The first-ever Restaurant Revenue Growth Conference, which will run on May 20 and 21 during the 2018 National Restaurant Association Show, is designed to kick-start operators’ strategic thinking through collaboration, insights from industry experts and disruptors, and networking. Tailored to focus on the challenges facing senior-level executives of large chains, franchises, and large-volume independents, the conference will feature legendary and innovative business thinkers who have changed the way business gets done.
A unique blend of expert speakers, active participation, and group learning opportunities are intended to drive attendee engagement and foster collaborative problem solving. Attendees will work together, acquire new skills, and generate action plans to drive their own organization’s revenue and growth.
Among the program highlights are presentations by three leading speakers, who will share their approaches to innovation and growth. Scott Svenson, CEO, MOD Pizza, co-founded Seattle Coffee Company with his wife Ally and then sold it to Starbucks, Then they changed the pizza segment when he opened the first fast-casual MOD Pizza in 2008. Billy Beane, executive vice president of baseball operations for and minority owner of the Oakland Athletics, originated the “Moneyball” strategy, which organizations of all sizes and across all industries have adopted as a way to more effectively, efficiently, and profitably manage assets, talent, and resources. Jon Taffer is an award-winning restaurant business entrepreneur and concept developer who brings three decades of experience to his action-oriented management methodology.
Conference sessions will explore topics ranging from how to monetize social media to service-sequence success. Topics will focus on three areas critical to success in today’s economic climate:
- Engaging New Guests—a focus on incorporating leading technologies to more effectively target and acquire untapped audiences. Sessions will consider mobile marketing strategies, marketing to millennials and Gen Z, monetizing social media, courting Hispanic diners, and big data.
- Increasing Spend—an exploration of ways to boost check averages, and discovering how digital dining, promotions, and product placement can enhance the bottom line. Among topics on the agenda: how to turn our servers into sales superstars, building profits through menu analysis and engineering, bringing your products to retail, successful catering strategies, and opportunity for breaking into the meal kit segment.
- Driving Frequency—making guests feel valued is a smart way to encourage repeat visits. These sessions will look at loyalty program best practices, capitalizing on kiosk and tabletop tablet ordering habits, creating a unique point of difference with a bar program, digital loyalty programs that drive repeat business, and store design that inspires guests to return.
The program also incorporates two networking lunches, a networking happy hour on Sunday, and breakfast roundtable discussions on Monday morning to keep the insights flowing.
The Restaurant Revenue Growth Conference runs all day Sunday and Monday at the Marriott Marquis Chicago, around the corner from McCormick Place. Registration for the conference is $899 and $799 for National Restaurant Association members. Conference attendees will have full access to the National Restaurant Association Show and previously registered Show attendees who attend the Restaurant Revenue Growth Conference will receive a credit toward the conference fee. For more information, visit Restaurant.org/GrowthConference.
Restaurant Revenue Growth Conference founding partners and presenting sponsors are The Coca-Cola Company, Ecolab, GP Pro, and Sysco. Additional support is provided by Cargill, ezCater, punchh, and P&G Professional.
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