Stand Out At NATIONAL RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION SHOW

May 16-19, 2026 | Chicago, IL

Stand out at the National Restaurant Association Show in 2026 with a custom trade show booth built by experts in design, fabrication & show management for foodservice brands.

Make your mark at the largest RESTAURANT SHOW IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE

The National Restaurant Association Show is the Western Hemisphere’s premier gathering for the restaurant industry. As a landmark event among food industry trade shows, it attracts over 65,000 restaurant owners, operators, and influencers from across the globe. In this competitive environment, your booth needs to make a bold statement that resonates with your audience.

NPARALLEL + Atomic Props specializes in creating unforgettable exhibit experiences that help brands like yours stand out among the 2,000+ exhibitors at NRA. From concept to completion, we handle everything to ensure your vision comes to life at this prestigious foodservice show.

Why Exhibit At NATIONAL RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION SHOW?

The National Restaurant Association Chicago event delivers unmatched opportunities for brands to connect with decision-makers in the restaurant industry.

Connect with Decision-Makers

At NRA expo, you will engage with over 65,000 industry professionals, including over 35,000 buyers with significant purchasing power. You will meet potential partners from all 50 states and over 120 countries.

Gain Media Exposure

There’s lots of opportunities to gain media visibility through extensive coverage from industry publications.

Discover Market Trends

You will leave with a stronger understanding of the competition and emerging trends, and you may even create partnerships that drive restaurant industry growth.

Show Off Your Brand

With 900+ product categories represented across 700,000 square feet of exhibition space, this Chicago trade show environment is both an opportunity and a challenge. As a result, your exhibit needs to capture attention instantly and convey your brand’s unique value proposition efficiently.

Our Approach To FOOD SERVICE Trade Shows

At NPARALLEL + Atomic Props, we understand what makes a successful exhibit at the National Restaurant Association Show. To make sure your brand stands out, your booth must do more than show products. It should tell your brand’s story, highlight your solutions, and build real connections with potential clients.

Before we start designing your exhibit, we begin with a thorough discovery process to understand your goals, audience, and metrics for the restaurant convention. Our creative team then develops concepts that will help your exhibit stand out in the crowd at this hospitality trade show including identifying:

Specific business objectives and KPIs
Target audience profiles and behaviors
Product showcase requirements
Competitive positioning
Brand identity and messaging
Budget parameters and timeline

This strategic foundation transforms your exhibit from a mere booth into a powerful business tool that captivates your ideal prospects and accelerates your sales pipeline. Every design decision is purposeful, ensuring maximum ROI from your trade show investment.

We help you stand out with a unique exhibit design that perfectly reflects your brand identity. We are experts in food industry trade shows; from cutting-edge trade show exhibits for food tech conferences to immersive brand experiences, we handle every detail with precision. Our expert craftspeople excel at creating:

Large-scale structures that accommodate food tech conference needs
Elevated platforms for improved product visibility
Interactive demonstration areas with future-forward technology integrations
Customized lighting to highlight key features
Branded environments that immerse visitors in your company culture

At this Chicago trade show, our on-site team ensures executional excellence, allowing you to focus on connecting with prospects and customers throughout the event. We incorporate future-forward technologies that consistently enhance engagement, including:

Interactive product demonstrations
Virtual reality equipment simulations
Augmented reality landscape visuals
Touch-screen product configurators
RFID tracking to monitor trade show performance
Lead capture systems integrated with your CRM
Data analytics for real-time measurement

Exhibiting at restaurant trade shows involves complex logistics, especially when showcasing food tech equipment. Our dedicated project managers handle everything from transportation and installation to dismantling and storage.

NEW EXHIBITOR AT NATIONAL RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION SHOW?

As a first-time exhibitor at the NRA Show, here are our expert recommendations to ensure success:

Planning & Logistics

Register early: Prime booth space sells out quickly for this premier food trade shows event
Budget appropriately: Consider all costs including booth fees, shipping, staffing, and travel
Book accommodations early: Hotels fill up fast during this Chicago trade show
Develop clear goals: Define what success looks like for your brand at this restaurant show

Booth Design Strategy

Create an immersive experience: Attendees respond better to interaction than passive displays
Incorporate technology: Use technology to demonstrate products and capture leads
Design for visibility: Ensure your booth can be seen from multiple vantage points
Plan for high traffic: Design your space for efficient flow of visitors

Promotion & Follow Up

Pre-show marketing: Begin promoting your presence weeks before the event
Lead capture strategy: Implement systems to collect and qualify leads efficiently
Post-show follow up: Develop a plan for timely outreach after the event

Success StorY: HORMEL At NRA

For Hormel’s appearance at the NRA expo, we created a 50′ x 100′ immersive exhibit themed “Welcome to Our House,” uniting five of Hormel’s leading brands.

This dynamic exhibit offered a gourmet experience that wowed NRA attendees with features including:

8 food stations
1 private conference room
1 fully operational gourmet kitchen
1 VIP restaurant on raised flooring

Hormel’s leadership hailed this as their best NRA show ever—a powerful endorsement of the impact we achieved together.

FAQs About NRA SHow

How do I reserve a space at NRA?

Space applications for the 2026 show typically open approximately 18-24 months before the event. Previous exhibitors receive priority, and organizers accommodate new exhibitors based on availability. Our team can help navigate this process.

How much are NRA tickets?

While attendee registration typically starts at around $300, exhibitors invest significantly more in their presence at the event. That’s why having a smart and eye-catching booth is key to getting the most from your investment.

What size exhibit space should I choose?

Space requirements depend on equipment size, number of pieces to display, and desired visitor experience. Our team can help determine optimal square footage based on your specific needs.

How can I measure ROI from my NRA trade show investment?

Measuring NRA ROI requires both pre-show planning and post-show analysis. Start by establishing clear, quantifiable objectives—whether lead generation, sales targets, or brand awareness metrics. Track both hard metrics (qualified leads, sales conversions, cost per acquisition) and soft metrics (engagement quality, social media mentions, press coverage).
For comprehensive measurement, we recommend implementing a multi-touch attribution model that captures both immediate results and longer sales cycle conversions.

Our detailed guide, How To Measure Trade Show Effectiveness: Top 10 KPIs, walks you through setting up practical measurement systems, selecting the right key performance indicators, and calculating true ROI that accounts for both direct and indirect benefits of your National Restaurant Association Show investment.

Remember that proper measurement starts long before the show floor opens—the most successful exhibitors integrate their ROI tracking strategies directly into their booth design and staff training.

TAKE YOUR FOOD SERVICE EXHIBIT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

At NPARALLEL + Atomic Props, we bring decades of unmatched expertise in designing and executing immersive exhibit environments that integrate full-scale commercial kitchens and food sampling experiences—especially for the National Restaurant Association Show.

We understand every nuance of foodservice on the show floor. From front-of-house ambiance to back-of-house functionality, our team is fluent in the language of food: freezer-to-oven (FTO), par-baked, ambient hold thaw, shelf-life strategy, and more.

We’ve built it all—and we’re actively supporting clients who require precise, health-code-compliant kitchen operations as part of their exhibit strategy. Our team manages and advises on critical infrastructure elements including running water and drainage, washing stations, sanitization requirements, bite-size serving regulations, glove protocols, and food-safe surfaces. We also coordinate high-voltage kitchen equipment (single and three-phase), commercial refrigeration, and culinary staffing to ensure flawless execution.

When it comes to food, we don’t guess—we guide with confidence and experience. Whether it’s sampling, live cooking, or back-to-back demos, we build spaces that meet your culinary demands and wow your audience.

Ready to Create Impact at NRA 2026?

Let’s discuss how we can bring your brand’s vision to life at this year’s National Restaurant Association Show. Our team at NPARALLEL + Atomic Props is ready to partner with you to create an unforgettable experience that will help you draw attention and drive sales.