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To help you decide which upcoming events are the right fit for you, we’ve compiled a list of this year’s top restaurant conferences, trade shows, and conventions in North America.

In order to remain competitive and successful in the foodservice industry, you need to stay on top of the latest technology, trends, and tricks of the trade. This will help you to optimize your operations, improve customer retention, and grow your business.

Attending restaurant trade shows and restaurant conventions are great ways to connect with industry experts so you can keep your restaurant ahead of the competition.

1. Restaurants Canada Show

Who it’s for: Professionals in the hospitality and foodservice industry

What to expect: The Restaurants Canada Show (formerly the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association), is Canada’s largest food and beverage event. The RC event showcases new products and technology, techniques, speakers, and the latest trends impacting the foodservice industry.

This year’s features include:

• Pop up Resto & Bar
• Bellavita Expo
• Startup Lane
• Food Truck’n Experience

2. Coffee Fest

Who it’s for: Professionals in the coffee and tea industry, including coffee shop owners, roasters, baristas, coffee and tea retailers, coffee and tea importers and growers, retail bakeries, and more

What to expect: Coffee Fest is a restaurant convention where professionals in the coffee and tea beverage industry can learn new skills, get insights on upcoming trends, discover the latest products, and build connections with suppliers and other partners.

This year’s educational programming will include the topics:

• Business Operations
• Hot Trends
• Roasting
• Sales & Marketing
• Opening a Coffee Shop
• Training & HR

3. International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York

Who it’s for: Professionals in the hospitality and foodservice industry

What to expect: The International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York is the Northeast’s Largest Food and Beverage Experience. This restaurant conference features samples, culinary demonstrations, educational workshops, networking, and more.

Special events include:

• Specialty Pavilions
• Farm to City Expo
• Rapid Fire Challenge
• Product Showcase
• Hip Sip: Battle of the Modern Bartender

4. Multi-Unit Restaurant Technology Conference (MURTEC)

Who it’s for: Professionals in the hospitality and foodservice industry with an interest in restaurant technology

What to expect: This event brings together tech-savvy and growth-oriented restaurant companies, tech executives, and operators of franchises, full-service, fast-casual, and quick-service businesses. The Multi-Unit Restaurant Technology Conference helps restaurants find technology solutions to streamline back-of-house operations and deliver exceptional customer experiences.

This year’s event includes:

• Viral Customer Engagement
• Mapping Hot Tech in QSR & Fast Casual
• Mapping Hot Tech in Full-Service
• Build v. Buy: Executing a Tech Strategy from the Ground Up
• Restaurant Tech Workshops

5. Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit

Who it’s for: Restaurant owners, executives, and franchisees, and start-up franchisors

What to expect: The Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit is a restaurant conference that brings together forward-thinking brands that are ready to embrace new technologies, new menu items, new marketing tactics, and new training programs. Leading executives from franchises share their success stories and tactics to grow their franchises.

This year’s agenda includes:

• Defending Your Turf: How to Beat all the Non-Restaurant Competition Stealing Your Customers
• Taming the Beast: How to Make Third-Party Delivery Your Ally
• Using Technology to Acquire New Customers
• Appealing to Shifts in Consumer Behaviour: Rethinking Your Physical Layout

6. Nightclub & Bar Show

Who it’s for: Bar and nightclub managers and owners

What to expect: The Nightclub & Bar Show features over 100 events for bar owners and operators. Attendees can partake in conference sessions, workshops, mixology training, tastings, certifications, and networking opportunities with suppliers and vendors.

This year’s workshops include:

• Boost Your Tabs, Tips & Profits with the Seven Ways Successful Teams Sell
• Break the Marketing Machine
• Take Back Your Budget & Profitability: The Key to Controlling Food, Beverage & Labour Costs
• Menu Analysis & Design Strategies

7. Food Marketing Conference

Who it’s for: Restaurant owners and operators and restaurant marketers

What to expect: The Food Marketing Conference is a two-day event with presentations to help restaurateurs learn to market their businesses more effectively.

8. Northwest Food Show

Who it’s for: Professionals in the hospitality and foodservice industry

What to expect: The Northwest Food Show is a restaurant trade show where attendees can learn about operations, food cost, labour cost, available labour force, diversifying of food, and the importance of brand and marketing.

This year’s event features:

• Cooking Demonstrations
• Tasting Pavilion
• Expert Speakers and Consultations

9. National Restaurant Association Show

Who it’s for: Professionals in the hospitality and foodservice industry

What to expect: The National Restaurant Association Show offers workshops to keep your business up to date with the latest food and beverage trends, emerging technologies, and industry knowledge.

This year’s event includes:

• Deep dive workshops
• An expanded show floor
• New signature location
• New expanded learning areas

10. Western Foodservice and Hospitality Show

Who it’s for: Professionals in the hospitality and foodservice industry

What to expect: The Western Foodservice and Hospitality Show is the largest food and beverage experience on the west coast. Topics at this year’s event cover menu trends, design and decor, and business education.

Educational workshops include:

• Bar & Beverage
• Employees & Staffing
• Health & Diet
• Hot Topics & Industry Trends
• Marketing & Social Media
• Operational Excellence

11. Canadian Coffee & Tea Show

Who it’s for: Professionals in the coffee and tea industry, including coffee shop owners, roasters, baristas, coffee and tea retailers, coffee and tea importers and growers, retail bakeries, and more

What to expect: The Canadian Coffee & Tea Show is Canada’s #1 coffee and tea event and one of the largest restaurant conferences in Canada. Attendees can network with leading industry professionals, discover new products, and learn how to effectively reach their target market.