2026 Call For Proposals

Target Audience
Foodservice and hospitality operators from across the industry spectrum, including but not limited to commercial independents and commercial chains, non-commercial foodservice, retail foodservice and lodging. More than 60% of operator attendees represent commercial restaurants.

The Show’s education program provides insightful and engaging programming that offers timely content on key topics relevant to foodservice operators and the industry.

Session Types and Locations

• The majority of our operator-led education sessions will be part of our Expo + Education program. These sessions are 45 minutes and will be hosted in closed session rooms off the Show floor to allow for focused learning experiences. Expo + Education sessions may be presentations led by 1-4 speakers, panel discussions with up to 4 speakers, or other session formats approved by the Show’s Programming Team.
• Adult beverage demos and sessions will be 30-45 minutes and hosted on The Beverage Room Stage, located directly on the tradeshow floor.

Session Formats

• We welcome creative and experiential content delivery methods. Audience engagement activities are strongly encouraged.
• Sessions can be presentations led by 1-3 speakers, panel discussions with up to 4 speakers, or other session formats approved by the Show’s Programming Team. Please note that we favor presentations over panel discussions.
• All sessions must provide timely, practical and actionable takeaways.

• Foodservice and hospitality operators that are subject matter experts and have direct experience in the proposed topic area.
• Subject matter experts from foodservice and hospitality service or membership organizations, educational institutions, or media and insights firms.

Note for Suppliers: We do not accept proposals from suppliers or any employee or representative of a supplier through the Call for Proposals. In order to participate in the Show’s program, suppliers must exhibit at the 2026 Show and sponsor the session. Please contact restaurantshowsales@informa.com for more information about exhibiting and sponsorship opportunities.

As a subject matter expert, you are joining us in our mission to deliver impactful in-person education that will advance the industry. Your expertise and perspective may help your peers answer their biggest questions, build their business and strengthen our community.

Speaker benefits include:

• Complimentary registration to the 2026 Restaurant Show, with access to all Expo + Education sessions, on-floor programming, featured sessions, and the Show Expo – a value of up to $500+ (excludes evening events and ancillary events).
• Inclusion in marketing promotions, via the Show’s various marketing platforms, that highlight you, your company or your session, viewable by thousands of foodservice professionals.
• Opportunity to contribute to the advancement of the industry and your profession.
• Opportunity to network with peers and industry professionals at the event.
• Platform to demonstrate your expertise, often leading to business and career development.

Speaker Expense Reimbursement
The National Restaurant Association Show does not pay speaker fees or reimburse for travel expenses. Most speakers and their companies recognize the importance of being part the Show’s educational program and embrace the spirit of giving back to the industry by funding their own travel and lodging.

The Show provides speakers the opportunity to demonstrate their expertise, knowledge and thought leadership, as well as to network with industry professionals for business development purposes.

Tracks and topic priorities for the 2026 Show will be posted here by August 11. We are seeking proposals that are tailored to one of the topic priorities, however we will consider other topics that are highly relevant and meet our selection criteria.

The Show will select session proposals based on a variety of quality factors, including but not limited to:

• Proposal is in alignment with the 2026 Show’s topic priorities or is highly relevant and unique.
• Content is relevant to today’s foodservice industry and the Show’s target audience.
• Content has not been presented widely elsewhere or is new or unique to the Show’s target audience.
• Content provides timely, practical and actionable takeaways.
• Content delivery method is appropriate for and impactful in an in-person learning environment.
• Content is devoid of overt and covert commercialism.
• Proposal incorporates audience engagement and/or experiential elements.
• Speaker has public speaking experience or demonstrates ability to present professionally in an educational setting.
• Speaker is knowledgeable, engaging and has direct experience with the proposed topic.
• Proposal is well-written and meets overall submission guidelines.

Please review the Submission Guidelines before starting a proposal. For a complete checklist of information collected in the proposal form, please see Appendix B of the Submission Guidelines.

1. A complete proposal!
   This includes session title, description, learning objectives, supporting materials, and all speaker information. We will not consider incomplete submissions.
2. A clear focus
   Proposals should be specific and the session title and description must clearly illustrate the impact of the content and relevance to foodservice operators. The more specific a proposal, the better.
3. Actionable takeaways
   Attendees want to know what skills, resources and information they’ll be able to bring back to their jobs or businesses, so be sure to define clear and practical session takeaways in your description and/or learning objectives.
4. An attention-grabbing title
   Your title is going to be fighting for attention with dozens of other titles, so be creative but make sure it is also direct and explanatory. Consider a shorter session title (no more than 10 words) so it’s quick and catchy.
5. Speaker expertise
   Speakers are just as important as the content! It is critical you include all speaker details in your proposal (name, title, company, contact information, headshot and biography), as the proposed speaker(s) factor into the review process. Make sure to confirm with the speaker(s) their availability to present during the 2026 Show prior to submitting the proposal.
6. Diverse perspectives
   The Show is committed to representing the diverse makeup of the foodservice industry in our education program. If you’re submitting a proposal that includes multiple speakers, we encourage you to have a diverse lineup of speakers in gender, ethnicity, location, expertise, lived experience, and more.
7. Audience engagement
   Identify ways to engage your audience to maximize the impact of your proposed session (i.e. polling and quizzes, scenario-based exercises, attendee discussions, group work, etc.)
8. Don't make it an advertisement
   In your description, focus on the why and the how rather than the who and the what. The National Restaurant Association Show has a strict non-commercial policy for its operator-led education, and proposals that are advertisements for yourself or your company will not be well-received. However, if you’re a supplier that wants to speak specifically to your products/services, contact restaurantshowsales@informa.com for the appropriate sponsorship opportunities to do so.
9. Proof your work
   Grammar and spelling impact scoring, so proofread your proposal thoroughly before submitting. We encourage you to prepare your proposal before starting the application process because changes cannot be made once you submit. See page 15 of the Submission Guidelines for a complete Session Proposal Checklist.
10. Submit on time
    Meet the final proposal deadline: Friday, September 19, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. CST.