The National Restaurant Association Show is held in May every year. In 2023 it’s taking place at McCormick Place® in Chicago, IL over May 20 to 23. This is one of the country’s premier restaurant and food-focused events, where new ideas, technologies, and products are launched every year.
Why Exhibit at the National Restaurant Association Show?
This culinary showcase is the place to go to find out what’s new and trending in the restaurant industry. Attendees flock to the show to learn about everything from new innovations in the food and beverage world to supplies and equipment to new industry technology.
In 2019 the show celebrated its 100th year, and while it’s now a century old, it shows no signs of slowing down. After taking a break in 2020 and 2021, the show returned in 2022 and is better than ever!
This huge event continues to grow, with new exhibit halls and showcases added almost every year. Both the National Restaurant Association Show and the industries it supports are busy growing. That means it’s a great place for exhibitors to kickstart a new phase of growth for themselves. Whether you want to boost your industry sales, launch a new product, or just raise your brand’s industry profile, this event is a great place to achieve your goals.
Speakers and Sessions: The Lineup for 2023 Will Attract Big Attendance Numbers
The 2023 lineup is packed with fascinating exhibits, informative education sessions, and great speakers. It includes:
- An innovation hub and tech pavilion, showcasing new industry technology and ideas
- Startup Alley, an exhibition hall dedicated to startups and emerging companies
- The world culinary showcase, featuring culinary and mixology demos by notable celebrity chefs
- Dozens of education sessions, including workshops and live demonstrations – Topics cover the entire industry, ranging from business operations to employee wellness to food safety and more.
- Awards showcases – Food and Beverage (FABI) Awards and Kitchen Innovation Awards
- And much more! Check out the National Restaurant Association Show event website to learn more about event content for 2023.
The Show To Go Offers a Digital Event Experience Year-Round
Alongside the annual National Restaurant Association Show, a new digital marketplace now offers event content and other key elements all year round.
The Show To Go is a website and app that helps people make industry connections. It includes a digital marketplace of event exhibitors, an education program with free online sessions, and a range of other resources.
This resource makes exhibiting at the National Restaurant Association Show potentially even more valuable. As an exhibitor, you’ll be included in the digital marketplace, meaning potential buyers can use the marketplace to connect with you even after the event is over.
Who Attends the NRA Show?
The trade show is open to professionals in the food service, hospitality, and restaurant industries. A very wide range of people show up at this event, including:
- Representatives from 90+ of the top 100 restaurant brands
- Management and executive-level reps from top restaurant, hospitality, and food service brands
- Restaurant owners and operators, including franchise owners
- Retail food service professionals
- Equipment dealers
- Food distributors
- Employees with a variety of job descriptions, including QA, purchasing, operations, IT, and franchise development
Every National Restaurant Association event is attended by people from all over the world: from all 50 states and more than 100 countries.
Exhibiting at this event lets you connect with people from everywhere in the foodservice and restaurant industry, including some of its biggest and best-known brands:
- Commercial, 67%: Including McDonald’s®, Starbucks, Chipotle Mexican Grill, and others
- Non-commercial, 16%: Including Aramark, Kaiser Permanente®, the U.S. Air Force, and others
- Dealers, distributers, and channel partners, 10%: Including Boelter®, Performance Food Group, and others
- Lodging, 4%: Including Best Western Hotels & Resorts®, Hilton®, and others
- Retail, 3%: Including Costco Wholesale®, Trade Joe’s, Walmart, and others
How to Focus Your Exhibit Design
In a highly crowded industry—and exhibition hall—it’s hard to stand out and make your mark. A great booth is capable of capturing the attention of passersby, but when the room is so busy, how does it do that?
Engaging visuals with bold lighting and graphical displays certainly help. But you also have to highlight why—out of the thousands of exhibits at the show—yours is worth paying attention to. What sets you apart from the competition?
Play Up Your Unique Selling Point
At a show this large, well-established, and prestigious, there are plenty of big-name exhibitors—with big budgets to match. If you’re exhibiting as a smaller startup or business at the NRA Show, it’s hard to compete with that.
Rather than worry about what the big brands are doing, focus on what makes yours special. Every business has a unique selling point. Figure out what yours is, and then make sure it shines through in your exhibit, your product demonstrations, your booth staff, and everything else you do at the show.
Develop a Great Product Demonstration
In a hands-on industry, attendees want to see how they can use the products you’re offering. Give them what they want by creating a product demonstration that really showcases your products. And make sure your demo speaks to who your audience is at this specific show. Figure out what they want, then craft a demo that shows how your products deliver.
An engaging and interesting demo helps in another way too: It pulls in foot traffic. If your booth looks interesting to outsiders, they’ll want to get in on the action.
Engage the Senses
Don’t forget that food is tactile and that it’s most enjoyable when it engages the senses! Your trade show exhibit should reflect that. Even if your products or services are something other than food itself, think up some ways to add sensory experiences to your booth. They make your display more interesting and help you showcase what makes your products unique and desirable.
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Opportunities for Startups and New Businesses
If your business has been in operation for three years or fewer and hasn’t exhibited at this event before, consider applying to exhibit in Startup Alley. If you qualify to exhibit in this pavilion, it can be an effective way to promote your growing business. Startups that are chosen to exhibit here get increased exposure at the event and pay a reduced exhibitor fee. It’s an excellent opportunity for new businesses in the foodservice industry and definitely worth pursuing. Learn more about how to apply for Startup Alley here.
Don’t Miss This Delicious Opportunity!
A huge show like NRA represents a major opportunity to get your products before a whole new set of potential clients and customers. If the hospitality, food service, or restaurant businesses are among your client base, this is a trade show that’s not to be missed.
If you decide to exhibit at the National Restaurant Association Show, consider working with an exhibit company that has extensive experience. When you attend a show this big, your exhibit needs to be capable of commanding attention—choose professionals who can help you make it all work!