Florida Restaurant Show 2018

Event Dates
2018-09-06 - 2018-09-08
Organizer
Exhibitors
450
Event contact title
Contact
Event contact first name
Wayne
Event contact last name
Kakos
Email
wkakos@urban-expo.com
Event contact telephone number
(203) 242-8121
Description

Your fascination with food. Your creativity. Your love of people. Your talent for nourishing their bodies and their souls. Imagine 3 days in the heart of Orlando — one of the world’s most vibrant cities — where you can focus on all the magic and mystery that attracted you to food in the first place. Give yourself the gift of learning!  From the art of ancient grains to the latest in lighting for Instagram, from the fine points of fermentation to designing smart kitchens, from veggie-centric dining to the prospect of delivery by drone. Spark your creative appetite and turn your passion for the industry into a sustainable business. 

Whether you’re an independent owner, quick-serve restaurant operator, chef, caterer, baker, bar or nightclub operator, hospital, hotel or commercial foodservice personnel — join us September 6-8, 2018, at the the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show at the Orange County Convention Center.  Join 8,000+ of your peers at the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show, where you'll have access to the hottest menu trends, state of the art design and décor, the best in business education and 450 of the leading vendors and purveyors dedicated to serving the restaurant & foodservice community — all under one roof. 

Watch live culinary performances and awards ceremonies and listen in on roundtables. Energize your business — pick from within our program tracks: Hot Trends, Building Winning Teams, Marketing & Social Media, Operational Excellence, and more.  Emerging trends abound on the show floor with 450+ exhibitors and in our exciting special events and pavilions. 

Introducing the NEW Healthy Food Expo Florida — co-located with the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show.  Celebrating foods that are both good for you and delicious, bringing together the leading purveyors of healthy, natural, and organic products. Discover the most wholesome meat, seafood, and dairy products; delectable baked goods and desserts; tempting point-of-sale snacks – even eco-friendly ware-wash, so you can make your back-of-house operations as natural as what’s on your menu. We’ve got it all, for every type and size of food business and every day-part that you feature

Each special event and feature area has been developed to help you become more informed, more educated and more profitable ... the Food Trends Experience which will excite your senses and keep your menu fresh and exciting; culinary demonstration on the Center Stage presents top chefs and artistry — live; our educational sessions bring knowledge to enhance your business savvy and boost profits; the New Product Showcase gives you the first look at the latest innovations; American Culinary Federation Culinary Competitions & Cook-offs brings you the thrill of team competition; the Beer, Wine & Spirits Pavilion explores the latest alcoholic beverage trends and how to engineer your beverage menu to maximize profits; and more!

Partner Voices
Overview: The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality. In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way. “We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.” Amenities: The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.  The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need. Gold Key Members The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events. OCCC Events: This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.  The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:  AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023 200,000 Attendees $257 Million in Economic Impact MEGACON 2023 160,000 Attendees $205 Million in Economic Impact Open Championship Series 2023 69,500 Attendees $89 Million in Economic Impact Sunshine Classic 2023 42,000 Attendees $54 Million in Economic Impact Premiere Orlando 2023 42,000 Attendees $108 Million in Economic Impact