Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit

What Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit does

The Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit is an annual three-day B2B conference serving the U.S. restaurant franchise industry, now in its 11th year. It is owned and operated by Connect Media, a division of Networld Media Group, which also publishes FastCasual.com, PizzaMarketplace.com, QSRweb.com, and FoodTruckOperator.com — vertical media brands that double as marketing channels for the event. The 2027 edition is scheduled for March 8-10, 2027 at The Roosevelt New Orleans, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel, following the 2026 event at Loews Coronado Bay Resort in San Diego, reflecting a deliberate annual venue rotation.

The summit's product surface centers on a single annual event comprising executive keynotes, panel discussions, structured networking, and a Tech and Suppliers Pavilion exhibition floor. Programming spans franchise growth strategy, AI and automation, off-premise channel optimization, supply chain resilience, loyalty and omnichannel, site selection, capital access, and hiring and retention. The conference draws 100+ executive speakers, including C-suite and senior leaders from chains such as Little Caesars, Dave's Hot Chicken, Blaze Pizza, Church's Texas Chicken, Wahlburgers, QDOBA Mexican Eats, Bagel Brands, Hungry Howie's Pizza, L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, Old Carolina Barbecue, San Pedro Fish Market, Vicious Biscuit, and Newk's Eatery. Underlying technology is a standard third-party event-management platform (Cvent) for registration and session tracking.

The business model rests on three revenue streams: tiered attendee registration fees ($695-$1,195 for restaurant/foodservice operators, $1,695-$2,195 for brokers/consultants/investors, and a flat $3,950 for B2B vendors, with approval gating); multi-tier sponsorship packages (Platinum, Gold, Rose Gold, Silver, Bronze, Associate) anchored by sponsors such as Delightree, ZayZoon, Ecolab, Exponent, Atmosphere, Bikky, SiteZeus, Otter, Ovation, Qvinci, Momos, HigherMe, INFI, InMarket, DSA Signage, and Hook + Ladder Digital; and vendor exhibit fees via the Tech and Suppliers Pavilion. Distribution leverages Networld Media Group's owned publications, LinkedIn/Facebook/X social channels, an email newsletter, and YouTube for content marketing, with group discounts and pre-registration incentives to drive volume. The company is private, wholly owned by Networld Media Group, and led by Cherryh Cansler (VP of Events & Publisher of FastCasual.com).

Name

Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit

Legal name

Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit (operated by Connect Media, a division of Networld Media Group)

Website

https://franchisinginnovation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit is an annual three-day B2B conference serving U.S. restaurant franchisors, multi-unit franchisees, and restaurant-technology vendors, now in its 11th year and operated by Connect Media (Networld Media Group). It generates revenue through tiered attendee registrations, multi-tier sponsorships, and a Tech and Suppliers Pavilion exhibition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Conferences & Events

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)

akta.pro primary industry

Food, Beverage & Hospitality Trade Shows Organizers (THAHABAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industry-Specific B2B Trade Show Organizers (THAHABAB), Executive Summits & Invitation-Only Forums (MPAGAGAK)

Keywords

• Restaurant franchise conferences
• Franchise industry events
• Restaurant technology summit
• Franchise innovation events
• Restaurant business networking

Headquarters

HQ city

Louisville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Registration Fees: The primary revenue stream comes from attendee registration fees, which vary by registrant type. Restaurant operators pay $1,095 (after 2/13/2026), brokers/consultants/investors pay $2,095, and vendors pay $3,950. Early bird discounts are available before December 5, 2025 and February 13, 2026.
2. Sponsorship Packages: Companies pay to sponsor the summit at various tiers (Platinum, Gold, Rose Gold, Silver, Bronze, Associate) to gain visibility among restaurant franchise decision-makers before, during, and after the event.
3. Vendor Exhibits: Technology and service vendors pay to exhibit in the Tech and Suppliers Pavilion, gaining access to franchise operators and franchisors actively seeking operational solutions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit is an annual three-day B2B conference for restaurant franchise executives that combines keynotes, panel sessions, and a Tech and Suppliers Pavilion focused on franchise growth, technology adoption, marketing, operations, supply chain, and leadership. The event sells attendee registrations, multi-tier sponsorships (Platinum, Gold, Rose Gold, Silver, Bronze, Associate), and exhibitor booths to franchisors, multi-unit operators, and restaurant technology vendors. It is organized and produced by Connect Media, a division of Networld Media Group, and is delivered in partnership with the parent company's restaurant-industry publications.

Product overview

The Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit is an annual conference event (11th annual in 2027) serving the restaurant franchise industry. The company offers a single main product—the annual summit—which provides conference programming including sessions on technology, AI, marketing, operations, supply chain, and growth strategy. Additional services include event registration, sponsorship packages at multiple tiers, access to the Tech and Suppliers Pavilion exhibition floor, and pre-registration for early bird pricing. The event is held at The Roosevelt New Orleans, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel, with pricing tiers for Restaurant/Foodservice Operators ($695-$1,195), Brokers/Consultants/Investors ($1,695-$2,195), and Vendors ($3,950 flat rate).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit Annual three-day industry conference for restaurant franchise executives featuring keynotes, panel sessions, networking, and tracks on technology, AI, marketing, operations, supply chain, and leadership, held at The Roosevelt New Orleans.
• Event Registration Tiered attendee registration for the summit with separate pricing for Restaurant/Foodservice Operators, Brokers/Consultants/Investors, and Vendors, including access to sessions, exhibits, welcome reception, offsite dinner party, and meals.
• Sponsorship Packages

Quantifiable outcome

• 11th annual summit with over 100 industry speakers
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• FastCasualcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFastCasual is a primary media partner promoting the summit to restaurant industry professionals. The publication covers franchise innovation news and serves as a key channel for speaker announcements and event promotion.
• Pizza MarketplacecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPizza Marketplace is a media partner covering pizza segment operators. Mandy Wolf Detwiler, Editor, moderates sessions and provides industry coverage of the event.
• QSRwebcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerQSRweb is a media partner covering quick-service restaurant news and operators, providing promotional support for the summit.
• Food Truck OperatorminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFood Truck Operator is a media partner covering food truck industry trends and operators.
• DelightreecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDelightree is a Platinum Sponsor of the summit. Doug Gabbard, Head of Growth, presents at sessions on franchisee performance management. Delightree supports franchise brands including L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, PizzaExpress, and Clean Eatz.
• ZayZooncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerZayZoon is a Platinum Sponsor. Tate Hackert, Co-Founder & CSO, presents on earned wage access and employee engagement solutions for franchise operations.
• AtmospheremajorGTM or Marketing PartnerAtmosphere is a Gold Sponsor providing streaming TV content for businesses. John Smolen, SVP Sales, moderates sessions on brand experience.
• BikkymajorGTM or Marketing PartnerBikky is a Gold Sponsor and Customer Data Platform for multi-location restaurants. Abhinav Kapur, Co-Founder & CEO, moderates sessions on omnichannel strategy.
• HigherMemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerHigherMe is a Gold Sponsor providing hiring software for restaurants. Brittney Wilganowski Harrison, Head of Revenue, moderates sessions on hiring and talent.
• INFImajorGTM or Marketing PartnerINFI is a Gold Sponsor offering AI-powered self-service solutions for restaurants. Don McCoole, VP Sales, presents on AI and automation.
• InMarketmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerInMarket is a Gold Sponsor providing real-time marketing and measurement for restaurants. Alicia DiStefano, VP Practice Lead, moderates consumer insights sessions.
• MomosmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMomos is a Gold Sponsor providing Guest AI for multi-location brands. Davi Dubinski, Global Head of Sales, moderates sessions on AI marketing.
• OttermajorGTM or Marketing PartnerOtter is a Gold Sponsor powering restaurant delivery and off-premise operations for 100,000+ locations. Stefano Caccia, Head of Enterprise Sales, presents on off-premise optimization.
• OvationmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerOvation is a Gold Sponsor providing guest experience surveys for restaurants. Zack Oates, Founder & CEO, hosts interactive sessions.
• QvincimajorGTM or Marketing PartnerQvinci is a Gold Sponsor providing franchise financial performance software. Joe Barbano, Sr. VP Sales, presents on unit economics.
• SiteZeusmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSiteZeus is a Gold Sponsor providing location intelligence for franchise expansion. Ian Walsh, Chief Revenue Officer, presents on site selection.
• EcolabmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerEcolab is a Rose Gold Sponsor providing AI-powered restaurant solutions co-innovated with Microsoft. Chris Johnson presents on AI for profitability.
• ExponentmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerExponent is a Rose Gold Sponsor providing financial platforms for franchise operators. Sohel Roopani, CEO, presents on capital access.
• Hook + Ladder DigitalmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerHook + Ladder Digital is a Rose Gold Sponsor providing fractional marketing for restaurants. Caleb Clark, Co-Founder, presents on local store marketing.
• DSA SignagemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerDSA Signage is a Gold Sponsor providing drive-thru and digital menu boards. Meredith Yerkes, SVP Commercial Strategy, presents on off-premise operations.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• International Pizza Expo: The leading annual trade show for the pizza segment, also owned by parent media company Networld Media Group. Closely related because the RFI Summit already features pizza-segment speakers and sponsors (Blaze Pizza, Little Caesars, Hungry Howie's), and the two events share audience overlap.
• Nightclub & Bar Show: Annual trade show for bar, nightclub, and beverage operators with a similar sponsorship and exhibit-driven revenue model. Comparable because it targets hospitality operators and technology vendors using the same three-channel revenue structure (registration, sponsorship, exhibit).
• Franchise Business Review Events: Franchise research and events organization that produces franchisee satisfaction reports and operator-focused conferences. Comparable because it targets the same franchise-investor and franchisee audience with content focused on franchise unit economics and brand performance.

Direct peers

• Restaurant Leadership Conference: An annual invitation-only conference for senior restaurant executives and multi-unit operators, organized by Winsight. Directly comparable because it targets the same executive audience (CEOs, COOs, franchisors) and competes for sponsorship dollars from the same restaurant-technology vendors.
• FSTEC (Foodservice Technology Conference): Winsight's annual foodservice technology event focused on restaurant operators and technology providers. Directly comparable because it targets the same franchise operator and restaurant-vendor audience and overlaps with RFI Summit's AI and technology programming.
• National Restaurant Association Show: The largest annual U.S. restaurant industry trade show and conference, also targeting restaurant operators, franchisors, and technology vendors with a much broader scope than the RFI Summit. Directly comparable because it competes for the same sponsor and attendee wallet within restaurant trade-show calendars.
• MUFC (Multi-Unit Franchising Conference): Annual conference for multi-unit franchisees and franchisors across restaurant and non-restaurant verticals. Directly comparable because it serves the same multi-unit franchise operator segment that the RFI Summit targets, with similar sponsorship and exhibit revenue dynamics.

Broad incumbents

• International Franchise Association (IFA): The largest U.S. franchise industry trade association, producing the annual IFA Convention that serves franchisors, franchisees, and suppliers across all verticals. Comparable because it is the dominant incumbent in franchise-industry events and competes for franchise-vendor sponsorship dollars.
• Winsight: B2B media company that produces restaurant-industry publications (Restaurant Business, Foodservice Director) and multiple events including the Restaurant Leadership Conference and FSTEC. Comparable as the closest media-company competitor combining owned publications with annual restaurant events.

Others

• QSR Magazine: B2B media brand covering quick-service and fast-casual restaurants, with associated digital content and awards programs. Comparable because it shares the same restaurant operator audience and competes for the same media partner and content marketing attention from restaurant technology vendors.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/restaurantinnov
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@NetworldMediaGroup
• Facebookfacebook.com/franchisinginnovation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/showcase/restaurant-franchising-innovation-summit

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit