National Restaurant Show Sees Record 8-percent Uptick on Showfloor in Chicago
June 2, 2015
The 96th annual National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show and the collocated BAR (Beverage Alcohol for Restaurants) at NRA Show, held at Chicago’s McCormick Place on May 16-19, posted record exhibit space and a 3 percent uptick in registration in the key buyer category of restaurant and foodservice operators.
“Across all three halls and all four days of NRA Show and BAR, the optimism of the restaurant and hospitality industry could be felt around every corner,” said John Metz, Jr., 2015 NRA Convention Chair and Executive Chef, CEO and Co-founder of Marlow’s Tavern.
He added, “The energy and excitement of our industry coming together to shop, learn, connect and discover was palpable in every conversation, transaction and presentation that took place here.”
The showfloor spanned more than 637,000 square feet, which was more than 8 percent growth, compared with the previous NRA Show record of 629,878 that was set in 2000.
This year also was the first year that NRA Show exhibit space spanned across three buildings – McCormick Place’s North Building, South Building and Lakeside Center.
More than 63,000 total registrants came from all 50 states and 100-plus countries. The Restaurant and Foodservice Operator registration category saw the highest percentage of growth at 3 percent, followed by the Lodging category with an increase of 2 percent.
“I was blown away by the number of executives I saw right from the start of the Show,” said exhibitor Howard Bender, founder and owner of Schmaltz Deli. “Multi-unit executives, international multi-unit executives – many of whom visited us last year when we were a start-up – came back ready to buy.”
Registration for BAR increased by more than 9 percent, compared with 2014, bringing total registration to more than 5,000 for the first time since the collocated event’s inception.
This year’s event featured three Keynote Presentations by industry leaders.
• The NRA Show 2015 Keynote, State of the American Dream 2015: Empowerment featured a one-on-one talk with Arianna Huffington of the Huffington Post Media Group and Dawn Sweeney, president and chief executive officer of the National Restaurant Association. Sweeney and Huffington talked at length about what Huffington calls the “third metric for success”, which is taking time for oneself and not sacrificing health and wellness for money and power.
• The BAR15 Keynote by Sally Smith, CEO of Buffalo Wild Wings, presented the brand’s philosophy of proactive bar program investment and management that includes evolving in sync with consumer trends and customer behavior.
• The Restaurant Finance Summit 2015 Keynote by Russ Bendel, CEO of The Habit Burger Grill, provided a detailed look into the process of filing an IPO and the insights he gained and lessons he learned during one of the most successful restaurant IPOs in recent history.
Partner Voices
Overview:
The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality.
In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way.
“We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.”
Amenities:
The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.
The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience
The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need.
Gold Key Members
The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events.
OCCC Events:
This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.
The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:
AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023
200,000 Attendees
$257 Million in Economic Impact
MEGACON 2023
160,000 Attendees
$205 Million in Economic Impact
Open Championship Series 2023
69,500 Attendees
$89 Million in Economic Impact
Sunshine Classic 2023
42,000 Attendees
$54 Million in Economic Impact
Premiere Orlando 2023
42,000 Attendees
$108 Million in Economic Impact
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