keynote speech on the first day of the convention. He talked about some of the latest innovations in tech, like NFTs and the metaverse, and what they mean for the future of dining. According to Ohanian, when consumers dine out, they crave an experience, not just good food.
Top Food and Drink Finds at the National Restaurant Association Show
Restaurant Business staff sampled their way through the NRA Show, and they’ve made a list of their top food and drink picks. Their faves include alcohol-free cocktails and mixers, a sunny-side-up egg made entirely of plants, twists on classic boba, and more. Keep reading to learn about the mouth-watering creativity that was on display.
Lessons Learned from “Let’s Talk Womxn Entrepreneurs”
The Let’s Talk Womxn movement hosted a panel of 5 women entrepreneurs who spoke about their experiences as business owners and leaders in the industry. They discussed the importance of women supporting each other, but they don’t want the story to end there. Read the article below to learn more about the difficult journey to gender parity.
20 Kitchen Innovation Award Winners That Impressed
The Kitchen Innovation (KI) Awards highlight some of the most creative and efficient kitchen equipment on the market, and the winners were on full display at the NRA Show. Favorites include the Hoshizaki Refrigerated Pizza Prep Table, an intuitive 30-pound fryer by Frymaster, and a fully-automatic espresso machine with an autoclean feature by WMF Americas.
