Blog, Eats, Food and Beverage

RIDEPLAY tv Blog Bites from the 2024 National Restaurant Association Show

BY William Andre Buchanan

May 23, 2024

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson attends the 2024 National Restaurant Association Show

The 2024 National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago was a vibrant hub of innovation, trends, and insights for the foodservice industry. Here’s a recap of the highlights:

Food Trends: The expo was a playground for culinary creativity, showcasing everything from delectable pastries to savory honey to Korean hot dogs. Attendees got a taste of emerging menu trends, signaling exciting times ahead for food lovers. The Show floor itself featured a significant presence of 621 international exhibitors and over 2200 exhibitors overall, showcasing a diverse range of products and innovations from 44 countries around the world. Decision-makers from leading restaurants and foodservice operations converged to discover the latest products, technologies, and solutions.

Labor and Efficiency: The show buzzed with conversations about labor efficiencies, especially in light of recent minimum wage increases. Operators were keen on tech solutions to streamline costs and enhance service, reflecting a shift towards more sustainable business models.

AI and Automation: AI and automation were the stars of the show floor, with a noticeable pivot from physical robots to ‘invisible tech’ solutions. These advancements promise to revolutionize how restaurants operate, from staffing to data management.

Sustainable Packaging: There was a significant presence of companies offering sustainable packaging solutions, indicating a strong industry move towards eco-friendly practices.

Expo + Education: A new addition to the Show this year was the Expo + Education program, which provided enhanced educational opportunities for the 2,700 Expo + Education badge holders. This program included over 40 sessions led by industry operators, focusing on critical business strategies, game-changing food and beverage innovations, and practical solutions for contemporary challenges.

Featured Speakers, Celebrated Chefs & Master Mixologists: My favorite part of the show was the celebrated chefs and master mixologists demonstrating their culinary and beverage expertise. Attendees witnessed live cooking demonstrations and engaging sessions with renowned culinary figures promoting innovation in food as well as the latest technology. These demos and sessions covered the latest cooking techniques, plating innovations, and creative ingredient use. Top mixologists and beverage experts shared their secrets to unique cocktails and beverages, highlighting trends like global flavors, low-alcohol and non-alcoholic drinks, and sustainable practices. These demos provided attendees with practical insights and inspiration to elevate their own beverage programs, emphasizing creativity, quality, and customer engagement in the foodservice industry.

Overall, the 2024 National Restaurant Association Show was an insightful event that not only highlighted the current state of the restaurant industry but also set the stage for its dynamic future. For those in the foodservice sector, it was an invaluable opportunity to network, learn, and taste the future of dining.

About The National Restaurant Association Show:

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 markets, live and on-demand events and digital services group. They connect businesses and professionals in 30+ industries with the knowledge they need to learn more, know more and do more. Informa has hundreds of global brands, products and services and employs 11,000 employees in ~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 1,000 colleagues globally, offers connection through events, media and research. They service a number of different industries including Foodservice, Finance, Bio Tech and Pharma, Pop Culture, Marketing, Law, Energy, HR, Sustainability, Construction. Visit www.informaconnect.com for more information.

About RIDEPLAY tv

RIDEPLAY tv has a unique connection with the foodservice industry. It serves as a media platform that offers entertainment to passengers in rideshare vehicles, and it has been involved in promoting foodservice events like the National Restaurant Association Show. By featuring content related to these events, RIDEPLAY tv helps to highlight new trends, innovations, and products within the foodservice sector to a broader audience.

RIDEPLAY tv has been entertaining passengers for four years and has earned rideshare drivers’ higher tips and ratings across the country while also supporting this gig economy through its rev share programs.

Learn how RIDEPLAY tv can help you expand and reach your audience. Simply complete the form on the right TODAY! Since coming into formation, RIDEPLAY tv has been a proud sponsor and media partner of some of these lavish events surrounding major publications & conventions. All vendors that participated are encouraged to take advantage of the exclusive airtime offer through the RIDEPLAY tv screen inventory. Please contact your event producers for details.

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