Road to the 2027 Restaurant Show

One day. Practical solutions. A stronger workforce.

Workforce Strategies That Work — Coming to Three Cities This December, Schaumburg, IL • Cherry Hill, NJ • North Houston, TX.

The National Restaurant Association Show is hitting the road this December with a new one-day education experience bringing timely, actionable learning directly to restaurant and foodservice leaders in three cities.

Road to the 2027 Restaurant Show kicks off with one of the industry’s biggest operational challenges: workforce management.

Workforce Management Workshop: Strategies for Operational Excellence

Spend the day alongside industry experts and fellow operators exploring practical strategies to help you build a more efficient, productive and sustainable workforce.

You’ll dive into:

Workforce Planning & Labor Analytics — Use data to better anticipate staffing needs and make more informed labor decisions.
Scheduling Optimization & Cost Control — Balance labor costs, effective staffing and a great guest experience.
Compliance & Risk Management — Stay ahead of evolving workforce requirements and reduce operational risk.
Technology & Systems Integration — Explore how workforce technology and connected systems can simplify operations and improve decision-making.

Less Theory. More “What Can I Use Tomorrow?”
This isn’t about sitting through a day of presentations. It’s about tackling the workforce challenges operators are facing right now.

Through expert insights, practical discussions and real-world applications, you’ll leave with new approaches you can take back to your operation and put into action.

What You’ll Take Back to Your Business

Strategies for managing and optimizing labor costs
New approaches to workforce planning and scheduling
Insights on maintaining service quality while improving efficiency
A better understanding of workforce technology and data
Practical ideas you can apply immediately

Who Should Attend?

Operators

An individual who works for, manages, or owns a restaurant, non-commercial foodservice operation, or lodging establishment and is responsible for workforce planning, scheduling, or labor cost management in foodservice operations. 

Retailers

An individual who works for, manages, or owns a convenience store, specialty grocery, supermarket, or wholesaler/club store and is responsible for workforce planning, scheduling, or labor cost management in foodservice operations. 

Roles

Corporate/Executive Management 
FOH Management 
Front Desk Management 
Catering Management 
Operations  
Culinary/Chef 
Beverage Management 
Sales/Marketing 
Training/HR 
Franchisor/Franchisee

Agenda Roadmap

9:30 am – 10:00 am: Workshop Check-In / Badge Pick-Up

10:00 am – 10:05 am: Welcome Remarks

10:05 am – 11:00 am: State of the Restaurant Workforce; Presented by the National Restaurant Association and State Restaurant Association Leaders

11:00 am – 11:10 am: Refreshment/Networking Break

11:10 am – 12:00 pm: Strategic Workforce Planning

12:00 pm – 12:55 pm: Lunch

1:00 pm – 2:10 pm: Content and Working Time

2:10 pm – 2:20 pm: Refreshment/Networking Break

2:20 pm – 3:30 pm: Content and Working Time

3:30 pm – 4:30 pm: Networking Time

More details coming soon. Times subject to change.

Sponsorships

If you are a distributor or supplier interested in attending, sponsorship is required. Please contact us at restaurantshowsales@informa.com to explore sponsorship opportunities. You can also review the 2027 Contracted Exhibitor and Exhibitor Prospect decks to discover the available options.

Three Cities. One Critical Business Challenge.

Join us for a day in December 2026:

Schaumburg, IL

December 1
Visit our FAQ page to learn more about the Schaumburg workshop speakers, details on what to expect, logistics, and how this event can benefit your business.

Learn More

Cherry Hill, NJ

December 3
Visit our FAQ page to learn more about the Cherry Hill workshop speakers, details on what to expect, logistics, and how this event can benefit your business.

Learn More

North Houston, TX

December 10
Visit our FAQ page to learn more about the North Houston workshop speakers, details on what to expect, logistics, and how this event can benefit your business.

Learn More

Your Road to the 2027 Restaurant Show Starts Here.

One day. One critical business challenge. Ideas you can put to work immediately.

Registration: $199

Each event registration is open only to restaurant/foodservice operators and retailers. Distributors and supplier companies must sponsor the event in order to attend.