Missouri Restaurant Association

What Missouri Restaurant Association does

The Missouri Restaurant Association (MRA) is a private nonprofit trade association founded in 1916 in Kansas City that serves as the recognized industry voice for Missouri's $23.5B+ restaurant and hospitality sector. The association operates through a Kansas City headquarters and a regional network of two chapters (Greater Kansas City, Greater St. Louis) and three councils (Southwest MO, Southeast MO, Mid-Missouri), delivering advocacy, education, networking, and training to restaurant operators, allied vendors, hotels, and institutional foodservice providers across the state. Core offerings include membership services (Regular and Allied tiers), ServSafe food safety and alcohol certification training, the ProStart high school culinary pipeline, MRAEF scholarships, signature events (Gilbert/Robinson Awards Dinner, KC Restaurant Week, Springfield Restaurant Week), and chapter programming led by volunteer officers.

Revenue is generated through five streams: recurring membership dues from restaurant operators and allied vendors, event sponsorships, ServSafe training fees, digital advertising services (geofencing, retargeting, banner ads, creative design), and donations to the affiliated Missouri Restaurant Association Education Foundation (MRAEF, est. 1977). Pricing is small-ticket and volume-based, with sponsorship tiers ranging from $1,500 to $5,000 and individual event tickets at $90. The technology stack is built on the Novi AMS association management platform supporting membership, event registration, and an e-commerce storefront.

The customer base is highly distributed, with 85%+ of dues-paying members being independently owned restaurants; named member companies span SMB restaurants, breweries, hospitality vendors, and a few mid-market operators. No revenue, headcount, or financial figures are publicly disclosed, consistent with nonprofit status. Corporate partners (Heartland Payment Systems, Restaurant365, Visit KC, KRHA, Torch, Optum, Evolv, McMahon Berger, BMI, Children's Mercy) provide financial underwriting for events, advocacy, and the Meals that Heal charitable campaign.

Name

Missouri Restaurant Association

Legal name

Missouri Restaurant Association

Website

https://morestaurants.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1916

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Missouri Restaurant Association is a 1916-founded nonprofit trade association that delivers advocacy, ServSafe training, ProStart education, and events to restaurant operators, allied vendors, and hospitality businesses across Missouri through five regional chapters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Association Services

NAICS

Special Food Services (7223)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Food, Beverage & Hospitality Trade Shows Organizers (THAHABAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Restaurant & Foodservice Operations Management (EDAOAKAE)

Keywords

• Trade association services
• Restaurant industry advocacy
• Foodservice training certification
• Hospitality membership services
• ServSafe certification training

Headquarters

HQ city

Kansas City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from Regular Membership (restaurants, hotels, caterers, institutions) and Allied Membership (vendors selling goods and services to the industry)
2. Event Sponsorships: Sponsorship revenue from signature events including Gilbert/Robinson Awards Dinner, Inaugural Galas, golf tournaments, hospitality events, and chapter meetings
3. ServSafe Training Programs: Food safety, alcohol, allergens, food handler, and food manager training certifications offered to members and non-members
4. Advertising & Marketing Services: Website banner ads, geofencing advertising, retargeting services, and creative design services for members and partners
5. MRAEF Scholarships: Scholarship fund donations and contributions supporting hospitality education

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Missouri Restaurant Association is a statewide nonprofit trade association that delivers membership services, government advocacy, ServSafe food safety training and certification (Food Handler, Food Manager, Alcohol, Allergens), ProStart culinary education for high schools, MRAEF scholarships, and signature industry events (Gilbert/Robinson Awards Dinner, KC Restaurant Week, Springfield Restaurant Week). It also sells digital advertising (geofencing, retargeting, website banners) and sponsorships to restaurant operators, allied vendors, and hospitality businesses across Missouri.

Product overview

Missouri Restaurant Association offers a comprehensive membership-based platform providing advocacy, education, networking, and marketing services to Missouri's restaurant and hospitality industry. The core offering includes membership access with ServSafe certification training, ProStart culinary education programs for high schools, MRAEF scholarship funding, and signature events like KC Restaurant Week and Springfield Restaurant Week. The Association also provides digital advertising products including geofencing, retargeting, and website banner ads, as well as sponsorship opportunities for the Gilbert/Robinson Awards Dinner. Additional services include the Meals that Heal charitable campaign with Children's Mercy, chapter events across Kansas City and St. Louis regions, and creative design services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MRA Membership Services Annual membership (Regular and Allied categories) providing access to networking, advocacy, industry resources, training, and events for restaurant, hospitality, and vendor professionals in Missouri.
• ServSafe Training Programs Food safety certification programs including ServSafe Food Handler, ServSafe Food Manager, ServSafe Alcohol, and ServSafe Allergens training for restaurant staff and managers.
• ProStart Program National career-building program for high school students interested in culinary arts and food service management, including educator resources and program sponsorships connecting with Missouri ProStart schools.
• MRAEF Scholarships Education Foundation scholarship fund supporting individuals pursuing careers in the restaurant and hospitality industry, including the Andy Lock Memorial Scholarship Fund.
• KC Restaurant Week Annual dining event showcasing Kansas City's culinary scene with participating restaurants offering special menus.
• Springfield Restaurant Week Annual dining event in Springfield, Missouri region with participating restaurants offering special menus.
• Gilbert Robinson Awards Dinner Annual awards ceremony recognizing outstanding contributions across the hospitality industry including scholarships and awards such as Heart of House, Rising Star, Manager of the Year, and Chef of the Year.
• Greater St. Louis Chapter Events St. Louis area events including the Inaugural Gala, Golf Tournament, and chapter meetings for restaurant industry professionals in the Greater St. Louis region.
• GKCRA Events Greater Kansas City Restaurant Association events including monthly chapter meetings, golf tournaments, Birdies & Bites Mixer, Industry Appreciation Night, and Hospitality Day at the K.
• Meals that Heal Campaign Charitable partnership campaign with Children's Mercy supporting pediatric care and education through restaurant donations via round-up programs or menu item pledges.
• Event Sponsorships Corporate partnership tiers including Neighborhood Partner Sponsor ($5,000), Main Street ($2,500), and Grassroots Sponsor ($1,500) levels for the Gilbert/Robinson Awards Dinner and other signature events.
• Geofencing Advertising Digital advertising service with virtual fence targeting available at 5,000, 9,000, and 18,000 view tiers for member restaurants and partners.
• Retargeting Advertising Digital retargeting advertising service available at 20,000, 40,000, and 60,000 view tiers.
• Website Banner Advertising Monthly banner ad placement on the MRA website providing 24/7 visibility to members and website visitors.
• Creative Design Services Custom advertising and marketing campaign design services created by the MRA Marketing Team for members and partners.
• Pinehurst Golf Raffle Annual fundraising raffle for an all-inclusive golf getaway for two to Pinehurst.

Named customers12 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

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• KRHA (Kansas Restaurant & Hospitality Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState hospitality association partner with aligned mission and regional coordination
• Visit KCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDestination marketing organization partner supporting Kansas City hospitality industry events and tourism
• United Health Group | OptumminorOthersHealth insurance partner offering employee benefits solutions to restaurant members
• Hotel and Lodging Association of Greater KCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint programming partner for hospitality events including Hospitality Day at the K and Legislative Mixer events
• McMahon BergerminorOthersLaw firm providing legal services and counsel to MRA members; Show Me Industry tier partner
• TorchcoreTechnology or IntegrationHeart of the Industry tier corporate partner supporting MRA mission and programs
• BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.)minorOthersMusic licensing partner supporting Show Me Industry tier; provides licensing services to restaurant members
• Children's Mercy HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharitable partner for Meals that Heal Round Up Campaign supporting pediatric care and education initiatives through MRAEF

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Texas Restaurant Association: Large state-level restaurant trade association offering advocacy, training, and member services in Texas. Operates with a similar chapter/membership structure and serves a comparably scaled restaurant industry.
• National Restaurant Association: The national umbrella trade association for the U.S. restaurant industry and operator of the ServSafe and ProStart programs that MRA delivers at the state level. Most directly comparable peer as the parent-style trade body governing MRA's core training products.
• Ohio Restaurant Association: State-level restaurant trade association serving Ohio. Comparable in mission, regional chapter structure, ServSafe delivery, and mid-sized state industry profile.
• California Restaurant Association: State-level restaurant trade association representing California's restaurant industry. Directly comparable in mission, membership model, advocacy focus, and training program delivery.
• Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association: Combined restaurant and lodging trade association serving Florida. Comparable as a state-level hospitality trade body with dual restaurant/hotel membership scope, similar to MRA's inclusion of hotels with restaurants.
• New York State Restaurant Association: State-level trade association serving New York's restaurant industry. Comparable in advocacy, training delivery, and member services, with a similarly diverse membership base across operators and allied vendors.
• Illinois Restaurant Association: State-level restaurant trade association serving Illinois. Directly comparable in advocacy, training, networking, and membership model, with similar mid-sized state industry dynamics.

Broad incumbents

• American Hotel & Lodging Association: National trade association for the lodging industry. Represents MRA's hotel-restaurant member segment at the national level and is a broader incumbent in the hospitality trade association space.

Others

• Restaurant365: Cloud-based restaurant management software provider that is both a corporate partner and member benefit offering for MRA. Adjacent ecosystem participant serving the same restaurant operator base with complementary technology.

Regional players

• Kansas Restaurant & Hospitality Association: Neighboring state restaurant and hospitality association explicitly partnered with MRA. Comparable in mission and structure but serves the adjacent Kansas market rather than directly competing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/morestaurants
• Facebookfacebook.com/MissouriRestaurants
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/missouri-restaurants

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Missouri Restaurant Association