National Restaurant Association Show Posts Year-Over-Year Attendance Growth, with Gains Across Every Industry Segment

CHICAGO (May 21, 2026) — More than 55,000 foodservice professionals, from 112 countries, gathered at McCormick Place from May 16-19 for the 2026 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show®, with overall attendance climbing nearly 4% over 2025 and growing across every segment. From first-time attendees discovering the floor to veteran operators evaluating the latest equipment, technology and menu solutions, the Show drew its broadest and most diverse audience in recent years. Approximately 2,300 exhibitors represented across 720,000 square feet of exhibit space, showcasing the latest in food, beverage, equipment and technology from 900+ product categories.

“Seeing this level of participation across every segment of the industry at the National Restaurant Association Show, including so many first-time attendees and the next generation of leaders, tells you something important about where foodservice is placing its trust,” said Tom Cindric, president of exhibitions for Informa Connect Foodservice Group. “The conversations on the Show floor this year were serious and specific given the enhanced challenges the industry is facing. Operators weren't browsing; they came with real business challenges and evaluated solutions in real time. That is exactly what this Show is built for.”

2026 Show at a Glance

• More than 55,000 foodservice professionals attended, and more than 15,000 organizations were represented
• Restaurant/Foodservice operator attendees increased by 10% over 2025
• First-timer attendance was up 8% over 2025
• Gen Z attendance rose 23% year over year, reflecting the next generation of industry leadership arriving at the Show in force
• Every attendee segment grew, including Restaurant/Foodservice, Dealer/Distributor, Lodging, Retail and Affiliated
• International attendance across key markets delivered double-digit percentage growth, including Brazil, Canada and Mexico
• Approximately 2,300 exhibiting companies from 44 countries brought products, equipment and technology spanning more than 900 product categories
• 70% of exhibitors returned from prior years, reflecting continued confidence in the Show as a business platform
• 720,000 square feet of exhibit space, equal to more than 12 football fields, with 880+ companies exporting products

A Show Floor Centered on Real Business Solutions
From AI-assisted cooking equipment to guest-facing ordering technology and front-of-house solutions, the Show floor reflected an industry that has moved past debating its challenges and shifted into solving them. Exhibitors demonstrated systems for tracking costs and financial performance in real time, forecasting customer traffic, reducing repetitive labor demands and improving the guest experience from the moment of entry through payment. Decision-makers and buyers from across the industry evaluated solutions side by side, with senior leaders from operations, procurement and culinary teams engaging directly with exhibitors on the floor.

The Show floor also reflected how operators are thinking about the guest relationship differently. With 37% of American diners eating out less frequently than a year ago, restaurants are competing not just with each other, but with grocery, convenience and every other option absorbing discretionary food spending. Products and systems across the Show floor addressed that reality directly, designed to improve value perception, increase repeat visits and give operators better visibility into what is and is not working across their menus and service models.

A Taste of the States pavilion gave attendees direct access to regional American ingredients and specialty products, while the Global Food Expo, the Organic and Natural Pavilion and the Italian Pavilion of Wine, Spirits and Olive Oils brought international sourcing opportunities under one roof. Premium beverage concepts and globally influenced menu items drew consistent crowds as operators looked for ways to differentiate without adding operational complexity.

“The Show is incredible,” said Jonathan Bass, executive vice president of marketing and communications at Bellwether Coffee. “It brings together a lot of different organizations of all types and sizes across the foodservice industry. It's the largest event of its kind and a really great opportunity for us to meet folks that haven't heard about our technology.”

“As a first-time exhibitor, the experience has been incredible,” said Candace Wu, co-founder at Wonder Monday. “We have a predominantly online and retail business, and so this is our first time breaking into foodservice. If you are a brand that's looking to break into the industry, I definitely recommend this Show.”

Global Reach: Attendees and Exhibitors from Around the World
The Show’s ongoing global reach and influence across the foodservice industry continued this year with attendees representing 112 countries and verified international attendance increasing by 4% over 2025. Attendees covered six continents and the countries with the highest volume of participants included Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Colombia, Panama, Taiwan, China, Japan, Honduras, and the United Kingdom.

The Show floor reflected this momentum, featuring 580 international exhibiting companies from 44 countries and more than 880 exhibitors actively exporting products and solutions worldwide. Attendees explored a dynamic mix of global flavors, innovations and business opportunities designed to support international growth and cross-border collaboration. Specialty Show floor pavilions showcased authentic ingredients and provided attendees with a broader view of emerging foodservice trends worldwide.

Kitchen Innovations Awards: Smarter Equipment for a More Efficient Kitchen
The Kitchen Innovations (KI) Awards, now in their 22nd year, recognized 20 equipment solutions evaluated by an independent panel of foodservice and design experts. This year's recipients reflected sustained operator pressure around automation, energy efficiency and back-of-house visibility, with winning equipment centered on systems that reduce repetitive labor demands, improve resource efficiency and give operators greater control over kitchen performance.

“We wanted to bring AI into the actual kitchen, not to replace chefs, but to help chefs in their daily lives so they don't have to spend time on the monotonous work,” said Jai Huang, head of marketing and growth at Next Robot Inc. and a KI Award recipient. “It frees them up to be more creative.”

FABI Awards: Products Reflecting How Consumer Expectations Are Shifting
In its 15th year, the Food and Beverage (FABI) Awards recognized 28 products across food and beverage categories, with 10 earning additional distinction as FABI Favorites. The program reflected appetite for products that address value perception, menu differentiation and beverage-driven revenue. This year's honorees spanned globally influenced ingredients, functional and nonalcoholic beverages, and menu items built around texture and sensory appeal, including a crispy phyllo dessert filled with pistachio cream and chocolate that speaks directly to growing consumer demand for globally inspired, texture-driven experiences.

“The FABI Awards are a huge honor,” said Robin Rosenberg, vice president and chef de cuisine at Levy and a FABI judge. “There's no other avenue for this type of entrepreneur in the food industry. They are taking the industry to the next level.”

Culinary and Beverage Programming: Celebrated Chefs and Mixologists on Technique, Flavor and Profitable Menus
Live culinary demonstrations at The Culinary Experience featured James Beard Award recipients and Michelin-starred chefs, giving attendees direct access to technique, ingredient sourcing and menu development insights. At The Beverage Room Stage, mixologists and beverage experts led sessions on building profitable drink programs, covering functional beverages, non-alcohol options and strategies for increasing beverage attachment rates. Both programs reflected the Show's broader emphasis on applicable content operators could bring directly back to their kitchens and menus.

Education and Featured Sessions: Industry Leaders Weigh In on Today's Pressures
Keynote ‘26, presented by FinTitan, featured a dynamic conversation between award-winning tennis player and entrepreneur Andre Agassi and National Restaurant Association President and CEO, Michelle Korsmo, with remarks drawing on themes of performance, resilience and leadership. The featured session with Technomic, “Get It While It's Hot: Driving Demand with LTOs,” brought together Debbie Stroud of Whataburger, Jennifer Bell of Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants and Michelle Chin of Applebee's to examine limited-time offer strategies and unique experiences as tools for driving traffic in a value-focused environment.

For the third consecutive year, the Expo + Education badge upgrade offered attendees access to 30 operator-led sessions, exclusive networking, and post-Show on-demand content. Tracks covered culinary insights, operations solutions, technology and marketing strategies, workforce management, and adult beverage trends.

“I always come and see the education sessions because they bring us deeper perspectives,” said Simone Galante, founder and CEO at Galunion, attending from Sao Paulo, Brazil. “I've been to one sharing a playbook of AI for independent restaurants. Things that are not only trends perspective, but something practical that you can bring home.”

Networking and New Features: Connecting a Broader, Younger Industry
The Show floor experience extended well beyond exhibits and education, with networking events and new activations giving attendees additional ways to connect, discover and engage throughout the four days.

• The Young Professionals Networking Event on Sunday drew next-generation industry leaders
• The podcast lounge, presented by Campbell's, gave attendees a chance to listen in as leading industry voices recorded live sessions on the Show floor throughout the week
• The Match Point Market, new this year in the North Hall, combined a pickleball activation with the official Show Store offering attendees branded apparel and giftable items for purchase
• The Official Restaurant Show After Party, presented by Shift4, brought attendees together at Chicago's House of Blues
• NEST Conference convening leaders shaping restaurant operations and technology at Venue SIX10
• MenuMasters Awards honoring culinary innovation across the restaurant industry at Morgan MFG

The National Restaurant Association Show returns to McCormick Place, May 22–25, 2027. For more information, visit www.nationalrestaurantshow.com.

About The National Restaurant Association Show

Awarded by Trade Show Executive as the 2024 Gold 100 Grand winner of the largest trade show managed by an independent organizer, the National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show® is the Western Hemisphere's most influential foodservice event showcasing industry innovations and trends. Each year (starting in 1919), the Show brings together restaurant operators and foodservice professionals for four days of celebrity-led demos, exhibits, sampling, education, and networking. The Show unites a global community and enables exploration of the latest advancements in food, beverage, equipment, technology, and solutions driving the industry forward. The Show is owned and operated by Informa in partnership with the National Restaurant Association. Visit www.nationalrestaurantshow.com for more information.

About Informa

Informa is a leading international B2B live events, B2B digital services and academic markets group. We champion specialists, connecting businesses and professionals with knowledge that helps them learn more, know more and do more. Informa works in over 30 countries worldwide.

Informa Connect is a content-led, live and on-demand experiences business which connects professionals with knowledge, ideas and opportunities. Informa Connect, a community of over 2,000 colleagues globally, offers connection through events, media and research. They service a number of different industries including Foodservice, Technology, Finance, Life Sciences, Aesthetic Medicine, Pop Culture, Real Estate, and Construction. Visit www.informaconnect.com for more information.