February 22, 2018

Billy Beane and Jon Taffer headline Restaurant Revenue Growth Conference

Taking on the challenges facing today’s restaurateurs in an all-new, inspiring format, the National Restaurant Association introduces its first-ever Restaurant Revenue Growth Conference. Top-level foodservice professionals will discover unique and inspiring ways to grow their businesses in the company of an elite group of senior executives at this two-day event from May 20-21, 2018. Conference participants will learn strategies for business success, discover tools and resources critical to revenue growth, and collaborate with peers and industry experts.

The conference tackles challenges common to senior-level executives of large chains, franchises, and large-volume independents, bringing them together to learn from one another as well as from expert speakers and facilitators. The two-day event’s unique mix of speakers, active participation, and group learning opportunities create engagement and foster collaborative problem-solving for restaurant industry leaders to work together, learn new skills and generate action plans to drive revenue and growth.

Expert-Led Sessions

The conference takes an innovative approach to learning, combining a variety of experiences including expert-led sessions that provide insights, resources and ideas to develop business strategies. Conference speakers Billy Beane and Jon Taffer, who have garnered awards and earned distinction, address their approaches to innovation and growth as inspirational business leaders:

Billy Beane: As Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations for the Oakland A’s, Beane’s “Moneyball” philosophy, named for the best-selling book and Oscar-nominated film, has been adopted by organizations of all sizes, across all industries, as a way to more effectively, efficiently and profitably manage their assets, talent and resources.

  • Jon Taffer: Recognized internationally as an award-winning restaurant business entrepreneur and concept developer, Taffer brings three decades of hands-on experience to his action-oriented management methodology.

Areas of Focus

The conference addresses topics critical to success in today’s economic climate: engaging new guests, increasing spend, and driving frequency. Participants immerse in hands-on learning working directly with expert speakers to turn concepts into business plans:

  • Engaging New Guests: Participants focused on engaging new guests learn about how tools like big data, attracting untapped audiences, and incorporating leading technologies can help foodservice professionals be smarter about targeting and acquiring new guests.
  • Increasing Spend: Once guests are seated, boosting spend is the most bankable path to increased revenue. Discover how digital dining, promotions and product placement can enhance the bottom line.
  • Driving Frequency: Guests who feel valued come back. And loyal regulars speed up business growth. Learn how loyalty programs, beverage programs and restaurant design can convert first-time diners into regulars.

Immersion Learning

This is a new way to experience and share ideas. Participants will have an opportunity to engage with topics in a more meaningful way. The innovative approach to learning includes facilitated brainstorming, deep dives, demos and on-floor tours. Combined with the expert-led sessions, the blended learning format fosters collaboration, giving each participant the opportunity to share best practices and seek solutions to their challenges.

The conference takes place at the Marriott Marquis Chicago, conveniently located adjacent to the NRA Show at Chicago’s McCormick Place, in which 66,000+ foodservice professionals from around the world come together to share innovation, insights and solutions for the future of food and beverage. This unique, forward-thinking experience for restaurant leaders is focused on tools and resources to deliver actionable strategies for exponential growth, while providing takeaways that are critical to business success.

Registration for the inaugural Restaurant Revenue Growth Conference includes an all-access pass to NRA Show, occurring May 19-22, 2018. More information on the conference is available here.

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Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises one million restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of more than 14 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocate on its behalf. We operate the industry's largest annual trade show (NRA Show May 19-22, 2018, in Chicago); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); and a unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF's ProStart). For more information, visit Restaurant.org and find us on Twitter @WeRRestaurants, Facebook and YouTube.