After a pandemic-created pause, the Restaurant Leadership Conference—one of the industry’s most-anticipated networking events—returns in less than a month, featuring more than 100 speakers and dozens of educational sessions.
The conference, presented by Restaurant Business’ parent company Winsight, runs Dec. 6-9 in Phoenix. It was last held in April 2019.
“We’re so excited to be bringing RLC back,” said Chris Keating, Winsight’s EVP-Conferences. “We miss old friends, of course, and it will be great to get together. But we also have so many challenges and opportunities in the industry right now, from supply chain to labor to tech and everything in between, and we will be discussing all of this at RLC.”
Among the event’s highlights:
- Presentation of the 2021 Restaurant Leader of the Year Award to José Cil, CEO of Restaurant Brands International, owner of Popeyes and Tim Hortons. Cil guided Tim Hortons’ improvement while also igniting the chicken sandwich wars with Popeyes’ successful introduction.
- An all-star panel discussing the virtual kitchen future of restaurants. Speakers include Wow Bao President and CEO Geoff Alexander, Virtual Dining Concepts co-founder Robert Earl, and Starbird Chicken CEO Aaron Noveshen, led by RB Senior Editor Joe Guszkowski.
- An evening with Shaquille O’Neal. The NBA Hall of Famer, who is well connected with the restaurant industry, will share his story and the lessons he has learned. Shaq is a Papa John’s board member and recently launched a fast-casual chicken concept called Big Chicken. He also has franchisee relationships with Five Guys, Auntie Anne’s and Krispy Kreme.
- A wide range of small-group sessions on topics ranging from multi-channel operations to reinvigorating dine-in service to how AI technology will change restaurants.
All attendees must either be vaccinated or present proof of a recent negative COVID test.
RLC will be held at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa. Click here for registration information.
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