Why Attend
4 days | 65+ Educational Sessions | 100+ Speakers | 160+ Exhibitors & Sponsors | 1,700+ Attendees | ∞ Opportunities
Who Attends Restaurant Leadership Conference?
Our attendees come from varied backgrounds in the restaurant industry. At RLC, reconnect with old friends and build new business partnerships and showcase your company's newest innovations to key decision-makers.
Fast Facts
- 84% of Operators have a VP or higher title
- 97% of Operators are decision-makers
- 38% of chains attending have 100+ units
- 170+ sponsoring companies
Top 500 Chain Representation
- 15 of the top 25 Chains
- 31 of the top 50 Chains
- 59 of the top 100 Chains
- 184 of the top 500 Chains
Designed By and For Restaurant Leaders
RLC is the home for top restaurant executives to hone their leadership skills, discuss solutions to industry challenges, and connect with fellow senior restaurant leadership.
In 4 impactful days, RLC delivers years’ worth of exclusive insights. This event is packed with expert sessions, cutting-edge strategies, and the latest developments in the restaurant industry.
Unique to the restaurant industry, Restaurant Leadership Conference draws upon the knowledge and experience of the top leaders in the restaurant industry, from C-suite to IT leaders to the innovative chefs who pioneer the latest culinary trends in foodservice, to create an attendee-driven agenda that focuses on real solutions for today’s key challenges.
Our 4-day program features
65+ sessions
100+ speakers
Unparalleled networking
NEST meet-ups
Exclusive keynote speakers
160+ exhibiting sponsors
Executive breakfasts & networking meet-ups
Event experiences
Agenda Highlights
We're bringing together some of the biggest names and brightest minds in the restaurant business to ignite your passion for innovation and success. Imaging gaining insights from Hollywood icon and entrepreneur Mark Wahlberg, Olympic gold medalist Gabby Thomas, and restaurant industry powerhouse Kevin Hochman, CEO of Brinker International and our 2025 Restaurant Leader of the Year.
These trailblazers are just the beginning of an all-star cast that will share their secrets to success, innovative strategies, and game-changing ideas. Don't miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn from and network with the very best.
The future of the restaurant industry is being shaped right here at RLC - can you afford not to be part of it?
Discover Solutions Providers & Professional Partnerships
Network with hundreds of restaurant industry experts and leading solution providers to uncover all the latest innovations and must-haves for your business.
Explore the RLC Marketplace and meet with our 160+ vendors exhibiting hundreds of solutions and services that can help you identify the best technology solutions to increase POS conversions, manage customer data, and elevate your business.
Event Experiences & Special Events
Each and every activity within the RLC agenda is an opportunity to expand your professional network. From the Welcome Reception to our Golf Tournament, you'll be surrounded by the restaurant industry's best and brightest. Don't miss out on these opportunities to meet new friends, chat with old ones, and have fun.
The NEST - an exclusive meeting of C-suite thought leaders seeking to collectively take on restaurant industry challenges
Golf Tournament
Hiking Excursion
Arizona Desert Jeep Tour
Serve Up Some Sizzle: A Pepper Lunch Pickleball Party
Sur La Table cooking class
Welcome Reception
VIP Keynote Speaker Mark Wahlberg
Speed Networking
Golf Tournament
Enjoy a morning of golf on the picturesque fairways of the Wildfire Golf Club. This is the perfect opportunity to continue building business relationships while practicing your swing. After the tournament, enjoy lunch with your fellow golfers.
Serve Up Some Sizzle: A Pepper Lunch Pickleball Party
Kick off your day on the courts with one of America’s fastest-growing sports: Pickleball! Join the Pepper Lunch team for a fun-filled morning event that promises competition and excitement. Enjoy lively beats from the DJ, savor delicious snacks and refreshing beverages, and seize the opportunity to win fantastic prizes. Whether you're a seasoned pro or new to the game, there's something for everyone!
Sponsored by: Pepper Lunch
Arizona Desert Jeep Tour
Climb on board in an open-air Jeep and experience the beauty and serenity of Arizona's Sonoran Desert on this guided tour. Learn about the spectacular trails from a genuine cowboy guide.
Hiking Excursion
Two different hikes will be offered by our professional guides: one for the more fitness-oriented hiker seeking a unique outdoor workout and one for the more leisurely hiker looking for an up close and personal tour of the desert's beauty.
Sur La Table
Great cooking is about more than recipes—it's about techniques. In this custom designed class you'll work together with fellow attendees in a fun, hands-on environment led by professional chef instructors.
The NEST
An exclusive safe haven where like-minded C-Suite thought leaders collectively take on restaurant industry challenges.
From The NEST - Introducing the Steve Nash Foundation
The NEST is proud to host Steve Nash this year at RLC, and we're excited to share some information about the Steve Nash Foundation and the organizations that it partners with.
Educare Arizona
At the Steve Nash Foundation, we’re working to increase access to critical needs resources for children in underserved communities and populations. Educare is a nationwide network of schools. Twenty-five Educare schools – including one in the nation’s capital – working cooperatively with strategic advocacy groups advancing state and national policy make for a powerful voice heard in Washington and across the country.
Let's Talk Dads
Let's Talk Dads provides weekly, small group classes and individual coaching sessions in infant and toddler neurodevelopment for fathers. Together, dads learn about brain science, as well as how to be what Steve Nash describes as "our children's personal neuro-developer," with practical, easy tools for best practices when they're with their kids.
