General Session
Location: Grand Saguaro BallroomThis lively “musical chair” style session will drive tangible insights around key industry hot topics. A series of short format panel discussions will be fueled by questions to top restaurant leaders who will help address key industry challenges and provide thoughtful ideas for the best solutions.
4 fast-paced solution driven panel discussions focusing on different topics:
- Ground-Breaking Growth
- Meeting the Moment - Leading with Possibility
- Impactful Innovation
- Technology for the Future
EVP, Conferences
Informa Connect Foodservice
Vice President, Content
Informa Connect Foodservice
Head of Sales Away From Home Chain Restaurants
Kraft Heinz Away From Home
VP, Strategic Planning
McLane Company
972.364.2618
Senior Vice President, Chief Customer and Business Development Officer
PepsiCo Global Foodservice Division
Executive Vice President and President, Restaurants
NCR Voyix
This quick format panel discussion topic will highlight topics around Innovative Growth Strategies, Unconventional Expansion, Emerging Markets, Finance, Franchising, Brand Development and more. A look at chains new and old who are combatting various challenges to add new locations and cater to today's consumers.
Editor-in-Chief | Moderator
Restaurant Business
CEO
Bojangles
CEO & President
Dutch Bros Coffee
President, North America & International
Taco Bell
Hear from best-in-class leaders and how they turn challenges into opportunities to shape their organizations to focus on possibility and futureproofing.
Chief People Officer
CAVA
Chief Marketing Officer
Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers
Chief Experience Officer
Red Lobster
Executive Editor | Moderator
Nation's Restaurant News
Operators will highlight Menu Development, Culinary Trends, LTOs, Sustainability, Supply Chain, and more during this quick format panel discussion!
Senior Vice President, Culinary & Innovation
Subway
CEO
Krispy Krunchy Chicken
Chief Marketing Officer
BurgerFi
Senior Editor | Moderator
Restaurant Business, FoodService Director
A quick format discussion with top operators focusing on three pillars: Data Management, “Unified Commerce” for True Omnichannel, and Productivity.
Chief Information Officer
Shake Shack
Chief Executive Officer and President
CEC Entertainment
Chief Information Officer
Chicken Salad Chick
Senior Editor | Moderator
Restaurant Business
Innovation Forums (choose 1 of 9)
Led by the brightest professionals in foodservice, RLC's innovation forums are packed with hot topics and powerful messages designed to spark new ideas. Connect with the industry's game changers and gain valuable takeaways from the latest and greatest in foodservice innovation. There's something for everyone!
Sessions are not available for pre-registration - seating will be first come , first accommodated.
Join an interactive think tank with best-in-class executives for a deep dive on building brand culture and how today’s leaders turn challenges into opportunities. The group will discuss how to shape teams focused on possibility, continuing the topical conversation from the General Session. Led by Sarah Lockyer, President, Elliot Leadership Institute, PepsiCo Foodservice, and Informa Connect Editorial, you’ll walk away with essential strategies to future-proof your organization by intentionally leading with possibility.
President | Moderator
Elliot Leadership Institute
Chief Experience Officer
Red Lobster
Chief People Officer
CAVA
Chief Marketing Officer
Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers
During this interactive session, top operators, the McLane Company team, and the Informa Connect Editorial team will continue topical conversations from General Session with a deeper dive discussion around Innovative Growth Strategies, Unconventional Expansion, Emerging Markets, Finance, Franchising, Brand Development and more.
Editor-in-Chief | Moderator
Restaurant Business
CEO
Bojangles
CEO & President
Dutch Bros Coffee
President, North America & International
Taco Bell
Hear firsthand from top brands as they discuss their strategies for unlocking growth. This panel discussion explores how the right technology and partners lead to successfully unlocking scale, continually innovating, tackling change management, and delivers valuable ROI.
Chief Strategy Officer and Senior Vice President of Product | Moderator
PAR Technology
Head of Technology, NA
Jollibee Foods Corporation
Chief Information Officer
Hooter’s of America
Director of Brand Management
Mr. Pickles Sandwich Shops
For today’s restaurants, efficiency is critical. Managers need systems that eliminate distractions and empower them to focus on long-term, strategic initiatives that drive sustainable profitability and growth. In this session, we’ll explore how restaurant leaders can implement tools that allow managers to focus on store-level performance and profit by using the stacks of data they already produce to fuel sales forecasting, AI-driven invoice management, and intelligent task management to foster better, faster decision-making.
Co-Founder and Chief Community Officer
Restaurant365
Chief Financial Officer
Someburros
Cut through the AI hype and noise with WINGSTOP, NVIDIA & WWT DIGITAL. Join us to learn how restaurants brands can turn AI into ROI.
"AI at the Table" invites restaurant leaders to a practical panel discussion on how restaurant brands can drive growth and operational efficiency with AI. We’ll discuss how to prioritize AI use cases while accounting for your technology and data maturity.
Key takeaways for the audience will include:
- How to prepare your business, data and technology for AI success
- How to practically balance speed, cost and business impact
- AI innovations that will drive business impact for Restaurants
Head of Digital Strategy & Product Management
WWT Digital
Senior Vice President of Restaurant & Corporate Technology
Wingstop
Vice President and General Manager Artificial Intelligence for Retail & CPG
NVIDIA
Principal, AI & Management Consulting
WWT Digital
In this session, you'll hear from Nick Patrick (CEO at Radar, the leading geofencing platform) and Sergio Pérez (Senior Director of Omnichannel at Bojangles). They'll discuss trends in digital transformation and vendor selection, and how Bojangles is taking advantage of these trends to accelerate growth, increase efficiency, and deliver innovative customer experiences across mobile and web.
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Radar
Senior Director of Omnichannel
Bojangles
In our 2023 Restaurant Operations Report, respondents shared that stores are insufficiently staffed—either understaffed or overstaffed—for 38% of shifts in any given week. With the added challenges of complicated labor laws and minimum wage hikes, it’s no wonder that more than half indicated they plan to invest in labor scheduling technology in the coming year.
Join us to hear how top restaurant chains navigate these challenges and put themselves in a position to grow and succeed in today’s complex labor environment. Our prestigious panel of operations leaders will share the best practices their organizations are using right now to manage minor laws, fair workweek laws, and overtime and penalty pay, all while optimizing schedules in order to compensate for rising labor costs and continued staffing shortages.
Executive Vice President
Burgerville
Enterprise Director
Crunchtime
Chief People & Strategy Officer
Pizza Ranch
Chief Executive Officer
SPB Hospitality
Get ready to savor the wisdom of trailblazing CEOs in an exclusive panel discussion focused on leadership excellence. Join us as these visionaries dish out their top leadership tips, candid stories of triumphs and setbacks, and invaluable insights into what it takes to lead a thriving restaurant company in today's dynamic market.
Our panelists represent a diverse array of brands and business models. Through lively discussion and personal anecdotes, they'll serve up a smorgasbord of strategies for effective leadership, from inspiring and motivating teams to making tough decisions and driving innovation. Come thirsty for knowledge and leave nourished with actionable insights to elevate your leadership game and take your restaurant to new heights of success.
Chief Executive Officer
L&L Hawaiian BBQ
Chief Executive Officer
Blaze Pizza
Chief Executive Officer
Big Chicken
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Crumbl
Chief Strategy Officer
Botrista Beverages
The rapid emergence of innovative restaurant technology has operators eyes wide open about its lasting impact on customer and employee experience. As pressure mounts to augment same-store sales, entrepreneurs are transforming the playing field for digital growth by moving beyond just delivery. DoorDash will moderate an insightful discussion between Taco Bell, Wingstop, and Technomic executives where we'll unpack successful restaurant technology strategies currently in market and nascent growth opportunities.
Chief US Franchise Operations Officer
Wingstop
Vice President of Enterprise Restaurant Partnerships
DoorDash
Chief Digital and Technology Officer
Taco Bell
Senior Principal and VP of Innovation
Technomic, Inc
Innovation Forums (choose 1 of 10)
Led by the brightest professionals in foodservice, RLC's innovation forums are packed with hot topics and powerful messages designed to spark new ideas. Connect with the industry's game changers and gain valuable takeaways from the latest and greatest in foodservice innovation. There's something for everyone!
Sessions are not available for pre-registration - seating will be first come , first accommodated.
During this interactive session, top operators, the KraftHeinz Away From Home Foodservice team, and the Informa Connect Editorial team will continue topical conversations from General Session with a deeper dive discussion around Menu Development, Culinary Trends, LTOs, Sustainability, and more.
Senior Editor | Moderator
Restaurant Business, FoodService Director
Senior Vice President, Culinary & Innovation
Subway
Patron and Operator Insights, Away From Home
KraftHeinz
CEO
Krispy Krunchy Chicken
Chief Marketing Officer
BurgerFi
During this interactive session, top operators, the NCR VOYIX team, and the Informa Connect Editorial team will continue topical conversations from General Session with a deeper dive discussion around Data Management, “Unified Commerce” for True Omnichannel, and Productivity.
Vice President of Marketing & Inside Sales | Moderator
NCR Voyix
Chief Information Officer
Chicken Salad Chick
Senior Editor
Restaurant Business
Chief Information Officer
Shake Shack
Chief Executive Officer and President
CEC Entertainment
Today’s customers want what they want, when they want it. They interact with companies across websites, apps, social media channels, physical stores, and more. At the same time, each brand is vying for their attention and business. In today’s omnichannel environment, on-demand delivery has become a crucial tool for restaurant operators to acquire new customers and build loyalty among their regulars. Learn the on-demand delivery approaches you can take to nail last mile delivery to increase your bottom line and win over customers.
Senior Director of Partnerships
Olo
Director, IT Digital Solutions & Services
Fiesta Restaurant Group, Inc.
Head of Online Food Delivery, Uber Direct
Uber
Innovative brands are harnessing the power of data integration to boost effectiveness and build genuine connections with the next generation of consumers. In this session, we'll explore how emerging brands can keep up with their larger-budget counterparts. Our panel will discuss the challenges of turning first- and third-party data into relevant traffic-driving solutions while keeping the guest at the center. By the end of this session, you will possess the knowledge to use data to make informed decisions, leveraging actionable insights on strategies that effectively resonate with the modern consumer.
Senior Vice President, Head of Marketing
Smalls Sliders
Sales Team Lead, Restaurant
Vericast
Senior Vice President, Marketing Technology
Vericast
Chief Growth and Development Officer
Craveworthy Brands
Join Grimaldi’s Pizzeria Director of Marketing, Pamela Nedwetzky and Paytronix Chief Revenue Officer, Charles Gray, for an insightful session around the highs and lows of rebuilding a legacy guest engagement program.
In this talk, Pamela and Charles will explore the strategic initiatives that Grimaldi’s implemented to enhance their original VIP Club experience. You’ll learn the math behind developing a profitable loyalty program, how to ensure guest buy-in when changing consumer-driven programs, plus ways to incorporate new technologies such as the use of personalized marketing to create automated feedback loops, and how to create a more intimate and rewarding customer experience. This session is a must-attend for anyone interested in improving the consistency of customer engagement and community involvement for brand success.
Chief Revenue Officer
Paytronix
Director of Marketing
Grimaldi’s Pizzeria
We'll uncover how to seamlessly connect the off-premise guest journey across online ordering, loyalty, and catering, addressing the critical challenge of creating a cohesive digital experience. Learn how multi-unit restaurants are utilizing guest data for better engagement and converting one-time orders into repeat business, all while tapping into marketing integrations, and leveraging CRM for catering growth.
CEO & Co-Founder | Moderator
Lunchbox
President and CEO
Wow Bao
Chief Development Officer
WOWorks
Chief Experience Officer
CAVA
DTiQ is shining a light on drive-thru trends and data that are delivering efficiency plus a unique and consistent positive guest experience. Hear about use cases and technology that can help you grow your drive-thru performance.
Vice President, International Sales and Operations
DTiQ
Explore the latest industry insights and tools in next generation customer engagement and online food ordering and delivery that can help create more visibility for restaurants’ business and boost sales. Learn how to transform your restaurant’s delivery and customer feedback to take back control of your own customer data, lower fees, and create a more seamless and superior customer experience.
Hear from fellow restaurant operators who know first hand the challenges and triumphs that come when trying to retain customers, generate loyalty and optimize their online ordering and delivery. Leave with tangible tactics to empower your digital journey.
Co-Founder & Managing Partner | Moderator
Branded Hospitality Ventures
Chief Technology Officer
BRIX Holdings
Chief Executive Officer and Founder
Craveworthy Brands
President
Groucho's Deli
Join Stacey Pool, CMO at Noodles & Company, in conversation with Mastercard about her approach to reimagining how the fast casual concept goes to market. By evolving both their MarTech stack and team culture to embrace smarter decision-making, Stacey’s team transformed their loyalty program into the bright light of their business – so much so that they’ve been able to dramatically reduce the scale of discounts offered while simultaneously increasing transactions and engagement.
Stacey will be joined by Phil McGahey, VP Loyalty Sales at Mastercard Data & Services, for an exploration of three areas Noodles used data to evaluate success: pricing, menu changes and loyalty. You’ll walk away with concrete advice around how to think outside of the box, build a holistic technology stack, build a data-driven culture, and create a truly engaged audience.
Chief Marketing Officer
Noodles & Company
Vice President of Loyalty Sales
Mastercard Data & Services
Discover how Fourth, the leading restaurant software company, is revolutionizing prime cost management through artificial intelligence. In a panel discussion led by Fourth's CEO, Clinton Anderson, industry leaders from top restaurant brands such as TGI Fridays, Buffalo Wild Wings, Arby's, and the like will share their experiences and insights on leveraging AI to tame prime costs. Learn about the latest advancements in AI and how our panelists are using this technology to stay ahead of the competition. Don't miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights into the future of technology.
Chief Executive Officer
Fourth
Chief People Officer
Pizza Hut
Vice President of Information Technology
SSP America
Senior Director Operations Finance
Brinker International
RLC Marketplace
Location: Grand Canyon BallroomWith almost 200 suppliers on display, you're sure to find all the industry-shapers within the RLC Marketplace. It's all about the connections you make and the hands you'll shake here, where suppliers and operators gather to uncover the latest solutions, sample new products and even close deals.
General Session
Location: Grand Saguaro BallroomIf the post pandemic world has taught us anything, brands must be more innovative and tech savvy than before to stay relevant. The Eatertainment category was greatly affected during the shutdown, but they are coming back on top with a wave of exciting concepts while tapping into new markets.
This lightening round hot seat style session will feature top restaurant leaders who are taking Eatertainment to the next level with trend forward experiences, technology advances and unique hospitality. Each mini one-on-one interview will provide insightful stories about their path to success, business focused ideas, and possible future plans. Hear about the competing needs of the modern consumers quest for a balance of entertainment and value driven dining options.
Founder and CEO
Pinstripes
Chief Technology Officer
Alamo Drafthouse
CEO
Puttshack
CEO
Camp Pickle | Jaguar Bolera
EVP, Conferences | Moderator
Informa Connect Foodservice
Editor-in-Chief | Moderator
Nation's Restaurant News
Get up close and personal with the founder of the first multi-channel lifestyle company, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, she is an entrepreneur, bestselling author of 99 to date lifestyle books and Emmy award winning television show host.
Food and Lifestyle Icon
President, Global Foodservice
PepsiCo, Inc.
Dinner on Your Own
Embrace the opportunity to explore the variety of offerings and indulge in a delightful dining experience tailored to your preferences. Your culinary adventure awaits – seize the moment and savor the flavors of our resort's many dinner options.
https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/phxdr-jw-marriott-phoenix-desert-ridge-resort-and-spa/dining/
**reservations are not required but are highly recommended**